General information about COLOMBIAGeneral information about COLOMBIANational Symbols

Government

Language

Religion

National Symbols:National Symbols:

Shield of Colombia

Flag of Colombia

National Flower

National Anthem

COLOMBCOLOMBIAIAGeographyGeography

GEOGRAPHYGEOGRAPHY

LOCATIONLOCATION

Colombia is Colombia is located in the located in the Northwest Corner Northwest Corner of South America. of South America. It’s size is It’s size is 1,138,910 Square 1,138,910 Square Kilometers.Kilometers.

Colombia is the size of Texas and California combined

Colombia is the size of Texas and California combined

COLOMBIA IN USACOLOMBIA IN USACOLOMBIA IN USACOLOMBIA IN USA

BordersBordersNorth: The Caribbean North: The Caribbean SeaSea

Northwest: PanamaNorthwest: Panama

East: Venezuela and East: Venezuela and BrazilBrazil

South: Ecuador and South: Ecuador and PeruPeru

West: The Pacific West: The Pacific OceanOcean

The Only Country in

South America with coasts

on both Oceans

The Only Country in

South America with coasts

on both Oceans

Pacific Ocean

AtlanticOcean

Los Andes Mountain RangeLos Andes Mountain Range Has a Has a Great Influence on its Geography, Great Influence on its Geography,

Weather and EcosystemsWeather and Ecosystems

Los Andes Splits into Los Andes Splits into ThreeThree Mountain ChainsMountain Chains

““Cordillera OccidentalCordillera Occidental”: ”: The lowest and shortest The lowest and shortest of the three mountain of the three mountain chains. chains.

““Cordillera CentralCordillera Central”: The ”: The most populated and most populated and highest.highest.

““Cordillera OrientalCordillera Oriental”: ”: The longest.The longest.

That Divide The Country That Divide The Country into into

FiveFive Natural AreasNatural AreasRegion AndinaRegion Andina: : The most The most important area with 70% of the important area with 70% of the population of the country.population of the country.

Region Caribe:Region Caribe: Most of the Most of the country's commerce moves country's commerce moves through this area.through this area.

Region Pacifica: Region Pacifica: One of the One of the wettest regions in the world.wettest regions in the world.

Region Orinoquia: Region Orinoquia: Known as Known as the eastern plains, where the eastern plains, where cattle raising is practiced.cattle raising is practiced.

Region Amazonica: Region Amazonica: The The natural reserve of the country.natural reserve of the country.

BiodiversityBiodiversityIn Colombia you can find In Colombia you can find 10% of the Fauna and 10% of the Fauna and Flora of the PlanetFlora of the PlanetOur country holds the first Our country holds the first place in the world for its place in the world for its great variety of butterflies, great variety of butterflies, palm trees, orchids and palm trees, orchids and amphibiansamphibiansIt holds the second place It holds the second place in the world for its variety in the world for its variety of plantsof plantsIt holds the third place in It holds the third place in the world for its variety of the world for its variety of reptilesreptiles

Colombia Has Several Colombia Has Several Rivers Rivers

GroupedGrouped in Four Basinsin Four Basins

Caribbean BasinCaribbean Basin

Pacific BasinPacific Basin

Orinoquia BasinOrinoquia Basin

Amazonian BasinAmazonian Basin

Historically, The Two Historically, The Two MostMost Important Rivers Important Rivers

Have Been:Have Been:The Magdalena The Magdalena River with a 1.550 River with a 1.550 Km lengthKm length

andand

The Cauca River The Cauca River with a 1.349 Km with a 1.349 Km length.length.

COLOMCOLOMBIABIA

HistoryHistory

ofof

The History of Colombia isThe History of Colombia is Divided intoDivided into

Four Important Periods Four Important Periods

The Pre-Columbian Period (12.000 The Pre-Columbian Period (12.000 BC-1492)BC-1492)

The Conquest Period (1500 – 1550)The Conquest Period (1500 – 1550)

The Settlement Period (1550 – 1810)The Settlement Period (1550 – 1810)

La Republic Period (1810 – Hoy)La Republic Period (1810 – Hoy)

The Pre-Columbian PeriodThe Pre-Columbian Period (12.000 BC-1492) (12.000 BC-1492)

At the time of European At the time of European contact, peoples from contact, peoples from eastern South America, the eastern South America, the Caribbean and Central Caribbean and Central America occupied America occupied Colombia.Colombia.

Most of these societies Most of these societies fiercely resisted Spanish fiercely resisted Spanish colonization.colonization.

Los MuiscasLos MuiscasThe most The most numerous of numerous of Colombia’s Colombia’s indigenous indigenous peoples were peoples were the Muisca.the Muisca.

El DoradoEl DoradoIt’s the most famous It’s the most famous Colombian indigenous Colombian indigenous legend. It probably legend. It probably comescomes from a Muisca from a Muisca ceremony, in which a ceremony, in which a new ruler was covered new ruler was covered with gold dust each with gold dust each year, and then washed year, and then washed in a sacred lake. in a sacred lake. Although many Although many conquerors tried to find conquerors tried to find it, it was never found.it, it was never found.

The Conquest PeriodThe Conquest Period (1500 – 1550) (1500 – 1550)

The first cities The first cities in the “New in the “New World” were World” were founded by founded by

Spanish Spanish conquerors.conquerors.

The Colonial Period The Colonial Period (1550 – 1810)(1550 – 1810)

Colonial society Colonial society relied on "purity of relied on "purity of blood" as a basis blood" as a basis for stratification:for stratification:

““PeninsularesPeninsulares”:”: persons of Spanish persons of Spanish descent born in descent born in Spain;Spain;

“Criollos”: Spanish descent born in the colonies;“Mestizos”: persons of mixed Spanish and Indian descent who were free but relegated to positions of low prestige.Black African slaves and “Zambos”: persons of mixed African and Indian descent, who were at the bottom of the social scale and were important only as a source of labor.

The Republic PeriodThe Republic Period (1810 – To Date)(1810 – To Date)

Simon Bolivar Simon Bolivar organized and led organized and led military forces to free military forces to free the northern portion of the northern portion of South America from South America from Spanish rule.Spanish rule.

Colombian Colombian Independence Day: Independence Day: July 20July 20thth, 1810., 1810.

Colombian peopleColombian people

PopulationPopulation 43. Million 43. Million Approx.Approx.

– 58% Mestizos. (EuroNative)58% Mestizos. (EuroNative)– 20% Mixture (Indian-Euro). 20% Mixture (Indian-Euro). – 14% Mulatto.14% Mulatto.– 4% Black4% Black– 3% Mixture (Black-Native).3% Mixture (Black-Native).– 1% Native Americans.1% Native Americans.

Education:

91.3% Men

91.7% women

91.5% Total (2000 est.).

Elementary: 90.7% pop.

Secondary: 61% Pop.

University: 10.6% 2000 est

ReligionReligion: : 90% Roman 90% Roman Catholic, other 10%.Catholic, other 10%.

CitiesCities

BogotaBogota

BogotaCapital District

Population8,350,0005,261 people/km²

Altitude of 2640 m (8660 ft)

Temperature is about 14 °C (57 ° F)

Area covers 384.3 km² 1222.5 km²

Bogota

MODERNMODERN OLDOLD

TRANSMILENIOTRANSMILENIO

TRANSMILENIOTRANSMILENIO

CULTURAL ACTIVITIESCULTURAL ACTIVITIES

TEATRO COLON

PLANETARIO

JARDIN BOTANICO

INTERNATIONAL EVENTSINTERNATIONAL EVENTS

THEATER FESTIVAL

BOGOTA FASHION

BOOK FAIR

TOURIST PLACESTOURIST PLACES

MONSERRATE GOLD MUSEUM

PRESIDENTIAL PALACE

NATIONAL MUSEUM

Other CitiesOther Cities

MEDELLINMEDELLIN

CARTAGENACARTAGENA

CALICALI

BARRANQUILLABARRANQUILLA

SANTA MARTASANTA MARTA

SAN AGUSTINSAN AGUSTIN

SANTA MARTA SNOW SANTA MARTA SNOW MOUNTAINMOUNTAIN

CABO DE LA VELACABO DE LA VELA

SALT CATHEDRALSALT CATHEDRAL

RUIZ AND TOLIMA SNOW RUIZ AND TOLIMA SNOW VOLCANOESVOLCANOES

GALLINERAL PARKGALLINERAL PARK

TEQUENDAMA WATERFALLTEQUENDAMA WATERFALL

VILLA DE LEYVA TOWNVILLA DE LEYVA TOWN

TAYRONA NATURAL PARKTAYRONA NATURAL PARK

AMAZONAS RIVERAMAZONAS RIVER

LAS LAJAS CATHEDRALLAS LAJAS CATHEDRAL

SAN ANDRES ISLANDSAN ANDRES ISLAND

Our People: a

rtist,

scientis

t, writ

er

The most famous Colombian Singers: Carlos Vives, Juanes

& Shakira..

Sports

EconomyEconomyAgricultureAgriculture : 13.4%

– FlowersFlowers– CoffeeCoffee

IndustryIndustry: 32.1%– ClothingClothing– MiningMining– CoalCoal– PetroleumPetroleum

ServicesServices: : 54.5%

– TourismTourism

EconomyEconomyExports: $15.5 billion f.o.b

Commodities: Petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Partners: US 42.1%, Venezuela 9.7%, Ecuador 6%.

Imports: $15.34 billion f.o.b

Commodities: industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity .

Partners: US 29.1%, Venezuela 6.5%, China 6.4%, Mexico 6.2%, Brazil 5.8%.

The official currency of The official currency of Colombia is the PESO.Colombia is the PESO.1 PESO = 100 centavos.1 PESO = 100 centavos.There are coins in the There are coins in the following denominations: following denominations: $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $200 $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $200 and $500 pesos.and $500 pesos.

There are paper notes in the There are paper notes in the following denominations: following denominations: $1,000, $2,000, $5,000, $1,000, $2,000, $5,000, $10,000, 20,000 & 50,000 $10,000, 20,000 & 50,000 pesos.pesos.

1 Dollar = 2000 pesos.1 Dollar = 2000 pesos.

Currency

IndustryIndustry Growth rate: 6%/07 Textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds.

AgricultureAgricultureCoffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseeds, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Colombian CoffeeColombian Coffee•It is considered the ‘Richest' coffee in the world because is rich in flavor.

•Colombia produces about 12% of the coffee in the world.

•There are two main regions of coffee production in Colombia: Medellín, Armenia, and Manizales (MAM) in the central region and Bogotá and Bucaramanga in the eastern region.

CRAFTS

Services:Services:Tourism: Us 350 7/D

Eje cafetero, Cartagena,

Santamarta, San Andres, Amazonas, Guajira.

Other services: Education, health,

technology, insurance and banking.

Colombian Food

Colombian Food is very rich and depends on the region.

•Fruits (banana, passion fruit, kiwis, feijoas, guava, guanabana, coconut).•Vegetables: (potato, yuca, plantain,guineos and avocado)•Meat ( steak, fish, lamb, chiguiro, chivo and seafood)

•Specials: Sancocho,

mute, tamal, empanadas,

salpicon, arepa,

bocadillo, ayacos, ajiaco,

fritanga ,patacones, etc.

ThanksThanks

For learning about For learning about my country, my country,