Land & Water  Land: 1,038,700 sq km  Water: 100,210 sq km

Climate & Vegetation  Tropical, however cooler in highlands and mountains.

Natural Resources  Petroleum  Natural gas  Coal  Iron ore  Nickel  Gold  Copper Emeralds Hydropower

History

Independence  Independence from Spain  Simon Bolivar  Declared: July 20 th, 1810  Recognized: August 7 th, 1819

21 st Century  Actively trying to eradicate country of Guerilla Groups  Huge wealth divide. Attempting to fix.  Good relations with USA, EU. – Plan Colombia  Attempting to obtain free trade agreement with USA.  Big player in UNASUL

Information

Economic Systems  Capitalist  Free Economy – Minimal GovernmentIntervention

Political Systems  Republic  First Constitutional Government  Executive Branch Dominates  Leader: President Juan Manuel Santos

Statistics  GDP: $435.5 Billion (29 in world)  GDP per Capita: $9,800 (110 in World)  Unemployment: 11.8%  Imports: Industrial equipment, Transportation equipment, Consumer goods, Chemicals, Paperproducts, Fuels, Electricity.  Exports: Petroleum, Coffee, Coal, Nickel, Emeralds, Apparel, Bananas, Cut flowers  US 42%, EU 12.6%, China 5.2%, Ecuador 4.5%

Statistics  Life Expectancy:  Male: years  F emale: year  Death Rate: 5.26 deaths/1,000 population  Urban Population: 75% of total population

Culture

Demographics  Population: 44,725,543  People: Mestizo 58%, White 20%, Mulatto 14%, Black 4%, Mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Cultures & Traditions  Mixed European, African & Indigenous  Old Encomienda System  Carnival

Food, Music, Language  Official Language: Spanish  Cumbia – Latin American Music and Dance, Originated inColombia.  Vallenato  Salsa (From Cuba)  Ajiaco(Chicken, Corn, Potato Stew)  Roasted Ants  Indigenous Bananas

Famous People  Stella Arroyave – Sir Anthony Hopkins Wife  Shakira  Juan Pablo Montoya  Iván Ramiro Córdoba Sepúlveda Football Player (Inter) Pablo Escobar

Questions

Region  Latin America  Northern South America  Just Below Central America

What Makes It Special?  Separates Central America from Southern America.  Important country in South America  Actively trying to pacify Drug Trade.  Strong ally of USA / Neighbor of Venezuela

Similarities  Latin American Country  Culture  Language  Strong opposition groups  Problems with Drug Trade  Mining

Differences  Very Friendly with USA  Strong Democracy  Strong position against Drug Traffickers

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