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 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 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

CULTURE MODERN 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 Republic If you want to see the Pacific, go to Chile I you want to see the Andes, go to Ecuador If you want to see the Amazon, go to Brazil If 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 Site Stone 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