Colombian Culture
- A firm handshake with eye contact and a smile is the appropriate greeting in most situations.
- Men should wait for a woman to extend her hand first.
- Women may hold each other's forearms instead of shaking hands.
- Once people become acquainted, greetings become a lot warmer and Colombians often prefer to embrace (abrazo).
The following are public holidays in Colombia:
- Día de la Raza / (Columbus Day) (October 12)
- Día de los Santos / All Saints' Day (November 1)
- Independencia de Cartagena / Independence of Cartagena (November 11)
- La Inmaculada Concepción (Immaculate Conception) (December 8)
- Navidad (Christmas) (December 25)
The main Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve night and it's called 'Cena de Navidad'. The dishes often include 'lechona' (pork stuffed with rice and peas), ham, turkey or a chicken soup called 'Ajiaco Bogotano'.
In the country of Colombia, the official language is Spanish. "Christmas" is "Navidad." "Merry Christmas" is "Feliz Navidad."
Santa Claus, aka Papá Noel, has made big inroads as well in places like Mexico and Peru with his American red suit. But in many Latin American homes, including in Colombia, Costa Rica and Bolivia, the pile of presents that magically appears Christmas Eve comes from the infant boy, known as Niño Jesús.
10 Iconic and Popular Christmas Gift Ideas from Colombia
- Pergamino Coffee Gift Set. You may be popping into this popular independent coffee roaster in El Poblado some time this week any way.
- Tilín Tilín Chocolate.
- Wayúu Hammocks.
- Wayúu Bags.
- Ceramics from El Carmen de Viboral.
- A bottle of Aguardiente.
- A Vueltiao Sombrero.
- Beaded Jewelry.
Novena of Aguinaldos, also known as the novena to Baby Jesus, is a novena, or nine-day religious ceremony, held during the nine days leading to Christmas. The novena of Aguinaldos is a custom for Catholics in Colombia, and parts of Ecuador and Venezuela. It is similar to the feast of Las Posadas in Mexico.
The 11 Strangest Colombian New Year Traditions
- Eating 12 grapes at midnight.
- Wearing yellow underwear on New Year's Eve.
- Filling your pockets with lentils.
- Taking your suitcase around the block.
- Cash in hand at New Year.
- Cleaning your house on December 31st.
- Burning the 'old year' doll.
- Put your right foot forward.
This Catholic tradition continues to be an important Christmas tradition in Colombia. The image of the Virgin Mary and the Baby Jesus are important figures, rather than Santa Claus.
Colombia Facts for Kids
- The official name of Colombia is the Republic of Colombia.
- The name "Colombia" is derived from the last name of the explorer Christopher Columbus.
- 99% of the population speak Spanish, the official language of Colombia.
- Colombia shares a land border with 5 countries including Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru.
The bad news about safety in ColombiaThe southwestern and northeastern parts of the country which border with Ecuador and Venezuela are dangerous, and many foreign governments recommend against any travel to those regions because of the risk of kidnap or being caught in the crossfire of a drug war.
According to Bloomberg News, as of 2011, studies show that Colombia is the world's largest cocaine producer. The United States of America is the world's largest consumer of cocaine and other illegal drugs.
Colombians are the seventh-largest population of Hispanic origin living in the United States, accounting for 2% of the U.S. Hispanic population in 2017. Since 2000, the Colombian-origin population has increased 148%, growing from 502,000 to 1.2 million over the period.
Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world, after only Brazil which is 10 times its size, and one of only 17 “megadiverse” countries. It has the highest amount of species by area in the world, including more species of bird than all of Europe and North America combined.
What language do Colombians speak?
The primary agricultural products of Colombia are coffee (the country is the fourth-largest producer of coffee in the world), cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables, fique, panela, forest products; and shrimp.
Colombian coffee is often regarded as some of the highest quality coffee in the world. Colombia has traditionally grown arabica beans and its unique geography makes it perfectly suited for producing a delicious, high quality brew1.
Between 2005 and 2013, the leading causes of death were diseases of the circulatory system (29.9%), followed by other noncommunicable diseases (24.3%), cancers (17.8%), injuries from external causes (16.8%), communicable diseases (6.8%), and neonatal disorders (2.4%).
A wary tourist is an unwelcoming target. Explore the city during the day, just don't wander too far out of your depth. Muggings and armed robbery are a danger, especially after dark in known tourist areas like La Candelaria and near the Montserrate cable car.
Table of heights
| Country/Region | Average male height | Average female height |
|---|
| Colombia | 170.6 cm (5 ft 7 in) | 158.7 cm (5 ft 2 1⁄2 in) |
| Colombia | N/A | 155.0 cm (5 ft 1 in) |
| Comoros | N/A | 154.8 cm (5 ft 1 in) |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the | N/A | 157.7 cm (5 ft 2 in) |
All U.S. citizens who do not also hold Colombian citizenship must present a valid U.S. passport to enter and leave Colombia. U.S. citizens do not need a Colombian visa for a tourist or business stay of 90 days or less. You may be denied entry to Colombia if you do not have a return ticket.
Generally, Bogota is a safe place to travel (with a little know-how!). But like elsewhere in the world, Colombia has seen cases of coronavirus.
Poverty and inequalityYet millions of Colombians are still desperately poor. Poverty: Of Colombia's 49 million people, 27% live in poverty, rising to 36% in rural areas. Extreme Poverty: 7%, 3.5 million people, live in extreme poverty, lacking even the essentials of life.
The cheapest ticket to Colombia from the United States found in the last 72 hours was $61 one-way, and $144 round-trip. The most popular route is Miami to Medellín Jose Maria Cordova Intl and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $144.
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and enables eligible citizens or nationals of designated countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.
More than 99.2% of Colombians speak the Spanish language; also 65 Amerindian languages, 2 Creole languages, the Portuguese language and the Romani language are spoken in the country. English has official status in the San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina Islands.
