ATLANTICO
Inhabitants: Atlanticenses

The department of Atlántico lies in the north of Colombia. It is bordered by the Caribbean Sea and the departments of Bolívar and Magdalena. It covers an area of 3,388 square kilometres. With nearly 2,150, 000 people, it is the most densely populated region in the country.
Before the discovery of the Americas, the land was inhabited by the Caribbean Indians. They were considered the bravest warriors among native populations.
The first conquerors that traveled through their lands were Rodrigo de Bastidas and Alonso de Ojeda.
Before 1910, when the department was created, the region was part of the State of Bolivar whose capital was Cartagena. Throughout the years, numerous immigrants from different countries and cultures have populated the department and today they live together while maintaining their own idiosyncrasies. Still, the Atlanticenses (people born in Atlántico) have many things in common: they are spontaneous and enterprising people who love to party.
The chemical products industry (the most important in the region), as well as oil refineries, textile and paper industries, machinery, food and beverages and commerce, play a very important role in the department's economy. Breeding livestock, fishing, agriculture, mining and deposits of coal, limestone and gypsum, also play a considerable role in Atlántico's wealth.


Capital: Barranquilla
Industrial and port administrative district.
The so-called “Golden Gate of Colombia” is the largest industrial city on the Atlantic coast. More than one million people live in this prosperous metropolis located on the western bank of the Magdalena river.
Barranquilla's average temperature varies from 27 to 30 degrees Celsius.
It is a very modern city with skyscrapers, elegant districts, exellent department stores, parks with baseball and soccer fields, tennis courts and amusement parks. Outstanding museums such as the Museum of Modern Arts and the Romantic Museum, beautiful churches including the Immaculate Conception, very nice and comfortable hotels, like the well known Hotel El Prado.
Other tourist attraction places are the zoo of Barranquilla, the Amira de la Rosa theatre, the old Customs building and the Montoya Station.
The city is surrounded by very pretty natural landscapes such as Bocas de Ceniza, the El Dique Canal, Luruaco and Totumo swamps, Puerto Colombia with its beaches and the historical wharf.
It has an important duty-free zone, industrial parks and many other places of interest.
The famous Carnival of Barranquilla that takes place in February and lasts four days, attracts thousands of tourists every year. Barranquilla is the most important maritime and river port in Colombia.

Music

www.colombia-sa.com

Música del departamento

The Anthem of the Atlantico Department
(In Spanish)

Lyrics: María Delina Álvarez
Music: Anita Zabaraín

Chorus
Como una lira inmensa, pulsada por el viento
las voces del Atlántico cantando gloria están;
y el Litoral hermoso frontera de la Patria,
es cuna de hombres libres que aman la libertad.
I
Tiene muy alto el Atlántico su meta
bajo la noble égida de la paz;
y en el ámbito patrio se destaca
su anhelo de crecer y progresar.
II
Por nuestra dicha y fortuna hemos nacido
bajo este bello esplendente cielo azul;
y Dios puso en nuestras venas, como un vino,
la esperanza de vencer el porvenir.
III
Vamos a la conquista del futuro
con generoso empeño y decisión;
alta la frente y firme la esperanza,
lleno de entusiasmo el corazón
IV
Es el Atlántico tierra sagrada,
donde Dios derramó su bondad;
es su ambiente de sana alegría,
es su gente sencilla y cordial.

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Annual Events

February: Carnival of Barranquilla - The Millo Festival - Juan de Acosta (Barranquilla.)

May: Movies on the streets (Barranquilla). Arepa'e huevo Festival (Luruaco) – The Plum Festival (Baranoa)

June: Festival of the Butifarra (Soledad). Festival of the blacks' rhythms (Santa Lucía). Festival of the Sea (Puerto Colombia). Handcraft and folk music National Fair during the months of June and July (Barranquilla).

August: Tale-tellers International Festival (Barranquilla).

September: Barranquijazz (Barranquilla).

October: Science and the Creativity Fair (Barranquilla).

December: The night of the little candles
Handcraft and folk music National Fair during December and January (Barranquilla).

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Other Municipalities

Puerto Colombia, Baraona, Malambo, Sabanagrande, Sabanalarga, Soledad, Luruaco.

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Airports

Ernesto Cortissoz Barranquilla
El Esfuerzo - Manati

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Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity

Carnival of Barranquilla
Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity (2003).