ANTIOQUIA
Inhabitant: Antioqueño
Antioquia, the land of beautiful women, is one of the prettiest and
wealthiest regions in Colombia.
The department is located in central-west Colombia and bordered in the
north by the Caribbean Sea and the departments of Córdoba, Sucre
and Bolívar. It is bordered by the departments of Risaralda and
Caldas in the south, by Chocó in the west and by Boyacá
and Santander in the east.
The central and western
cordilleras (mountain ranges) cross the
department. This fertile area is ideal for raising livestock and for
growing bananas and coffee beans, which are the two major agricultural
productions in the country, as well as a wide variety of crops such as
rice, yucca, sorghum, beans, sugar cane and cocoa. The area is also rich
in bauxite and gold deposits.
Industry, commerce, mining and agriculture are the main sources of
income.
During the pre-Colombian period, the territory was populated by the
Quimbayas and other Caribbean family native tribes. The Spanish conquest
of these beautiful lands began with the arrival on Quimbayan soil of
Rodrigo of Bastidas and Juan de la Cosa in 1501 and Alonso of Ojeda in
1510. Years later, the region was delimited and given the name of State
of Antioquia. It received the category of department in 1886.
The department has an area of 6,612 square kilometers. There are more
than 5.5 million people living in this region. Two-thirds of the
population live in urban areas.
The territory has several parks of national heritage: Paramillo National
Natural Park, shared with the department of Córdoba, Las
Orquídeas National Natural Park and a world heritage place: Los
Katios National Park (between Antioquia and Chocó departments).
It is worth saying that the most beautiful orchids in the world come
from Antioquia.
Capital: Medellín
Known as “the city of flowers and eternal spring”,
Medellín is the second most important city in Colombia.
It is located in the center of the Aburrá Valley and is one of
the main commercial and industrial centers of the country.
This beautiful place with around 3 million people, is full of splendid
gardens, parks, museums, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the Zea
Museum, where you can admire the work of many great artist including the
paintings and sculptures of the renowned
Medellinense artist
Fernando Botero, and the Museum of Anthropology.
There are many cultural, skyscrapers, beautiful mansions, commercial
centers, amusement parks, nightclubs and educational centers such as
the well-known University of Antioquia, the National University, the
University of Medellín and the Pontifical Bolivariana University.
Medellín has the most modern transportation system in Colombia.
There is a city train (The Metro of Medellín) and the amazing
Cable Metro that transports thousands of citizens every day.
Nutibara Hill is known as the "breathing area" of the city and
it is where the Pueblito Paisa (a replica of colonial-period Antioquian
village) is found.
The city has been the birthplace of famous writers, intellectuals,
politicians, artists, and successful businessmen.
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