Colombia

COLOMBIA

Information about travelling to Colombia

Colombia is located in Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama

Facts about Colombia
Population45,013,672 (July 2008 est
CapitalBogota
Time zoneUTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Location Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama

General info about Colombia
Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A four-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government and violence has been decreasing since about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. However, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.
Disease threats
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A vector
Languages spoken
Spanish
What about drugs?
illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator with 167,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2007, a 6% increase over 2006, producing a potential of 535 metric tons of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to most of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets; in 2007, aerial eradication dispensed herbicide to treat over 153,000 hectares with another 67,000 hectares manually eradicated, but aggressive replanting on the part of coca growers means Colombia remains a key producer; a significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange; important supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation is estimated to have fallen 25% between 2006 and 2007 with a corresponding estimated 27% decline in the yield of pure heroin to 1.9 metric tons; (2007)
Ethnic division
mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate
0.7% (2003 est.)
Climate
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
Resources
petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower
Economy
Colombia has experienced accelerating growth since 2002, with expansion above 6% per year in 2006 and 2007, chiefly due to advancements in domestic security and to President URIBE's promarket economic policies. Colombia's sustained growth has helped to reduce poverty by 20% and has cut unemployment by 25% since 2002. Additionally, investor friendly reforms to Colombia's oil sector and the US-Colombia FTA negotiations have attracted record levels of foreign investment. Inequality, underemployment,and narcotrafficking remain significant challenges, and Colombia's infrastructure requires significant updating in order to sustain expansion. Economic growth slipped in 2008 as a result of the global financial crisis and weakening demand for Colombia's exports. In response, URIBE's administration has cut capital controls, arranged for emergency credit lines from multilateral institutions, and publicly reassured investors that Colombia is a safe place to invest. The government has also encouraged exporters to diversify their customer base away from the United States and Venezuela, Colombia's largest trading partners. Nevertheless, the business sector continues to be concerned about the impact of a global recession on Colombia's exports, as well as the approval of the FTA, which is stalled in the US Congress.
Environment
deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

Cities in Colombia

abejorral     abrego     abriaqui     acacias     acandi     acaricuara     acevedo     achi     agrado     agua de dios     aguachica     aguadas     aguazul     agustin codazzi     aipe     alban     albania     alcala     aldana     alejandria     algarrobo     algeciras     almaguer     almeida     altamira     alto baudo     altos del rosario     alvarado     amaga     amalfi     anapoima     ancuya     andalucia     andes     angelopolis     angostura     anolaima     anori     anserma     ansermanuevo     antioquia     anzoategui     apartado     apia     aquitania     aracataca     aranzazu     aratoca     arauca     arauquita     arbelaez     arboleda     arboledas     arboletes     arcabuco     arenal     argelia     ariguani     arjona     armenia     astrea     ataco     ayapel     bagado     bajo baudo     balboa     baranoa     baraya     barbacoas     barbosa     barichara     barranca de upia     barrancabermeja     barrancas     barranco de loba     barranquilla     becerril     belalcazar     belen     belen de umbria     bello     belmira     beltran     berbeo     betania     beteitiva     betulia     bituima     boavita     bochalema     bogota     bojaca     bojaya     bolivar     bosconia     boyaca     briceno     bucaramanga     bucarasica     buenaventura     buenavista     buenos aires     buesaco     buga     bugalagrande     buritica     busbanza     cabrera     cabuyaro     caceres     cachipay     cachira     cacota     caicedo     caicedonia     caimito     cajamarca     cajibio     cajica     calamar     calarca     caldas     caldono     cali     california     caloto     campamento     campo de la cruz     campoalegre     campohermoso     canalete     canasgordas     candelaria     cantagallo     caparrapi     capitanejo     caqueza     caracoli     caramanta     carcasi     carepa     carmen de apicala     carmen de carupa     carmen de viboral     carolina     cartagena     cartagena del chaira     cartago     casabianca     caucasia     cepita     cerete     cerinza     cerrito     cerro san antonio     certegui     chachagui     chaguani     chalan     chameza     chaparral     charala     charta     chia     chigorodo     chima     chimichagua     chinacota     chinavita     chinchina     chinu     chipaque     chipata     chiquinquira     chiquiza     chiriguana     chiscas     chita     chitaga     chivata     chivolo     chivor     choachi     choconta     cicuco     cienaga     cienaga de oro     cienega     cimitarra     circasia     cisneros     clemencia     cocorna     coello     cogua     colombia     colon     coloso     combita     concepcion     concordia     condoto     confines     consaca     contadero     contratacion     convencion     copacabana     coper     cordoba     corinto     coromoro     corozal     corrales     cota     cotorra     covarachia     coyaima     cravo norte     cuaspud     cubara     cubarral     cucaita     cucunuba     cucuta     cucutilla     cuitiva     cumaral     cumaribo     cumbal     cumbitara     cunday     curillo     curiti     curumani     dabeiba     dagua     darien     dibulla     distraccion     don matias     dos quebradas     duitama     durania     ebejico     el aguila     el bagre     el banco     el bordo     el cairo     el calvario     el carmen     el carmen de bolivar     el castillo     el cerrito     el cocuy     el copey     el doncello     el dorado     el dovio     el espino     el guacamayo     el guamo     el molino     el paso     el paujil     el penol     el penon     el pinon     el playon     el reten     el retorno     el roble     el rosal     el rosario     el tablon     el tambo     el tarra     el zulia     elias     encino     enciso     entrerrios     envigado     espinal     facatativa     falan     filadelfia     filandia     firavitoba     flandes     florencia     floresta     florian     florida     floridablanca     fomeque     fonseca     fortul     fosca     fredonia     fresno     frontino     fuente de oro     fundacion     funes     funza     fuquene     fusagasuga     gachala     gachancipa     gachantiva     gacheta     galan     galapa     galeras     gama     gamarra     gambita     gameza     garagoa     garzon     genova     gigante     ginebra     giraldo     girardot     giron     gomez plata     gonzalez     gramalote     granada     guaca     guacamayas     guacari     guacheta     guachucal     guadalupe     guaduas     guaitarilla     gualmatan     guamal     guamo     guapi     guapota     guarne     guasca     guatape     guataqui     guatavita     guateque     guatica     guavata     guayabal     guayabal de siquima     guayabetal     guayata     guepsa     guican     gutierrez     hacari     hatillo de loba     hato     hato corozal     heliconia     herran     herveo     hispania     hobo     honda     ibague     icononzo     iles     imues     inirida     inza     ipiales     iquira     isnos     istmina     itagui     ituango     iza     jambalo     jamundi     jardin     jenesano     jerico     jerusalen     jesus maria     jordan     juan de acosta     junin     jurado     la argentina     la belleza     la calera     la capilla     la ceja     la celia     la cruz     la cumbre     la dorada     la esperanza     la estrella     la florida     la gloria     la jagua del pilar     la llanada     la macarena     la merced     la montanita     la palma     la paz     la pena     la pintada     la plata     la playa     la primavera     la salina     la sierra     la tebaida     la tola     la union     la uvita     la vega     la victoria     la virginia     labateca     labranzagrande     landazuri     lebrija     leiva     lejanias     lenguazaque     lerida     leticia     libano     liborina     linares     litoral del san juan     lloro     lopez     lorica     los andes     los cordobas     los palmitos     los patios     los santos     lourdes     luruaco     macanal     macaravita     maceo     macheta     madrid     magangue     magui     mahates     maicao     majagual     malaga     malambo     mallama     manati     manaure     mani     manizales     manta     manzanares     mapiripan     margarita     maria la baja     marinilla     maripi     mariquita     marmato     marquetalia     marsella     marulanda     matanza     medellin     medina     melgar     mercaderes     mesetas     milan     miraflores     miranda     mistrato     mitu     mocoa     mogotes     molagavita     momil     mompos     mongua     mongui     moniquira     monitos     montebello     montecristo     montelibano     montenegro     monteria     monterrey     morales     morelia     morroa     mosquera     motavita     murillo     murindo     mutata     mutis     mutiscua     muzo     narino     nataga     natagaima     nechi     necocli     neira     neiva     nemocon     nilo     nimaima     nobsa     nocaima     norcasia     novita     nueva granada     nuevo colon     nunchia     nuqui     obando     ocamonte     ocana     oiba     oicata     olaya     olaya herrera     onzaga     oporapa     orito     orocue     ortega     ospina     ospina perez     otanche     ovejas     pachavita     pacho     pacora     padilla     paez     paicol     pailitas     paime     paipa     pajarito     palermo     palestina     palmar     palmar de varela     palmas del socorro     palmira     palmito     palocabildo     pamplona     pamplonita     pandi     panqueba     paramo     paratebueno     pasca     pasto     pauna     paya     paz de ariporo     pedraza     pelaya     penol     pensilvania     peque     pereira     pesca     piedecuesta     piedras     pijao     pijino     pinchote     pinillos     piojo     pisba     pital     pitalito     pivijay     pizarro     planadas     planeta rica     plato     policarpa     ponedera     pore     potosi     pradera     prado     providencia     pueblo bello     pueblo nuevo     pueblo rico     pueblorrico     puebloviejo     puente nacional     puerres     puerto asis     puerto berrio     puerto boyaca     puerto colombia     puerto concordia     puerto escondido     puerto gaitan     puerto guzman     puerto leguizamo     puerto lleras     puerto lopez     puerto narino     puerto parra     puerto rico     puerto rondon     puerto salgar     puerto santander     puerto tejada     puerto triunfo     puerto wilches     puli     pupiales     purace     purificacion     purisima     quebradanegra     quetame     quibdo     quimbaya     quinchia     quipama     quipile     rafael reyes     ragonvalia     ramiriqui     raquira     recetor     regidor     remedios     remolino     repelon     restrepo     retiro     ricaurte     rio de oro     rio viejo     rioblanco     riofrio     riohacha     rionegro     riosucio     risaralda     rivera     roberto payan     roldanillo     roncesvalles     rondon     rosas     rovira     sabana de torres     sabanagrande     sabanalarga     sabaneta     saboya     sacama     sachica     sahagun     saladoblanco     salamina     saldana     salento     salgar     samaca     samaniego     sampues     san agustin     san alberto     san andres     san antero     san antonio     san antonio del tequendama     san benito     san benito abad     san bernardo     san calixto     san carlos     san cayetano     san cristobal     san diego     san eduardo     san estanislao     san fernando     san francisco     san gil     san jacinto     san jeronimo     san joaquin     san jose     san jose de miranda     san jose de pare     san jose del guaviare     san jose del palmar     san juan de arama     san juan de betulia     san juan de uraba     san juan del cesar     san juan nepomuceno     san juanito     san lorenzo     san luis     san luis de gaceno     san luis de palenque     san marcos     san martin     san mateo     san miguel     san miguel de sema     san onofre     san pablo     san pablo de borbur     san pedro     san pedro de cartago     san pedro de uraba     san pelayo     san rafael     san roque     san sebastian     san vicente     san vicente de chucuri     san zenon     sandona     santa ana     santa barbara     santa catalina     santa helena     santa isabel     santa lucia     santa maria     santa marta     santa rosa     santa rosa de cabal     santa rosa de osos     santa rosa de viterbo     santa rosa del sur     santa rosalia     santa sofia     santacruz     santana     santander de quilichao     santiago     santo domingo     santo tomas     santuario     sapuyes     saravena     sardinata     sasaima     sativanorte     sativasur     segovia     sesquile     sevilla     siachoque     sibate     sibundoy     silos     silvania     silvia     simacota     simijaca     simiti     since     sincelejo     sipi     sitionuevo     soacha     soata     socha     socorro     socota     sogamoso     solano     soledad     somondoco     sonson     sopetran     soplaviento     sopo     sora     soraca     sotaquira     sotara     suaita     suan     suarez     suaza     subachoque     sucre     suesca     supata     supia     surata     susa     susacon     sutamarchan     sutatausa     sutatenza     tabio     tado     talaigua     tamalameque     tamara     tame     tamesis     taminango     tangua     taraira     taraza     tarqui     tarso     tasco     tauramena     tausa     tello     tena     tenerife     tenjo     tenza     teruel     tesalia     tibacuy     tibana     tibasosa     tibirita     tibu     tierralta     timana     timbiqui     tinjaca     tipacoque     tiquisio     titiribi     toca     tocaima     tocancipa     togui     toledo     tolu     toluviejo     tona     topaga     topaipi     toribio     toro     tota     totoro     trinidad     trujillo     tubara     tulua     tumaco     tunja     tunungua     tuquerres     turbaco     turbana     turbo     turmeque     tuta     tutasa     ubala     ubaque     ubate     ulloa     umbita     une     unguia     uramita     uribia     urrao     urumita     usiacuri     utica     valdivia     valencia     valle de san juan     valle del guamuez     valledupar     valparaiso     vegachi     velez     venadillo     venecia     ventaquemada     vergara     versalles     vetas     viani     victoria     vigia del fuerte     vijes     villa del rosario     villa rica     villagarzon     villagomez     villahermosa     villamaria     villanueva     villapinzon     villarrica     villavicencio     villavieja     villeta     viota     viracacha     vista hermosa     viterbo     yacopi     yacuanquer     yaguara     yali     yarumal     yavarate     yolombo     yondo     yopal     yotoco     yumbo     zambrano     zapatoca     zaragoza     zarzal     zetaquira     zipacon     zipaquira    


Airports in Colombia
AcandiACD
AguaclaraACL
AricaACM
AraracuaraACR
AndesADN
AmalfiAFI
ApiayAPI
ApartadoAPO
AcaricuaraARF
ArboletasARO
ArauquitaARQ
AraucaAUC
El EdenAXM
AyapelAYA
AyacuchoAYC
YaguaraAYG
YariAYI
ZapatocaAZT
Barranca De UpiaBAC
E CortissozBAQ
Palo NegroBGA
EldoradoBOG
Bahia SolanoBSC
BuenaventuraBUN
CaucasiaCAQ
CarimaguaCCO
CimitarraCIM
CandilejasCJD
Alfonso B. AragonCLO
MandingaCOG
CapurganaCPB
ChaparralCPL
CartagoCRC
CasuaritoCSR
Rafael NunezCTG
Camilo DazoCUC
CaruruCUO
CovenasCVE
CorozalCZU
CodazziDZI
El BagreEBG
El EncantoECO
El CharcoECR
VariguiesEJA
San BernadoELB
El RecreoELJ
Enrique Olaya HerreraEOH
ParatebuenoEUO
El YopalEYP
CapitolioFLA
GuamalGAA
GuacamayaGCA
GirardotGIR
GuapiGPI
GamarraGRA
HerreraHRR
Hato CorozalHTZ
IbagueIBE
ChigorodoIGO
San LuisIPI
IscuandeISD
ChivoloIVO
JuradoJUO
La UribeLAT
La ChorreraLCR
Gen. A.V. CoboLET
Las GaviotasLGT
LeguizamoLGZ
La PedreraLPD
La PrimaveraLPE
Puerto LeguizamoLQM
LoricaLRI
MaicaoMCJ
Jose Marie CordovaMDE
MonfortMFB
MirafloresMFS
BaracoaMGN
MorichalMHF
MomposMMP
MedinaMND
MonterreyMOY
MosqueraMQR
MariquitaMQU
Monte LibanoMTB
S. JeronimoMTR
MituMVP
SantaguidaMZL
MacanalNAD
NareNAR
NecocliNCI
NuquiNQU
NunchiaNUH
La MarguitaNVA
AguasclarasOCV
OrocueORC
OtuOTU
PalanqueroPAL
Puerto BerrioPBE
Puerto RicoPCC
Puerto CarrenoPCR
Puerto IniridaPDA
MatecanaPEI
PlanadasPLA
Planeta RicaPLC
PlatoPLT
MachangaraPPN
PorePRE
CanoPSO
PitalitoPTX
Puerto AsisPUU
ProvidenciaPVA
Puerto BoyacaPYA
PayanPYN
CasanarePZA
Cravo NorteRAV
RiohachaRCH
RondonRON
SaravenaRVE
Santa CatalinaSCA
San Juan Del CesarSJH
Santa MariaSMC
Simon BolivarSMR
Sabana De TorresSNT
SogamosoSOX
Santa AnaSQB
SolanoSQF
Santana RamosSRO
San MarcosSRS
San FelipeSSD
Santa RosaliaSSL
San VicenteSVI
TauramenaTAU
TimbiquiTBD
TarapacaTCD
La FloridaTCO
TrinidadTDA
TibuTIB
ToluTLU
TameTME
Tres EsquinasTQS
GonzaloTRB
QuibdoUIB
FarfanULQ
MulatosULS
UnguiaUNC
UribeURI
UrraoURR
YavarateVAB
VillagarzonVGZ
ValleduparVUP
La VanguardiaVVC


Beer in Colombia (0.33l)
Barranquilla~ 0.2 EUR
Bogota~ 0.5 EUR
Bogotá~ 0.5 EUR
Bogota~ 0.5 EUR
Bucaramanga~ 0.4 EUR
Cali~ 0.7 EUR
Cartagena~ 1.1 EUR
Manizales~ 0.4 EUR
Medellin~ 0.5 EUR
Medellin~ 0.5 EUR
Pereira~ 0.3 EUR
Santa Marta~ 0.7 EUR

Articles about Colombia
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