Colombia

2 Chapter Basic knowledge

    • Basic knowledge

      ■ Official country name → Republic of Colombia

      ■ English Name: Republic of Colombia

      ■ National flag
      Originated from the three color flags of yellow, blue and red "Miranda" which was used in Gran Colombia (Great Columbia) which existed in the northern part of South America (now equivalent to Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador etc) in the first half of the 19th century, 1861 It was enacted as the current national flag in the year. Therefore, it is the same color scheme as the flag of Venezuela, Ecuador.
      Yellow It is said that it represents gold and rich mineral resources once produced, blue is the two seas (the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean), and red is the blood shed for the independent revolution from Spain.
       

       
      ■ Area · Country land → about 1,139,000 square kilometers (about three times that of Japan)
      Located in the north of South America, North is the Caribbean Sea, the west is the Pacific Ocean, the only country facing both countries in South America. In the east, Venezuela and Brazil are connected, the south is Peru and Ecuador, the west is bordering Panama and borders with the overland bridge of Central America.
      The Andes mountains penetrate the western part of the country south, the major cities such as the capital city Bogoda and the second city Medellin are in the Andean region, and the population is concentrated in the western part including the Caribbean coast and the Pacific Coastal Region. Tropical plains called Llano in the eastern part of the Orinoco River, tropical rain forests in the upper stream of the Amazon River spread over the equator just under the equator, which account for two-thirds of the national land.
       


      ■ Capital → Bogoda population 8.99 million people
      The capital city of Bogda is the political, economic and cultural center of Colombia, with a population of 8.99 million in the city area (predicted in 2015), the metropolitan population including nearby cities such as Soacha and Chia is the largest city in the country. It is located in the basin of the Andes Mountains and is located at an altitude of 2,640 m above sea level.
      It originated in the construction of the colonial city "Santa Fe Bagota" by the Spanish expedition team in 1538 and prospered as the center of the Northern Andean region as the capital of the Nueva Granada vice territory in the 18th century. When it became independent as "Grand · Colombia Republic" in 1819, it was renamed Bogota and it reaches present.
      The current Bogda occupies a quarter of Colombia's GDP and is the economic center where more than 1,000 foreign-affiliated companies are located, followed by Mexico City (Mexico), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Latin It is one of the leading economic cities in the United States. It is also famous for its many universities, libraries, museums, theaters, etc. There is also one side called "Athens in South America" ​​as the center of culture.

      ■ Population 47.79 million (World Bank in 2014)
      The population of Colombia is 47.79 million (World Bank of 2014), and in Latin America it has the population second only to Brazil and Mexico. In recent years, the moderate population growth of about 1.2% per annum has been continuing, and the population forecast for 2030 is 53.17 million (UN). Since the total fertility rate (2010 - 2015) is less than 1.93 and 2, the population pyramid has shifted from the Mt. Fuji type (pyramid type) to the bell type and there will be no explosive population increase in the future.
      The current population composition is high, 64.9% of the working population from 15 years old to 64 years old, and it is in the demographic bonus period where the economy is easy to grow.
       
       
       
      ■Climate
      It is located in the low latitude area where the equator passes through the southern part of the national land, but under the influence of the altitude of the Andes mountain range, two oceans, etc., the climate is diverse.
      Bogota, the capital city, is located at an elevation of 2,640 m in the Andes mountains, so it belongs to the alpine climate and has a mild climate throughout the year, but it is known for its large temperature difference in the morning and the night as a feature of the inland area. There are rain through the year, but from April to May and September to November a little more, December to January and July to August are slightly less. The second city of Medellín, located in the highland of the same Andes mountain range, is located about 1,000 meters below Bogota, about 1,500 meters above sea level, so the temperature is high throughout the year.
      On the other hand, the Caribbean resort, Cartagena, the port city Barranquilla, etc. are located in the lowlands, the Savanna climate zone affected by the ocean, the temperature is high throughout the year, the dry season comes from December to March and almost rain I do not get it.
      In addition, the tropical plain of the tropical monsoon climate zone continues in the inland region of the Orinoco River near the Venezuelan border, and the jungle which belongs to the tropical rainforest climate zone spreads in the upper stream region of the Amazon River near the Brazilian border.
       
      Source：World Meteorological Organization
       
      Source：World Meteorological Organization

      Source：World Meteorological Organization

      ■ Time difference → -14 hours (UTC -5)
      It takes EST (Eastern time in the USA) and it will be minus 14 hours in Japan time. For example, the noon in Japan time is 10:00 the night before the day in Colombia, and 6 pm in Japan time is 4 AM in Columbia. We do not introduce daylight saving time.

      ■ Currency → Colombian · Peso (COP)
      Currency unit is Colombian peso, abbreviation is written as $. There is a centerball as an auxiliary unit, but now it is rarely used.
      There are six types of banknotes, $ 1,000, $ 2,000, $ 5,000, $ 10,000 $, $ 20,000, and $ 50,000, with five types of coins: $ 50, $ 100, $ 200, $ 500, and $ 1,000.

      1 Colombia · Peso = 0.03 yen (as of February 24, 2016)

      ■Ethnic groups
      Colombia is a country that is said to be a mixed-rich country in Latin America. CIA estimates based on the 2005 census suggest that Astro Colombian such as Mestiso (mixed indigenous and European mixed) and European total 84.2%, Mulat (African and European mixed) 10.4%, African type is 3.4% and so on.
      Generally, it is said that there are many Mestisos in the Andean region and Mulato in the Caribbean coastal region.

      ■ Language → official language: Spanish
      Spanish as an official language is spoken in almost all regions of the country.
      However, tribes that use indigenous languages ​​as local languages, such as dozens of Quechua languages, Niengatu languages, Wayu language, are native speakers other than Spanish.

      ■Religion
      In Colombia, Roman Catholicism was regarded as state religion until 1991, and the Roman Catholic is over 90% of the population of the Catholic Great Powers. Freedom of religion is now recognized. Christianity other than the Roman Catholic (Protestant), tribes who believe in indigenous people's indigenous religion are scattered. There are also few Jewish, Muslim, Hindus settled in the Caribbean coastal areas and so on.

    • Political system of Colombia

      [Political system] Constitutional Republic (Presidential system)

      [Head of state] President Juan · Manuel · Santos · Calderon (National Unity Party)
      (Phase 1) August 2010 - August 2014
      (2nd term) August 2014 (re-election) ~ term of office 4 years

      [Diet] Bicameral system (Senate · House)
      Senate: 102 seats (term of 4 years)
      House 166 seats (term of 4 years)

      [Government] There is no Prime Minister Job
      Vice President Hermann Vargas · Jerus (radical reform party)
      Interior Minister Juan Fernando Christo Bustos (Liberal Party)
      Foreign Minister Maria · Angela · Orgin · Quajal
      Minister of Finance and Government Bonds Mauricio, Cardenas, Santa Maria (Conservative Party)

      In Latin America it became a constitutional state relatively early, and after the military regime collapsed in 1958, political party politics by the two major parties (Liberal Party / Conservative Party) continued for a long time. Since the beginning of the 21st century, in addition to the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, it became a multiparty system such as "National Unity Party (U Party)" separated from the Liberal Party, "radical reform party" which is a liberal power, It is managed by the administration.
      The right Uribe former administration from 2002 has become the center Santos regime from the second term eight years, 2010, it is re-elected in 2014 and celebrates the second term. It is said that security policies and free economic routes and other policy continuity have been brought, and in recent years the relatively stable political situation has continued.
      Internationally, the relationship with neighboring Venezuela, which is regarded as the most dominant in South America and regarded as the flag head of the anti-US, has always been the largest diplomatic and military issue. In 2010, President Santos has visited Venezuela shortly after it took office, and recovered diplomatic relations which had been extinguished, in recent years the thaw of both countries is progressing.

    • History of Colombia

      [Colonial rule by Spain] (16th to 17th centuries)
      In the 16th century Spain's conquest began in the present Colombia which was Indio's civilization area by indigenous Tibcha and Caribbean ethnic groups and became a colony in the 1530s. Bakata, the capital of the largest Mousca kingdom in the area, was renamed Santa Fe de Bogota and became the base of colonial rule by Spain. Meanwhile, the population of Indio sharply decreased due to plague and looting brought in from Spain.

      In the 16th century, slave transfer from Africa and shipment of gold will be actively carried out, starting from the Caribbean port Cartagena, and the fight against maritime dispatch with the UK will intensify. At this time the whole northern part of South America was reorganized as Nueva Granada vice territory, and Santa Fe de Bogota became the capital.

      [War of Independence and the Republic of Gran Colombia] (17th century - 19th century)
      From the 17th century to the 18th century, the criolyeo strata in Latin America (the Spaniards born colonies) is emerging. In the nineteenth century, the independence movement from the mainland of Spain which is confused by the invasion of Napoleon begins. Simon Bolivar, Venezuela's criollo, won the independence war with the Spanish army and established the "Grand Columbia (Great Columbia) Republic" equivalent to the current Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama etc. in 1819, It fulfills independence. Then in the 1830s Venezuela and Ecuador separated and became independent, in 1886 it became "Colombia Republic".

      [Opposition of the two major political parties and a thousand-day war] (19th century - 20th century)
      In the mid-nineteenth century, the Liberal Party was formed with the support of a centralized Conservative Party, emerging bourgeoisie, merchants, craftsmen, peasant farmers, etc., backed by large landowners, aristocrats, Catholic churches and others, aiming for a federal system It was. The two major political parties will repeat the change of government and will continue to sharpen their confrontational attitude year after year. In 1899, the tensions between the two parties increased, eventually leading to a civil war called the "thousand day war". The civil war continued for about three years until 1902, and it is said that over 100,000 dead have come out. Also, with this machine, the United States intervened to acquire the interests of the Panama Canal, and in 1903 Panama became independent from Colombia.

      [La Biorencia (era of violence) and Bogoda riot] (1940s - 1950s)
      In the late 1940s when World War II ended, the conflict between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party will overheat. "The Bogota riot" caused by the conflict between the two partisan citizens will occur, triggered by the assassination of Gaitan, the leader of the Liberal Party in 1948. The riot spreads to the rural areas, resulting in 200,000 deaths. In 1953, the military coup d'etat by Stabo, Rojas, Pinilla and others, we will see the situation for a while.

      [Guerrilla Activity - Colombian Revolutionary Army (FARC)] (1960's - 1970's)
      The Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, which have been conflicting for many years, have been compromised through negotiations between the two parties, and from 1958 they will be the "National Front System" which will alternate the administration. However, social unrest caused by the chain of violence against the background of poverty will change in a different way and spread. A Cuban revolution occurred in 1959, socialist armed activities became active in Colombia in the 1960s, and in 1966 an anti-government guerrilla "Colombian Revolution Army (FARC)" was launched. Even after the "National Front System" has ended in 1974, FARC will expand its power beyond Venezuela and the Ecuadorian border, and will develop into an international conflict with the two countries.

      [Road to Peace and Failure] (1980s - 1990s)
      The successive regime aims at convergence of the civil war while returning to both flexible railroad lines such as FARC sweeping (confrontation) and dialogue (peace). During the 1980s peace negotiations between the government and FARC progressed, FARC established a legitimate political party "patriotic alliance" to send parliamentarians, but the worst situation is that assemblers and thousands of supporters are assassinated , The dialogue window is closed.
      Furthermore, the path to the recovery of security in Colombia will become more severe due to political leaders 'corruption, etc. to the giant drug mafia' s hypocrisy represented by "Medellin cartel".

      [To Peace and Economic Growth - Uribe Administration and Santos Administration] (2000 -)
      President Uribe, who launched a hard-line strategy against FARC in 2002, will take office and will serve a large-scale sweeping operation. As a result, FARC suffered a major blow, and the power dropped greatly. A certain degree of security restoration has been brought, and the Colombian economy will move toward a growth trajectory.
      When it comes to the Santos regime in 2008, it will restore diplomatic relations with Venezuela, which had been in a state of disconnection due to transboundary military actions for purging guerrilla under the former regime. In 2012, the full-scale peace negotiations between the Colombian government and FARC began, in addition to hostage release and military cease-fire, a discussion on concrete issues such as FARC's legitimate political participation, agricultural reform, resolution of drug problems A map will be shown. As the restoration of security by the ceasefire agreement has progressed, the issue is going to be put on the end of the half-century Colombian civil war.

    • Education system

      Columbia's educational system is based on the 5, 4, 2, 5 system, with primary education (elementary school) 4 years (5 years old to 10 years old), secondary early secondary school (middle school) 4 years (11 to 15 years old) Secondary education (high school) is two years (16 years old to 17 years old), and higher education is on average 5 years (18 years old). The professor language is Spanish.
      Nine years of elementary school and junior high school are compulsory education, enrollment rate is 90.2% in elementary school, 83.3 in junior high school (Columbia Statistics Bureau of 2013), it is a relatively high level in Latin America. However, because the gap between rich and poor is so large as to become a social problem, some tuition prejudice scholars for economic reasons because tuition fees and textbook fees are paid. Especially in urban areas and rural areas it is said that the educational level is greatly different.
      In order to enter the university it is necessary to pass the common test conducted by the ICFES (Higher Education Promotion Organization) and the university's own examinations and it is a narrow gate. The capital city of Bogota is famous as a city of academics who have accumulated a large number of universities and research institutes and have produced many intellectuals.