Objective. To determine the epidemiological characteristics of malaria in the urban area of the municipality of Quibdó, in northwest Colombia. Materials and methods. Malaria cases diagnosed in the city of Quibdó between March and July, 2001 were classified as autochthonous or imported based on travel histories to endemic areas and place of residency. Autochthonous cases were mapped and risk areas identified using sex and age standardized morbidity ratios. Results. During the study period 839 malaria cases were included: 77% due to Plasmodium falciparum; 19% due to P. vivax and 4% infections due to both species. 24.4% of P. falciparum cases and 39.1% of P. vivax cases were classified as autochthonous. Those neighborhoods located in the southeast of the town showed the highest risk for malaria. Conclusion. As in other urban areas, malaria transmission in the city of Quibdo is focal and the areas with the highest risk are located near vegetation zones. These results are useful to prioritize areas for intervention and the allocation of resources.