Hayato
Jan 31st, 2009, 06:59 AM
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/9616/colombia5pq2.png
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/2571/colombianascn6.png
So with the one and only South American WTA tournament coming up, what does the average person imagine when they think of Colombia?
Probably nothing but cocaine, coffee, violence, kidnappings and terrorist groups.
Well, here are some facts about Colombia that may surprise you.
http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/6167/colombianorchidfa8.jpg
Colombia is the #1 world producer of flowers with 3,500 types of orchids. 29% are endemic.
Colombia also has 14,000 species of butterflies & 456 species of mammals.
Over half of the flowers sold in the United States come from Colombia.
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/9396/sanandresxs9.jpg
Colombia is the only South American nation that borders the Carribean and Pacific oceans.
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4729/colombianandesqf8.jpg
The northernmost part of the Andes, the longest mountain chain in the world, lie in Colombia.
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/4042/colombianbirdwn1.jpg
The nation contains more species of birds than North America and Europe combined.
Colombia was ranked 9th out of 149 countries on the Yale and Georgetown University 2008 Environmental Performance Index.
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/531/colombiabutterflyrt2.jpg
Colombia is the second most biodiverse nation per square kilometer in the world.
Colombia's forests comprise 10% of the world's total biodiversity.
Colombia has 257 protected natural zones with an area larger than Belgium, Denmark and Holland together.
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3314/colombiaamazonzy9.jpg
Nearly 1/4 of Colombia's national territory is comprised of the Amazonian region.
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7370/bogota10za5.jpg
Modern cities. 41 million people call Colombia home, making it the 3rd most populous country in South America after Brazil and Argentina.
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1357/colonialcolombiall7.jpg
Colonial architecture. Last year, Colombian tourism grew by 13.5%,
while overall world tourism grew by 6% and Latin American tourism grew by 7%.
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/1060/colombianemeraldlp1.jpg
#1 world producer of emeralds
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/9360/colombiabananascf5.jpg
#3 world producer of bananas.
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/3554/certifiedutzkapeh100purae9.jpg
Colombian coffee is the richest coffee in the world.
http://discoveries.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/basilio.jpg
The country has 85 different ethnic groups, creating a true melting pot of European, indigenous and Afro-Caribbean communities.
http://www.benettontalk.com/gabriel-garcia-marquez.jpg
Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez, nobel prize winner, is the most read novelist in the world.
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/6008/shakira1gm7.jpg
Pop-star Shakira is one of the most well-known artists in the world, being a sell-out from the middle-east to the United States.
With her voice, poetic lyrics, musical talent and belly dancing, she has won Grammy awards
and has sold over 60 million albums, as well as being a notable philanthropist.
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/7400/juanesci3.jpg
Juanes is arguably the highest selling Latin American artist in recent years.
The pop-rock musician has sold over 10 million albums and has won 17 Latin Grammy awards- more than any other artist.
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/1585/apindy500070730ssvec4.jpg
Juan Pablo Montoya won the International F3000 championship in 1998, and the CART Championship Series in 1999,
as well as victories in some of the most prestigious races in the world.
He is the only driver to have won the premier North American open-wheel CART title,
the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Daytona, all at the first attempt.
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/1701/bogota12tl3.jpg
The people, who are considered to be amongst the happiest citizens in the world
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/8008/bogota19fv5.jpg
Since President Alvaro Uribe took office in 2002 and as of December of 2007, over 46,000 members of illegally armed groups had demobilized.
In 1993, 21% of Colombians trusted the police. Now this figure has risen to 60%.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/2571/colombianascn6.png
So with the one and only South American WTA tournament coming up, what does the average person imagine when they think of Colombia?
Probably nothing but cocaine, coffee, violence, kidnappings and terrorist groups.
Well, here are some facts about Colombia that may surprise you.
http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/6167/colombianorchidfa8.jpg
Colombia is the #1 world producer of flowers with 3,500 types of orchids. 29% are endemic.
Colombia also has 14,000 species of butterflies & 456 species of mammals.
Over half of the flowers sold in the United States come from Colombia.
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/9396/sanandresxs9.jpg
Colombia is the only South American nation that borders the Carribean and Pacific oceans.
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4729/colombianandesqf8.jpg
The northernmost part of the Andes, the longest mountain chain in the world, lie in Colombia.
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/4042/colombianbirdwn1.jpg
The nation contains more species of birds than North America and Europe combined.
Colombia was ranked 9th out of 149 countries on the Yale and Georgetown University 2008 Environmental Performance Index.
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/531/colombiabutterflyrt2.jpg
Colombia is the second most biodiverse nation per square kilometer in the world.
Colombia's forests comprise 10% of the world's total biodiversity.
Colombia has 257 protected natural zones with an area larger than Belgium, Denmark and Holland together.
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3314/colombiaamazonzy9.jpg
Nearly 1/4 of Colombia's national territory is comprised of the Amazonian region.
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7370/bogota10za5.jpg
Modern cities. 41 million people call Colombia home, making it the 3rd most populous country in South America after Brazil and Argentina.
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1357/colonialcolombiall7.jpg
Colonial architecture. Last year, Colombian tourism grew by 13.5%,
while overall world tourism grew by 6% and Latin American tourism grew by 7%.
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/1060/colombianemeraldlp1.jpg
#1 world producer of emeralds
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/9360/colombiabananascf5.jpg
#3 world producer of bananas.
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/3554/certifiedutzkapeh100purae9.jpg
Colombian coffee is the richest coffee in the world.
http://discoveries.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/basilio.jpg
The country has 85 different ethnic groups, creating a true melting pot of European, indigenous and Afro-Caribbean communities.
http://www.benettontalk.com/gabriel-garcia-marquez.jpg
Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez, nobel prize winner, is the most read novelist in the world.
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/6008/shakira1gm7.jpg
Pop-star Shakira is one of the most well-known artists in the world, being a sell-out from the middle-east to the United States.
With her voice, poetic lyrics, musical talent and belly dancing, she has won Grammy awards
and has sold over 60 million albums, as well as being a notable philanthropist.
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/7400/juanesci3.jpg
Juanes is arguably the highest selling Latin American artist in recent years.
The pop-rock musician has sold over 10 million albums and has won 17 Latin Grammy awards- more than any other artist.
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/1585/apindy500070730ssvec4.jpg
Juan Pablo Montoya won the International F3000 championship in 1998, and the CART Championship Series in 1999,
as well as victories in some of the most prestigious races in the world.
He is the only driver to have won the premier North American open-wheel CART title,
the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Daytona, all at the first attempt.
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/1701/bogota12tl3.jpg
The people, who are considered to be amongst the happiest citizens in the world
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/8008/bogota19fv5.jpg
Since President Alvaro Uribe took office in 2002 and as of December of 2007, over 46,000 members of illegally armed groups had demobilized.
In 1993, 21% of Colombians trusted the police. Now this figure has risen to 60%.