Colombia :: essays research papers

ColombiaClimateThe climate, however, varies with the elevation. The low regions along the coastand the deep Pata and Magdalena river valleys are torrid, with mean annualtemperatures of 75 to 80 F. From about 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 Pacific 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 Eastern Cordillera. brassColombia has a Republican form of government. Colombia has a president who iselected by popular vote. He is chosen by any man or cleaning lady 18 years or older.The presiden t can serve one four year term. He appoints a cabinet which has tobe approved by congress. Congress is composed of a House of Representatives(199 members) and a Senate (112 members).Land AreaThe total land area of the country is 440,831 sq. mi. The slap-up and largestcity is Bogota.Population Characteristics, Religion, and phraseThe population of Colombia (1993 estimate) was 34,942,767, giving the country anoverall population density of about 79 per sq. mi. About 95 percent of thepeople are Roman Catholics. elegant 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 Native American ancestry), about 20 percent are of unmixed European ancestry,and about 14 percent are mulatto (of mixed black and neat ancestry). Theremaining 8 percent is made up of blacks, Native Americans, and people of mixedrace.HistoryIn 1538 Spanish conquistadors f ounded New Granada. 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 troops near Bogota and became the first president of the new republic ofGran Colombia.CurrencyThe basic unit of currency is the Colombian peso (829 pesos equal U.S.$1 1994).