Colombia :: essays research papers

ColombiaClimateThe climate, however, varies with the elevation. The low regions along the coastand the deep silkena and Magdalena river valleys are torrid, with mean annualtemperatures of 75 to 80 F. From close to 1500 to 7500 ft the climate issubtropical, and from about 7500 to 10,000 ft it is temperate. Above about10,000 ft is the cold-climate zone, where temperatures range from 0 to 55 F.The average January and July temperatures in Bogot are 58 F and 57 F,respectively. The averages for the same months in Barranquilla are 80 F and 82F. Throughout the year, three-month periods of rain and dry weather alternate.Along the peaceable coast precipitation is heavy. At Bogot the annual rainfallaverages about 40 in, and in Barranquilla it averages about 32 in. Dry weatherprevails on the slopes of the easterly Cordillera.GovernmentColombia has a Republi piece of ass form of government. Colombia has a president who is choose by popular vote. He is chosen by any piece or woman 18 years or older.The president can serve one four year term. He appoints a cabinet which has tobe approved by congress. Congress is composed of a tin of Representatives(199 members) and a Senate (112 members).Land AreaThe total land area of the artless is 440,831 sq. mi. The capital and largestcity is capital of Colombia.Population Characteristics, Religion, and LanguageThe population of Colombia (1993 estimate) was 34,942,767, giving the area anoverall population density of about 79 per sq. mi. slightly 95 percent of the flock are Roman Catholics. Small Protestant and Jewish minorities exist. Theofficial language of Colombia is Spanish. The racial makeup of the Colombianpopulation is diversified. About half the people are mestizo (of mixed Spanishand autochthonal American ancestry), about 20 percent are of unmixed European ancestry,and about 14 percent are mulatto (of mixed black and colour ancestry). Theremaining 8 percent is made up of blacks, Native Americans, and people of mixedrac e.HistoryIn 1538 Spanish conquistadors founded New grannyada. In 1717 Bogota became thecapital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada which consisted of present-dayColombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. In 1819 Simon Bolivar defeatedSpanish march near Bogota and became the first president of the new republic ofGran Colombia.CurrencyThe basic unit of currency is the Colombian peso (829 pesos pertain U.S.$1 1994).