About 90% of Colombians are Roman Catholic

While about 90% of Colombians are Roman Catholic, a religion brought over by the colonial power Spain, people's beliefs are often influenced by other cultures' beliefs - from African, indigenous and other regional spheres. Mormons, evangelicals and Protestants have been winning converts in recent times but still only represent a small minority.

Colombia has the 3rd largest population in Latin America

Colombia's population is roughly 45 million, giving it the third highest population in Latin America after Brazil and Mexico, and the second highest Spanish-speaking population in the world after Mexico. The capital city Bogota has around 8 million inhabitants. The three main origins of Colombian people are Spanish, African and various indigenous tribes.

Spanish is the official language of Colombia

Spanish is the official language of Colombia and apart from a small handful of indigenous tribes, all Colombians speak it. English is commonly spoken on the islands of San Andres and Providencia. 65 indigenous languages and over 300 dialects are also spoken within Colombia's borders.

Creole cuisine and exotic fruit

Colombian food is essentially Creole and is quite varied - ranging from guinea pig (a favourite in the Andes) to lobster (on the Caribbean and Pacific coasts). A typical lunch or dinner in Colombia consists of meat or chicken served alongside frijoles (kidney beans) or lentils, fried plantain, rice and a small salad. Coffee is tasty and ubiquitous. But the fruit of Colombia is the real surprise treat being both extremely varied and delicious.