Official Name: República de Colombia.
Capital: Bogotá.

Independence day: July 20, 1810.

NATURAL FEATURES
Area: 440,831 square miles includes the San Andrés y Providencia archipelago.
Climate:Tropical. Varies according to the altitude.
Highest Peak: Pico Cristobal Colon, 19,020 feet (5,800 meters).
Major Rivers: Magdalena, Cauca, Meta, Guaviare, Caqueta, Putumayo, Atrato, Vaupes, Vichada.
Mountain Ranges: Occidental, Central, Oriental.


 

PEOPLE OF COLOMBIA

Population: 39,309,422 (July 1999 est.); 89.2, people per square mile (34.5 people per square kilometer); 73 percent urban, 27 percent rural.
Major Cities: Bogotá, Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Cucuta, Bucaramanga
Religions: Roman Catholicism, 95.4%.
Language: Spanish (official).
Leading Universities: National University of Colombia, University of the Andes, Javeriana Pontifical University, all in Bogota; Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia, Tunja; University of Valle, Cali; University of Antioquia, Medellin; Industrial University of Santander, Bucaramanga.


 

COLOMBIAN ECONOMY

Main Agricultural Products: Crops; sugarcane, potatoes, plantains, rice, bananas, cassavas, corn, coffee, flowers. Livestock; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens.
Main Mined Products: Petroleum, natural gas, gold, coal, iron ore.
Main Manufactured Products: Foods, textiles, chemicals, machinery, electrical apparatus, transport equipment, metal products.
Main Exports: Coffee, petroleum and petroleum products, fruits, flowers, iron and steel, textile and apparel.
Main Imports: Machinery, chemicals, transport equipment.
Monetary Unit: Peso.

GOVERNMENT OF COLOMBIA

Form of Government: Unitary republic.
Chief of State and Head of Government: President; elected to four-year nonconsecutive terms by direct national vote.
President:Alvaro Uribe Vélez
Legislature: Congress consists of Senate and House of Representatives; members elected to four-year terms. Voting Qualification: Age 18.
Political Divisions: 32 departments since July 1991, 1 capital district.

COLOMBIAN HISTORY

Circa 10000 BC, hunter-gatherer societies existed near present-day Bogotá (at "El Abra" and "Tequendama") which traded with one another and with cultures living in the Magdalena River Valley. Beginning in the first millennium BC, groups of Amerindians developed the political system of "cacicazgos" with a pyramidal structure of power headed by caciques. Within Colombia, the two cultures with the most complex cacicazgo systems were the Tayronas on the Atlantic Coast, and the Muiscas in the highlands around Bogotá, both of which were of the Chibcha language family. The Muisca people are considered to have had one of the most developed political systems in South America, after the Incas.

THE SPANISH EXPLORE COLOMBIA

Spanish explorers made the first exploration of the Caribbean littoral in 1500 led by Rodrigo de Bastidas. Christopher Columbus navigated near the Caribbean in 1502. In 1508 Vasco Nuñez de Balboa started the conquest of the territory through the region of Urabá. In 1513, he was also the first European to discover the Pacific Ocean which he called Mar del Sur (or "Sea of the South") and which in fact would bring the Spaniards to Peru and Chile. In 1525, the first European city in the American Continent was founded, Santa María la Antigua del Darién in what is today the Chocó Department. The territory's main population was made up of hundreds of tribes of the Chibchan and "Karib", currently known as the Caribbean people, whom the Spaniards conquered through warfare, while resulting disease, exploitation, and the conquest itself caused a tremendous demographic reduction among the indigenous. In the 16th century, Europeans began to bring slaves from Africa.

REBELLION IN COLOMBIA

Since the beginning of the periods of Conquest and Colonization, there were several rebel movements under Spanish rule, most of them either being crushed or remaining too weak to change the overall situation. The last one, which sought outright independence from Spain, sprang up around 1810. Eventually being led by Simón Bolívar and Francisco de Paula Santander, the rebellion finally succeeded in 1819, when the territory of the Viceroyalty of New Granada became the Republic of Great Colombia, as a Confederation with Ecuador and Venezuela. Modern day Panama, which subsequently remained a Colombian department until 1903, when it became independent, was also included in this union.

REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA ESTABLISHED

Internal political and territorial divisions led to the secession of Venezuela and Quito (today's Ecuador) in 1830. At this time, the so-called "Department of Cundinamarca" adopted then the name "Nueva Granada", which it kept until 1856 when it became the "Confederación Granadina" (Grenadine Confederation). In 1863 the "United States of Colombia" was created, lasting until 1886, when the country finally became known as the Republic of Colombia.

Internal divisions remained, occasionally igniting very bloody civil wars and, eventually, contributing to setting the stage for the U.S.-sponsored secession of Panama in 1903. Soon after, the country achieved a relative degree of political stability, which was interrupted by a bloody conflict which took place between the late 1940s and the early 1950s, known as La Violencia ("The Violence"). Its cause was mainly due to mounting tensions between partisan groups, reignited by the murder of Jorge Eliécer Gaitán in April 9th of 1948 an event later known as the Bogotazo, and it claimed the lives of at least 180,000 Colombians.

THE COLOMBIAN CONSTITUTION

To replace the previous 1886 document, a new constitution was made in 1991, after being drafted by the Constituent Assembly of Colombia. The constitution included key provisions on political, ethnic, human and gender rights, which have been gradually put in practice, though uneven developments, surrounding controversies, and setbacks have persisted.

THE NEW COLOMBIAN CONSTITUTION

To replace the previous 1886 document, a new constitution was made in 1991, after being drafted by the Constituent Assembly of Colombia. The constitution included key provisions on political, ethnic, human and gender rights, which have been gradually put in practice, though uneven developments, surrounding controversies, and setbacks have persisted.

DRUG CARTELS IN COLOMBIA

In recent decades the country has been plagued by the effects of the influential drug trade and by guerrilla insurgents such as the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), or FARC, and illegal counter-insurgency paramilitary groups such as the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia), or AUC, which along with other minor factions have been engaged in a bloody internal armed conflict.

The powerful drug cartels have helped the Colombian balance of trade by creating a steady and substantial influx of foreign currency, mainly U. S. dollars. On the other hand, the druglords have destabilized the government and, in the 1980s, the neighbour country of Panama was invaded by the United States in 1989 to remove strongman General Manuel Noriega because of his alleged links to the drug trade. The different insurgent irregular groups often resort to kidnapping and drug smuggling to fund their causes, tend to operate in large areas of the remote rural countryside and can sometimes disrupt communications and travel between different regions.

Since the early 1980s, attempts at reaching a negotiated settlement between the government and the different rebel groups have been made, either failing or achieving only the partial demobilization of some of the parties involved. One of the last such attempts was made during the administration of President Andrés Pastrana Arango, which negotiated with the FARC between 1998 and 2002.
 

PLAN COLOMBIA IS AGAINST COCA / NARCOTICS

In the late 1990s, President Andrés Pastrana implemented an initiative named Plan Colombia, with the dual goal of ending the armed conflict and promoting a strong anti-narcotic strategy. The most controversial element of the Plan, which also included a smaller number of funds for institutional and alternative development, was considered to be its anti-narcotic strategy, consisting on an increase in aerial fumigations to eradicate coca. This activity came under fire from several sectors, which claimed that fumigation also damages legal crops and has adverse health effects upon population exposed to the herbicides. Critics of the initiative also claim that the plan represents a military approach to problems that have additional roots in the social inequalities of the country.

During the presidency of Alvaro Uribe, who was elected on the promise to apply military pressure on the FARC and other criminal groups, some security indicators have improved, showing a decrease in reported kidnappings (from 3700 in the year 2000 to 1441 in 2004) and a decrease of more than 48% in homicides between July 2002 and May 2005. It is argued that these improvements have favored economic growth. [1]

Analysts and critics inside Colombia agree that there has been a degree of practical improvement in several of the mentioned fields, but the exact reasons for the figures themselves have sometimes been disputed, as well as their specific accuracy. Some opposition sectors have criticized the government's security strategy, claiming that it is not enough to solve Colombia's complex problems and that it has contributed to creating a favorable environment for the continuation of some human rights abuses.
 

The President, and Politics In Colombia

Executive Branch: Colombia is a republic where the executive branch dominates government structure. Up until recently, the president was elected together with the vice-president by popular vote for a single four-year term, which functioned as both head of government and head of state. However, on October 19, 2005, the Colombian Congress amended the constitution, which now allows Colombian presidents to serve up to two consecutive four-year terms. However department governors, mayors of cities and towns and other executive branch officials are only elected for a three year term, and cannot be inmediatelly reelected.

On May 28, 2006, president Álvaro Uribe Vélez was reelected by a vote of 62%, against 22% for Carlos Gaviria Díaz of the Democratic Pole, and 12% for Horacio Serpa Uribe of the Liberal Party.

Legislative branch: Colombia's bicameral parliament is the Congress of Colombia or Congreso, which consists of the 166-seat House of Representatives of Colombia and the 102-seat Senate of Colombia. Members of both houses are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms. Colombia is also a member of the South American Community of Nations. With congressmen, Colombia also elects Department deputies, and city councils.

Judicial Branch: In the 1990s, the Colombian judicial system underwent significant reforms and is undergoing a process of migration from an inquisitorial system to an adversarial system. Parts of the coffee growing region of Colombia and Bogotá have already adopted the adversarial system, with the rest of the country following suit starting on January 1, 2006. The judicial system is headed by a Supreme Justice Court and members are appointed by the president and congress.

President of Colombia

Colombian Major Cities

Colombia has a total of 22 principal cities, which are listed below in order of importance:

Bogotá (La Atenas Suramericana – South America's Athens) - Capital
Medellín (La ciudad de la eterna primavera – The City Of Eternal Spring)
Cali (La sucursal del cielo – Heaven's Branch; also called La Sultana del Valle - Valley's Sultan)
Barranquilla (La puerta de oro de Colombia – Colombia's Golden Gate)
Bucaramanga (La ciudad Bonita – The Pretty City)
Cartagena de Indias, (La heroica – The Heroic)
Cúcuta (La hermosa villa - The Beautiful Village)
Pereira (La querendona, trasnochadora y morena – The Lovely Sleepless Brunette)
Santa Marta (La perla de oro - The golden pearl)
Ibagué (Capital Músical de Colombia - Colombia's Music Capital)
Pasto (Ciudad Sorpresa – The Surprise City)
Manizales (La ciudad de las puertas abiertas – The City Of Open Gates)
Neiva (Neivayork, La capital bambuquera de América)
Armenia (La Ciudad Milagro – The Miracle City)
Valledupar (Capital mundial del vallenato – World's Vallenato Capital)
Villavicencio (La Puerta al Llano - The Llano's Gate)
Sincelejo (La ciudad de las corralejas - The city of the "bullruns")
Montería (La capital ganadera de Colombia - The colombian cattle capital)
Buenaventura (Bello Puerto del Mar - Beautiful Seaport)
Popayán (La Ciudad Blanca - The White City)
Tunja (La capital del haba, el tejo y la ruana)
Quibdó (La perla negra - The black pearl)

Economy In Colombia

After experiencing decades of steady growth (average GDP growth exceeded 4% in the 1970-1998 period), Colombia experienced a recession in 1999 (the first full year of negative growth since 1929), and the recovery from that recession was long and painful. Colombia's economy suffers from weak domestic and foreign demand, austere government budgets, and serious internal armed conflicts. The IMF Economic Indicators published on September 2006, forecast the Colombian GDP to reach US$149.869 billion in 2007. Inflation has been below 6% for 2004 and 2005, and is expected to remain below 5% during 2006. Colombia's main exports include manufactured goods (41.32% of exports), petroleum (28.28%), coal (13.17%), and coffee (6.25%). All imports, exports, and the general trade balance are in record levels, and the inflow of export dollars has resulted in substantial revaluation of the Colombian peso.

The problems facing the country range from pension system problems to drug dealing to high unemployment. Several international financial institutions have praised the economic reforms introduced by current President Alvaro Uribe, which include measures designed to bring the public-sector deficit below 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP). The government's economic policy and its controversial democratic security strategy have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy, and GDP growth in 2003 was among the highest in Latin America.

COLOMBIA POPULATION

With over 41 million people, Colombia is the third-most populous country in Latin America, after Brazil and Mexico. Movement from rural to urban areas was very heavy in the middle of the 20th century, but has since tapered off. The urban population increased from 31% of the total population in 1938, to 57% in 1951 and about 70% by 1990. Currently the figure is about 77%. Thirty cities have a population of 100,000 or more. The nine eastern lowlands departments, constituting about 54% of Colombia's area, have less than 3% of the population and a density of less than one person per square kilometer (two persons per sq. mi.).

The country has a diverse population that reflects its colourful history and the peoples that have populated here from ancient times to the present. The historic amalgam of three main groups are the basics of Colombia's current demographics: indigenous Amerindians, European immigrants, and African slaves.

Many of the indigenous peoples were absorbed into the mestizo population, but the remaining 700,000 currently represent over 85 distinct cultures. The European immigrants were primarily Spanish colonists, but a small number of other Europeans (Italian, Polish, German, French, Swiss and in smaller numbers Belgian, Lithuanian, Dutch, English and Croatian communities) immigrated during the Second World War and the Cold War. For example, former Bogota mayor Antanas Mockus is the son of Lithuanian immigrants.

COLOMBIAN ETHNIC GROUPS

The Africans were brought as slaves, mostly to the coastal lowlands, beginning early in the 16th century, and continuing into the 19th century. After abolition, a national ideology of mestizaje encouraged the mixing of the indigenous, European and Afro-Colombian communities into a single mestizo ethnic identity [2]. Colombia has the largest population of African origin in Latin America after Brazil, they represent approx. 27% of the population.[citation needed]

Other immigrant populations include Asians and Middle Easterners, particularly Lebanese, Jordanians, Chinese, and Japanese.

As of 2006, Colombia has about 3 million internally displaced persons, the highest number of any country in the western hemisphere, and second worldwide, after Sudan.

Religion In Colombia

87% of the population practices Roman Catholicism. Another 9% is divided mainly amongst the Protestant, Mormon, Jewish and Muslim religions. 3% of the population declares itself to be Non Religious. 1% of Colombians practice indigenous religions.

Colombian Cuisine

Meals and snacks
The first meal of the day is breakfast and is eaten upon rising. The main meal of a Colombian's day is lunch, usually eaten between 12:30 and 2:30 pm. The meal consists of three courses: a soup followed by a main course followed by either a drink or dessert. Although, in some cases, in the morning after breakfast a snack is eaten, also known as Medias Nueves and also after lunch, called Onces. The dinner is eaten usually around 7 to 9 pm.

Fruit In Colombia

Many varieties of fruit virtually unknown to the Western world are enjoyed in Colombia, such as the zapote, lulo, curuba (banana passion fruit), mamoncillo, uchuva, feijoa, sweet granadilla, mamey, guama, tree tomato, borojó, arasá(in the amazon region), pomarrosa, anón, chirimoya, guanábana, maracuyá (passion fruit), chontaduro, cocota, carambolo, coroso, guayabamanzana (hybrid between guava and apple), sweet small bananas (about 8 cm), níspero and pitahaya. Banana leaves are very common in Colombian cuisine with foods such as quesillos (cheese wrapped in banana leaves) and tamales making heavy use of them.

Regional cuisine in Colombia

There is a large variety of dishes that take into account the difference in regional climates.

Eating In Colombia

In the Caribbean coast, spicy cooking, with fish and lobster, is practiced. Coconut rice is a common dish along the coastal cities.
In the Llanos, barbecued meat, such as the "ternera llanera" is common, and also typical river fishes like the "amarillo".
In the Amazonas, the cuisine is influenced by Brazilian and Peruvian traditions.
Inland, the plates resemble the mix of cultures, inherited mainly from amerindian and european cuisine, and the produce of the land mainly agriculture, cattle, river fishing and other animals' raising. Such is the case of the sancocho soup in Valledupar, the arepas (a corn based bread like patty).

CALI FOOD

In the city of Cali, the most traditional dish is "sancocho de gallina" - a soup composed mostly of chicken, plantain, corn, coriander, yuca root, and other seasonings.
In Bogotá and the Andean region, ajiaco is the traditional dish. It is also a type of soup made of chicken, potatoes, and flavoured with a locally grown herb called "guasca". Traditionally, cream and capers are added just before eating. Both soups are served with white rice, salads flavoured with lemon, avocado, or plantain chips, sweet or salty.

Other Cuisine

There are also Gourmet restaurants and food chains, these kind of food has recently grown in Bogotá and there are different varieties of food to chose from, including Japanese cuisine to Arabic food; there has been also a new proposition of doing fusion foods and ideas to restore the traditional Colombian Cuisine too.

Colombian Dishes

The "bandeja paisa" ("Paisa platter") is a national favorite. It consists of white rice, red beans, ground beef, sausage, plantain, morcilla, chicharron, arepa, avocado and a fried egg.

The "ajiaco", an elaborate stew, is the national dish.

The "sancocho", a soup combining vegetables and meat or fish, is very popular also, with recipes differing from one region to the other

The "cuchuco", made up of wheat, habas, potatoes, ribs, peas, is a very nice thick soup from Boyacá.
 

Beverages Of Colombia

Agua de panela To make this drink one dissolves the panela (a kind of sugarloaf) in water and add lime juice.
Aguardiente
Guarapo
Champús (Made of corn, pineapple, lulo, and other special ingredients}
Chicha (Formerly forbidden strong alcoholic beverage which can be done with virtually everything within range being corn the most typical ingredient. Beverage originally made by indigenous peoples in the Andean region}
Canelazo (Alcoholic version of the agua de panela mixed with cinnamon, aguardiente and sugar in the borders of the glass, serve warm}
Refajo: It's Colombiana (Nacional pop) mixed with beer.
Colombia is also known world-wide for its exquisite coffee, and it is considered to have flavor unmatched by any other.
Malta is also a very common beverage. It is non alcoholic with a molasses flavor. Colombiana is also a very popular soda similar to creme soda. Chopped fruit is also mixed with soda to make up salpicón (literally meaning big splash) which is served along with some meals or is also taken as a snack. Another traditionally popular drink from Cali is Lulada which is a drink made from lulo and is usually made in the form of a smoothie. Other known drinks include:

Masato
Chirrinche (Distillated guarapo)
Biche (Alcoholic drink of afrocolombians made up with unripe sugarcane)
Guandiolo (From the caribbean and northern Antioquia)
Tumbacatre (Afrocolombian drink)
Sabajón (Sweet and creamy from the Cordillera Oriental)

Meat, Poultry, And Seafood Of Colombia

Chicharrón (fresh fried pork skin)
Lechona (pork stuffed with rice, corn, peas and spices)
Cábano (Strong flavoured fermented sausage)
Morcilla / rellena (thick sausage filled with rice, peas and cow blood)
Chunchullo (stuffed and fried poultry intestines)
Sobrebarriga al horno
Bofe (fried and salty cow lungs)
Ternera a la llanera o mamona
Butifarra
[edit]
Side dishes
Arroz con coco (coconut rice)
Aborrajado (deep fried plantains stuffed with cheese)
Hormigas culona or santandereana (big fried ants available only in the region known as Santander}
Hogao (sauce made with onions and tomatoes partially fried. Used for meats, arepas, rice and other dishes}
 

Breads Of Colombia

Arepa: Depending on the regions, the types of arepas differ in colour, flavour, size and garniture. Some of them are sweet and some are salty. The most typical are: Arepa Paisa or Antioqueña, arepa de huevo, arepa santandereana, arepa de choclo, arepa de yuca, arepa de anís, arepa ocañera, amongst others
Buñuelos
Pandebono
Pandeyuca
Almojábana
Pan de queso
Empanadas (not quite like chilean or angentinian which are baked. These ones are fried)
Carimañolas (like empanadas but made up of manioc)
Pan de Sagú
Pan de Maíz
Achiras del Huila
Bizcocho de Cuajada

Desserts And Sweets Of Colombia

Arequipe
Manjar blanco
Panela (unrefined brown sugar)
Bocadillo (Soft guava paste) In some regions they use local fruits to make their own fruit pastes
Postre de natas
Cocadas
Alegria
Queque
Merengue
Chiricana
Algodon de Azucar
Dulce de Nispero
Boli
Alfandoque
Dulce de Maduro
Dulce de papaya
Dulce de las tres leches
Obleas
Brevas con arequipe
Dulce de papayuela
Herpo

Music of Colombia

Modern Colombian music is a mixture of African, native Indigenous and European (especially Spanish) influences, as well as more modern American and Caribbean musical forms, such as Trinidadian, Cuban, and Jamaican. The national music of Colombia is said to be cumbia.

Cumbia is a mixture of Spanish and African music, the latter brought by slaves. In the 19th century, slavery was abolished and Africans, Indians and other ethnic groups mixed more fully. Styles like bambuco, vallenato and porro was especially influential. When the waltz became popular in the 19th century, a Colombian version called pasillo was invented. International Latin, a type of pop ballad, and salsa music are best-represented by Charlie Zaa and Joe Arroyo, respectively.

Cumbia Bands In Colombia

Cumbia is a complex, rhythmic music which arose on Colombia's Atlantic coast. In its original form, cumbia bands included only percussion and vocals; modern groups include saxophones, trumpets, keyboards and trombones as well. It evolved out of native influences, combining both traditions. Some observers have claimed that the dance originally associated with cumbia arose as a depiction of an man courting a native woman, while others point to the shuffling footwork from a native man attempting to dance while fettered by iron chains around the ankle. Still others believe it is a direct import from Guinea, which has a popular cumbe dance form.

Cumbia's form was solidifed in the 1940s when it spread from the rural countryside to urban and middle-class audiences. Mambo, big band and porro brass band influences were combined by artists like Lucho Bermúdez to form a refined form of cumbia that soon entered the Golden Age of Cumbia during the 1950s. Disco Fuentes, the largest and most influential record label in the country, was founded during this time. Fruko, known as the Godfather of Salsa, introduced Cuban salsa to Colombia and helped bring Discos Fuentes to national prominence by finding artists like La Sonora Dinamita, who brought cumbia to Mexico, where it remains popular.

It is worth pointing out that the "classic" cumbia known throughout Colombia is the Cumbia Cienaguera. This song reflects a uniquely Colombian feel known as "sabor" and "ambiente." Arguably, this song has remained a Colombian staple through the years and is widely known as the Himno Nacional.
 

Vallenato Music In Colombia

Vallenato arose in Valledupar on Colombia's Atlantic Coast and only gained popularity elsewhere in the country in the 1980s. Its origins are shrouded in mystery but are said to have begun with Francisco el Hombre, who allegedly defeated Satan in a musical contest. Based around the accordion, vallenato has long been connected with cumbia. Influential artists include Alejo Durán and, more recently, Alfredo Gutiérrez and Lisandro Meza. In addition to the accordion, the bass guitar has been a common part of vallenato ensembles since it was introduced by Caliya in the mid-1960s. The most recent modernization of vallenato occurred in 1993 when Carlos Vives released Clásicos de la Provincia, which made him into a star and changed the face of vallenato.

Vallenato has spawned several subgenres, including vallenato-protesta, which is known for socially aware lyrics, and charanga vallenata, which was invented by Cubans in the United States like progenitor Roberto Torres

Colombian Bambuco Music

Bambuco is an indigenous form of music, sometimes known as Música del interior. Its popularity has long been , but was extremely popular across Colombia from the mid-1920s to the late 1930s. Artists include Estudiantina, Jaime Llano González, Jorge Villamil and the Morales Pino Trio.

Porro Band Music Of Colombia

Porro bands are an enthusiastic form of big band music that came from Sucre, Córdoba and Sabana de Bolívar. The brass ensembles are modeled after European military bands. Influential porros include La Orquestra Lucho Bermudez, Matilde Diaz, Pacho Galan, Banda de 11 Enero, La Sonora Cienaguera, Orquesta Climaco Sarmiento and Pedro Laza y sus Pelayeros.

Colombian Música llanera

Música llanera is a harp-led form of music from Los Llanos popular throughout Colombia. It includes the traditional joropo musical style, and is known for verbal contests called contrapunteo. Past artists include Alfredo Rolando Ortiz (born in Cuba), Alma Llanera, Cimarron, Luis Ariel Rey, Carlos Rojas, Sabor Llanero, Arnulfo Briceño and Orlando Valdemarra.

Colombian Salsa

Salsa music was born among Puerto Ricans and Cubans, and soon spread to Colombia, popularized by Fruko y sus Tesos and Discos Fuentes. Artists like Joe Arroyo followed, inventing a distinctively Colombian form of salsa. Though it is salsa all the same one can hear the difference between Cuban salsa and Colombian salsa. Other influential Colombian salsa musicians include Grupo Niche, Alquimia, La Misma Gente, Los Titanes, Los Nemus del Pacífico, Orquesta Guayacán and Grupo Galé.

Champeta and African-Diasporic Music In Colombia

Some Colombian communities, such as Chocó, Cartagena and Providencia Island, have large African-descendant communities. Unlike most of the country, cultural mixing with native and European influences have been rare, and, especially in El Chocó, music has changed little since being imported from West Africa. Providencia Island is also home to a type of folk music which is closely related to mento, a Jamaican folk form. Most influentially, however, is the city of Cartagena and its champeta music which has been influenced by soukous, compas and raggae. Champeta musicians have included Luis Towers, El Afinaíto, El Sayayín, El Pupy and Boogaloo, while others, like Elio Boom, have incorporated Jamaican raggamuffin music to champeta. Another noteworthy band is BIP, who originally did champeta music and currently are doing reggaeton, without leaving behind their champeta roots.

Classical Music
Colombian Art Music tradition is very rich. Unfortunately its composers and works are not well known abroad, even though there is a very extensive repertoire. Its most representative composers have been Luis Adolfo Calvo, Luis Alberto Escobar, Antonio María Valencia, Gonzalo Vidal, Adolfo Mejía, Jesús Bermúdez Silva, Daniel Zamudio, José Rozo Contreras, Alejandro Tovar, Jaime León, Roberto Pineda Duque, Blas Emilio Ateortua, Luis Alberto Escobar, Pedro Biava and Gustavo Yepes.

The Coombian soprano and musicologist Patricia Caicedo is bringing the Colombian Art Song to the international Stage. She is performing and recording, for the first time, many works by Colombian Art Music composers.
 

Colombian Currulao Music

This is one of the most African influenced-styles in all of Colombia, and has its roots among the AfroColombian/African-descendant/Black people of the Pacific coast.

In its most basic form, the currulao is played by a group of three musicians.

One musician plays a 6-8 rhythm on a drum known as a "cununo", which superficially resembles the "alegre" drum (used in Cumbia) to the untrained eye, but is narrower and taller. The Currulao rhythm is created by both striking the skin of the drum with the one's hand and tapping the side of the drum with a small stick.

The second musician keeps time on a shaker known in parts of Colombia as a "guasau", which is typically a hollow metal or wooden cylinder filled with stones or beans.

The third musician plays a syncopated melody on a marimba known as a Chonta Marimba. This marimba is indigenous to Colombia and is named for the chonta palm whose wood is used to construct its keys. The tuning of the marimba corresponds to the tuning of a major scale. Chonta marimbas typically do not include keys that correspond to the black keys of a piano. In addition to chonta palm keys, the chonta marimba also includes resonanting tubes made of guadua bamboo, a bamboo species indigenous to Colombia.

Many groups in Colombia perform this traditional style of music. Currently, the most renowned groups include Grupo Socavón, Grupo Gualajó, and Grups Bahia Trio.

In the United States two Colombian Bands performing this genre with authentic traditional instruments are La Cumbiamba NY, on the east coast (New York), and Aluna Band in the west coast (San Francisco)
 

Contemporary Music In Colombia

Regarding Colombian Contemporary Music, in the late 1950s, Mexican rock artists like Enrique Guzmán and César Costa became very popular in Colombia. Soon, native rock bands like Los Speakers gained a wide following. Starting in 1967 (see 1967 in music), native bands like Genesis (unrelated to the more famous band Genesis of the same name) fused native musical forms (like cumbia) with rock. Rock in Colombia gained great popularity during the 80's with the rise of Argentinean Rock bands such as Soda Stereo, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs or Los Enanitos Verdes. During the 90's, many punk and heavy metal bands appeared in Bogotá, of which the most famous is Aterciopelados. Currently, Doctor Krápula, a rock band with strong ska influences that is known for making covers of traditional Latin American songs, enjoys great popularity.

Colombian pop has been growing recently with artists like Fonseca, San Alejo or Mauricio y Palo de Agua. Pop with strong traces of traditional Colombian music is also rising currently, Los De Adentro and Maia representing this trend.

Many Colombian artists are recognized internationally. Singer-songwriter Juanes swept the Latin Grammys in 2003 with his album Un Día Normal which has become very popular in the US. Other artists like Carlos Vives, Soraya and Cabas have become known worldwide. The biggest musical star from Colombia is Shakira. After the success of her album Pies Descalzos in 1993, Shakira began working with producer Emilio Estefan Jr. and recorded ¿Dónde Están los Ladrones? which sold millions world wide. Proving hersef as more than a "studio pop-diva" in her MTV Unplugged presentation, Shakira went on to make an English album Laundry Service which debuted at #3 in the billboard charts of the USA.

Carnival in Colombia

The carnival in Colombia was introduced by the Spaniards. The Colombian carnival has incorporated elements from European culture, and has managed to syncretise, or re-interpret, traditions that belonged to the African and Amerindian cultures of Colombia. There is documentary evidence that the carnival existed in Colombia in the XVIII century and had already caused concerned to the colonial authorities, who censored the celebrations, especially in the mains centers of power such as Cartagena, Bogotá and Popayán. The carnival, therefore, continued its evolution and re-interpretation in the small and at that time unimportant towns where celebrations did not offend the ruling elites. The result was the uninterrupted celebration of carnival festivals in Barranquilla (Barranquilla Carnival), and other villages along the lower Magdalena River in northern Colombia, and in Pasto, Nariño (Blacks and Whites Carnival) in the south of the country. In modern times, there have been attempts to introduce the carnival in the capital, Bogotá, in the early XX century, but it has always failed to gain the approval of authorities. The Bogota Carnival has had to wait until the XXI century to be resurrected, this time, by the authorities of the city.
 

Carnival in Northern Colombia

The Carnival in Colombia is of European origin. This type of festivities was introduced by the Spanish and the Portuguese. The Carnival in Barranquilla dates back to the celebrations that took place in Cartagena during the times of Spanish rule, as a festivity for the slaves. The Cartagena festivities that took place by 1774 were suspended circa 1781 due to concerns of the authorities because they “offended God ... and due to the practice of gambling ... and were a pretext to abandon their jobs and obligations..”. Although the celebrations in Barranquilla caused the same type of polemics only the ones in Cartagena were censored, which reflects the complexity of the politics of the region at that time.

Historical documents show that festivities called carnival existed in the XVIII century and not only in Cartagena and in the city of Santa Cruz de Mompox, but also along the lower Magdalena River and were already influenced by African and Amerindian traditions.

The urban carnival of Barranquilla has been officially celebrated since 1876, however, celebrations took place in previous years and they probably reflected the immigration patterns from rural areas attracted by the opportunities of a city in formation. It is important to mention here the rural carnival routes which started from diverse areas towards the urban centers. This is the case of the black African and indigenous dances and the dances of animals which are components of the current Barranquilla Carnival and are still celebrated in rural areas.

At the same time there are events, dances and costumes which are characteristic of certain regions and that have not been incorporated in the Barranquilla carnival, despite having been located on the geographic routes that took the traditions to the city.
 

Carnival in the Lower Magdalena Valley

The Riosucio Carnival is a very unusual celebration that has no equal in the world. It is officially celebrated since 1847, when the union between the towns of Quiebralomo and Montana took effect. It started as a celebration of the Three Wise Kings festivities that the people of Quiebralomo traditionally held since the XVI century and in which the mixed the European and the African traditions. In this carnival the Amerindian from the mountain contributes with basic elements such cult to the earth symbolized in the “Guarapo” (alcoholic drink based on maize) and its container the “calabazo” (gourd) , and the cult to the sun, invoked in the feline features of the jaguar, a sacred animal that symbolized the astral king, feature later perpetuated in the effigies of the devil of the carnival.

Carnival in Southern Colombia

Carnival float in the Blacks and Whites Carnival in Pasto, ColombiaA very important and traditional carnival is the Blacks and Whites Carnival in the city of Pasto, Nariño. It is one of the most ancient carnivals in the Americas. It commemorates the day in which the African slaves had a free day when they unleashed all their happiness.

Some historians refer that in 1607, there was a slave rebellion in the town of Remedios, Antioquia that made the authorities panic. The event was remembered by the black population of Popayán, Cauca, who demanded a day off, in which thay were really free. The king of Spain conceded January 5. It is said that when the news reached home the African population flock to the streets and danced at the rhythm of African music and started to blacken with coal all the white walls of the city.

The enthusiastic celebration was brought to Pasto by the Ayerbe family around 1854. By 1887, the celebration had reached to certain social spheres and acquired a high level of refinement, and people started using costumes and masks. The Castaneda family recreated by the January 4 krewes could be a characterization of the Ayerbe Family.
 

Carnival in Central Colombia

The carnival reached the capital of Colombia in modern times. The celebration of the first Carnival in Bogota dates back to year 1916 and it started as a Student Carnival for which a congeniality queen was elected. The first queen of Bogotá's student carnival was Elvira Zea. After winning the contest she used her own real name as Queen's name, in that occasion she took the name Elvira I. The queen was the person in charge of opening the celebrations. In the following years the carnival grew in number of comparsas (krewes) and beauty queens. During the 30's the national government and the council of Bogotá suspended the carnival due to disorders caused by alcohol consumption. An attempt to revive the carnival in the year 1960 failed again for reasons of alcohol abuse and violence.

The Carnival was resurrected by the Mayor of Bogotá in a Government Resolution on April 14th, 2005. The objective of the new Carnival was to promote a collective atmosphere of fellowiship and to celebrate life, creative expression, and enjoyment. It further aimed to generate a feeling of belonging to the city, to enforce processes of reconciliation and fair play, and the inclusion and recognition of all districts and cultures of the Capital City of Colombia.

Festivals in Colombia

Main Colombian Carnivals

Bogotá's Carnival (Spanish:Carnaval de Bogotá) in August 6 for the city's centenary of Hispanic foundation, includes masquerades, krewes and dances parades at the same time or after 5 days takes place the Summer festival which is a group of activities, concerts and sports events in all the city but most of the time is presented in the simon bolivar's park.
rock at the park(Spanish : rock al parque") in October, it's one of the biggest rock festival in latinamerica after "rock in rio", around 1000 rock bands are in this event; even international bands like "apocalyptica" or "slipknot" had a few participation in this; the event is in the simon bolivar's park.

Iberoamerican Theater Festival

Held in Bogotá every two years, it is the biggest theater festival in the world.
Carnival of Blacks and Whites (Spanish: Carnaval de Negros y Blancos) held from January 4 to January 6 in Pasto. Its origins date back to the Spanish rule times when slaves were allowed to celebrate on 5th and their masters showed their approval on 6th by painting their faces black. On these days they put grease on there face and put talcum powder on their face.

Manizales Fair (Spanish: Feria de Manizales) celebrated in the city of Manizales the first weeks of the year. Costume groups in fancy dress take over the city. A congeniality coffee queen is elected and bullfighting (Spanish:faenas) takes place.

Riosucio´s Carnival (Spanish: Carnaval de Riosucio) held in Riosucio Caldas from January 2 to January 8 each two years. It's famous because rescue past traditions with a mixture of art, music and customes by groups called Cuadrilas, drinking the traditional Guarapo (drink based on fermented maize) carried in Calabazos. During the carnival, the image of a cool and happy devil is exhibitted.
Barranquilla's Carnival (Spanish: Carnaval de Barranquilla), with a century long recorded history it holds the second largest carnival parades on earth after Rio de Janeiro’s.

Bambuco y Sanjuanero Festivals in Neiva held on June 28 and June 29 for Saint Peter's and Saint Paul's days.

Cali Fair (Spanish: Feria de Cali), held in Cali from December 25 to New Year's Eve. It is famous for its Salsa marathon concerts attended by renown Salsa bands. There are horse riding parades (Spanish: cabalgatas), masquerades and dances groups.

The Flowers Fair, in August with its flowers parade called Desfile de Silleteros.

Colombian Regional and Folkloric Festivities

Pubenza Festivities (Spanish: Fiestas de Pubenza), in Popayán, known for its competition of Chirimias (folkloric musical groups).

Colombian Folklore Festival (Spanish: Festival Folklórico Colombiano) in Ibagué.

Medellin's Tango Street (Spanish: Tangovía) on Carlos Gardel Avenue in the suburb of Manrique.

Joropo National Festival (Spanish: Festival Nacional del Joropo) in Villavicencio in December.

Candles and Lanterns Festival (Spanish: Fiesta de Velas y Faroles) is held in Quimbaya, Quindío on December 7 and 8. Each of the barrios in the township compete to produce the most spectacular lighting arrangements.

Green Moon Festival (Spanish: Festival de la Luna Verde) celebrated in San Andres Islands, this is a unique festival with characteristics that make it different from any other festival in Colombia. Here the Afro-Caribbean influence is very strong, and predominance of the English language lyrics of Calypso and Reggae.

Vallenato Legend Festival (Spanish: Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata). Held in Valledupar, Cesar, in April or May. The festival is a celebration of vallenato music and also a competition to find the best accordionist of the year and to select the Vallenato King (Spanish: Rey Vallenato) among hundreds of participants from all over the country.

Colombian Education

Marco Fidel Suárez (*1855, †1927); writer, president of Colombia between 1918 and 1922
Felix Restrepo Mejía (*1887, †1965); jesuit priest, writer, pedagogue, classical scholar and humanist
Mario Laserna Pinzón, founder of the Los Andes University [2], writer, former Senator.
Alfonso Casas Morales, founder of the Gimnasio Campestre
Antanas Mockus, former rector National University of Colombia, former mayor of Bogotá
Agustín Nieto Caballero (*1889, †1975); founder of Gimnasio Moderno, the oldest new school in South America
Gerardo Molina (*1906, †1991); writer, political scientist, rector of the National University of Colombia
Luis López de Mesa (*1884 - †1967), medical doctor, psychiatrist, and pedagogue, rector of the National University of Colombia
Gabriel Carreño Mallarino, founder of Gimnasio de los cerros, the most important academic school in colombia
 

Colombian Science

Francisco José de Caldas
Álvaro Fernández Pérez
Julio Garavito Armero
Edmond J. Yunis
Emilio J. Yunis
Ernesto Guhl Nannetti
Salomón Hakim
Andrés Jaramillo Botero
Rodolfo Llinás
Álvaro José Negret
Jorge Phillips
Guillermo Owen
Manuel Elkin Patarroyo
Jorge Reynolds Pombo
Jose Vicente SuarezHoyos
Fernando Dangond Castro
Eduardo J Cruz
Carlos Eduardo Caicedo-Carvajal
Clemente Forero-Pineda
Joaquin Quijano Caballero
Gustavo Tamayo
 

Colombian Philosophers

Nicolás Gómez Dávila
Fernando González The "anti-philosopher"
Estanislao Zuleta
Darío Echandía
Guillermo Hoyos Vasquez
Rafael Gutiérrez Girardot
Danilo Cruz Vélez
Rafael Carrillo
Porfirio Ruiz
Rubén Jaramillo
Jorge Marín
Jorge Aurelio Diaz
Rubén Sierra Mejía
Noé Burgos "The Prolific"
Alberto Ariza "Shake and Bake!"

Colombian native Americans

Quintín Lame - Indigenous leader
Floro Tunubalá - Politician
Francisco Rojas Birri - Politician
Jesús Enrique Piñacué - Politician
Anatolio Quirá
Gabriel Muyuy
Lorenzo Muelas - Politician
Martín Tenganá
Efrén Tarapués
Gerardo Jumi
India Catalina - Historic figure
Zoratama - Historic Figure

Colombian Sports

Juan Pablo Angel
Víctor Aristizábal
Andres Escobar
Mauricio Serna
Carlos Valderrama
Cecilia (Chechi) Baena
Diego Rosero
Juan Pablo Montoya
Mauricio hadah
Orlando Cabrera
Edgar Renteria

Colombian Arts

Ivan Valencia
Fernando Botero
Elias Heim
David Manzur
Beatriz Gonzalez
Debora Arango
Pablo Van Wong
Doris Salcedo
Edgar Negret
Maria Paz Jaramillo
Enrique Grau
Alejandro Obregon
Carlos Jacanamijoy
Ana Mercedes Hoyos
Jaime Avila
Luz Helena Caballero
Juan Carlos Delgado
Catalina Mejia
Nadin Ospina
Hugo Zapata
Luis Caballero

Colombian Politicians

Luis Carlos Galan Sarmiento
Jorge Eliécer Gaitán
Álvaro Gómez Hurtado
Laureano Gómez
Alberto Lleras Camargo
Carlos Lleras Restrepo
Alfonso López Pumarejo
Antanas Mockus (Former Bogota mayor and 2006 elections presidential candidate)
Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera
Rafael Núñez
Francisco de Paula Santander
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Juan Manuel Galan

Colombian Religion

Rafael Almanza, Franciscan priest, beatification in process.
Miguel Ángel Builes, bishop of Santa Rosa de Osos, Antioquia, founder of Misioneros Javerianos de Yarumal, now in different Latin American, African and Asian countries.
Darío Castrillón Hoyos, Cardinal Deacon
Saint Peter Claver, Spaniard, Colombian by adoption.
Rafael García Herreros, priest
Mariano de Jesús Eusse Hoyos, Padre Marianito, Catholic priest, Blessed.
Alfonso López Trujillo, Cardinal Bishop
Mother Laura Montoya Upegui, founder of "Misioneras de María Inmaculada y Santa Catalina de Sena", now in different Latino American, African and Asian countries.
Ismael Perdomo Borrero, Archbishop of Bogotá. Beatification in process.
Pedro Rubiano Sáenz, Cardinal Priest, archbishop of Bogotá
Crisanto Luque Sánchez, The first Cardinal of Colombia
Camilo Torres Restrepo, Catholic priest, liberation theologian and guerrilla
Luís Variara (Luigi Variara), Salesians of Don Bosco, Blessed, Italian missionary, Apostle of the lepers in Agua de Dios, Cundinamarca Department. Colombian by adoption.
The Seven Young Martyrs during the Spanish Civil War, 1936, from Comunidad de San Juan de Dios: Juan Bautista Velásquez, Esteban Maya, Melquiades Ramírez from Sonsón, Antioquia, Eugenio Ramírez, Rubén de Jesús López, Arturo Ayala y Gaspar Páez Perdomo de Tello, Huila Department, assassinated in Madrid. Blessed (the first Latin Americans to be beatified).

Colombian Entertainment

Jairo Camargo, actor
Manolo Cardona, actor
Marcelo Cezan, actor/model
Maria Helena Doering, actress
Margarita Rosa de Francisco
Jaime Garzón[7] (†1999); comedian and journalist
Aura Cristina Geithner, singer/actress
Alejandro Martinez Murcia, singer/composer
Ignacio Martinez, actor
Carlos Muñoz, actor
Felipe Noguera, actor
Julio Enrique Sánchez Vanegas
Andrea Serna, TV producer, presenter and model
Guillermo Vives, actor
Veronica Orozco]

Colombian Musicians

Grupo Niche Salsa
Shakira singer/songwriter
Carlos Vives, singer/songwriter/actor (Vallenato/Rock fusion)
Diomedes Diaz singer/songwriter (Vallenato)
Los Hermanos Zuleta singer/songwriter (Vallenato)
Kaleth Morales singer/songwriter
Aterciopelados musical group
Juanes, singer/songwriter (Latin American Rock)
Tres Coronas Spanish Rap/Hip Hop Group
Grupo Bananas Merengue
Los De Adentro (Latin American Rock)
Fonseca
Fanny Lu
Andres Cabas

Colombian Modeling And Models

Luz Marina Zuluaga, Miss Universe 1958
Stella Márquez Zawadski, *Stella Araneta Former Miss Colombia/ 1st Miss International
Paula Andrea Betancourt, former Miss Colombia
Carolina Gomez, former Miss Colombia
Andrea Nocetti, model and former Miss Colombia
Natalia París, Top Model
Claudia Perlwitz, topmodel
Tatiana de los Ríos, Top Model
Adriana Cecilia Tarud Duran, Miss Colombia 2004 - 2005
Valerie Dominguez Tarud, Miss Colombia 2005 - 2006
Andrea Serna, TV producer, presenter and model
Maria Fernanda Yepes, Top Model
 

Colombian Journalists

Yamid Amat
Manuel Ancízar
Silvia Corzo
Carlos Vergara
Patricia Janiot
María Lucía Fernández
Jaime Garzón
Juan Gossaín
Adrian Lamo
Mario Lamo
Jairo Marin
Claudia Palacios
Jaime Sánchez Cristo
Julio Sánchez Cristo, Jaime's brother

Colombain Tourism

Archeological Museum of Pasca

Current facade of the famous Archeological Museum of PascaMuseum located at Pasca, Colombia. It houses a great collection of pre-columbian objects including interesting chibchan mummies. It has a replica of the famous golden boat (Balsa Muisca) found near this town that represents the El Dorado rite.

It has a natural museum too with staffed animals and a large insectary.

It was founded by the catholic priest Jaime Hincapié Santamaría

Colombian National Coffee Park

Colombian National coffee Park Colombian National Coffee Park is a Colombian theme park located at Montenegro, Colombia. It features a telepheric, a colourful animatronic orchids ride, a World's coffee garden, a roller coaster, coffee-based food stands, Colombian folkloric architecture, and other attractions. It makes up part of the Colombian Coffee-Growers Axis.
 

Nevado del Ruiz

Nevado del Ruiz is a volcano in Colombia, the northenmost and highest Colombian volcano with historical activity.

On November 13, 1985, Nevado del Ruiz erupted. Pyroclastic flows melted ice and snow at the summit. This melt formed lahars that rushed down several river valleys. The lahars were up to 50 meters thick and travelled more than 100 kilometres.

Many houses and towns were devastated by the lahars. The town of Armero was completely covered by debris. Approximately 21,000 people (out of 28,700) died in Armero. The eruption caused an estimated 25,000 deaths, 5,000 injuries, and destroyed more than 5,000 homes. This was the second-deadliest volcanic disaster in the 20th century (the 1902 eruption of Mount Pelée was the worst).

Survivors who fled to other towns in the area were gradually housed in new government schemes, but problems for the displaced population occurred for many years after. The villagers were warned about the possibilty of the disaster but because of the past false information about it happening they did not believe this warning.

Even in the mid 1990s the town was covered with up to 20 feet of ash and debris. Local villagers harvested stones for building work and often, still found human bones that they placed on the shrines that dot the area. A few small trees were trying to grow, protected from wandering animals by makeshift fences.

The eruption cost Colombia 7.7 billion dollars; about 20% of the country’s GNP for the year in question.

Nevado del Ruiz, is known locally as "the Sleeping Lion"

Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a landscape of biological juxtapositions. Palms, cacti and tropical dry forest fringe the park’s northern border along the Caribbean coast, while tropical rain forests, treeless plains, and snow-capped peaks are found in the interior.

The world’s tallest coastal mountain, the Sierra Nevada is an 18,942-foot (5,775-meter) massif separated from the Andes chain by plains and semiarid regions and it harbors numerous self-contained tropical and alpine ecosystems in a relatively small area. The mountain’s isolation has allowed for many plant and animal species found nowhere else on Earth.

Location In Colombia

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is located in northern Colombia on the Caribbean coast.

Colombian Animals

Giant anteaters, white-bellied spider monkeys, white-lipped peccaries, red crested tree rats, and red howler monkeys are among the 120 species of mammals that roam the Sierra Nevada, along with elusive cats such as the jaguar, puma and little spotted cat. The Sierra Nevada also harbors 46 species of amphibians and reptiles; those that live above 9,900 feet (3,000 meters) are found nowhere else on the planet, having evolved in complete isolation.

An amazing 628 bird species have been recorded in Sierra Nevada —about the number that can be found in the United States and Canada combined. Some species, such as the Santa Marta Antpitta, Rusty-headed Spinetail, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, and White-lored Warbler, cannot be found anywhere else on Earth. Other spectacular birds found in the Sierra Nevada are the Andean condor, Blue-knobbed Curassow, Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird, and black-solitary eagle, which are endangered species. At least 71 species of migratory birds that travel between Colombia and North America have been recorded.
 

Colombian Plants

More than 3,000 species of vascular plants are found in the area.

Why the Conservancy Works Here
Human settlement, an advancing agricultural frontier and the cultivation of illegal crops have contributed to the destruction of 72 percent of the area’s original forests. Streams and rivers are also being choked by erosion caused by deforestation.
 

What the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Is Doing

The Conservancy has been working in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta for more than 10 years. The first project was with the Colombian National Parks Agency to develop and implement an ecological assessment to determine where the most important places to conserve were located in both the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park and indigenous territories located both within and surrounding the park.

Next, in association with partner organization Fundación ProSierra, the Conservancy purchased nearly 25,000 acres (10,000 hectares) of ancestral lands that overlapped with conservation targets determined by the ecological assessment. The lands were then returned to the ownership of the Gonawindua-Tayrona Organization, one of the local indigenous groups, The traditional lifestyles and agricultural practices of the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada do not have a destructive effect on the mountain’s ecosystems and thus promote conservation of the mountain’s unique ecosystems. Currently, the Conservancy is working directly with an association of indigenous groups to acquire another 25,000 acres in the Sierra Nevada to return to indigenous ownership.

The Conservancy has also been supporting an innovative program that supports health and environmental issues in local communities in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The program is improving health through eradication of factors that produce diseases as yellow fever or malaria that are linked to deforestation.
 

Things to Do and See In Colombia

La Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino was home to Simón Bolívar during the last years of his life. A museum on the grounds houses art donated by many of the countries he helped liberate.
La Sierra Nevada De Santa Marta
Building on the Cathedral was started early in Santa Marta's history, but not completed until the end of the 18th century
Sitios Historicos, photos
Parque Tayrona
Playa Cristal
Neguanje
Arrecifes with its fantastic beaches
Fishing villagre of Taganga on a beautiful bay for scuba, and a cruise or walk to Playa Grande
El Rodadero, one of Colombia's most fashionable beach resorts
Ciudad Perdida, the "Lost City," the home of the Tayrona Indians was built on the lush slopes of the Santa Marta mountains between the 11th and 14th centuries. Thought to be larger than Machu Pichhu, it was found, and robbed, in the 1970's by grave robbers.
 

The Beautiful Island of San Andres

DISCOVERY

Many historians agree that the archipelago was discovered in 1629 by English Puritans and Jamaican woodcutters and was then conquered by the Spanish in the second half of the 17th century. For two hundred years the English, Dutch, French and Spanish disputed ownership. During that same period, the famous English pirate Henry Morgan used San Andrés as his base of operations and, according to legend, as a hideaway for his much acclaimed treasure.

More Things to Do and See In Colombia

Duty free shopping for many items, including emeralds from Colombia
From El Centro, walk up El Cliff. At 50 m, it makes a pleasant stroll for good views of the town and coral reefs.
Enjoy swimming, horseback riding, parasailing, wind surfing or relaxing on a beach:
Sprat Bight, the most popular on San Andrés, offers excellent swimming in shallow waters. You can rent a small boat to fish or explore the nearby cays
Sound Bay, in San Luis, called that for waves crashing against the coral
Cocoplum Bay has a gentle slope of the beach and shallow water good for swimming
The Cove, where divers can walk into the water to reach the coral reef
Dive and snorkel in several locations. Calm undercurrents, moderate temperatures, and almost limitless visibility make this a prime attraction. Get a feel for the experince with these San Andrés diving photos, More photos and Providencia diving photos or these photos and trip report. Popular locations:
The sunken wrecks of the Blue Diamond and the Nicaraguense
Here Kitty, east of Johnny Cay, is a circular spot of sand surrounded by reef
Blue Wall and Blue Hole - vertical wall that goes down 300+ feet where you'll see coral and fish
Johnny Cay, also called Islote Sucre - the nearest small island to San Andrés offers white sandy beaches, transparent waters and tropical vegetation
El Hoyo Soplador at the southern end of San Andrés is a sea water geyser, visible only under the right conditions
La Cueva De Morgan or Morgan's Cave - is a sea cave constantly enlarged by the water action against the rock walls. It's a popular attraction due to the natural effects and the treasure legend
Many more tiny islets for exploring

La Loma - tiny hamlet where traditional island life continues. The Iglesia Bautista Emmanuel is the first church built on the island. It's spire served as a landmark for sailors.
Superb sunsets!

Background Of The Archipelago

Closer to Nicaragua and Jamaica, how the archipelago came to be a Colombian territory is the result of piracy, wars of independence, slavery, immigration, sugar, cotton and religion.

Originally settled by the Spanish in 1510, the islands were part of the Audiencia of Panama, then part of the Capitanía of Guatemala and Nicaragua. They attracted the attention of Dutch and English privateers, and reputedly Henry Morgan's treasure trove is hidden in one of the island caves.

English Puritans and Jamaican woodcutters followed the pirates and it wasn’t until 1821 during the Wars of Independence that Francisco de Paula Santander took the islands and the Colombian flag was raised on June 23, 1822.
Sugar and cotton plantations were the mainstays of the early economy and slaves were imported from Jamaica to work the fields.

Even after the islands became Colombian territory, the English influence remained in architecture, language, and religion.

The archipelago consists of two large islands, San Andrés and Providencia. San Andrés, at the southern end of the archipelago, is the largest island at 13 km long and 3 km wide. It is mostly flat, with the highest point being El Cliff overlooking El Centro, the local name for the town of San Andrés at the northern end of the island. Most of the tourism and commercial business are here.
The island is walkable, but you can rent a scooter or moped to explore.

Providencia is the next largest island, at 7 km long and 4 km wide. Located 90 km north of San Andrés, it was for many years quieter and less affected by tourism. However, it is rapidly becoming extremely fashionable and expensive. It is still a lure to snorkelers and divers who come for the extensive coral reefs and clear water. The interior of the island is tropical palms and pleasant. A walk from Casabaja to the top of the highest point, El Pico provides good views of the island.

Cartagena, Colombia

Things to See and Do In Cartegena

Casa de Marqués Valdehoyos, on Calle Factoría, is a good place to begin your explorations of the old city. This house exemplifies old Cartagena, and the tourist office inside offers maps and information.
Museo de Oro y Arqueloguía on the Plaza Bolivar, has a good collection of gold and pottery of the Sinú culture. Also on the plaza, the Palacio de la Inquisicíon is a fine example of colonial architecture. Behind the charming facade, a museum displays instruments of torture from the Spanish Inquisition, pre-Columbian, colonial and independence-era art.
Cartagena's Cathedral, with its massive exterior, simple interior and fortress appearance was begun in 1575, partially demolished by Sir Francis Drake's cannons, and completed in 1602.
Iglesia de Santo Domingo on Calle Santo Domingo, which is little changed from colonial days, is the oldest church in the city, and like the cathedral, was built to resist invaders.
Las Bóvedas are dungeons initially built for military purposes and now house boutiques and tourist shops. (photo)
Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas (photos) is the largest of a series of fortresses built to protect the city from pirates. A must-see is the tunnel system meant to facilitate supply and evacuation of the fortress.
Overlooking the fortress, the Convento de la Popa boasts flowered patios and a great view of the city, particularly at sunset. The convent once served as an additional fortress and now houses a museum and the chapel of the Virgen de la Candelaria, Cartagena's patron saint.
Cartagena's newer areas, Bocagrande and El Laguito, on the peninsula facing the Caribbean, have become the fashionable location of upscale hotels, restaurants and shops. You may be disappointed in the beaches, but dancing until dawn in one of the city's hotspots might make up for it.
 

Outside the city, take time for excursions to:

Mompós, on the Río Magdalena, was once an important trading river port between the Caribbean and the interior of the country. As the river current shifted, the city was stranded and commercial life ended. Remaining, however, are the curved streets paralleling the water front, deliberately designed that way to foil cannon balls, and the graceful colonial architecture.
Santa Marta is a deep water port, the oldest Hispanic town in Colombia. Its colonial tradition is all but gone, but the attraction of the city is the gateway to the Sierra Nevada and the pre-Columbian ruins of La Ciudad Perdida. Be aware that Santa Marta is the shipping point for contraband and drugs. The Museo Arqueológico Tayrona displays a collection of Tayrona gold and pottery and a good model of the Lost City. The nearby Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino is the estancia where Simon Bolívar died. There is a monument to the liberator on the grounds. Be sure to see the pictorial history of the Liberator's life.
Parque Nacional Tayrona (map) is a scenic mix of white sand beaches (rough currents make swimming dangerous,) coral reefs, jungle slopes, and the steep peaks of the world's highest coastal range. Popular with trekkers, hikers and campers, the park also has an ancient Tayrona village, called Pueblito, under excavation.