85 Fascinating Facts About Colombia

1. Colombia is located in the northwest corner of South America and is the continent’s most ethnically and linguistically diverse country.
2. Colombia is named after Christopher Columbus, the explorer who discovered the Americas.
3. Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world, trailing only behind Brazil.
4. It’s the only country in South America that has coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
5. Colombia is a leading producer of coffee, emeralds, and flowers.
6. Colombia is the only country in the world that has a national holiday dedicated to a beauty pageant, the “Reinado Nacional de Belleza.”
7. The national flag consists of three horizontal bands of yellow, blue, and red. The yellow represents the gold of Colombia, blue the seas on its shores, and red for the blood spilled for Colombia’s independence.
8. Colombia shares borders with five countries: Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and Panama.
9. Bogotá is the capital and the largest city in Colombia.
10. Colombia is divided into 32 departments and one capital district.
11. The currency of Colombia is the Colombian peso.
12. Colombia is in the top five countries in the world with the largest Spanish-speaking population.
13. Shakira, the internationally famous singer and dancer, is from Colombia.
14. Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez, one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, was born in Aracataca, Colombia.
15. Colombia has the highest coastal mountain in the world, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
16. The Andes Mountains run through Colombia, splitting into three ranges known as “cordilleras.”
17. Colombia is one of the 17 “megadiverse” countries of the world.
18. Colombia has 59 National Natural Parks and 11 Flora and Fauna Sanctuaries.
19. Colombia is the world’s leading source of emeralds, and the mines at Muzo and Chivor provide the best examples.
20. Colombia’s national sport is “Tejo,” a team sport that involves launching projectiles at a target.
21. Colombia’s national flower is the orchid.
22. The country’s national bird is the Andean condor.
23. The Amazon rainforest covers nearly one-third of Colombia.
24. More than 1,900 species of birds are present in Colombia, more than in any other country.
25. The El Dorado legend originated from Colombia.
26. Bogota’s Gold Museum has one of the largest collections of Pre-Columbian gold artifacts.
27. The Cano Cristales river in Colombia is known as “the river of five colors” for its striking hues.
28. Colombia is the world’s third-largest producer of women’s clothing.
29. Medellín, Colombia’s second-largest city, was once known as the most dangerous city in the world due to drug cartels. Today, it’s considered a model of urban development.
30. Colombia is home to the Ciudad Perdida, a lost city older than Machu Picchu.
31. The Boyacá Bridge in Colombia is the site of a key battle in the country’s fight for independence from Spain.
32. Colombia’s wax palms, the national tree, are the tallest palm trees in the world.
33. Colombia is known for its many festivals, including the Carnival of Barranquilla, one of the biggest carnivals in the world.
34. Colombia’s population is over 50 million, making it the third most populated country in Latin America.
35. Colombia has been a democratic republic since 1886.
36. Colombia has one of the best healthcare systems in Latin America.
37. Colombia has 24 different major ecosystems.
38. Colombia has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
39. Colombia is one of the world’s largest consumers of fruit juices.
40. Colombia’s most popular dance style, cumbia, has been influential in shaping Latin dance worldwide.
41. The Choco region in Colombia is one of the wettest places on earth.
42. The Cathedral of Salt in Zipaquirá is a church built within the tunnels of a salt mine.
43. Colombia’s coffee is often regarded as some of the highest quality coffee in the world.
44. The tallest palm trees in the world, the Quindío wax palms, are found in Colombia.
45. Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, is one of the highest cities in the world at 2,640 meters (8,660 feet) above sea level.
46. Fernando Botero, one of the most famous artists from Latin America, is Colombian.
47. Colombia’s literary genre of magical realism, made famous by Gabriel García Márquez, combines reality and myth.
48. Colombia is home to numerous indigenous cultures, each with their unique languages and traditions.
49. Cartagena, a city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, is famous for its well-preserved colonial architecture.
50. The pre-Columbian cultures of Colombia excelled in gold work, as evidenced by the artifacts found in numerous archaeological sites across the country.
51. Colombia is one of the world’s top exporters of bananas.
52. Colombia is famous for its “páramos,” a unique alpine ecosystem found only in a few places on earth.
53. Colombia has a unique tradition called “Desfile de Silleteros,” where people parade through the streets of Medellín carrying enormous flower arrangements on their backs.
54. Colombian musician Juanes has won more Latin Grammy Awards than any other artist.
55. The mythical creature “El Dorado” was originally a tribal chief who covered himself in gold dust during initiation rites.
56. In Colombia, there’s a tradition called “La noche de las velitas,” where people light candles in honor of the Virgin Mary on the night of December 7th.
57. Colombia has a wide variety of traditional dishes, but one of the most popular is “bandeja paisa,” a platter typically consisting of meat, beans, rice, plantain, avocado, and egg.
58. The Colombian Amazon represents over 40% of the Amazon Rainforest.
59. Colombia is home to the pink dolphin, one of the few freshwater dolphin species in the world.
60. Colombia is the birthplace of salsa dancing.
61. The popular Netflix series “Narcos” is based on the life of notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.
62. Colombia is home to the black spectacled bear, the only bear species in South America.
63. Colombian territory also includes numerous islands in both the Caribbean and Pacific.
64. Popayán, a city in southwestern Colombia, is known as the “White City” because of its whitewashed colonial buildings.
65. The Calima culture, which inhabited western Colombia, buried their dead under their houses as a sign of respect.
66. Colombia’s Tayrona National Park is home to a variety of wildlife, including howler monkeys and jaguars.
67. Cumbia and vallenato are two of the country’s most significant and symbolic traditional music genres.
68. San Andres and Providencia, islands in the Caribbean, are part of Colombian territory.
69. Colombia is home to the third-largest number of Spanish speakers worldwide, after Mexico and the USA.
70. With 26,000 species of orchids, Colombia has more types of orchids than anywhere else in the world.
71. The Lost City (Ciudad Perdida), discovered in 1972, is one of the most important archaeological sites in South America.
72. Lake Guatavita, located near Bogotá, is associated with the El Dorado legend.
73. “La Pola” (Policarpa Salavarrieta), a seamstress who spied for the revolutionary forces during the fight for independence from Spain, is considered a national heroine in Colombia.
74. “Aguardiente” is a traditional Colombian liquor flavored with anise.
75. Colombia is home to five major river basins, including the Amazon, Orinoco, Magdalena-Cauca, Pacific, and Caribbean.
76. Colombia’s highest peak, Pico Cristóbal Colón, stands at 5,700 meters (18,700 feet).
77. Colombia is one of the world’s top cycling nations, and its riders are renowned for their mountain-climbing ability.
78. “Chocó,” Colombia’s Pacific coastal region, is one of the rainiest places on the planet.
79. Colombia has the largest number of endemic species (species that don’t exist naturally anywhere else) in the world.
80. The “arepa,” a type of bread made of ground maize dough, is a staple part of the Colombian diet.
81. In Colombia, you can find pink sea at “El Salar de Galerazamba,” a salt mine near Cartagena.
82. “Sancocho” is a traditional Colombian soup made with meat (often chicken, beef, or fish), plantains, corn, potatoes, and local spices.
83. Colombia has 18 public holidays, more than many countries.
84. Bogotá is home to the world’s largest network of bicycle routes in a city, known as the “Ciclovía.”
85. Colombian coffee is UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, recognized for its cultural significance.

Originally posted 2023-09-15 20:51:02.

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