Colombia tourist information

The Republic of Colombia is a country in northwestern South America. It's bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil, to the south by Ecuador and Peru, to the North by the Atlantic Ocean and to the west by Panama and the Pacific Ocean.

Places to go in Colombia ...

Barranquilla Bogota Buenaventura Cali Cartagena Ibague Isla Tierrabomba Manizales Medellin Paipa San Andres Island Santa Marta

Colombia is located in the north of South America and is part of Caribbean South America. It has sea borders with Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic to the east and Costa Rica and Guatemala to both east and west; and land borders with Panama (225 km/140 mi) to the northwest, Ecuador (590 km/367 mi) and Peru (1,496 km/930 mi) to the south, Brazil (1,643 km/1,021 mi) to the southeast, and Venezuela (2,050 km/1,274 mi) to the east. Colombia is the only South American country to have coastlines on both the Atlantic Ocean (1,760 km/1,094 mi) and the Pacific Ocean (1,448 km/900 mi).

Colombia has a total area of 1,138,910 square kilometres (439,736 sq. mi) being the fourth biggest country in South America after Brazil, Argentina and Peru and the seventh largest one in the the Americas. From this area, the land has 1,038,700 square kilometers (401,044 sq. mi) and the water area has 100,210 square kilometers (38,691 sq. mi). It has also an archipelago in the Caribbean sea (San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina) that forms the territory of the department San Andrés y Providencia.

The mainland is divided into four major geographic regions: Andean highlands (composed of three mountain ranges and intervening valley lowlands); Caribbean lowlands; Pacific lowlands; and Ilanos and tropical rainforest of eastern Colombia. Colombia also possesses small islands in both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.

A striking variety in temperature results primarily from differences in elevation, but there is little seasonal variation. Habitable areas consist of hot (below 900 m / 2,950 ft in elevation), temperate (between 900 & 1,980 m or 2,950 & 6,500 ft), and cold (from 1,980 m to about 3,500 m or from 2,950 ft to 11,500 ft) climatic zones. Precipitation generally moderate to heavy, with highest levels in Pacific lowlands and in parts of eastern Colombia; considerable year-to-year variations recorded.

The Andes range is located in Colombia from Southwest (Ecuador boarder) toward Northeast (Venezuela boarder) and is divided in the Colombian Massif (Macizo Colombiano) in three ranges (East Range, Centre Range and West Range) that form two long valleys, Magdalena and Cauca follow by the rivers of the same name. The highest mountain in Colombia is not in the Andes but in the Caribbean plain: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta with its highest points named Pico Cristobal Colon (5,775 m or 18,947 ft) and Pico Simon Bolivar (same elevation).

The eastern part of Colombia, comprising more than half its territory, is plain and composed by savanna and rainforest, crossed by rivers belonging to the Amazon and Orinoco basins. The northern part, called "Los Llanos" is a savanna region, mostly in the Orinoco basin (therefore called also Orinoquía). The southern part, usually called Amazonía, is covered by the Amazon rain forest and belongs mostly to the Amazon basin.

At the north and west of the Andes there are coastal plains, the Caribbean plains to the north and the Pacific plains to the west.

The five traditional natural regions are therefore: the Andean Region, the Caribbean Region, the Pacific Region, the Orinoquia Region and the Amazonia Region. Some people also include an Insular Region, separated from the coastal regions.

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Cuisine ^*Colombian cuisine refers to the cooking traditions and practices of Colombia. Colombian food is characterized by its blending of European with tradition indigenous peoples cuisine.

Fruit
Many varieties of fruit virtually unknown outside the tropics are enjoyed in Colombia, such as the zapote, lulo, curuba (banana passion fruit), mamoncillo, uchuva (gooseberry), feijoa, sweet granadilla, mamey, guama, tree tomato, borojo, arasa (in the amazon region), pomarrosa, anon, chirimoya, guanabana, maracuya (passion fruit), chontaduro, mora (plant) (similar to blackberries), cocota, carambolo, corozo, guayabamanzana (hybrid between guava and apple), sweet small bananas (called murrapos, about 8 cm), nispero and pitahaya. Banana leaves are very common in Colombian cuisine with foods such as quesillos (cheese wrapped in banana leaves) and tamales. A rare fruit called asbonaci is also consumed.

Appetizers and entrees

In Bogota and the Andean region, ajiaco is the traditional dish. It is also a type of soup made of chicken, potatoes, and flavoured with guasca, a local herb. Traditionally, cream and capers are added at the table before eating. Both soups are served with white rice, salads with a hint of lemon, avocado, or sweet or salty tostadas. For breakfast, people in Bogota often eat changua, a milk, scallion and egg soup.
Along the Caribbean Region of Colombia, fish and lobster are used in mild spicy food. Coconut rice is a common dish along the coastal cities. Suero, which is a cross between yogurt and sour cream, is widely consumed, and was introduced by Arab immigrants in Baranquilla and other coastal cities. Another celebrated coastal dish is the arepa and its many forms including arepa limpia, arepae'huevo and arepae' queso.
In the Llanos (eastern plains), with its cowboy-like culture, barbecued meat (commonly cooked on a vertical spit leaned over an open fire), such as the ternera llanera (llanos-style veal) is common. Freshwater fish found in rivers such as the "amarillo" are also eaten.
In the Amazonas (rainforest), Brazilian and Peruvian influence can be seen in the local cuisine. The dishes show the blending of Amerindian and European cuisines, and utilize locally found resources such as beef and other livestock and river fish.
In the Tolima region, the Tamales Tolimenses are a delicacy. These tamales are made of corn dough filled with a mixture of peas, carrots, potatoes, rice, chicken, pork and various spices. They are wrapped in plantain leaves and boiled for three to four hours. Lechona, another Tolima food, is now eaten throughout the country. Lechona is a whole roast pig stuffed with rice, vegetables and pork, and is often eaten on Sundays.
Fritanga is not a single dish, but could be likened to barbecue. Eating fritanga usually includes grilled beef and chicken, ribs, and especially sausages like morcilla, chorizo, longaniza and chunchullo (fried cow intestines) accompanied by mini potatoes and sweet corn (choclo) arepas.

Well-Known Colombian dishes
The bandeja paisa ("Paisa platter") is a national favorite. It consists of white rice, red beans, ground beef, plantain, dirty rice chorizo (or morcilla), chicharron, arepa, avocado and a fried egg. Along with Ajiaco, the bandeja paisa is considered to be one of the national dishes. Sancocho is a popular soup originating from the Cauca Valley region. It combines vegetables and poultry or fish with recipes differing from one region to the other, but usually contains yuca, maize, and is frequently eaten with banana slices. Cuchuco is a thick soup made of wheat, habas, potatoes, ribs, peas, from Boyaca.

History

Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow the government.

An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries has grown to be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging the insurgents for control of territory and the drug trade, and also the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas. While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.

Transportation

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Terrain Flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains.

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Languages Spanish

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Ethnic Groups mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Weather Tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands.

Currency Colombian Peso (COP)

Religion Roman Catholic 90%

More countries in South America ...

Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador French Guiana Guyana Paraguay Peru Suriname Uruguay Venezuela

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It uses material from the Source wikipedia.