ECONOMY OF THE ANDEAN REGION: MAIN ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The economy of the Andean region of Colombia is based on agriculture, livestock, mining and tourism. This region is located in the central west of the country; It limits to the north with the Caribbean region and Venezuela, to the east with the Orinoquía region, to the west with the Pacific region and to the south with the Amazon region and Ecuador.

It is the region with the highest population density in the nation, where most of Colombia's urban centers are concentrated. This area is made up of the departments of Antioquia, Boyacá, Caldas, Cesar, Cundinamarca, Huila, Santander, Norte de Santander and Risaralda.

The Andean region contains most of the resources that sustain the country's economy, such as water courses, mineral wealth and oil deposits. In fact, the Andean city of Barrancabermeja is home to the largest refinery in the country.

With regard to agricultural production, in this region is the Eje Cafetero, an area that is responsible for the production and processing of coffee beans. Juan Valdez coffee, a Colombian product, is one of the most important in the entire country.

Main economic activities of the Andean region

- Farming

The soils of the Andean region are some of the most fertile in the country, which has favored the development of agriculture in this area. Added to this, the variety of climates found in the region has allowed the diversification of crops.

Among the main agricultural products that occur in the area, the following stand out:

1. Cereals, such as oats, rice, wheat, corn, and barley.
2. Grains, such as beans.
3. Tubers, like potatoes and squash. There are three different types of potatoes: sabaneras, pastusa and criollas.
4. Fruits, such as cocoa and bananas.

Other relevant products are sugar cane, tobacco, sesame, cotton, cassava and coffee.

The coffee

Coffee is one of the most important products of the Colombian economy. It is produced in areas with a temperate climate and soils rich in minerals. 80% of the country's total coffee production is found in the Andean region.

The Coffee Axis

The Coffee Axis is a cultural and economic region of Colombia, made up of the following departments: Risaralda, Caldas, Quindío, part of Valle del Cauca and part of Tolima.

As its name implies, this region is mainly dedicated to coffee production. The production in this area is characterized by not using modern industrial techniques, but using less industrialized traditional techniques. These techniques are considered to guarantee the production of quality coffee.

In any case, Colombian coffee is considered by many to be one of the best in the world. For example, Juan Valdez coffee (produced in Colombia) is recognized worldwide.

Sugarcane

Sugar cane is the second most important agricultural product in the country. It is produced mainly in Tolima, Caucas, Caldas, Antioquia and Cundinamarca. This crop is of great importance since it is processed to produce refined sugar and molasses.

In Colombia, about 5 tons of sugar are produced per cultivated hectares. This is why it ranks second for sugar production and exports in Latin America.

Cocoa

The Andean region has the largest cocoa production in the country. The grains of this fruit are used to produce chocolate, which is a relevant product in the Colombian economy.

Colombian cocoa has obtained worldwide recognition for its quality. In fact, the International Cocoa Organization declared that both the aroma and flavor of cocoa produced in this country are "fine".

- Livestock

The Andean region has numerous valleys that allow the development of livestock. The production of cattle is one of the most important, highlighting the breeding of the following breeds: brown Swiss, Holstein, white-eared and zebu.

In the Andean region, there is also the breeding of sheep, pigs, donkeys and mules, only in smaller quantities.

- Mining

Most of the country's mining resources are found in the coastal zone and in the Andean zone of Colombia. In the Andean region, there are important reserves of oil, iron, gold, emeralds, silver, copper, lead, gypsum, coal, clay, gravel, among other minerals.

Mining production in the area can be divided into two large groups: that which is destined for export and that which is destined for internal consumption.

Precious stones and metals are destined for export, such is the case of gold, silver and emeralds.

For their part, coal, clay, lead, copper and gravel are mainly intended for domestic consumption.

The oil

Oil is destined for both domestic consumption and export. This resource is of great importance since it constitutes one of the most widely used fuels not only in Colombia but throughout the world.

The most important oil refineries in Colombia are located in the Andean region. These include Barrancabermeja (which is the largest refinery in the country), Tibú, Guamo and La Dorada.

Gold

The main gold deposits are found in the Cordillera Central and in the Cordillera Occidental of the Andean region. The department with the highest gold production is Antioquia, followed by Cauca and Caldas.

- Tourism

In the Andean region there are the two most important cities in the country: Bogotá (the capital) and Medellín, which attract large numbers of tourists.

Added to this, there are numerous national parks. These include the Los Nevados National Natural Park, the Selva de Florencia National Natural Park, the Cordillera de los Picachos National Natural Park, the Cocuy National Natural Park and the National Coffee Park.

The Coffee Region and tourism

Besides being important for coffee production, tourism is also developed in the Coffee Axis.

In this area there are farms and rural houses that are trained to receive tourists. Among the activities that can be carried out in these farms, horseback riding, tours of the coffee plantations and the possibility of participating in the coffee harvest stand out.

References

1. The Andes Region. Retrieved on August 9, 2017, from uncovercolombia.com
2. Andean Region. Retrieved on August 9, 2017, from colombia.travel
3. Andes region Colombia. Retrieved on August 9, 2017, from colombianparadise.com
4. Andean Region. Retrieved on August 9, 2017, from yachana.org
5. The Andean Three: An economic powerhouse for Latin America. Retrieved on August 9, 2017, from uhy.com
6. Why the Andes matter. Retrieved on August 9, 2017, from fao.org
7. Colombian coffee growing axis. Retrieved on August 9, 2017, from wikipedia.org.