COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE COLOMBIA Colorful Colombian Bus Flickr / Pedro Szekely DLIFLC DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | COLOMBIA TABLE OF CONTENT Geography Introduction ................................................................................................................... 6 Geographic Regions and Topographic Features ................................................... 7 Mountains..............................................................................................................7 Plains .....................................................................................................................8 Climate ........................................................................................................................... 9 Rivers and Lakes ........................................................................................................10 Major Cities ..................................................................................................................11 Bogotá ................................................................................................................. 11 Cali ....................................................................................................................... 12 Medellín ............................................................................................................... 13 Barranquilla ........................................................................................................ 14 Cartagena ...........................................................................................................15 Environmental Concerns ...........................................................................................16 Deforestation and Soil Erosion ........................................................................16 Pollution ...............................................................................................................16 Natural Hazards ..........................................................................................................17 Volcanoes and Earthquakes ............................................................................ 17 Drought, Floods, and Landslides ....................................................................18 Endnotes for Chapter 1: Geography ........................................................................19 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 26 History Introduction ................................................................................................................. 27 Pre-European Colombia ........................................................................................... 28 Spanish Conquests ................................................................................................... 29 Early Spanish Colonialism ....................................................................................... 30 The Viceroyalty of New Granada .............................................................................31 The Late Colonial Period ...........................................................................................31 Independence ............................................................................................................. 32 Gran Colombia ........................................................................................................... 33 Conservatives, Liberals, and Civil War .................................................................. 33 Liberal Ascendancy ................................................................................................... 34 Colombia 1880-1946 ................................................................................................. 35 La Violencia ................................................................................................................ 36 Colombia 1953-1974 ................................................................................................. 37 The Post–National Front Era (1974-2010) ............................................................. 38 2 COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | COLOMBIA Current Events............................................................................................................ 39 Endnotes for Chapter 2: History .............................................................................. 40 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 44 Economy Introduction ................................................................................................................. 45 Agriculture ................................................................................................................... 46 Industry and Manufacturing ......................................................................................47 Energy and Mineral Resources ............................................................................... 48 Energy .................................................................................................................48 Minerals ...............................................................................................................49 Trade and Investment ............................................................................................... 49 Transportation ............................................................................................................ 50 Tourism .........................................................................................................................51 Banking and Currency .............................................................................................. 52 Standard of Living ...................................................................................................... 52 Employment and Jobs .............................................................................................. 53 Economic Outlook ..................................................................................................... 54 Endnotes for Chapter 3: Economy .......................................................................... 55 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 62 Society Introduction ................................................................................................................. 63 Ethnic Groups ............................................................................................................. 64 Language .................................................................................................................... 65 Religion ........................................................................................................................ 65 Cuisine ......................................................................................................................... 66 Soups and Main Dishes ....................................................................................66 Drinks and Desserts ..........................................................................................67 Traditional Dress ........................................................................................................ 68 Gender Issues ............................................................................................................ 69 Arts ............................................................................................................................... 70 Literature .............................................................................................................70 Music.................................................................................................................... 71 Folk Crafts and Folklore ........................................................................................... 72 Sports and Leisure .................................................................................................... 72 Endnotes for Chapter 4: Society ..............................................................................74 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 79 3 COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | COLOMBIA Security Introduction ................................................................................................................. 80 U.S.-Colombian Relations .........................................................................................81 Relations with Neighboring Countries .................................................................. 82 Brazil ....................................................................................................................82 Ecuador ...............................................................................................................82 Panama ...............................................................................................................83 Peru ....................................................................................................................84 Venezuela ...........................................................................................................84 Police ..........................................................................................................................