Cultura

Culture

Aboriginal influences

Colombia's diverse culture is a product of its unique history, and its African, European and Native Indian influences. Today, only around 3.4 percent of Colombians live and consider themselves as indigenous. Nonetheless, many elements of indigenous culture live on in Colombia's cuisine, music, folklore, and language.

Due to its rich heritage, Colombia boasts:

• Over 87 indigenous ethnic groups that represent 1.5 percent of the country’s total population and speak 64 native languages that belong to 22 linguistic families;

• Several million Afro-Colombians who represent nearly 16 percent of the population;

• Over 30 million mestizo inhabitants with an immense variety of cultural traditions; and

• Nearly 12,000 gypsies who descend from Colonial times, and several other non-traditional immigrant groups in different regions of the country.

Geography

 

There are broadly five areas in Colombia that can be distinguished to climate and landscape.

• The Andes Mountains in the West. Here lives the majority of the population mainly in the cities of millions like Bogota, Medellin and Cali. (Red)
• The Caribbean coast. Also here are a few major population centers such as Cartagena and Barranquilla (Purple)
• The Pacific Coast (Pink)
• The plains of the Orinoco (Yellow)
• The forest of the Amazon (the Orinoco and Amazon region covers 54% of the combined area of Colombia, but only 3% of Colombians lives there) (Green)

Climate

Colombia lies almost on the equator but because the height differences therer are four different climate zones. 83% of the country lies below 1000 meters with the average temperature is 24 °c. 9% of the land located between 1000 meters and 2000 meters  with an average temperature of 18 °c. 6% of the land area is between 2000 and 3000 meters with an average temperature of 12 °c. Snow is found above 4500 meters altitude.

The seasons in Colombia are more characterized by rainfall than by temperature changes. In the low areas on the Caribbean coast (the north) there is a dry season from December to March, the rest of the year is rainy. In the south, the rainy season interrupted by a period of less rainy nature in June and July, and on the Pacific coast a dry season almost is non-existent.

Colombian cuisine

 Colombia's varied cuisine is influenced by its diverse fauna and flora as well as the cultural traditions of its immigrants. Colombian dishes and ingredients vary widely by region. Some of the most common ingredients are: cereals such as rice and maize; tubers such as potato and cassava; assorted legumes; meats, including beef, chicken, pork and goat; fish; and seafood. Colombia cuisine also features a variety of tropical fruits such as cape gooseberry, feijoa, arazá, dragon fruit, mangostino, granadilla, papaya, guava, mora (blackberry), lulo, soursop and passionfruit.

Among the most representative appetizers and soups are patacones (fried green plantains), sancocho de gallina (chicken soup with root vegetables) and ajiaco (potato and corn soup). Representative snacks and breads are pandebono, arepas (corn cakes), aborrajados (fried sweet plantains with cheese), torta de choclo, empanadas and almojábanas. Representative main courses are bandeja paisa, lechona tolimense, mamona, tamales and fish dishes (such as arroz de lisa), especially in coastal regions where suero, costeño cheese, kibbeh and carimañolas are also eaten. Representative side dishes are papas criollas al horno (roasted Andean potatoes), papas chorreadas (potatoes with cheese) and arroz con coco (coconut rice). Organic food is a current trend in big cities, although in general across the country the fruits and veggies are very natural and fresh. 

Folklore

  

Colombia has many traditional folk tales and stories about legendary creatures, which are transmitted orally and kept for next generations to come. Some of them are common with other Latin American countries. The Colombian folklore has strong influences from Spanish culture, with elements of African and Native American cultures.