Colombia
The Republic of Colombia is a country in northwestern South America. To the north is found the Caribbean Sea, while it borders Venezuela to the east, Brazil to the southeast, Peru and Ecuador to the south, and Panama and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
History
Main article: History of Colombia
Spanish explorers arrived in the area around 1500, at which time they encountered many Chibchan peoples who they subjugated through warfare, disease, exploitation, and conquest. They soon established settlements that eventually grew into the provinces which where part of the Captaincy General of New Granada. As it became a Viceroyalty in 1717, some other provinces of northwestern South America came under its jurisdiction. An independence movement sprang up around 1810 that finally succeeded in 1819 when the territory of the Viceroyalty of New Granada became the Republic of Greater Colombia (Gran Colombia).
Internal political and territorial divisions led to the secession of Venezuela and Quito (today's Ecuador) in 1830 and the remaining Department of Cundinamarca was renamed New Granada until 1856 when it became the Granadine Confederation until 1863 when it became the United States of Colombia until 1886 when it became the Republic of Colombia. Internal divisions remained, occasionally igniting civil war and contributing to the US-sponsored secession of Panama in 1903. The country continues to be plagued by guerrilla insurgents such as FARC and the effects of the influential drug trade, which are hampering political and economic reforms and leading to disruptions of public life and international concern.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Colombia
Colombia is a republic where the executive branch dominates government structure. The president, elected together with the vice-president by popular vote for a single four-year term, functions as both head of state and head of government.
Colombia's bicameral parliament is the Congress or Congreso, which consists of the Senate or Senado of 102 seats and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes of 166 seats. Members of both houses are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms. The Colombian judicial system has undergone significant reforms in the 1990s.
Departments
Main article: Departments of Colombia
Colombia is divided into 32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento):
Additionally, there is one capital district (distrito capital), Bogotá D.C..
Geography
Main article: Geography of Colombia
The western half of Colombia is dominated by the Andes, which split into three great mountain ranges, the Western, Central and Eastern Cordillera. In between the ranges the Cauca and Magdalena rivers flow into the low-lying plains along the Caribbean coast. The highlands are home to some occasionally active volcanoes and the highest point is the Pico Cristobal Colon at 5,775 m.
The eastern half is characterised by lowland plains, often densily forested, which contain many rivers such as the Putumayo, the Yapura, the Meta, or the Guaviare that either flow to the Orinoco or the Amazon River. Colombia also holds several small islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean.
The local climate is tropical along both coasts and in the eastern plains, whereas the mountain ranges and highlands can be considerably cooler. Colombia's largest city is its capital Bogota, other major cities include Medellín, Cali, Cartagena, Barranquilla, Ibagué, Manizales, Pasto, Cúcuta and Bucaramanga.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Colombia
Colombia's economy suffered from weak domestic demand, austere government budgets, and a difficult security situation. The current government faces economic challenges ranging from pension reform to reduction of unemployment. Two of Colombia's leading exports, oil and coffee, face an uncertain future; new exploration is needed to offset declining oil production, while coffee harvests and prices are depressed.
Problems in public security are a concern for Colombian business leaders, who are calling for progress in the government's peace negotiations with insurgent groups. Colombia is looking for continued support from the international community to boost economic and peace prospects.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Colombia
Ethnic diversity in Colombia is a result of the intermingling of indigenous Amerindians, Spanish colonists, and African slaves, producing a mixture of mestizos (58%), whites (20%), mulattos (14%), blacks (4%), and mixed black-Amerindians (3%). Today, only about 1% of the people can be identified as fully Amerindian on the basis of language and customs. The predominant religion in Colombia is Roman Catholicism.
Colombia is the third-most populous country in Latin America, after Brazil and Mexico. Movement from rural to urban areas has been heavy. The urban population increased from 57% of the total population in 1951 to about 74% by 1994. 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 kilometre.
Culture
Main article: Culture of Colombia
Miscellaneous topics
External Links
Countries of the world | South America
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