The northern part of Colombia includes tropical beaches and deserts. In northwest Colombia, a warm, wet, jungle-filled area called the Chocó reaches across the Panama border. Through its center run the snow-covered volcanoes and mountains from the Andes. The eastern part of the country hosts vast grasslands called Los Llanos. Regarding the south of Colombia, dense forests fill Colombia’s Amazon Basin which takes up nearly the country’s entire southern half.

Colombia’s people are as varied as its landscape. Most citizens descend from three ethnic groups: Indians, African immigrants brought for slavery, and European settlers. This rich cultural mix makes the country’s foods, music, dance, and art diverse and unique.

COLOMBIA MUSIC PROFILE:

Cumbia, Salsa & Vallenato are the three most important styles but you will find many others, such as Reggaeton. Cumbia originated in Colombia’s Caribbean coastal region from the musical and cultural fusion of Native Colombians, slaves brought from Africa, and the Spanish during colonial times in the old country of Pocabuy.

The word Vallenato literally translates to English as “born in the Valley”, as the music itself was first played by farmers from the Carribean Coast of Colombia.  Colombians will often say Vallenato is the best representation of Colombian Culture with the accordion brought from Europe, the caja from Africa and the guacharaca representing the Indigenous Culture

Although Salsa is a movement of music and dance that has its roots in Cuba, Colombian salsa has its own unique style, influenced by the mix of African and traditional (like cumbia) movements inherent in the dance-based culture. This often confused foreigners, who are used to the more body-shifting styles seen elsewhere in Latin America. Today salsa is one of the world’s most popular styles of music, mainly among Latin communities.