COLOMBIA

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

Situated in the northwest corner of South America.

Colombia is the only country in

the region with coasts on both the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean.

COLOMBIA

Total area: 440,839 sq.miles  Colombia has the third largest

population in South America (46.2 million people)

Colombia is Latin America’s oldest and most stable democracy

Never defaulted on its international debts

IMPORTANT FACTS Panama was part of Colombia- Independence

(1903) . U.S paid US 25.000.000 to Colombia for the American seizure of Panama (1921).

The highest educational levels in South America and a literacy rate of over 92%.

The participation of women in professional fields is the highest in Latin America

Home of the underground Salt Cathedral

Zipaquira Salt Cathedral-Built within the tunnels of a salt mine 200 meters underground in a halite mountain.

- The icons, ornaments and architectural details are hand carved in the halite rock.

EXPORTS

Flowers Emeralds Coffee Coal Fruits Petroleum Ferronickel (used to make steel) Gold

Second main exporter of flowers in the world after

Holland.

70% of the

imported flowers

in the U.S are Colombian

World’s leading source!

Third largest

producer and

exporter of coffee in the world

COAL Colombia has the

world’s largest open cast coal mine, located on the peninsula of La

Guajira, which produces almost 50

million tons per year.

Colombia is the world’s fifth coal producer and the largest exporter of

thermal coal.

BIODIVERSITY

One of Colombia’s great potentials is its immense biodiversity.

The country ranks second after Brazil (while only a quarter of its size).

• Has the highest number of classes of orchids than any other country.

• Country with the largest number of amphibians in the world – 583 species.

• Has 10% of the world’s animals and plants species, with less than 1% of its land.

BOGOTA- The capital

Is on a highland

plain of fertile soils dedicated to dairy farming and flowers for export

A modern and dynamic city that has a population of almost eight million inhabitants

CITY HALL

Porciuncula Church

Botanic Garden

MEDELLIN

Is located in a valley surrounded by mountains, close to agricultural and mining regions of the Department of Antioquia.

Two million inhabitants.

Main producer of textiles and apparel.

Medellín

Christmas lights

Medellín

Flower Festival

Typical Hacienda

Botero Plaza

CALI

Is surrounded by the fertile Cauca River valley, which is covered by enormous sugar plantations.

Home to multinational companies supplying the Andean region.

Salsa capital!

Cali

FIVE NATURAL REGIONS

CARIBBEAN

ANDEAN

PACIFIC COAST

ORINOQUIA

AMAZON

Handicrafts

CULTUREMODERN MUSIC TRADITIONAL MUSIC

JUANES

SHAKIRA

CARLOS VIVES

CUMBIA CURRULAO JOROPO BAMBUCO VALLENATO SALSA MERENGUE

If you want to see the Caribbean, go to Cuba or Dominican RepublicIf you want to see the Pacific, go to ChileI you want to see the Andes, go to EcuadorIf you want to see the Amazon, go to BrazilIf you want to see the Pre-Columbian cultures , go to México or Perú

But if you want to see all these together go to :

COLOMBIA!

COLOMBIA

COLONIAL CITIES

VILLA DE LEYVA

San Agustin

World Heritage SiteStone sculptures carved between 100 and 1200 AD,500 square kilometers -the largest of the Pre-Columbian sites in South America

COFFEE PARK

CARTAGENA

Cartagena

Colonial Architecture

La Guajira

Amazon

3452 classes of orchids