78 Facts About Colombia

Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is the 29th most populous country in the world. 

Colombia is a sovereign state largely situated in the northwest of South America, with territories in Central America. 

Colombia has an area of 1,138,910 sq km. 

Colombia's capital and largest city is Bogotá, D.C. Spanish is the official language of Colombia. 

Peso (COP) is the currency of Colombia. 

People living in Colombia are called Colombian. 

Colombia has five bordering countries that include Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

Colombia, located at South America's northernmost tip, is a country of lush rain forests, towering mountains, and coffee plantations.

El Dorado, the theme of most children's games, is a mythical city in ancient Colombia. According to legend, a king would spray himself with gold powder before jumping from a golden boat into a lake to appease an undersea god.

Colombians adore anything and everything related to football (soccer). Colombians couldn't sleep peacefully without Futbol, its iconic yellow jerseys, its heartthrob, James Rodriguez, or its unique goal dance.

The caffeine-fueled country enjoys dancing. Colombia's golden rule is to start moving when you hear music.

Colombian music is also thumping and pumping. Shakira, the world-famous pop singer, is from Colombia.

Colombia is named after Christopher Columbus, the legendary Italian explorer, navigator, and coloniser.

Starbucks opened its 1000th store in Latin America, the first in the Colombian city of Medelln.

Every day at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Colombian radio and public television must play the national anthem.

Brazil has nearly 60% of the Amazon rain forest, Peru has 13%, and Colombia has 10%.

Cano Cristales, also known as the "River of Five Colors" or the "Liquid Rainbow," is a river in Colombia's Serrania de la Macarena province of Meta. Beginning at the end of July and continuing through November, the river's bed changes colour from yellow to green, blue, black, and especially red.

Colombia is not a coffee-producing country. Despite the fact that they shipped 840,000 tonnes to other countries in 2015.

Colombia is known as the "gateway to South America" because it has the second largest Spanish-speaking population.

Archeologists believe humans first arrived in Colombia around 20,000 years ago.

In Colombia, age is a significant factor. The older you get, the stronger your voice becomes. Elders are highly revered and respected in this tropical country.

Colombia ranked second in the list of "countries with the most national holidays," with 18.

Colombia hosts the Iberoamericana, the world's largest theatre festival.

Colombia is a place to have fun, frolic, and celebrate. It enjoys celebrating holidays by organising salsa parades, flower parades, carnivals, and other events.

Colombia is home to one of every five butterfly species.

Changua is Colombia's most popular breakfast option. It's just milk soup with an undercooked egg. (Yes, you read that correctly: milk soup.)

Coffee is a cheesy affair in Colombia. People here, for some inexplicable reason, put blocks of salty cheese into their coffee after they've finished drinking it and eat the mushy blobs of coffee-soaked cheese.

Coffee is sipped like water. While Colombian children are given a nice coffee milkshake, they grow up to prefer their coffee black.

Oatmeal is a juicing ingredient, not a breakfast cereal. Yes, Colombians enjoy drinking Avena, which is essentially oatmeal juice.

Colombian women are very self-conscious about their curves.

15 tonnes of raw pure cocaine — that's how much white powder one man shipped into the United States every day at one point in time.

Pablo Escobar was so wealthy that he offered $10 billion to forgive Colombia's national debt. Sebastián Marroqun, his son, was born Juan Pablo Escobar on February 24, 1977, and is a motivational speaker.

Colombia is said to be the happiest place on the planet due to the abundance of happy-go-lucky chemicals. Perhaps it is time to rethink the World Drug Policy.

Tejo is Colombia's native and national sport. Beer is almost a requirement in this game. The goal of the game is to throw a metal disc at a sack full of gunpowder while drunk.

It's called ColOmbia, not ColUmbia. Pay attention to your pronunciation because Colombians have a keen sense of detail.

In Colombia, everything is sweet, including the local alcoholic beverage, Aguardiente. It's made from sugarcane and is the perfect drink for soaking up the Colombian sun.

Colombia is so obsessed with sugar that it fought a war with Peru over it. The eight-month war, known as the Leticia War, began as a result of a sugar trade dispute.

Colombia even has many pre-Columbian archaeological sites dating back before European settlement.

Even before the Spanish came to conquer South America, their foreign European diseases killed the majority of the native people.

Colombia's economy is primarily based on manufacturing and agricultural exports such as bananas, cut flowers, sugar, and coffee. Textiles, chemicals, clothing, and metal products are examples of manufacturing exports.

Colombia is the world's third largest coffee exporter, trailing only Brazil and Vietnam.

Colombia has made significant contributions to medicine, biology, geology, physics, mathematics, anthropology, and psychology.

The National Police, a branch of the armed forces, was established in 1891 to enforce the federal laws of Columbia.

In Colombia today, there are two major organisations. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia and the Army of National Liberation are guerrilla organisations.

The social security system was created in 1843 and was initially limited to military personnel.

Colombia has a free-market economy that has greatly benefited the country as a result of foreign investment and trade.

Colombia's official language is Spanish. Except for certain populations in the Amazonian basin, all Colombians speak Spanish. This is a higher proportion than in Spain.

In 1806 a Venezuelan named Francisco Miranda designed the national flag.

The Colombian flag's red and yellow colours were adapted from the Spanish flag, and the blue stripe represents the ocean that separates Colombia from Spain. The condor represents both liberty and sovereignty, the yellow represents the country's natural resources, and the red represents the bloodshed in the war for independence.

Colombia has a diverse range of regional cultures. Many Colombian indigenous groups have embraced Spanish cultural influences.

The architecture of the country reflects the country's seventeenth-century Spanish colonial origins. Many of the cities in the region have examples of Castilian and Moorish architecture.

Colombia is considered a hierarchical society, with people earning respect based on their position and age.

The details in the country's many churches reflect the Medieval and Renaissance eras in Spain.

In Colombia, a girl turning 15 is a big deal.

Here are some Colombian gifting customs: Bring some fruit or chocolate for a casual visit. Bring imported alcohol for an elegant touch. And only gold for a girl's 15th birthday.

Eyes are everything in Colombia. Real Colombian men shake hands while looking deep into each other's eyes.

Shaking both hands when meeting and leaving is considered polite. A man should wait for a woman to extend her hand as well.

In Colombia, arranged marriages are no longer common, but residents are encouraged to marry within their social class. Men and women are free to date whomever they want, but they must be accompanied by a chaperone (a person who accompanies and looks after another person or group of people.)

Before getting married, most couples date for at least a year. The majority of couples marry in the Catholic Church.

The majority of domestic units are made up of a mother, a father, and their children. Upper-class families typically have a large number of children.

The father is typically the head of the household in Colombian households, and the women raise and educate their children as well as handle all homemaking responsibilities.

Lower and middle-class wives are typically required to work in the city or the fields.

The Roman Catholic faith is practised by 95% of the Colombian population. Over 85% of urban Catholics regularly attend mass.

Colombian culture is heavily influenced by art. Many foundations and private individuals are committed to supporting Colombian art.

Colombia began to develop literacy after the arrival of the Spanish, and its literature continues to have a strong influence.

Over 2,000 years ago, natives of the Andes created very detailed and intricate artwork. Native influences were replaced by European styles after colonisation.

Colombia's music scene is extremely diverse. Vallenato is a Colombian dance and music style that originated on the Atlantic coast.

Building relationships is critical in Columbia.

The majority of Colombians have both a maternal and paternal surname, and both are commonly used. To avoid appearing rude, always refer to people by their proper title and surname.

Greetings become warmer as friendships grow stronger. To express affection, women will kiss on the right cheek, while men will embrace and pat each other on the shoulder.

Parks are mostly restricted to the larger towns and cities that were founded by the Spanish. Many people congregate in these parks to visit, and other activities and benches are strategically placed to encourage socialising.

It is common for children to remain at home until they are ready to marry. Elders are respected because of their life experience and age.

Colombian culture's social structure is always centred on the family.

Bandeja Paisa, Colombia's de facto national dish, is more than just a meal; it's a microcosm of the country.

The majority of middle-class families eat meals influenced by Spanish and indigenous traditions. A typical day includes a light breakfast, a larger midday lunch, and a lighter meal in the early evening.

Dinner for the middle class typically consists of fresh fruit, a main course of fish or meat served with rice or potatoes, and a homemade soup.

Specialty dishes are eaten on holidays, and ajiaco, a special stew, is associated with the capital.

Lower-income families consume more carbohydrates, which culminate in a sweet dessert made from panela, a type of brown sugar.