Colombia :: essays research papers

Colombia Climate The climate, however, varies with the elevation. The low regions along the coast and the deep Patà ­a and Magdalena river valleys are torrid, with mean annual temperatures of 75 ° to 80 ° F. From about 1500 to 7500 ft the climate is subtropical, and from about 7500 to 10,000 ft it is temperate. Above about 10,000 ft is the cold-climate zone, where temperatures range from 0 ° to 55 ° F. The average January and July temperatures in Bogotà ¡ are 58 ° F and 57 ° F, respectively. The averages for the same months in Barranquilla are 80 ° F and 82 ° F. Throughout the year, three-month periods of rain and dry weather alternate. Along the Pacific coast precipitation is heavy. At Bogotà ¡ the annual rainfall averages about 40 in, and in Barranquilla it averages about 32 in. Dry weather prevails on the slopes of the Eastern Cordillera. Government Colombia has a Republican form of government. Colombia has a president who is elected by popular vote. He is chosen by any man or woman 18 years or older. The president can serve one four year term. He appoints a cabinet which has to be approved by congress. Congress is composed of a House of Representatives (199 members) and a Senate (112 members). Land Area The total land area of the country is 440,831 sq. mi. The capital and largest city is Bogota. Population Characteristics, Religion, and Language The population of Colombia (1993 estimate) was 34,942,767, giving the country an overall population density of about 79 per sq. mi. About 95 percent of the people are Roman Catholics. Small Protestant and Jewish minorities exist. The official language of Colombia is Spanish. The racial makeup of the Colombian population is diversified. About half the people are mestizo (of mixed Spanish and Native American ancestry), about 20 percent are of unmixed European ancestry, and about 14 percent are mulatto (of mixed black and white ancestry). The remaining 8 percent is made up of blacks, Native Americans, and people of mixed race. History In 1538 Spanish conquistadors founded New Granada. In 1717 Bogota became the capital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada which consisted of present-day Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. In 1819 Simon Bolivar defeated Spanish troops near Bogota and became the first president of the new republic of Gran Colombia. Currency The basic unit of currency is the Colombian peso (829 pesos equal U.S.$1; 1994).