Around 1450 BC there was cultural activity near Bogotá, in "El Abra". In 1000 BC, groups of amerindians developed the political system of "cacicazgos" (answering to a figure known as the Cacique) with a pyramidal structure of power, especially in the cases of the Muisca or Chibcha people. They have been considered to have one of the most developed political systems in South America, after the Incas. Spanish explorers made the first exploration of the Caribbean littoral in 1500 led by Rodrigo de Bastidas. Christopher Columbus navigated near ...

See also:

Colombia, Colombia - History, Colombia - Politics, Colombia - Geography, Colombia - Departments, Colombia - Economy, Colombia - Demographics, Colombia - Religion, Colombia - Culture, Colombia - Miscellaneous topics

Read more here: » Colombia: Encyclopedia II - Colombia - History

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Cartagena was part of the Spanish Main, one of the chief ports of the Spanish treasure fleet and so a prime target by English pirates and French buccaneers (such as Sir Francis Drake, who sacked the city in 1586). Many of Cartagena's fortifications still stand: the Castle of San Felipe de Barajas, built between 1536 and 1657; the walls around the Old City (las Murallas); the undersea wall across Bocagrande built between 1771 and 1778; and the forts of San Jose and San Fern ...

See also:

Cartagena, Colombia, Cartagena, Colombia - Geography, Cartagena, Colombia - History, Cartagena, Colombia - Climate

Read more here: » Cartagena, Colombia: Encyclopedia II - Cartagena, Colombia - History

 - Total (2003)  - Density 44,531,434 36/km²  - Declared  - Recognised July 20, 1810 August 7, 1819 The Republic of Colombia is a country in northwestern South America. It is bordered to the north and north-west by the Caribbean Sea, to the east by Venezuela and Brazil, to the south by Ecuador and Peru, and to the west by Panama and the Pacific Ocean. Colombia - History. Main article: History of ...

Including:

• Colombia - History
• Colombia - Politics
• Colombia - Geography
• Colombia - Departments
• Colombia - Economy
• Colombia - Demographics
• Colombia - Religion
• Colombia - Culture
• Colombia - Miscellaneous topics

Read more here: » Colombia: Encyclopedia - Colombia

Around 1450 BC there was cultural activity near Bogotá, in "El Abra". In 1000 BC, groups of Amerindians developed the political system of "cacicazgos" (answering to a figure known as the Cacique) with a pyramidal structure of power, especially in the cases of the Muisca or Chibcha people. They have been considered to have one of the most developed political systems in South America, after the Incas. Spanish explorers made the first exploration of the Caribbean littoral in 1500 led by Rodrigo de Bastidas. Christopher Columbus navigated near ...

See also:

Colombia, Colombia - History, Colombia - Politics, Colombia - Geography, Colombia - Departments, Colombia - Most Important Cities Of Colombia, Colombia - Economy, Colombia - Demographics, Colombia - Religion, Colombia - Culture, Colombia - Miscellaneous topics

Read more here: » Colombia: Encyclopedia II - Colombia - History

1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). It also had the latest occurring solstices and equinoxes for 400 years, because the Gregorian calendar hasn't had a leap year for seven years or a century leap year since 1600. See 1696. 1903 - Events. January 1 - Edward VII of the United Kingdom is proclaimed Emperor of India January 6 - Mileva Maric married Albert Einstein. February 11 - The Oxnard Strike of 1903 represents the first time in U.S. h ...

Including:

• 1903 - Events
• 1903 - Births
• 1903 - January
• 1903 - February
• 1903 - March
• 1903 - April
• 1903 - May
• 1903 - June
• 1903 - July
• 1903 - August
• 1903 - September
• 1903 - October
• 1903 - November
• 1903 - December
• 1903 - Month/Day unknown
• 1903 - Deaths
• 1903 - January-June
• 1903 - July-December
• 1903 - Nobel Prizes

Read more here: » 1903: Encyclopedia - 1903

Coca-Cola - Early years. Coca-Cola was invented in Columbus, Georgia, by John S. Pemberton in 1884, originally as a cocawine called Pemberton's French Wine Coca. He was inspired by the formidable success of European Angelo Mariani's cocawine, Vin Mariani. In 1885, after Coca-Cola moved, when Atlanta and Fulton County passed Prohibition legislation, Pemberton responded by developing Coca-Cola, essentially a carbonated, non-alcoholic version of French Wine Cola. The beverage was named Coca-Cola because origi ...

See also:

Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola - History, Coca-Cola - Early years, Coca-Cola - World War II, Coca-Cola - New Coke to the present, Coca-Cola - Coca-Cola formula, Coca-Cola - Coca-Cola's advertising, Coca-Cola - Sport event sponsorships, Coca-Cola - Criticisms, Coca-Cola - Business practices, Coca-Cola - International appeal, Coca-Cola - As a political and corporate symbol, Coca-Cola - Notes, Coca-Cola - Types of Coke

Read more here: » Coca-Cola: Encyclopedia II - Coca-Cola - History

Chewing gum is a type of confectionery which is designed to be chewed, not swallowed. Traditionally, it was made of chicle, a natural latex product, although for reasons of economy many modern chewing gums use petroleum-based plastic instead of chicle. Chicle is nonetheless still the base of choice for some "upscale" gum brands, as well as some regional markets, such as in Japan. Chewing gum - History of gum. Chewing gum, in various forms, has existed since at least Ancient Greece. The Greeks chewed mastic ...

Including:

• Chewing gum - History of gum
• Chewing gum - Types of gum
• Chewing gum - Composition and manufacture
• Chewing gum - Gum and society
• Chewing gum - Gum and military
• Chewing gum - Footnotes

Read more here: » Chewing gum: Encyclopedia - Chewing gum

Hybrid origin; see text A banana plant is a herb in the genus Musa, which because of its size and structure, is often mistaken for a tree. Bananas are of the family Musaceae, and closely related to plantains. Globally, bananas rank fourth after rice, wheat and maize in human consumption; they are grown in 130 countries worldwide, more than for any other fruit crop. Bananas are native to tropical southeastern Asia. The stems grow to 4–8 m tall, with large leaves 2–3 m long. The term banana is a ...

Including:

• Banana - History
• Banana - Properties
• Banana - Banana trade
• Banana - Cultivation
• Banana - Banana pests and diseases
• Banana - Effects of banana diseases in East Africa
• Banana - Attitudes toward bananas
• Banana - Urban legends
• Banana - Reference

Read more here: » Banana: Encyclopedia - Banana

1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. 1996 - Events. January 5 - Hamas operative Yahya Ayyash is killed by an Israeli-planted booby-trapped cell phone. January 7 - One of the worst blizzards in American history hits eastern states, killing more than 100. January 8 - Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital Kinshasa ...

Including:

• 1996 - Events
• 1996 - February
• 1996 - March
• 1996 - April
• 1996 - May
• 1996 - June
• 1996 - July
• 1996 - August
• 1996 - September
• 1996 - October
• 1996 - November
• 1996 - December
• 1996 - Environmental change
• 1996 - Unknown date
• 1996 - Births
• 1996 - Deaths
• 1996 - January-February
• 1996 - March-June
• 1996 - July-December
• 1996 - Nobel Prizes
• 1996 - Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel
• 1996 - Templeton Prize
• 1996 - Right Livelihood Award

Read more here: » 1996: Encyclopedia - 1996

In 1514, the Spanish first permanently settled in the area. With Santa Marta (1525) and Cartagena (1533), Spanish control of the coast was established, and the extension of colonial control into the interior could begin. The conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada colonised a large area in the region, by following the Magdalena River into the Andean cordillera, defeating the powerful Chibcha people and founding the city of Santa Fé de Bogotá (c.1538) (currently Bogotá) and naming the region El nuevo reino de Granada, the new kingdom of Granada, after the kingdom of Grana ...

See also:

Viceroyalty of New Granada, Viceroyalty of New Granada - History, Viceroyalty of New Granada - External link

Read more here: » Viceroyalty of New Granada: Encyclopedia II - Viceroyalty of New Granada - History

total: 3,380 km standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge (connects Cerrejón coal mines to maritime port at Bahia de Portete) narrow gauge: 3,230 km 0.914-m gauge (1,830 km in use) (1995) Transportation in Colombia - Railway links to adjacent countries. Venezuela - no Brazil - no Ecuador - no Peru - no Panama - no ...

See also:

Transportation in Colombia, Transportation in Colombia - Railways, Transportation in Colombia - Railway links to adjacent countries, Transportation in Colombia - Highways, Transportation in Colombia - Waterways, Transportation in Colombia - Pipelines, Transportation in Colombia - Ports and harbors, Transportation in Colombia - Atlantic Ocean, Transportation in Colombia - Pacific Ocean, Transportation in Colombia - Amazonia, Transportation in Colombia - Other, Transportation in Colombia - Merchant marine, Transportation in Colombia - Airports, Transportation in Colombia - Airports - with paved runways, Transportation in Colombia - Airports - with unpaved runways

Read more here: » Transportation in Colombia: Encyclopedia II - Transportation in Colombia - Railways

In 1514, the Spanish first permanently settled in the area. With Santa Marta (1525) and Cartagena (1533), Spanish control of the coast was established, and the extension of colonial control into the interior could begin. The conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada colonised a large area in the region, by following the Magdalena River into the Andean cordillera, defeating the powerful Chibcha people and founding the city of Santa Fé de Bogotá (c.1538) (currently Bogotá) and naming the region El nuevo reino de Granada, the new kingdom of Granada, after the kingdom of Granada which had ex ...

See also:

New Granada, New Granada - History, New Granada - External link

Read more here: » New Granada: Encyclopedia II - New Granada - History

From 1974 until 1982, different presidential administrations chose to focus on ending the persistent insurgencies that sought to undermine Colombia's traditional political system. Both groups claimed to represent the poor and weak against the rich and powerful classes of the country, demaning the completion of true land and political reform, from an openly Communist perspective. By 1974, another challenge to the state's authority and legitimacy had come from the 19th of April Movement (M-19), a mostly urban guerrilla group founded all ...

See also:

History of Colombia, History of Colombia - Pre-Columbian period, History of Colombia - Colonial times, History of Colombia - Struggle for independence, History of Colombia - The Republic, History of Colombia - The National Front, History of Colombia - Post-National Front years, History of Colombia - Post 1990, History of Colombia - Recent developments, History of Colombia - External link

Read more here: » History of Colombia: Encyclopedia II - History of Colombia - Post-National Front years

Violence in sports involves intentional aggressive violence. Competitive sports, such as football, basketball, and baseball may involve aggressive tactics, but actual violence in sports falls outside the boundaries of good sportsmanship. Contact sports such as American football, ice hockey, rugby union/league, boxing, wrestling, and water polo involve certain levels of physical violence, but include restrictions and penalties for excessive and dangerous acts of force. Violence in sports may include threats, verbal abuse, or physical h ...

Including:

• Violence in sports - Causes
• Violence in sports - Tactical considerations
• Violence in sports - Cultural Considerations
• Violence in sports - Types of Violence
• Violence in sports - Violence by athletes
• Violence in sports - Verbal abuse
• Violence in sports - Fan violence
• Violence in sports - Parental violence
• Violence in sports - Ritual violence
• Violence in sports - Notable events
• Violence in sports - Prevention

Read more here: » Violence in sports: Encyclopedia - Violence in sports

Colombia is well-endowed with minerals and energy resources. It has the largest coal reserves in Latin America and is second to Brazil in hydroelectric potential. Estimates of petroleum reserves in 1995 were 3.1 billion barrels (493,000 m³). It also possesses significant amounts of nickel, gold, silver, platinum, and emeralds. The discovery of two billion barrels (0.3 km³) of high-quality oil at the Cusiana and Cupiagua fields, about 200 km (125 miles) east of Bogotá, has enabled Colombia to become a net oil exporter since 1986. To ...

See also:

Economy of Colombia, Economy of Colombia - History, Economy of Colombia - Mining and Energy, Economy of Colombia - Trade, Economy of Colombia - Foreign Investment, Economy of Colombia - Statistics, Economy of Colombia - Notes

Read more here: » Economy of Colombia: Encyclopedia II - Economy of Colombia - Mining and Energy

The Carnival of Blacks and Whites (Spanish: Carnaval de Negros y Blancos) of Pasto, Colombia was declared National Cultural Heritage by the congress of the Republic of Colombia in April 2002. The carnival is celebrated every year from January 4th to January 6th and it attracts a considerable number of tourists from around the world. The carnival consists of four well defined phases which include the pre-carnival, the arrival of the Castaneda Family, the day of the blacks and the day of the whites. It is the most ancient ...

Including:

• Carnival of Blacks and Whites - The pre-carnival
• Carnival of Blacks and Whites - The Castaneda Family
• Carnival of Blacks and Whites - The Day of the Blacks
• Carnival of Blacks and Whites - The Day of the Whites

Read more here: » Carnival of Blacks and Whites: Encyclopedia - Carnival of Blacks and Whites

1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. 1991 - Events. 1991 - January. January 2 - Sharon Pratt Dixon is sworn in as mayor of Washington, DC becoming the first black woman to lead a city of that size and importance. January 4 - The United Nations Security Council votes unanimously to condemn Israel's treatment of Palestinians. January 10 - SA State Govt forced to bail out State Bank. January 11 - The S ...

Including:

• 1991 - Events
• 1991 - January
• 1991 - February
• 1991 - March
• 1991 - April
• 1991 - May
• 1991 - June
• 1991 - July
• 1991 - August
• 1991 - September
• 1991 - October
• 1991 - November
• 1991 - December
• 1991 - Undated events
• 1991 - Births
• 1991 - Deaths
• 1991 - January-February
• 1991 - March-May
• 1991 - June-December
• 1991 - Nobel Prizes
• 1991 - Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel

Read more here: » 1991: Encyclopedia - 1991

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. Its headquarters are in the community of Langley in the McLean CDP of Fairfax County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.. The CIA is part of the American Intelligence Community, which is now led by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) ...

Including:

• Central Intelligence Agency - Organization
• Central Intelligence Agency - History
• Central Intelligence Agency - CIA Seal
• Central Intelligence Agency - Structure
• Central Intelligence Agency - Historical operations
• Central Intelligence Agency - Eastern Europe
• Central Intelligence Agency - Third World
• Central Intelligence Agency - Controversies
• Central Intelligence Agency - Support for foreign dictators
• Central Intelligence Agency - Highly illegal activities
• Central Intelligence Agency - Criticism for ineffectiveness
• Central Intelligence Agency - Drug trafficking
• Central Intelligence Agency - Assassinations
• Central Intelligence Agency - CIA operations in Iraq
• Central Intelligence Agency - Secret CIA Prisons
• Central Intelligence Agency - Other
• Central Intelligence Agency - CIA insiders and whistleblowers
• Central Intelligence Agency - Other Countries
• Central Intelligence Agency - Footnotes

Read more here: » Central Intelligence Agency: Encyclopedia - Central Intelligence Agency

Geographers have devised different ways to divide Colombia into regions. It is most appropriate to divide the country into four geographic regions: the Andean highlands, consisting of the three Andean ranges and intervening valley lowlands; the Caribbean lowlands coastal region; the Pacific lowlands coastal region, separated from the Caribbean lowlands by swamps at the base of the Isthmus of Panama; and eastern Colombia, the great plain that lies to the east of the Andes Mountains.

Geography of Colombia, Geography of Colombia - Geographic regions, Geography of Colombia - Andean Highlands, Geography of Colombia - Caribbean Lowlands, Geography of Colombia - Pacific Lowlands, Geography of Colombia - Eastern Colombia, Geography of Colombia - Climate, Geography of Colombia - Relief, Geography of Colombia - Facts, Geography of Colombia - Rivers and Lakes, Geography of Colombia - Rivers confined to Colombia, Geography of Colombia - Rivers originated in Colombia, Geography of Colombia - Lakes, Geography of Colombia - Sources

Read more here: » Geography of Colombia: Encyclopedia II - Geography of Colombia - Geographic regions

The Inca Empire (Quechua: Tawantin suyu1; The Four United Regions2), was an empire centered in what is now Peru from AD 1438 to AD 1533. Over that period, the Inca used conquest and peaceful assimilation to incorporate in their empire a large portion of western South America, centred on the Andean mountain ranges. The Inca empire proved short-lived: by AD 1533, Atahualpa, the last Inca emperor, called a Sapa Inca, was killed on the orders of the conquistador Francis ...

Including:

• Inca Empire - Origin stories
• Inca Empire - Emergence and expansion
• Inca Empire - Spanish conquest and Vilcabamba
• Inca Empire - After the Spanish conquest
• Inca Empire - Society
• Inca Empire - Political organization of the empire
• Inca Empire - Arts
• Inca Empire - Education
• Inca Empire - Religion
• Inca Empire - Medicine
• Inca Empire - Burial practices
• Inca Empire - Other practices
• Inca Empire - Food and farming
• Inca Empire - References in popular culture
• Inca Empire - Notes

Read more here: » Inca Empire: Encyclopedia - Inca Empire