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Colombia
Relevant information about Colombia.
No longer has a destination for just daredevils, this astonishing nation battled decades of civil turmoil to emerge as one of South America's hottest novel destinations. It is jammed with unspool mountains, shoreline and jungle, not to talk about eye-catching archaeological sites and vivacious culture. Ten years ago, Colombia was well-known only for its drug dealers, left-wing guerrilla groups and paramilitaries. But with the militant groups currently at their weakest point in decades, this gorgeous nation is enjoying a travel rebirth with more and more tourists emboldened to visit. And they are finding a lot to discover. Natural attractions comprise rippling mountains, expanses of the Amazon Basin, large lakes, vast plains and a Caribbean shoreline that twinkles with azure water. In the meantime man-made wonders comprise lost cities, fabulous pre-Columbian sculpture and multicolored colonial houses decorate the towns. Until now, Colombia has received relatively hardly any travelers in contrast with other South American nations, and visitors can anticipate a sincere welcome and authentic interest from its populace.
The Demography of Colombia is characterized for being the third-most densely inhabited nation in Latin America, following Brazil and Mexico. Colombia experienced quick populace enlargement like most nations, but four decades of civil war and urban violence mixed with mass poverty rates pushed millions of Colombians out of the nation. Though, a rebound financial system in the 2000s in urban centers (perhaps the most urbanized Latin American country) enhanced the situation of living standards for Colombians in a traditional class stratified financial system. The nation has a varied populace that reflects its multicolored history and the peoples that have populated here from ancient times to the present. The historic amalgams of three main groups are the basics of Colombia's present demographics: indigenous Amerindians, European immigrants, and African slaves, have intermingled with no restriction in its history. Lots of of the indigenous peoples were absorbed into the mestizo populace, but the remaining 700,000 at present represent over 85 different cultures. Nowadays, less than 1% of the inhabitants can be identified as entirely indigenous on the basis of language and customs. Most of the indigenous population lives in the nation's flatlands in the south and east. Most of the Afro-Colombian inhabitants are concerted in the Department of Chocó, area facing the Pacific Ocean. The Africans were brought as slaves, mostly to the coastal lowlands, starting early in the sixteenth century, and ongoing into the nineteenth century. Following abolition, a national philosophy of mestizaje encouraged the integration of the indigenous and white people into a single mestizo ethnic individuality. A variety of cultures populated Colombian country previous to the arrival of the Spanish, some as sophisticated and stylish as those that shaped the statues of San Agustín, in the Department of Huila, the cavernous tombs of Tierradentro, in the Department of Cauca, or the “Lost City” (Buritaca 2000), in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The Spanish arrived with the Conquest and colonization and brought slaves with them from Africa. For this motive Colombia is a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural nation, where every area has its own individuality that differentiate it from the others. As a result you can talk of an Andean culture that strongly feels its European heritage; of a Caribbean traditions that is a mixture of Indian and African legacy; a Pacific culture with African roots, and of the civilization of the Orinoquia and the Amazon that is essentially Indian. This multifaceted process of mestizaje is barely expressed in the nation’s traditions, handicrafts and cuisine, but as well in its arts, from architecture, painting and sculpture to literature, film and photography, and counting music, dance and theater. Such is Colombia’s ethnic, linguistic and cultural wealth that it has more than 87 Indian ethnic groups that signify 1.5% of the nation’s total populace and speak 64 native tongues that belong to 22 linguistic families; more than a few million Afro-Colombians who symbolize nearly 16% of the inhabitants; more than 30 million mestizo inhabitants with a huge diversity of cultural expressions; almost 12.000 gypsies who descend from Colonial times, and quite a few immigrant groups in diverse regions of the nation In the archipelago of San Andrés and Providence, the populace is mainly of African origin and whose idiom is English.
Colombia is a free market financial system with key commercial and investment ties to the United States. Transition from a highly regulated financial system has been happening for more than 15 years. In 1990, the management of President Cesar Gaviria (1990-94) initiated financial liberalization or "aperture," and this has continued ever since then, with tariff reductions, financial deregulation, privatization of state-owned enterprises and implementation of a much more liberal foreign exchange rate. These policies eased import limitations and opened most sectors to foreign investment, even though agricultural products continued protected. The Uribe management seeks to preserve cautious fiscal policies and has pursued tough financial reforms including tax, pension, and budget reforms. A U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) revision shows that Colombian tax rates (both personal and corporate) are amongst the utmost in Latin America. The unemployment rate in 2008 was 10.8%, down from 15.7% in 2002. Colombia's standard annual financial enlargement rate of over 5% from 2002 to 2007 can be accredited to an augment in domestic security, consequential in greater foreign investment; prudent monetary policy; and export expansion. The Andean Trade Preference Act, which was extensive through December 2009, also plays an essential role in Colombia's financial expansion. The signing of a trade promotion accord with the U.S. in November 2006 provides more opportunity for enlargement if accepted by the U.S. Congress and implemented. Colombia is the United States' fifth-largest export market in the Western Hemisphere following Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Venezuela and the main agricultural export market in the hemisphere following the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) nations. U.S. exports to Colombia in 2008 were U.S. $11.4 billion, up 32% as of the previous year. U.S. imports from Colombia were U.S. $14 billion, up 34%. Colombia's main exports are petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, cut flowers, and bananas. The United States is Colombia's main trading associate, on behalf of about 36% of Colombia's exports and 28% of its imports. Colombia has substantial mineral and energy resources, particularly coal and natural gas reserves. In 2009, gas reserves totaled 3.7 trillion cubic feet. Gas production totaled 922 million cubic feet for each day. The nation's present refining capacity is 323,000 barrels per day. Colombia had 1.36 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves in 2009, the fifth-largest in South America. The nation produced 600,000 barrels per day of oil in 2008, up from 540,000 in 2007. Mining and energy related investments have grown-up due to higher oil prices, greater than before demand and enhanced output. Colombia has considerably liberalized its petroleum area, leading to a boost in exploration and production contracts from both big and small hydrocarbon industries. Colombia is currently the 5th-largest coal exporting nation, accounting for about 1.1% of the world's total annual coal manufacture, and the main producer in Latin America (71.7 million tons in 2007). Colombia has demonstrated recoverable coal reserves of about 7.4 billion short tons, the majority of which are situated in the north of the nation. Colombia historically has been the world's leading producer of emeralds, though production has fallen in recent years. Emerald production fell from 5.73 million carats in 2006 to 3.39 million carats in 2007. Colombia is as well a major producer of gold, silver, and platinum.
Bogotá: Sitting at a lofty height of over 2,500 meters over sea level, Bogotá is the nation’s capital and a destination overflowing with attractions of artistic interest. Museums are particularly abundant and contain venues such as the Gold Museum (El Museo del Oro), the National Museum (Museo Nacional), the Museum of Colonial Art and the Museum of Modern Art of Bogota. The city’s dining and evening amusement scenes are energetic and boosted by a big collection of establishments. Cartagena is situated on the northern Caribbean shore of Columbia. Cartagena was established in 1533 but found itself at the centre of lots of pillages and attacks counting those of pirates. It was for this motive that the metropolis was equipped with walls, castles and fortresses. This colonial architecture is the main attraction of the metropolis and can be seen in the walls baring cannons, the old city and the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. Although Cartagena de Indias are a flourishing, modern metropolis, it is as well a UNESCO site that reflects Colombia’s rich legacy.
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