-
The official name of Colombia is the Republic of Colombia.
The name "Colombia" is derived from the last name of the explorer Christopher Columbus.
99% of the population speak
Spanish, the official language of Colombia. There are also many
indigenous languages spoken throughout the country.
-
Colombia shares a land border with 5 countries including Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru.
Colombia is the only country in South America that has a coastline on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
Bogotá is the capital of
Colombia. It is the second largest capital city in South America and at
2640 m (8661 ft) it is one of the highest capital cities in the world.
Colombia has a population of over 45 million people (45,745,783) as of July 2013.
Colombia is classed as a
"megadiverse" country, ranking as the 2nd most biodiverse country in the
world. It has the highest amount of species by area in the world,
including the most endemic species of butterflies, the most orchid
species, the most amphibian species and more species of bird than all of
Europe and North America combined.
The area covered by modern day
Colombia was originally inhabited by the indigenous tribes Muisca,
Quimbaya, and Tairona. In 1499 the Spanish arrived making the area a
Spanish colony called New Granada.
The currency of Colombia is called the Colombian peso.
Colombia is the world's leading source of emeralds and its coffee is world-renown.
Stands selling fruit and juices are found throughout Colombia, especially on the Caribbean coast.
Colombia has a vibrant music scene, two of the most well-known Colombian musicians are Shakira and Juanes.
The traditional national sport of Colombia is called Tejo. It is a team sport that involves launching projectiles at a target.
The most popular sport in
Colombia is football (soccer). The Colombian national team won the 2001
Copa América (South American Championship).
Other popular and successful sports of Colombia include roller-skating, weightlifting, baseball, boxing, motorsport and cycling.
-
For more information, check out maps of Colombia or take a closer look at the Colombian flag.
Comments