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Information about my country COLOMBIA

TOURISTIC PLACES

Popayan

Popayan is one of Colombia’s most impressive colonial cities. Located in southwestern Colombia, it is sometimes called the “Ciudad Blanca” (White City) because its buildings are chalk-white. Founded in 1537, its mild climate in the Valle de Cauca quickly attracted wealthy Spanish families who built mansions, schools, churches and monasteries. The city is famous for its Maundy Thursday procession as well as its nightlife. The Iglesia de Ermita is the city’s oldest church, built in 1546, while the Iglesia de San Francisco lays claim to being the most beautiful. Popayan’s tranquility and charm make it a good place to chill out.

Medellin

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Medellín was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world, home to Colombia’s infamous cocaine cartel. But when drug lord Pablo Escobar was snuffed out in 1993, Medellín began to bury its troubled past and rebounded tremendously. These days, the increasing number of tourist who come here find an inviting, modern city with one of the country’s best climates. Located in the Andes in the narrow Aburra Valley, the city sports temperatures averaging 24°C/72°F throughout the year, making any time a good time to visit. Medellin is also a very colorful city because of its gorgeous flowers; the city celebrates its flower festival for 12 days every August.

San Andres y Providencia

San Andrés and Providencia Archipelago are two island groups that are located closer to Nicaragua than Colombia in the Caribbean. San Andres is the largest island, and also the capital. Providence Island was initially settled by English Puritans who used slave labor on their plantations and took up privateering. White sand beaches and palm trees are San Andres’ best features. The Caribbean is colored seven shades of blue and is rich marine life, making it a great place to snorkel and dive. Accommodations aren’t as luxurious as other Caribbean islands, and visitors travel around the island on old school buses.

San Agustin

San Agustin is a laidback little town surrounded by awesome landscapes and the remains of a forgotten civilization. One of the most intriguing ancient sites in Colombia, the archeological park of San Agustin is home to more than 500 monoliths, statues, petroglyphs and sarcophagi. Most of the stone carvings at San Agustin were created between 100 A.D. and 1200 A.D. They include representations of human figures, smiling and sneering monsters as well as animals such as snakes, birds and jaguars. The pre-Incan culture that built the stone carvings is surrounded by mystery. No one knows their actual name. Most of what is known about this society comes from the interpretation of the carved statues and other ruins.

Zona Cafetera

Travelers who love their java will definitely want to visit Zona Cafetera (Eje Cafetero) where almost half of Colombia’s coffee crop is grown on the slopes of the Andes. Visitors can learn more about coffee at El Parque del Café, a park that has a botanical garden with coffee plants and an amusement park. The Zone has a gold museum featuring pre-Columbian artifacts. The tower at the Catedral de Manizales offers stunning views of one of the region’s main cities. Visitors can also take a dip in thermal springs at Santa Rosa and San Vincente. The region also is a good place to hike in the Andes.

San Gil

San Gil is an old colonial town in northeast Colombia. Founded by the Spanish in 1689, it was named the region’s tourism capital in 2004. The designation honors mainly the main outdoor activities, such as mountain biking, rafting and kayaking. Couch potatoes may enjoy a visit to the cathedral built in 1791; the Parque La Libertad, the center of the city’s social life; the Parque El Gallineral, a park set in a river, and Plaza de Mercado, a covered market where travelers can sample a variety of typical Colombian foods.

Villa de Leyva

Villa de Leyva may be a small town less than a four-hour drive from Bogota, but its Plaza Mayor is one of the biggest town squares in South America. At one time people were executed on this immense square, which is now used as a gathering place for celebrations and festivals, such as the onion beauty pageant. Its architecture reflects Spanish and Moorish influences; indeed, the Villa de Leyva has been compared to Andalucía because of the white buildings with wooden trim and balconies. Museums honor famous people who fought for Colombian independence. The first distillery in the region is located here.

Bogota, sometimes referred to as “the Athens of South America”, was first settled by indigenous peoples, though the founding date is generally set at 1538 by a Spanish explorer. Today, the city is one of the largest cities in South America and Colombia’s capital. Once considered a place to avoid, Bogota has cleaned up its act and is fast becoming one of the best places to visit in Colombia. Located at 2,640 meters (8,660 feet) in the Andes, Bogota has numerous attractions to entice visitors, including a planetarium, gold museum, botanical gardens, cultural events and a thriving nightlife. The city’s historic district can be found at La Candelaria, a pleasant quarter of cafés, churches and museums.

Tayrona National Park

Tayrona National Park is a must-see place for travelers who enjoy nature and exploring old ruins. Located on the north Colombia coast, the park offers a variety of ecosystems, from swamps to scrublands to cloud forests. For many travelers, the park’s biggest attraction is its beaches, set in deep bays and shaded with coconut palms. In fact, Tayrona beaches are among Colombia’s most beautiful. The park is also popular with birdwatchers who come to see the Andean condor, a threatened species. The park takes its name from the Tayronas, a native people, who left their mark on a number of archaeological sites, including Pueblito Chairama. Tayrona is a good place to snorkel, hike and see wild animals, including lizards and monkeys, in their native habitat.

Cartagena

Cartagena is the bustling city where Kathleen Turner’s character Joan Wilder begins her Colombian adventures in Romancing the Stone. Hopefully, travelers will get their visits off to better starts, though the city is just as busy as when it was one of the key Caribbean ports from the 16th to 18th centuries. Fought over by various countries, Cartagena was one of the most heavily fortified cities in South America; these fortifications can still be seen today. Travelers should take time to wander through the colorful old town, with its colonial architecture that includes museums, palaces and churches. “Bocagrande“, a long strip of hotel towers and condos fronting onto the beach, is also very popular with tourists.

PRINCIPAL CITIES

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TYPICAL FOOD

Sopa de Mondongo

A soup containing tripe with potatoes, peas, carrots, coriander and corn.

Ajiaco

Chicken soup like mom used to make it. It includes chicken, two (preferably three) kinds of potatoes, corn, sour cream, capers, avocado and guasca. Guasca is a special herb that grown throughout the Americas and gives the soup its distinct flavour.

Bandeja Paisa

A huge mixture of food on more of a platter than a plate, it consists of grilled steak, fried pork rind, chorizo sausages, on a bed of rice and red beans that is then topped with a fried egg and a side of sliced avocado and sweet banana (chips). It is arguably the national dish of Colombia.

Lechona

Is a typical dish from the Tolima area and consists of a whole roasted pig, stuffed with rice, yellow peas, green onions and spices which is cooked for ten hours in a clay oven. It is served with arepa. This dish is often served at parties and other large gatherings.

Empanadas

It is a stuffed pastry that can either be sweet or savory. The savory Colombian empanadas are filled with beef, chicken and/or cheese as well as with rice and coriander. Compared to the Chilean or Argentinean empanadas they are not baked but fried.

TYPICAL CLOTHES

Pollera

A pollera is a Spanish term for a big one-piece skirt used mostly in traditional festivities and folklore throughout Spanish-speaking Latin America. Polleras are made from different materials, such as cotton or wool and tend to have colorful decorations. Most of the decorations are embroidered, flowers and regional animals are among the most common designs found in polleras.

Ruana

In the Andes region of Colombia, the native people also wear Ruana which is an outer garment, usually a very thick and sleeveless square or rectangular blanket which is traditionally made with wool. Many ruanas are handcrafted with sheep’s virgin wool. Ruana can be easily understood as being a knee-long cape wrapped around one shoulder and loosely draped over the other.

Subtopic

The Sombrero Vueltiao

The Sombrero Vueltiao is a traditional turned hat of Colombia which has the iconic importance in the Colombian national heritage. The Colombians prepare the hat with a typical cane which is grown in Colombia and it is so skillfully made that it can be bend easily with lots of flexibility.

LANGUAJE

IMAGEN DIVERSIDAD

Although the Colombian Constitution specifies Spanish (Castellano) as the official language in all Colombian territory, other languages spoken in the country by ethnic groups -- approximately 68 languages -- each is also official in its own territory.[7] English is also official in the archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina

VIDEO

GEOGRAPHY

1 Main Regions 1.1 Andean region 1.2 Caribbean region 1.3 Pacific region 1.4 Orinoquía region 1.5 Amazon region

CAPITAL CITY

Bogotá

is the capital and largest city of Colombia administered as the Capital District, although often thought of as part of Cundinamarca.[10] Bogotá is a territorial entity of the first order, with the same administrative status as the departments of Colombia. It is the political, economic, administrative, industrial, artistic, cultural, and sports center of the country.

FLAG

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OFFICIAL SYMBOLS

National flower

The national flower of Colombia is the orchid Cattleya trianae which was named after the Colombian naturalist José Jerónimo Triana. The orchid was selected by botanist Emilio Robledo, in representation of the Colombian Academy of History to determine the most representative flowering plant of Colombia. He described it as one of the most beautiful flowers in the world and selected Cattleya trianae as National symbol.

National tree

The wax palm tree Ceroxylon quindiuense, is a palm native to the Andean high altitude Cocora valley in the department of Quindío, northwest Colombia. Also known as the Quindío wax, the wax palm is the tallest palm tree in the world.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of Colombia contains a shield with numerous symbols. Perched on top of the shield is an Andean condor holding an olive crown and the condor symbolizing freedom. The national motto, Libertad y Orden (Spanish for Liberty and Order), is on a scroll in between the bird and the shield in black font over golden background. The condor is depicted as displayed (with his wings extended) and looking to the right.

National flag

According to the current interpretation, the colors signify: Yellow: represents all the gold found in the Colombian land. Blue: represents the seas on Colombia's shores, the rivers that run through, and the sky above. Red: represents the blood spilled for Colombia's independence.

OFFICIAL NAME OF THE COUNTRY

Republic of Colombia

Motto: "Libertad y Orden" (Spanish) "Freedom and Order"

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