Colombia explained to kids

Colombia is a country located in the northwestern corner of South America. With an area of 1,141,748 square kilometers, it is the 26th largest country in the world. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil, to the south by Ecuador and Peru, to the north by the Caribbean Sea, and to the west by Panama. The capital and largest city is Bogotá. Colombia is a middle-income country with a diversified economy that is based on agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and service industries. It is the fourth largest economy in Latin America. Colombia is a member of the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and the World Trade Organization. The territory that is now Colombia was first inhabited by people of the Chibcha, Muisca, and Tayrona cultures. The Spanish arrived in 1499 and colonized the area, which they named New Granada. Independence from Spain was achieved in 1819, but by 1830 Gran Colombia had collapsed. The Republic of Colombia was established in 1886. Internal conflict and drug-related violence have plagued the country for decades. Since the 1960s, the government has been engaged in a struggle against Marxist rebel groups such as the FARC and the ELN. More than 220,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which has also displaced millions of people. The economy has improved in recent years, but Colombia still faces challenges such as high levels of poverty, inequality, and crime.