This Is A Report For History On The Country Colombia Essays

This is a report for History on the country "Colombia" The Republic of Colombia The Republic of Colombia is the fourth largest country in South America. It is located at the north-western tip of the continent. Its neighbors are Brazil and Venezuela to the east, Panama to the north-west, and Ecuador and Peru to the south. Colombia is the only South American country that's coast is on the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. There are eight islands under Colombian rule, and they are San Andres, Providencia, San Bernado, Islas del Rosario, Isla Fuerte, Gorgona, Gorgonilla, and Malpelo. Colombia's terrain is about 45% mountainous. The major mountain chain is the Andes, which is the longest and second highest mountain chain in the world. The are three mountain ranges in Colombia that form the Andes. These are known as Cordilleras, which means range. The Cordillera Occidental is 680 miles long and is about 6,500 ft. high. This range is on the western area that stretches from the equator to the Caribbean Sea. The Cordillera Oriental is the longest range, at 750 miles long, and 8,530 ft. high and it cuts from northern Colombia to southern Colombia. The Cordillera Central is located in the center of the country and is 689 miles long and 10,827 ft. high making it the highest cordillera. The highest mountain point in Colombia is the Sierra Nevada at 19,055 ft. high. There are lots of volcanoes in Colombia. The Cumbal is 17,500 ft. high, the Chiles is 16,900 ft. high, the Purace is 17,060 ft. high, and the Pan de Azucar is 16,840 ft. high. The eastern region of Colombia is a grassy lowland. 1/6 of Colombia is uninhabited glacier land, and 1/5 is high plateau. Colombia has many rivers. The most important river is the Magdalena which is 965 miles long and flows north to the Caribbean Sea. Others are the Meta, the Amazon, the Guaviare, and the Putamayo. There aren't many lakes in Colombia. The largest lake in Colombia is Lake Cocha and is not very important. If it wasn't for the Andes mountain location, Colombia would have an extremely high climate since it is near the equator. However, Colombia's climate is strictly related to the altitude of the land and varies greatly from section to section. The hot region of Colombia has an average temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and are from sea level to three thousand feet. This area is along the Pacific coast and in the eastern jungle region. Regions from three to six thousand feet above sea level have an average temperature of 65.5 degrees Fahrenheit. This area is in the northern section of the Andes and are mostly agricultural. Regions from six to nine thousand feet above sea level have an average temperature of 53.6 degrees Fahrenheit, and are considered cold. Most Colombians live in this region. Areas that are above nine thousand feet above sea level are the severely cold regions and are and have an average temperature of below 53 degrees Fahrenheit. The winter months in Colombia are May, June, July, August, September, October, and November. This is the rainy part of the year. Summer months are December, January, February, March, and April. This is the dry part of the year. Spring and Fall do not exist. The rainiest part of Colombia is the Choco area on the Pacific coast. It rains on afternoons and evenings every day of the rainy season. It averages 400 inches of rainfall per year. The driest spot is the Guijara Peninsula. It is located in the northern tip of Colombia, on the Caribbean Sea. It averages 10 inches of rain yearly. Because of Colombia's assorted climate it can grow a wide range of crops. Only five percent of Colombia's land is used for farming, although there is much more room to be used for farming. Coffee is the chief agricultural product, and Colombia is the world's second largest producer, after Brazil, because coffee beans grow best at an elevation between 4,300 and 6,600 feet. Sugarcane is grown in the hot temperate areas of the country. bananas are also grown in the warm areas. Maize is grown under most climatic conditions, except at the highest elevation. This crop is important to the poor people of the country. Rice is grown in the hot and humid regions. A major problem that Colombia faces is the cultivation of illegal drugs. The marijuana plants are grown in the Guajira Peninsula, because of the hot climate, and the soil is perfect from growing it. Also, the fact that the peninsula is on the Caribbean coast, makes it easy to export it on ship. Colombia supplies half of the marijuana purchased in the Unites States. Most people think that cocaine is grown in Colombia, because most of the cartels that distribute