Facts and Statistics
Location: Northern South United States, bordering the Caribbean Sea Sea, betwixt Panama and Republic of Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean Ocean, betwixt Ecuador and Republic of Panama
Capital: capital of Colombia
Population: 42,954,279 (July 2005 est.)
Ethnic Groups: ladino 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%
faith: Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%
linguistic communication in Republic of Colombia
The functionary language of Republic of Colombia is Spanish and spoken by about 43 million people. In add-on there are about 500,000 speakers of American Indian linguistic communication.
Colombian Society & civilization
Catholicism
* Most Colombians would consider themselves to be Roman Catholics.
* The Christian church has historically been a very important influence over personal affairs such as matrimony and household life.
* The parish church is often seen as the centre of a community, with the local priest representing godhead authority and leading.
* The Christian church also has some influence in areas such as instruction, social social welfare and union organisation.
The Role of the household
* The household takes centre stage in the sociable structure.
* It acts as a beginning of support and advice and hence great loyalty is shown to household. Although extended families seldom live under one roof, apart from in rural areas, many are still live very close and frequent one another's houses often.
* It is still park for kid remain at home until they marry.
* The elderly are by and large revered for their age and experience.
Hierarchies
* Republic of Colombia can be termed a hierarchical society.
* People earn regard due to age and place.
* Older people are of course perceived as being wise and as a consequence are afforded great regard. You will ever see the oldest person in a group served their food and drinks first.
* With this place also comes duty - Colombians expect the most senior person, whether at home or at work, to make determination.
Etiquette and usage in Republic of Colombia
Meeting and salutation
* Men shake hands with direct eye contact.
* While shaking hands, use the appropriate greeting for the time of day: "buenos dias" (good day), "buenas tardes" (good afternoon), or "buenas noches" (good evening/night). Women often grasp forearms rather than shaking hands.
* Once a friendship has developed, greetings become warmer and a lot more hands on - men will embrace and pat each other on the shoulder (known as an "abrazo") and women kiss once on the right cheek.
* Most Colombians have both a maternal and paternal surname and will use both.
* The father's surname is listed first and is the one used in conversation.
* Always refer to people by the appropriate honorific title and their surname.
Gift Giving Etiquette
Gifts are given for birthdays and Christmas or the Epiphany (January 6th). In Colombia a girl's 15th birthday is considered an important milestone.
If you plan to give gifts in Colombia, here are some handy tips:
* When going to a Colombian's home, bring fruit, a potted plant, or quality chocolates for the hostess.
* Flowers should be sent in advance.
* Do not give lilies or marigolds as they are used at funerals. Roses are liked.
* If you are going to a girls 15th birthday, gold is the usual gift.
* Imported alcohol (especially spirits) are very expensive and make excellent gifts.
* Wrapped gifts are not opened when received.
Dining Etiquette
Dining etiquette is quite formal in Colombia as they tend to give importance to decorum and presentation.
Below are some basic tips - if you are ever unsure the general rule is "observe and follow":
* Wait to be seated by the host.
* Hands should be kept visible when eating.
* Do not rest elbows on the table.
* The host will say "buen provecho" (enjoy or have a good meal) as an invitation to start eating.
* It is polite to try everything you are given.
* Unusually all food is eaten with utensils - even fruit is cut into pieces with a knife and fork.
* It is considered polite to leave a small amount of food on your plate when you have finished eating.
* Do not use a toothpick at the table.
Business Etiquette and Protocol in Colombia
Meeting and Greeting
* It is courteous to shake hands both upon meeting and departing.
* Men should wait for a woman to extend her hand.
* Greetings should take some time - ensure you engage in some small talk, i.e. Ask about family, health and business.
* Eye contact is viewed positively.
* Wait for the other party to initiate a change to first names.
Business Cards
* It is a good idea to try and have one side of your business card translated into Spanish.
* Include any university degrees or qualifications as this is valued.
* Treat business cards with respect.
Business Meetings
* Although there may be an agenda, meetings do not always follow a linear path.
* An agenda will serve as a starting point and after that issues are addressed as an when.
* Relationship building is crucial - it may be a good idea to invest time in establishing trust for the first few meetings.
* Time is not an issue in meetings - they will last as long as they need to last. Do not try and rush proceedings.
* Colombians are termed as 'indirect communicators' - this means there is more information within body language and context rather than the words, i.e. If you ask someone to do something and they reply 'I will have to see', it would be up to you to read between the lines and realise that they can not do it.
* The reason for this way of communicating it to protect relationships and face.
* This means people that are used to speaking directly and openly must tame their communication style as it could cause offense.
* Although they can be indirect, Colombians can also become very animated. This should not be mistaken for aggression.
* Avoid confrontation at all cost. If someone has made a mistake do not expose it publicly as this will lead to a loss of face and a ruined relationship.
Links and Resources about Colombia
* Currency - the currency of Colombia is known as the Peso (COP). Use the free to compare to dollars, GBP or Euro.
* Weather - visit Yahoo!'s up to date Weather for Colombia.
* Translation Services - do you need an ?
* News - check out all the latest Google news on Colombia.
* Intercultural Know-how - use the tool for tips on doing business in Colombia.
* Dialling Code - the international dialling code for Colombia is +57.
* Time - Colombia is -5 hours GMT. Get the time in Colombia now.
* History - read about the long and rich history of Colombia.
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