Colombia
Folksy pope wins more hearts with first Angelus
Mar 17, 2013 12:07 EDT
Pope Francis on Sunday underscored his man-of-the-people approach with his first Angelus prayer as pontiff, taking a folksy tone in front of 150,000 enthusiastic pilgrims in St Peter's Square.
'Pray for me', Pope Francis urges at first Angelus
Mar 17, 2013 08:01 EDT
Pope Francis appeared before some 150,000 pilgrims massed in St Peter's Square on Sunday for his first Angelus prayer and asked the faithful to pray for him.
World hails Pope Francis as non-Catholics seek better ties
Mar 14, 2013 08:01 EDT
Pope Francis received a flood of goodwill messages from around the world Thursday with non-Catholics hoping his papacy will usher in better ties with the Vatican.
World leaders hail Pope Francis, urge work for peace
Mar 14, 2013 00:13 EDT
World leaders and Catholics hailed the election of Jorge Bergoglio from Argentina as the first Latin American pope, urging him to work for religious reconciliation and peace.
Mali war disrupts cocaine supply to Europe
Mar 11, 2013 11:59 EDT
France's surprise intervention in northern Mali against Islamist fighters involved in lucrative drug-running has disrupted cocaine supply to Europe but smugglers are already finding new routes, analysts said.
Sharks, manta rays win global trade protection
Mar 11, 2013 09:30 EDT
Several shark species and the manta ray won international trade protection Monday in a move hailed by conservationists as a breakthrough in efforts to save them from being wiped out by overfishing.
Five shark species win global trade protection
Mar 11, 2013 07:14 EDT
Five shark species won international trade protection Monday in a move hailed as a breakthrough in efforts to save the world's oldest predator from extinction due to rampant demand for its fins.
Four shark species win international trade protection
Mar 11, 2013 06:13 EDT
Governments agreed on Monday to restrict international trade in four shark species in a bid to save them from being wiped out due to rampant demand for their fins.
Colombian rebels free two German hostages
Mar 08, 2013 22:25 EST
Colombian rebels freed two Germans they had taken hostage in November, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.
Britain's 'atheist church' set to go global
Mar 08, 2013 16:25 EST
Echoing with joyful song and with a congregation bent on leading better lives, this London church is like any other -- except there's no mention of God.
Cuba gives Chavez hero's send-off
Mar 07, 2013 18:14 EST
Cuba's leaders gave Hugo Chavez a send-off fit for one of their own Thursday, with huge crowds turning out to pay homage to the late Venezuelan leader in Havana and Santiago's Revolution Plaza.
Asset sales help Carrefour triple its 2012 profit
Mar 07, 2013 06:09 EST
French retail giant Carrefour said Thursday that its 2012 net profit was three times bigger than the previous year owing mainly to asset sales, and the sharp improvement from poor results in 2011 pushed its shares higher on the Paris stock exchange.
Canada criticized for tying foreign aid to commerce
Mar 06, 2013 09:51 EST
Once held up as a model global citizen, Canada is facing growing criticism from aid groups over moves to tie foreign assistance to trade through partnerships with mining and other firms.
World allies mourn Chavez, US urges improved ties
Mar 06, 2013 05:39 EST
Condolences poured in Wednesday from world leaders who had found common cause with Venezuela's Hugo Chavez in his 14-year campaign to galvanize the Latin American left and defy US "imperialism."
LatAm leaders mourn Chavez, US urges improved ties
Mar 06, 2013 02:27 EST
Latin America mourned the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as the United States expressed hope his passing would lead to improved relations with the oil-rich state.
Colombia's emeralds set to sparkle in Chinese market
Mar 06, 2013 01:49 EST
Colombia produces more than half the world's emeralds; it is excruciatingly hard work, and in Muzo, entire families sweat it out in extreme conditions hoping to find the stone that will change their lives.
LatAm leaders mourn Chavez, US urges improved ties
Mar 05, 2013 23:19 EST
Latin America mourned the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as the United States expressed hope his passing would lead to improved relations with the oil-rich state.
Cardinals seek pope to tackle Vatican bureaucracy
Mar 05, 2013 06:57 EST
The next pope's ideal profile began to take shape on Tuesday as cardinals held a second day of pre-conclave talks -- a man with pastoral experience, missionary energy and few ties to the Vatican's unruly government.
Malala, Clinton cited as Nobel peace prize candidates
Mar 04, 2013 09:42 EST
Pakistani schoolgirl-turned-icon of Taliban resistance Malala Yousafzai, ex-Eastern bloc activists and former US president Bill Clinton are in the running for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, as the Nobel Institute announced a record 259 nominations on Monday.
Uruguay legend Cubilla dead at 72
Mar 04, 2013 06:24 EST
Legendary Uruguayan footballer and coach Luis Cubilla has died from stomach cancer at the age of 72, family members said.
Facts from the Wikipedia page:
| Republic of Colombia
República de Colombia (Spanish)
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||
| Motto: "Libertad y Orden" (Spanish) "Liberty and Order" | ||||||
| Anthem: Oh, Gloria Inmarcesible! | ||||||
.svg) | ||||||
| Capital (and largest city) | Bogotá .png){kind=small} 4°39′N 74°3′W / 4.65°N 74.05°W | |||||
| Official languages | Spanish1 | |||||
| Recognised regional languages | The languages and dialects of ethnic groups are also official in their territories.[1] | |||||
| Ethnic groups | 58% mestizo, 20% white, 14% mulatto, 4% black, 3% zambo, 1% Amerindian 2% Asian.[2] | |||||
| Demonym | Colombian | |||||
| Government | Presidential republic | |||||
| - | President | Álvaro Uribe Vélez | ||||
| - | Vice President | Francisco Santos | ||||
| - | President of Congress | Javier Cáceres Leal | ||||
| - | President of the Supreme Court | Augusto Ibáñez Guzmán | ||||
| Independence | From Spain | |||||
| - | Declared | July 20, 1810 | ||||
| - | Recognized | August 7, 1819 | ||||
| - | Current constitution | 1991 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 1,141,748 km2 (26th) 440,839 sq mi | ||||
| - | Water (%) | 8.8 | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | April 2009 estimate | 44,928,970[3] (29th) | ||||
| - | 2005 census | 42,888,592[3] | ||||
| - | Density | 40/km2 (168th) 104/sq mi | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2008 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $397.249 billion[4] (28th) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $8,800[5] (87th) | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2008 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $240.832 billion[4] (38th) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $8,200[4][6] (84th) | ||||
| Gini (2006) | 52 (high) | |||||
| HDI (2007) | ▲ 0.807 (high) (77th) | |||||
| Currency | Peso (COP) | |||||
| Time zone | (UTC-52) | |||||
| Date formats | dd-mm-yyyy (CE) | |||||
| Drives on the | Right | |||||
| Internet TLD | .co | |||||
| Calling code | +57 | |||||
| 1 | Although the Colombian Constitution specifies the Spanish as official language in all its territory, the native languages (approximately 75 dialects) are also official in their own territories. | |||||
| 2 | The official Colombian time, (horalegal.sic.gov.co) is controlled and coordinated by the state agency "Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio".[7] | |||||
