Colombia, also known as Republic of Columbia (Republica de Columbia) is located in the northern region of South Africa. It has a population of approximately 49 million people and is sparsely polulated having approximately 42 people per square kilometer. Its dominant language is Spanish. The country prides in expansive mines and unique cultures and traditions. According to the Di Ionno and Mandel (2016) , life expectancy in the country is approximately 71 years for men and 78 years for women. LaRosa and Mejía (2017) maintained th at majority of the Colombians are Christians. Brazil and Venezuela border the country to the east and Panama to the northwest. Colombia is bordered to the southwest by Ecuador and Peru. It is a unitary republic with a two-term presidential system. Since 1991, Colombia is significantly a democratic state although the communist party is gaining considerable influence. Ivan Duque is the president and enjoys overwhelming support from locals.
Colombia has made considerable effort to export its pop culture all over the world. The country’s rich background is a reflection of immigration in America, European settlement, and the expansive America's civilization. The Colombian government has taken a central role in improving the film sector. For example, it hosted the Cartagena Film Festival one of the oldest festivals in the wider Latin America region ( Leal, 2018) . Notable musicians such as Juanes, Varlos, and Shakira have made a considerable impact on the global scene with their enthralling music compositions and productions. According to LaRosa and Mejía (2017) Colombia is well known as one of the oldest Spanish speaking Colombians, standing out as a significant literary country. Its literature can be traced back to many years before poetry had an impact in the Latin America region. One of the most prominent authors is Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who earned the Nobel Peace Prize in literature in 1982. The book "100 years of solitude" remains one of the most read literary works around the globe ( Leal, 2018) . Columbia stands tall with its Baroque art borrowed from Spanish architecture. Ever since the year 1950, Columbia has made bold progress in preserving its artwork exhibited in its museums centers.
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Agriculture accounts for approximately 14 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product. It has stood out over the years as one of the most significant sectors of the country's economy. About six per cent of the country is cultivated. Colombia majorly depends on irrigation. A total of approximately 800000 acres were under district irrigation by 2005 ( LaRosa & Mej ía, 2017) . On the other hand, about 1700000 acres are under private irrigation. Limited cultivation and livestock keeping is practiced mainly on the fertile flat valleys. Most cultivation in the highlands is by hand where hoes and machetes are used. However, fertilizer use is minimal partly due to lack of knowledge and awareness on best agricultural practices.
Coffee is cultivated in the in the Andean regions at 4,200 to 6,000 feet above sea level. Columbia contributes about 14-16 per cent of the global coffee produced ( LaRosa & Mej ía, 2017 . The country also produces sugar on a large scale and is grown mainly in the Cauca Valley. Others crops include bananas exported to Santa Maria areas. According to Leal (2018) t he country is the third leading banana producer and exporter supplying about one-sixth of global production. Other crops include cocoa produced in a small amount for domestic use. Despite producing most crops for domestic use, it is often forced to import coca, oils, fats and barley. Since the mid-1940s, the government took a central role in encouraging and organizing agricultural activities. For example, through the Colombia Institute for Agrarian Reform, small and large scale farmers are given social assistance, technical aid, and financial support. Farmers have over years taken advantage of credit facilities to improve on their productions, and with government programs such as the electrification, irrigation has improved.
Colombian customs is a unique blend of various traditional features and practices. .
Colombians love travelling and partaking in historical and various cultural festivities that include Vallenato, Barranquilla Carnival, White Carnival, Folkloric Festival, and Pasto Black. According to LaRosa and Mejía (2017) t he Pot Gathering, also known as El Paseo de Olla is a critical tradition, especially in rural regions. The festival encourages families to come together and share the local Colombian dish called sancocho ( Leal, 2018) . It is a mix of avocado, beef rib, chicken, tomato, and cassava. The festivals primary purpose is to bring families together and share in the successful reunion of being together. Cultural and Christmas celebrations that involve eating natilla and coming together as a family help in fostering togetherness ( LaRosa & Mej ía, 2017) . The novena is a prayer session that entails reciting prayers in different family homes. It celebrates the Wise Men, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus Christ. Dance and traditional "grandmother" therapies comprise of essential
practices for curing ailments.
Colombia's capital is Bogota. It houses the President's residency, the Supreme Court and Congress. It is the largest city in Colombia, serving as its administrative and political center. It is the territorial entity in addition to being the capital city. Colombia’s sports, artistic, economic, cultural center it is located on the Eastern Cordillera, standing out at 8,600 feet above sea level. It occupies approximately 1,587 sq. kilometers.
Colombia stands at number 49 in the 2019 financial index with the freedom score of approximately 67.2. Its tax burden is worsening each year with little improvement in monetary and trade freedom ( Di Ionno & Mandel, 2016) . As at the end of 2018, Di Ionno & Mandel (2016) argue that the country had an inflation of 4.3 per cent with an FDI inflow of 14.5 percent. According to Di Ionno and Mandel (2016) Colombia’s Gross Domestic per capita was $6,625, with a growth rate of approximately 1.8 per cent as at December 2018. Colombia scores a paltry 8.9 per cent on employment with a significant segment of the population unemployed. The next one year is poised to bring substantial change to the country's economic fortune with a notable closing of 4G projects for the period 2019-2020. Deep commitment to uplifting the country’s financial position by the government has seen the country conform to the fiscal laws put in place in 2012 that had kept the investment-grade credit improving ever since 2013 ( Di Ionno & Mandel, 2016) .
Conclusively, Colombia prides in a rich and vast history. Officially known as the Republic of Columbia (Republica de Columbia), the country is famous for numerous beautiful things that range from mines to unique cultures and traditions. Its rich cultural background is undoubtedly a reflection of immigration in America, European settlement, and the ever-growing America's civilization. Its microeconomic stability has given it favorable growth prospects for many years.
References
Di Ionno, M., & Mandel, M. (2016). Tracking Colombia ’ s App Economy. Progress. Policy Inst , 1. https://www.progressivepolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Colombia-ENGLISH.pdf
LaRosa, M. J., & Mej ía, G. R. (2017). Colombia: A concise contemporary history . Rowman & Littlefield. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/77267005.pdf
Leal, C. (2018). The Colombia Reader: History, Culture, Politics. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040618217308297
