Colombia is considered to be part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is obvious with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The country is bordered by Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru, with access to the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean which is merged with the Caribbean Sea.
Colombia appears tropical along its coast and its plains, but offers a cooler climate in the highlands. In its capital, Bogota, the republic is represented by the president that is the Chief of State and the Head of Government. Colombia gained its independence from Spain in July of 1810, which much later adopted an official Constitution in 1991. The economy is slowly growing as a result in a progressive tourism sector and through various economic reforms. Colombia uses the Colombian Peso throughout its economy.
There is a very vast culture that captures agriculture, tourism, and more. The cuisine in Colombia is distinguished by the mixture of European styles of food preparation, largely Spanish, and the flavors of the traditional indigenous people's established cuisine. Today there are more than fifty different indigenous ethnic groups that exist in Colombia. Spanish is the official language and the population is hugely Roman Catholic. However, Colombia's culture is part of the development of Latin America which has a variety of people all put together.
Quick Facts
Population: 45,239,079
Capital: Bogota
Per-capita GDP: $ 10400
Size: 1,138,910 km2
Time Zone: (GMT - 05:00 hours) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Country information is adapted from public domain resources including the CIA World Fact Book and www.Wikipedia.org.
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Xavier University of Louisiana Center for Intercultural and International Programs
