 Colombia is a land of contrasts, a country whose turbulent history is written large across its equally varied landscape. The Andes mountain range and Amazon Rainforest extend into Colombian territory. It is the only South American country to have both Pacific Ocean and Caribbean coastlines. The inland savanna (los llanos) and the rainforest regions are sparsely populated, with most of Colombia's population of 45 million residing in the Andean highlands or along the coast.
The nearest major city to Isla Baru, the program site, is Cartagena de Indias, founded in 1533 by the Spanish. The harbor town grew and prospered under Spanish rule; despite several damaging pirate attacks it survived to become in the 18th century the de facto capital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada (a colonial jurisdiction encompassing modern-day Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela). UNESCO declared Cartagena's harbor area and fortress a World Heritage Site in 1984, stating that "Cartagena is an eminent example of military architecture of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, the most extensive of the New World and, at present, one of the most complete." The modern day city of 1.2 million continues to serve as an economic hub for the Caribbean as well as a popular tourist destination.
Isla Baru itself was settled by Afro-Colombian slaves who escaped Cartagena to the isthmus over 200 years ago. Many predominantly Afro-Colombian settlements along the Caribbean coast remain underdeveloped; according to the World Bank, restricted participation in higher education and less access to public infrastructure are two of the factors that have contributed to a poverty gap between Afro-Colombians and other sectors of Colombian society. Like other islands in the area, Isla Baru's touristed beaches and unpaved roads epitomize the socioeconomic disparities that remain as a legacy of the region's colonial past and reflect the uneven distribution of wealth from the current development boom.
 Historically, coastal Colombian culture blends influences from the Spanish settlers, the indigenous tribes who populated the area prior to Spanish colonization, and the slaves imported into Colombia from as early as the 1520's onward. The principal language is Spanish, though accents and diction differ slightly throughout the country. Popular musical styles along the coast include the rhythmically complex cumbia and the vallenato, both of which have grown from their rural origins into staples of national culture. In addition to exporting popular musical stars such as Juanes and Shakira, Colombia also has a long history of literary excellence. Nobel prize winner Gabrial Garcia Marquez calls Cartagena home, and both his fictional and journalistic works channel the struggles and resilient vibrancy of contemporary Colombian life.
Web Resources for Colombia
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