Colombia

WELCOME TO COLOMBIA

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Flag of Colombia

Coat of arm from Colombia

Location of Colombia

Overview

Greetings from Colombia to the world. We are waiting with open arms to offer the best of our country

Local Committee

Participating universities (Local committees)
ACEMVAL	ACEMEDUT	SEIMUQ	ACEM-UdeA

Geography

Shaded relief map of Colombia

Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by Panama and the Caribbean Sea; and to the west by Ecuador and the Pacific Ocean.

Part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region of the world subject to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, Colombia is dominated by the Andes mountains. Beyond the Colombian Massif (in the south-western departments of Cauca and Nariño) these are divided into three branches known as cordilleras (from the Spanish for "rope"): the Cordillera Occidental, running adjacent to the Pacific coast and including the city of Cali; the Cordillera Central, running between the Cauca and Magdalena river valleys (to the west and east respectively) and including the cities of Medellín, Manizales, Pereira and Armenia, Quindío ; and the Cordillera Oriental, extending north east to the Guajira Peninsula and including Bogotá, Bucaramanga and Cúcuta. Peaks in the Cordillera Occidental exceed 13,000 ft (3,962 m), and in the Cordillera Central and Cordillera Oriental they reach 18,000 ft (5,486 m).[18] At 8,500 ft (2,591 m), Bogotá is the highest city of its size in the world.

Colombian territory also includes a number of Caribbean and Pacific islands.

Accommodation & Boarding

Each LC (Local Committee) has its own accommodation methods. Accomodations can be either dormitories, rented room/flat or hostel.

For more details go to the appropriate LC web-page.

Social Program

The social Program depends of the Local Comittee.

Colombia is a beautiful place to know. However, during the most famous festivals such as the Cali's Fair, the Barranquilla's Carnival, the Bogota Summer Festival, the Ibero-American Theater Festival and the Flower Festival is when the most foreign tourists go to Colombia. Many people visit Colombia during Christmas time and the celebrations surrounding the Independence of Colombia.

The Ministry of Tourism considers high seasons the Holy Week, summer (June, July and August) and Christmas season. During the holy week many travel to the Caribbean Region of Colombia or visit religious landmarks like Las Lajas Cathedral, Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, the towns of Santa Cruz de Mompox, Guamal or Popayán where Roman Catholic traditions and rituals are performed, among others.

There are a number of UN World Heritage Sites located in Colombia:

UN World Heritage Sites

Cities that have social program

CALI

ARMENIA

MEDELLIN

IBAGUE

Transportation

Cars are very expensive to buy in Colombia and you are not permitted to bring your own; unless you pay a lot of taxes, you must therefore plan to use public transportation, which is not very expensive. It is best to use taxis. These may also be hailed from the sidewalk, getting the attention of the driver with your hand; they may also be called by phone. In the yellow pages of the phone book you will find several taxi companies, with their phone numbers, under the heading TAXIS. They are usually prompt and reliable. Tipping is not mandatory or usual.

National Transportation

One pressing problem in Colombia is that of construction and maintenance of railroads and highways. The complex topography with its high mountains, deep valleys and frequent landslides, has made it very difficult to have reasonably good roads. Aviation is by far the preferred means of inter-city transportation. Good airports in most cities and several airlines cover the whole country.

Any traveling within Colombia during your staying period must be reported in advance to the International Relations Office, and an address should be left in order to be able to reach you at any time, in case of need.

Weater

The climate is tropical along coast and eastern plains; cold in the highlands; periodic droughts. Colombia is an equatorial country, so there are no seasons in the common sense of the word. Temperatures do not vary much throughout the year. What Colombians normally refer to as the winter is the rainy season.