Study Spanish in Colombia

The “gateway to South America”, Colombia is located on the northwestern corner of the South American continent. It is bound by Panama and the Caribbean Sea to the northwest, Venezuela to the northeast, Brazil to the southeast, Ecuador and Peru to the south and the Pacific Ocean in the west.
A land of extremes, Colombia features vast mountainous areas, expansive coastlines and even desert and grassland regions on the eastern half of the country. About one half of the country is covered by thick rainforest which helps explain its title as the most biodiverse country per square kilometer in the world.
Due to its astonishing geography and location near so many wonderfully diverse countries, Colombia is an ideal destination for adventure travelers and more relaxed travelers alike.

Colombia, like many South American countries, is widely regarded as a leading destination for nature viewing and ecotourism. While only accounting for 1% of the world’s total land area, Colombia is home to about 10% of all animal species that exist on the planet. Abundant rainforest, vast mountainous areas and almost 3,000 kilometers of coastline along two large bodies of water have given rise to Colombia´s distinction as a megadiverse country in terms of its biodiversity.

Once covered almost entirely by jungle, Colombia still contains immense areas of rainforest that have been untouched by man. Wildlife in the country has thus been able to thrive and evolve over thousands of years. Consequently, Colombia is home to 14% of the world´s amphibian species, 10% of the mammal species and 18% of the total bird species worldwide!
While the government has been able to cordon off large areas of land for conservation purposes, there is still much to be done to protect habitats. Ecotourists intent on helping dwindling habitats would find Colombia to be the perfect destination!

Originally inhabited by indigenous peoples of the Americas, the Spanish conquest introduced the influx of European peoples as well as African peoples brought as slave labor. Today, these three groups: people of Amerindians decent, those of African descent, and people of European descent compose the overwhelming majority of Colombian ethnic background and have contributed to the vast majority of cultural customs. A highly stratified society, many of these ethnic groups are separated by geography and consequently by access to resources.
The majority of Colombians historically lived in rural areas, but the 1950s brought about an era of instability from civil war and a steady migration to the more urban areas, especially Bogota. Many people looked to gain greater access to economic opportunities and improved health and education systems as well as to flee armed conflict. Today, roughly three quarters of Colombia´s populations resides in cities.

Colombian music is very rich in influences and, not surprisingly, varies significantly by region according to ethnic makeup. In general, Colombian music mixes Spanish-style guitars with African percussion influences and touches of indigenous flute melodies.
Cumbia, Colombia´s most famous brand of music, is an eclectic upbeat mix of bongos, piano, flutes and horns that originated in the coastal areas during the fight for independence in the 1820s and is still popular today. While several other popular styles of music exist in Colombia, two of the most predominant Colombian artists worldwide include Shakira and Juanes as both have been able to gain enormous popularity in the pop and rock scene.

Ceramic art in the Americas is said to have first been produced about 5,000 years ago in the region of present-day Colombia. Spanish influences, and notably the patronage of the Catholic Church, dominated Colombian art from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Fernando Botero, world-renowned for his depiction of oversized figures meant oftentimes to satirize Colombian politics, is the country´s most recognized artist and one of the most famous artists ever to come out of Latin America.