Barranquilla, Colombia
City
The City of Barranquilla is a cosmopolitan cultural, economic, and industrial city located in the 1st touristic region of Colombia (1;2). Barranquilla is the largest city and port in the northern Caribbean Coast region of Colombia, and it is also Colombia's fourth most populous city after Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali (5).
Education
Barranquilla has several universities (1). There are also many bilingual schools and the British International College (1). Barranquilla has one of the highest literacy rates in Colombia: 98.7% (1).
Culture & Tourism
Barranquilla is a wonderful city that is rich in culture, music, and life (1). The Centro Histórico of Barranquilla is a nationally protected site by the Ministry of Culture through resolution 1614 of 1999 (5).
Tourist places located in Barranquilla involve: Caribbean Cultural Park, the Historic Center of Barranquilla, Romantic Museum, Iglesia San Nicolás de Tolentino, Museum of the Caribbean, Anthropological, el Teatro Amira de la Rosa, Iglesia de San Roque,Puerto Colombia Pier and Ethnological Museum, beaches, Bocas de Ceniza, Bolivarian Museum Journal, Pumarejo Bridge, the zoo, Plaza de San Nicolá, and many more (2).
The Caribbean Museum is dedicated to promoting the natural, cultural, and historical heritage of the region (3). The most popular cultural event is Barranquilla's annual Carnival (1). In November of 2003, UNESCO proclaimed the carnaval one of the world’s Heritage of Humanity (1).
Transportation
Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport locating about 4.5 miles from Barranquilla is one of the most important airports in the country (2). In 2008, Ernesto Cortissoz international airport was Colombia’s 5th airport in number of passengers and 3rd in load (6).
The Port of Barranquilla, also called “La Puerta de Oro de Colombia” was the first port of the country (4). The port is Colombia’s largest industrial Caribbean seaport and is Colombia’s 3rd seaport in term of cargo volume (2).
The sea and river terminals are the engines of industrial and commercial development of the Caribbean Region (). The port of Barranquilla covers two main routes, the Magdalena River, which communicates with the interior of the country, to handle coffee and petroleum from inland regions (6). And the Caribbean Sea, which are traded million tons with Europe and Asia (6). Barranquilla is a strategic location for the development of international trade (6).
Moreover, the Port of Barranquilla is an important gateway for tourism on the Caribbean (4).
Economy
Barranquilla has developed throughout the years an active business and commercial tourist center (2). It is a major industrial center and its economic activity is concentrated mainly in industry, commerce, finance, services, logistic, and fishing (5).
Barranquilla’s major industrial products include vegetable fats and oils, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, industrial footwear, dairy products, meats, beverages, soap, building materials, furniture, plastics, cement, metalworking parts, cardboard, garments clothing, buses and boats, and petroleum products (5).
The city’s port is also the hub for cotton from the rural areas, coffee and petroleum (4).
View Barranquilla agreement July 10th, 2008
View Barranquilla agreement December 6th, 2012
References