Geography of Colombia: Beyond the Stereotypes

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Colombia has long been plagued by negative stereotypes and a troubled past, but the reality is changing dramatically. The country's murder rate is now about a third of what it was in the early '90s, and kidnappings have dropped by over 92 percent since the year 2000. Beyond safety improvements, Colombia is preserving its rich biodiversity, has become a global leader in innovation, excelling in its coffee industry, and may be on the verge of spreading its vibrant culture and influence across the globe.
00:00 - Intro
00:52 - Sponsor
02:13 - Biodiversity
09:13 - Coffee
11:00 - Medellin
12:56 - Bogota
16:03 - Cali
17:48 - Cartagena
18:04 - Outro

[@GeographyGeek]

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[@caballeroarepa9223]

Why was the video re uploaded,?

[@GeographyGeek]

@@caballeroarepa9223 someone was using it as part of a scam and I wanted to make some corrections and updates to it anyway.

[@mh0862]

"Colombia, the only danger is you'll want to stay." So true.

[@scarledz93]

and you run a brothel with colombian women in Medellin.

[@NgVene]

Emmm no 😂😂😂

[@JulianchoNemoga90]

I am colombian and I live in Bogotá, have not seen the full video yet, but it is great and nice that someone shows the good things of the country and city I love. 🇨🇴

[@Liliphant_]

Thoughts on the video after watching?

[@SocyGeography]

yeah !

[@JG-rm2ql]

I'm visiting have been here 3x amazing place. Prefer more than America.

[@SurfBigg]

Viví Colombia, saludos de California. Conozco Colombia y me encanta su país.

[@scarledz93]

@@JG-rm2ql Do you get STI when you visit Colombia?

[@orboakin8074]

As a Nigerian, i am so full of respect for Columbia, their government and citizens. They worked hard to improve their country, despite their many issues, and are continuing to do so. They are an example for the rest of us in Africa. No making of excuses or anything. They just got serious. I pray my own country can learn from them👏👏

[@simonbarrera3860]

Wait when did my government get serious? I must have missed that part. Maybe you are talking about a different country bc here the government is as unserious as a government can be

[@jjwnnxy]

Colombia*

[@orboakin8074]

@@simonbarrera3860 oh, I have no doubt your country still has issues but compared to mine, yours is getting better, friend. At least most of your country can keep electricity for 24/7. Mine can't😔

[@juangranados7458]

We are mostly improving we just need to keep it up. And help each other. Greetings from Bogotá

[@rosaliajimenezibarra4411]

​​@@orboakin8074yo te entiendo, a pesar de tantos problemas que ha tenido Colombia, guerrilla, paramilitares, narcotráfico, ha podido salir adelante con el esfuerzo de muchos, porque Colombia si ha progresado, así algunos digan lo contrario

[@GeographyGeek]

Correction: Medellin is north of Manizales. Not south. I mispronounced some things. The emphasis is on the last syllable for Bogotá. A couple of other things. This video is partially a remake of a video I made a few years ago. That video became part of a scam. I figured that was a good enough excuse to take it down and make some improvements and additions. However, the audio on this video isn’t great. I’m on the road and portions were rerecorded in my car.

[@musokofe]

Hello! The highest peak you mention, pico Cristobal colon isn't in the Andes. It is in the sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, a mountain seperate from the Andes.

[@Blady.Urrea.O]

You did great, thank you so much from Cali! 🇨🇴

[@GeographyGeek]

@@Blady.Urrea.O Hey there! I appreciate it!

[@stevegram9000]

Colombia has so much to offer. From the wonderful mountain towns in the Zona Cafetera, to the amazing jungle in the Amazonas, Beautiful colonial architecture, beaches, spectacular flora and wildlife. I've been going since 2015 and I love it!

[@sanexpreso2944]

In Colombia each city has a different climate, many foreigners are surprised when they arrive in Bogota the capital and expect a warm and hot weather and find a cold and cloudy city reminiscent of the climate of London or Amsterdam, unfortunately Holywood is not interested in portraying the country as it is in Mr. and Mrs. Smith could to Bogota as a tropical city in the Amazon with architecture of the XVl century If you like the theme of the legend of El Dorado you can also visit the Guatavita Lagoon which is on the outskirts of Bogota, there the legend was born and spaced to the rest of the region, uncharted, the road to El Dorado, everything originated here

[@BN.ja05]

18:00 Cartagena also has the best preserved buildings from the imperial period, when the territory was known as the New Granada Viceroyalty. Even today one can visit the San Felipe de Barajas' Castle where the British were crushed during the Jenkin's Ear War, never to return to the city again, until the then Prince Charles and Camilla returned during the 00's to inaugurate a plaque honouring the lives of all the British soldiers that died by the thousands during the 18th century, trying to pray the valuable city away from Spanish control, nevertheless the plaque was destroyed by a local history teacher, hammer in hand, soon after being open to the public. Nearby Cartagena de Indias, there's San Basilio de Palenque, the first town founded on the Americas by formerly enslaved africans, whom freed themselves during the 17th century never to be recaptured by the Spaniards again, today the town is home to the only Spanish-based creole language on the Americas, called Palenquero and the town is also famous for its unique cuisine and western/central african traditions with a colombian twist.

[@em13108]

Wow I wanna visit Palenque. I’m familiar with some of their music. It’s like cumbia with African influence !!!

[@santiagoescobaraldana3990]

Colombia mentioned 🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴

[@TheColombiano89]

Hello from Barranquilla, Colombia. Thank you for this we watched this with my entire family on our tv.

[@GeographyGeek]

Hey there! Thank you all for watching!

[@jlm3744]

I've seen many youtubers go there and one of my coworkers went down there, all of them say that Colombia is amazing.

[@caballeroarepa9223]

Colombia has a lot of unexplored potential and beauty

[@Yarumae5]

¡Gracias! Our country is beautiful and you give us a beautiful homage with this video.

[@TimRobertsen]

I didnt know I wanted to go to Colombia. It looks like a magical place:)

[@jaimetorres950]

It's not Colombia, it's Columbia

[@TimRobertsen]

@@jaimetorres950 Oh no. Anyway. You mean the sportswear company? I dont want to go to them, I'll pass Hahah!

[@juliantorres4072]

​@@jaimetorres950 ¡COLOMBIA! 🙄🙄🙄🙄

[@uzser_]

​@@juliantorres4072 both words Columbia and Colombia have the same origin and meaning, i've never understood why people is so dramatic about it (i know that the country's official name is colombia but meeeh)

[@WyomingTraveler]

This video was very informative and told me a lot about Columbia that I did not know.

[@GeographyGeek]

Happy to hear! Thanks for watching!

[@Jhojanvilla-jo4mn]

Colombia* escríbelo bien.

[@juliantorres4072]

COLOMBIA!

[@santiagoa98]

As a colombian, Thanks for the video! It is great to recognize this country as the wonder it is rather than the difficult history that it has had . Couple corrections: the pacific region is not called “Chocó”. That is actually the name of one of the departments (the political subdivisions of the country) that make part of that region. The pacific region is also shared with Cauca, Nariño and Valle del Cauca departments. Also, Medellín is north of Manizales, not south. In addition, in Bogotá, the “Ciclovía” (bike way - literal translation) is the reason for some road closing on Sundays, but this also happens On Festive days (which we have A LOT in Colombia). It is until 2pm, and happens also on other cities like Medellin. Also, the licence plate restriction is true for Colombia’s biggest cities, not just Bogotá. Finally, the Cristobal Colón peak you mention as part of the Andes region, is not in the Andes, it is on the mountain range called “Sierra nevada de Santa Marta” located in the Caribbean region, separated from the Andes mountain range. The highest point or peak in the Andean region is Nevado del Huila, at 5364 meters above sea level.

[@MARILYNANDERSON88]

Colombia's biodiversity is awesome! I love geography, good job, Geek

[@andresmoves]

I was born there and just recently visited the paramo next to Bogotá and can’t wait to keep visiting as many places as possible

[@sebastianpalacio9946]

As a Colombian, I appreciate so much content like this, showing the magnificent attributes of my country and motivating more people to visit Colombia, because obviously it changes the global vision about the country and improve our economy. Thanks a lot.

[@jimmy31hendrix]

Thanks for such a positive video dude, we greatly appreciate it. Love from the town of La Ceja - Antioquia, in Colombia 😁

[@SurfBigg]

Great video, thanks for following up and going into more details. 👍

[@Torero2901]

Thank you for this informative and balanced video. And you even taught me something on the Biodiversity of Colombia, the very article I wrote years ago on Wikipedia. Just a pity about the pronounciation; it is Bogotá, the accent should guide you to stressing which syllable, it is not Bógota. But else, good video.

[@josefo1110]

Colombia: The country of the beauty and the Magical Realism. 🇨🇴❤️

[@Keemperor40K]

Colombia my home country is a beautiful country with great people and a great disposition. Sadly, our past continues to chain us and its been extremely hard to let go of that part of our history that survives in many places to this day. Yet I see the many construction projects, ideas and progress that my country does little by little and I am happy to know that our future will be better than our past, even despite the innumerable issues we still face.

[@moisesharries]

I’ve lived in Barranquilla, Santa Marta and Bogota, thanks for this 🥹

[@user-vt2hz2ls6t]

As a colombian I liked the content. I wish you talked a bit more about the Amazonas region and its culture. Thank you for the video!

[@Neeper78]

I have visited Colombia and I concur. It is a wonderful country with wonderful people. Everyone should visit it.

[@aiglv]

I'm from Manizales. It is such a random city nowadays.

[@RoLee705]

Please makes a series called “things Americans should’ve learned about geographical history.” Because either it was taught but I didn’t pay attention or it was never taught.

[@rafaelguevara8081]

Great information, thanks.

[@jaramih]

Great video. Thank you !

[@kuroazrem5376]

As a colombian, I appreciate the favorable coverage you provide of my country, especially because we colombians don't give enough credit to our own successes and achievements.

[@GanzotheSecond]

great vid as always. viva colombia!

[@parksto]

Amazing place! Thank you 👍

[@lauravictoriapinedacely7208]

Such a great video!

[@GeographyGeek]

Thank you!!

[@carlosvalencia5464]

very well informed Body 👌

[@JavierHernandez-wt5nx]

La verdad es que estamos desarrollándonos muy rápidamente!

[@joseblandon6462]

Is a beautiful video becouse colombia has a many diversity and the people is very happy and very nice. I love colombia is a beatiful country Cool.😊

[@hernanruiz6683]

Thanks so much for your video, There are more good things about our country Colombia than bad stuff, hoping my beautiful country continues to strive to get better for colombians and the people who are now moving to our country. 🇨🇴🙏🇺🇲♥️✌️

[@claraserna9377]

Thank you for showing Colombia!! 💛💛💙❤️

[@orboakin8074]

14:44 This former mayor is a real progressive!☺️👏 He identified real problems and solved them in productive ways without making things worse and actually improved his community. Westwrn progressives, *PLEASE TAKE NOTES!* 😒

[@kingkeeper99]

His political legacy was recently "canceled and politically burned out because lukewarmness", discourse applied and popularized in order to weaken the political center and strengthen the more radicalized leftist populist/woke ex-guerrilla current president Petro's party and socialists. 😕 These hate speeches and populist behavior lowered Mockuse's Green Party candidates popularity and overtake proper debates, which in turn forces them to ally or work together with more traditional center-right and center-left liberal and conservative sectors, which aren't popular at all because past corruption scandals. This situation is sad because it always ends up in us Colombian having to choose between far right or far left presidential candidates on second turn who's parties are to a level directly or indirectly complicit on the armed conflict, guerrillas or paramilitaries and polarization. Mockus is sadly out of the political world as he developed a pretty bad alzheimer over the last decade and can barely speak 😢

[@orboakin8074]

@@kingkeeper99 man, that is genuinely sad to hear what happened to him😔Thanks for sharing

[@gnolan4281]

Medellin is not South of Manizales. It is North of Manizales. 11:05

[@GeographyGeek]

Well dang

[@estelle3005]

He’s already edited it … duh

[@outlawgordee]

No mention of the incredible emerald industry. Excellent video, nonetheless.

[@ROCKNROLL947]

Son much universities in Manizales but no one is really good. The good universities are in Bogotá, that why half of that city studies or works in the capital. More doesn't means better. And actually, Bogota can struggle sometimes because it has to answer the lack of quality of life and the high precarious situation in the other colombians cities. That's why the city has been invaded by a lot of people, and the 'favelas' are not present just in the capital, there are trough all the cities in Colombia. You also talk so much about Bogota pollution, but actually the most polluted city is Medellin. A lot of colombians talk shit about the capital, but the reality is that is the economical, educative, political, cultural center of the country and by far, the most cosmopolitan city.

[@jaimecastro1669]

Awesome

[@t-rey1312]

do a video on singapore

[@lucazsy]

Great video, but I think you could have mentioned the role colombian music on the global popularization of its culture. Btw, lets's not forget Colombia gave us Shakira! hahaha

[@nandofer413]

Hey i live in manizales and let me tell you that is the safest city in the country . It's not a cheap city to live in but it's worth it, because we have a good transport system (with cable cars), cold weather and lovely people

[@thatguythatmakestuff3994]

Thank You, but hoped you talked about how not everything is just fine, guerrillas are still in here and matters should be taken

[@MarcusAgrippa390]

For a second there at around the 16:00 minute mark I thought I was looking at a Roman amphitheater... To the right of a tall building also on the right.... I've got to quit listening to Mike Duncan's History of Rome podcast over and over and over again..

[@kuroazrem5376]

I think you skipped the Caribbean region.

[@otashigo]

He could have talked a little bit more about their swamp ecosystems and the magdalena river flood plains system.

[@Wizz21]

They're Venezuelans

[@ROCKNROLL947]

Thr Caribbean region is what make us a third world country. Better not show it.

[@null-island]

What part of the country is the footage at 18:20 from?

[@stevenlee3278]

Maybe the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta??

[@natrajrajput]

its the mountain range of Providencia Island

[@andresgilbertoocampogirald8853]

Farallones de Cali?

[@Atabanza]

Greetings from Colombia

[@cristianruiz5034]

Medellín is north of Manizales.

[@boodashaka2841]

Didn't you post this before? Getting serious dejavu from this video but could be wrong

[@GeographyGeek]

I did lol. At least the first 9 minutes. That video became part of scam where someone was sending it to thousands a people a day pretending to be me so I decided to change some parts, add the second half, and repost.

[@choossuck7653]

How do you go from murder and kidnapping to vibrant culture?

[@yannisconstantinides7767]

Lay off the cocaine a bit

[@BN.ja05]

By working towards change, just like Singapore used to be a backwater island and now it is a fully developed City-state. South Korea and Taiwan are also good examples that things can get better...

[@mickier6404]

Fabulously beautiful country !

[@jhoangarcia6158]

I really thank that some foreigners visit us but I also cannot cope with my overprotective attitude. This is extremely different from what it was on 90's or at the beginnings of 2000, but this is still a very dangerous country. Take care.

[@davissae]

Colombia’s miss coffee nominees are better looking than most country’s miss Universe nominees

[@danieldesp0ta995]

Worst problems: Corruption Security Bad plannification and inneficiency in the usage of public resources as well as taxing And how to forget the dam gentrification on the main cities....

[@jorgetoro6844]

Main problem of Colombia is corruption by billions of dollars (not even millions) and impunity for such crimes. I really hope this changes with the new general fiscal

[@legalmentejulian]

Que viva Colombia!

[@noone3939]

Kidnapping doubled compared to last year, and crime is higher than in the last 20 years.

[@oceanlagoon7733]

I doubt anywhere is safer now than in the 90's.

[@Barajasmuiscasefarad]

🇨🇴

[@NgVene]

You didnt mention tha fact that Bogotá is a metropoli without a metro system 😢 the public transport in this city is a complete mess

[@svihl666]

8:35 / 18:50😊

[@theonionator1124]

Viva 🇨🇴

[@juglardelzipa]

not sure about open culture in manizales.

[@uzser_]

my country is definitely a chimba 🇨🇴 doesn't matter what those childish haters (majorly other latinos) say about it. only us colombians and people who have been here know how special it is. sorry for my imperfect english parceros

[@raphlvlogs271]

fish species that got washed in to the Amazon basin simply cannot get out thats why they became so diverse

[@kyomademon453]

Colombia a country made up of smaller countries, every department is its own world

[@leshawnjefferson6150]

Medellin is north of Manizales 😂😂

[@scarledz93]

It's intriguing that a channel release a video that praises a country as never he's done before. Also, it is not a fortuit choice. Colombia, the first country the first wold men search for lascivious experiences.

[@GeographyGeek]

You’ve clearly never watched any of my Netherlands videos.

[@davideaston6944]

Awesome job on this one ; great video, thanks! Learned a lot !! Shared

[@GeographyGeek]

I appreciate it!

[@elmascavidal1797]

Don’t forget it has some of the most beautiful women on earth…..

[@levyok]

Saludos desde Medellín, el proştïbulø más grande de Colombia ❤️❤️

[@chriswren1825]

What are the stereotypes besides forests of coca?

[@agme8045]

This video confirmed all of the stereotypes I knew about Colombia idk

[@yuorjeks]

It's sad that you did not mention Barranquilla, which is the 4th largest city. And that you mainly focused on the Andean region. That's what most of people do and that's sad and disappointing. I expected more.

[@ROCKNROLL947]

That's nice, considering all the people think Colombia is just beaches and coconuts and annoying Caribbean people being noisy and annoying.

[@HandyMan657]

Besides the constant mispronunciations that was interesting. Ai or human error?

[@mescalormavideos7767]

Lmao I thought the same thing

[@_equinoxe]

Why would mention Brazil only to say about favelas?? Brazil is much more than that. As if Brazil were the only country in South America that has favelas, right? 13:34 This mention is completely unnecessary !

[@luizarthurbrito]

Sensitive much?

[@_equinoxe]

​@@luizarthurbritonot at all. Just gave my opinion

[@BN.ja05]

Brazil was also mentioned while discussing biodiversity, there's no need to be so defensive.

[@GeographyGeek]

I mentioned it because it’s well known. More people know what the favelas are than the term informal settlement. This wasn’t a video on Brazil. I wasn’t covering the other 95%. I didn’t say anything bad about them or their residents, I simply mentioned they exist.

[@emirturkmen4524]

Fourth

[@eu4juke785]

first

[@luisaduran8685]

it is a shame that such a beatiful country has a terrible president as Petro.

[@rosaliajimenezibarra4411]

Totalmente cierto

[@Jacob_._Roberts]

When I think of Columbia, I think of hard drugs.

[@RoxyArietis]

Well, good thing the country is called ColOmbia. it's a nice place.

[@WhitestArgentine]

And easy women

[@fabianosoriorioskmil0tk356]

Hard drugs and easy women as many places in the world. Mucho estereotipo.

[@Wizz21]

Me too!

[@choossuck7653]

Sounds like a half propaganda film

[@camilogomez7167]

Colombia is going through difficult times with the current government, it is returning to the dark 90s

[@brianlojano9615]

The 2021 protests against the previous government didn’t help either.

[@guxcv5021]

not a really good future with this current president lol

[@quijanoguillermo1632]

CORRECTION: Manizales is SOUTH of Medellin.