South America: Plan your Journey

Colombia

The Republic of Colombia is a country in northwestern South America. It is bordered to the north and north-west by the Caribbean Sea, to the east by Venezuela and Brazil, to the south by Ecuador and Peru, and to the west by Panama and the Pacific Ocean. Nationals are strongly advised not to travel to the provinces of Caqueta, Putumayo, Meta and Choco or to the rural areas of Antioquia, Cauca, Narino, Norte de Santander, Arauca, Sucre and Bolivar. For further information, visitors should seek official advice. more...

National name: Republica de Colombia
Full country name: Colombia
Area: 439,733 sq mi (1,138,910 sq km)
Population: 42,954,279 (growth rate: 1.5%); birth rate: 20.8/1000; infant mortality rate: 21.0/1000; life expectancy: 71.7; density per sq mi: 98
Capital City: Santafe de Bogota
Language: Spanish, Local Indian dialects and some English, French, German and Italian are also spoken.
Government : Republic
President Alvaro Uribe (2002)
Ethnicity/race: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%
Religion: Roman Catholic 90%
Largest Cities: Bogata, Cali, Medellin, Barranquilla, Cartagena

History of Colombia

Around 1450 BC there was cultural activity near Bogota, in "El Abra". In 1000 BC, groups of Amerindians developed the political system of "cacicazgos" (answering to a figure known as the Cacique) with a pyramidal structure of power, especially in the cases of the Muisca or Chibcha people. They have been considered to have one of the most developed political systems in South America, after the Incas. Spanish explorers made the first exploration of the Caribbean littoral in 1500 led by Rodrigo de Bastidas. Christopher Columbus navigated near the coasts of Choco in 1502. more...

Overview of Colombia's Economy

Literacy rate: 93% (2003 est.)
GDP/PPP (2004 est.): $281.1 billion
Per capita: $6,600
Real growth rate: 3.6%
Inflation: 5.9%
Unemployment: 13.6%.
Arable land: 2%
Agriculture: coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp
Labor force: 20.7 million; services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990)
Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower
Exports: $15.5 billion (f.o.b., 2004 est.): petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers
Imports: $15.34 billion (f.o.b., 2004 est.): iindustrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity
Major trading partners: U.S., Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico, China, Japan, Germany (2003).

Also Read: A Brief insight in The Economy of Colombia | Demographics of Colombia | Religion of Colombia | Music of Colombia | Activities in Colombia

Political System of Colombia

- Politics in Colombia

Climate, Vegetation and Faunau

- Climate:The climate is very warm and tropical on the coast and in the north, with a rainy season from May to November. more...
- Food and Drink
: Restaurants offering international cuisine and table service is the norm. Local dishes are varied...more
- Culture: The five major parts of Colombia, geographically, are Los Llanos (the plains), the northern Caribbean...more
- Nightlife: Bogota's Colon Theater presents ballet, opera, drama and music, with international and local groups. There are many nightclubs and discos in the major towns of Colombia.

Facts for Travellers

Visa:United States entry requirements are the same in all states, with most foreign travelers requiring a visa. The US State Department issues all US visas. more...
Time Zone:
GMT - 5.
Electricity: Mostly 110 volts AC, 60Hz. American-style two-pin plugs.
Location:Northwest South America.
Country dialing code: 57
Highest Point: Cristobal Colón (5,797 meters) (19,020 ft)
Official Currency: Colombian Peso

Geography of Colombia

Located in the North of South America (4 00 N, 72 00 W) and part of Caribbean South America. The only South American country with coast in both oceans (Atlantic or Caribbean Sea with 1,760 km and Pacific Ocean with 1,448 km. Borders: North with the Caribbean Sea (sea borders with Jamaica, Haiti and Dominican Republic). West with Panama (225 km) and sea borders with Costa Rica both in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean and Guatemala. South with Ecuador (590 km), Peru (1,496 km) and Brazil (1,643 km). East with Brazil and Venezuela (2,050 km). more...

Shopping in Colombia

Special purchases include local handicrafts, cotton, wood and leather goods, woolen blankets, ruana, and traveling bags. Hotel shops carry excellent gold reproductions of ancient Colombian jewelry. Colombia produces first-grade stones, and the emeralds are among the most perfect in the world. more...

Also Read: Foreign relations of Colombia | Tourist Attractions of Colombia | Get in Colombia | Get around in Colombia | Carnival in Colombia | Festivals in Colombia

Climate of Venezuela Weather The climate varies according to altitude. Lowland areas have a tropical climate. The dry season is from December to April and the rainy season from May to December. During the rainy season, there is the possibility of flooding in certain low-lying areas, such as the Llanos and in some valley of the [...]
Activities in Venezuela Hiking and trekking Venezuela has 42 national parks and around 20 nature reserves (monumentos naturales) which, together, cover some 15 per cent of the total land mass. All types of walks, ranging from signposted trails to mountain climbing and jungle paths, are possible. Visitors should note that a permit, issued by central [...]
Tourist Attractions in Venezuela Venezuela offers a great variety of landscapes - tropical beaches, immense plains, enormous rivers, forests, jungle, waterfalls and great mountains. Unfortunately, the flash floods and mudslides which hit Venezuela in 1999 severely damaged the country’s infrastructure; some of which may still not have been fully restored. Travelers should check prior to [...]
Nightlife in Venezuela There are many nightclubs and discos in the major cities of Venezuela. The National and Municipal Theaters offer a variety of concerts, ballet, plays, operas and operettas. There are other theaters - some of which are open-air - in Caracas, as well as several cinemas.
Food and Dining in Venezuela Cumin and saffron are used in many dishes but the distinctive and delicate flavor of most of the popular dishes comes from the use of local roots and vegetables. Some local specialties are tequenos, a popular hors d’oeuvres (thin dough wrapped around a finger of local white cheese and fried crisp); [...]
Shopping in Venezuela There are many handicrafts unique to Venezuela that are made by local Indian tribes. Good purchases are gems and jewelry, cacique coins, gold, pearls, pompom slippers, seed necklaces, shoes and handbags, Indian bows, arrows, mats, pipes and baskets, alpargatas (traditional local footwear of the Campesinos), chinchorros (local hammocks) and many other [...]
Caracas: Venezuela Caracas is the capital of Venezuela. It is located in the north of the country, following the contours of a narrow mountain valley. The valley’s temperatures are springlike, and the urbanizable terrain of the Caracas Valley lies between 2,500 and 3,000 ft (760 and 910 m) above sea level. The Valley is close to [...]
Military of Venezuela As of 2000, the national armed forces of Venezuela (FAN Fuerza Armada Nacional) enlisted 87,500 individuals in four service branches–the Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps), Air Force, and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), commonly known as the National Guard. As of 2005, about 100,000 soldiers were integrated in the military through [...]
Foreign relations of Venezuela Venezuela’s priorities in the international arena are: Respect for human rights; The right of all people to self-determination; Nonintervention in the internal affairs of other nations; Peaceful settlement of disputes between nations, including border disputes; The right of all people to peace and security; and Support for democracy. Hemispheric cooperation and integration are two pillars of president Hugo Chavez’s [...]
Music of Venezuela Venezuelan pop music has been largely overshadowed on the international scene by its neighbors, especially Brazil, Trinidad and Colombia. It is known for its own salsa, merengue and other imported styles, as well as the distinct llanera music. Originally a rural form of the llanos, or plains, llanera spread to musically creative artists like [...]

Travel Mantra: South America Destination Guide

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South America : Colombia
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Salta: Argentina
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