Colombia is a northern country in South America and the only one connected to Central America there by controlling land access between Central and South America. Colombia is bordered by Panama to the northwest, Venezuela to the east, Brazil to the southeast, and Ecuador and Peru to the southwest. It borders the Pacific Ocean to the West and Caribbean Sea to the North.
Colombia was named for Christopher Columbus although he never landed in present day Colombia.
Facts:
- The capital is Bogota
- The official language is Spanish
- The population is approx. 45.5 million people
- 71% of the population is Roman Catholic
- Approximately 2.3 million people visit Colombia each year.
History:
- Colombia became independent of Spain in 1810 becoming a Republic of Colombia along with the countries of Ecuador, Venezuela, and Panama. The other countries eventually declared independence from Colombia until Colombia as we know it today was formed in 1903.
- The years after independence were marked by several civil wars.
- Safety has been improving since 2002 with civil war ending in 2012.
This month me and my team are praying for Colombia in preparation for our journey there. If you would like to pray with us please check out my Praying for Colombia blog.
