12 Amazing Things You Didn't Know About Colombia

Per square foot, Colombia has more biodiversity than any other country on the planet. With elevations ranging from sea level to the soaring peaks and the lush Amazon rainforest, Colombia has a huge amount of biological ecosystems and amazing natural treasures.

The mountain range of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta touches both the sky and sea. Its tallest peak, Pico Cristóbal Colón reaches 18,700 feet.

Not only is Colombian coffee drunk around the world, but Colombians also drink their fair share as well. Their habits surrounding this caffeinated drink, however, are a bit different than in the north, as coffee is drunk at all times of day. It’s even served to children.

Colombia is not only rich in biological diversity, but in cultural diversity as well. In addition to Spanish, there are somewhere between 60 and 80 different native languages spoken, with an estimated 850,000 speakers spread across the remote regions of the country.

Talk to Colombians about the Caribbean coast and the costeños who live there, and the conversation will generally steer toward to a peculiar penchant for big-eared beasts. According to the rumors spread by the costeños themselves, it’s not uncommon for young men on the coast to have their first intimate encounters with a donkey rather than a woman.

In this game that is native to Colombia, contestants launch metal disks across a room trying to hit packets of gun powder lodged into a clay surface. Additionally, contestants must purchase at least one case of beer in order to play the game, and the loser is the one who pays for it.

The isolated Pacific coast, known as the Choco, claims the most rainfall of anywhere on Earth. In fact, the town of Loro in the Choco registers an average of 520 inches (over 43 feet) of rain per year.

The longest running armed conflict in the western hemisphere was officially ended late last year with the signing of a peace agreement between the government and the country’s largest and oldest guerrilla army the FARC. Additionally, peace talks with the country’s second largest guerrilla army the ELN started this month.

Everyone loves Christmas, but Colombians love it more. Colombians start their Christmas celebrations on December 7 and the party doesn’t stop until the new year. The month includes various holidays in addition to New Years and Christmas, such as “Day of the Little Candles,” the unofficial start of Christmas, where families light candles together outside their homes.

In Colombia, everything from fruit salad to hot chocolate requires a healthy serving of cheese. Don’t ask why. It’s just the way it is. However, there is a cheese paradox: in a country where nearly everything is cheaper than the United States, cheese isn’t.

The number one way to grind a Colombian’s gears is to spell the country Columbia. For some reason all north Americans want it to spell it this way, but it’s definitely incorrect. So, don’t do it.