Pereira, city, capital of Risaralda departamento (department), west-central Colombia. It is situated in the western foothills of the Cordillera Central above the Cauca River valley. The city was founded in 1863 on the former site of Cartago by Remigio Antonio Cañarte in honour of Francisco Pereira Martínez, who, before his death, had purchased the public lands in hopes of creating a new city.
Pereira serves as a centre for coffee and cattle and has some light manufacturing, primarily textiles. The controversial bronze statue The Naked Bolivar (1963), by Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt, stands in its own plaza. The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Poor (1890) and the Technical University of Pereira (1958) are architectural landmarks. A fishing and hunting preserve and a ski resort are located nearby. Pop. (2007 est.) 379,589.