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Colombia
Colombia is named after the famous explorer, Christopher Columbus. It was used to refer to all of the Americas or just the Spanish-controlled areas before the name's use was shrunk to only refer to Gran Colombia and today only to the country of Colombia.
WARNING: Drug trafficking violence is a risk in Colombia, please read this travel warning before going!
Introduction:
The indigenous people and their cultures in Colombia prior to the arrival of the Europeans were quite unique. The Taironas and Muiscas controlled the lands for some time and both had well established communication and trade networks, making these people fairly wealthy and ever-changing. Despite the advanced technology of these people, European diseases destroyed much of these early cultures and people, with their most significant remnant being that many cities in Colombia, such as Bogota, are the original Muisca names.
The Europeans seemed to control nearly every other aspect of culture from their arrival until today, beginning with the country's name, which is in honor of Christopher Columbus. Despite the Spanish and European influence, the region held little importance compared to many other regions and most of the settlers on these lands arrived to seek out economic opportunities.
The flag of Colombia gets its colors from the former country, Gran Colombia, which divided into numerous countries in 1830. The reason for these colors is a mystery, but numerous theories abound. Yellow may represent gold, sovereignty and justice, or liberty; the blue may symbolize the sea, loyalty and vigilance, or equality; while the red may represent the blood spilled fighting for independence, valor and generosity, or fraternity.
Name: Republic of Colombia
Independence: July 20, 1810
Capital: Bogota
Currency: Colombian Peso
Population: 45,745,783 (2013 estimate)
Ethnicity: Mestizo, European, & Others
Language: Spanish
Religion: Catholic
Of the indigenous people that survived the initial spread of diseases and other battles, some remained nearly untouched in the mountains or Amazon River basin, but most were integrated into the European-inspired culture and society. This combination created a new culture and society, which had aspects of both indigenous and Spanish culture. Most people began to speak Spanish and practice Catholicism, but local foods and traditions became the dominate force for many.
Today Colombia remains fairly diverse. Some indigenous people live much as they have in the past, particularly in the Amazon region, while in some areas, particularly the cities, the lifestyle and culture are almost wholly influenced by Europe and many people are wholly of European descent. However, diversity exists to nearly all degrees in between as the majority of people are mestizo and combine cultural and lifestyle aspects from various areas based on ethnicity, geography, and more.
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Information for Colombia was last updated: May, 2013 ● View our: Sources & Special Thanks