THE 11 CULTURAL REGIONS OF COLOMBIA - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

In Colombia, there are 11 cultural regions; the coastal, the paisa, the llanera, the santandereana, the valluna, the pacifica, the tolima, the serrana, the amazonian, the cundiboyacense and the cachaco.

Four of these cultural regions correspond to natural regions of the country: the plains region that is the Orinoquía region, the coastal region that is the Caribbean region, the Amazon region formed by the jungle areas of the country, and the Pacific region that is in the coasts washed by the Pacific Ocean.

Natural regions of Colombia. Millennium dark

The other regions are smaller. For example, the Paisa region is made up of the departments of the Eje Cafetero. The Serranos region comprises the territory of the department of Nariño.

The Valluna region is made up of the departments of Valle de Cauca and Norte de Cauca. There are even regions that are only made up of one city. This is the case of the Cachaco region, which corresponds to the capital city of Bogotá.

List of cultural regions of Colombia

1- Cultural region of the Santanderes

The Santanderes region occupies the territory of the Santander and Norte de Santander departments, with a total area of ​​52,185 km ², which corresponds to 4.6% of the national territory. It is located in the northeast of the country, in the area where Colombia borders Venezuela.

The provinces of Santander, Pamplona, ​​Soto, García Rovira, Comunera, Guanentá, Vélez, Ocaña and Mares are part of this cultural region.

The population of the Santanderes region is the result of a process of miscegenation that began during the colony. To begin with, the Spaniards mixed with the aboriginal groups that already inhabited the area (such as the chitareros, the yariquíes and the guanes). To this mix, Africans were added, who arrived in Colombia as slaves.

In the 19th century, European immigrants arrived, including Jews, Gypsies and Germans. These were followed by Arabs and Asians.

Most of the population that occupies the area is mestizo. However, there are a few of purely European origin, and Jewish, Arab, Asian and Gypsy minorities.

2- Paisa cultural region

The Paisa cultural region includes the departments of Antioquia, Caldas, Quindío, Risaralda and parts of Tolima and Valle del Cauca. It is a region made up of the departments of the Colombian Coffee Region.

The term "paisa" comes from the word "paisano". This is the name given to a cultural group in Colombia that is characterized by its customs and the use of a particular Colombian dialect that is also called “paisa”.

The population of this region is mestizo, which means that they have Spanish, aboriginal, black blood or any other cultural group. About half of the residents fall into this category.

With regard to minority groups, the Paisa region contains 15% of the country's black population, 7% of the Aboriginal population and 2% of the Roma population.

3- Llanera cultural region

The Llanera cultural region is part of the Orinoquía natural region, made up of the departments of Arauca, Casanare and parts of Meta and Vichada.

The llaneros are characterized by work in the fields, both in agriculture and livestock. This is because the geographical composition of the land favors these activities.

These activities shape the rest of the traditions of the llanero people. For example, the center of gastronomy is cattle meat, especially veal.

4- Valluna cultural region

The term "valluno" comes from the word "vallecaucano", which is the name used to refer to the natives of the departments of Valle del Cauca and Norte del Cauca.

It is one of the cultural regions of Colombia with the highest concentration of urban population. One of the most important cities in the Valluna region is Santiago de Cali, which is considered “the sports capital of America”. Other notable cities are Palmira, Tuluá and Yumbo.

5- Pacific cultural region

The Pacific cultural region corresponds to the natural region that receives the same name. As it is a coastal region, many of its traditions are linked to the sea and the ocean. For example, fishing is one of the most prominent economic activities in the area.

6- Tolima cultural region

The Tolima region is located in the departments of Huila and Tolima. This cultural region stands out for its dances and music. The latter is a mixture of aboriginal, African and Spanish rhythms, resulting in a happy and stylized music.

7- Serrana cultural region

The mountain culture occurs in the department of Nariño. Most of the population of this region is mestizo. 70% of the inhabitants are mestizo or white.

19% of the population is of African descent, while 10% belongs to an indigenous tribe. With regard to minorities, the most prominent are the Roma, who make up 0.01% of the region's population.

8- Amazon cultural region

The Amazon cultural region is part of the natural region that bears the same name. It includes the departments of Caquetá, Guainía, Guaviare, Meta, Putumayo, Vaupés and Vichada. It is one of the largest regions. However, it is one of the least populated.

The traditions of this region reveal strong aboriginal roots. For example, dances and music have a spiritual character. In the years prior to the arrival of the Spanish, these two artistic representations were used as a means of communication with the spirits of the gods and ancestors.

9- Cundiboyacense cultural region

The Cundiboyacense region is made up of the departments of Cundinamarca and Boyacá. The most important cities in the region are Tunja, Cajicá, Duitama, Chiquinquirá, Ubaté and Chía.

The Cundiboyacense region has both urban and rural areas. There are industrial centers in Tunja, which is also one of the most important university centers in Colombia.

10- Cachaco cultural region

It is known by the name of "cachaco" to the inhabitants of the city Bogotá. This is one of the most important cities, since it is the capital of Colombia. It is one of the most relevant urban and university centers in the country.

11- Coastal cultural region

The Costeña cultural region corresponds to the Caribbean natural region. Thus, the entire population living on the coasts of the Caribbean Sea is considered part of the coastal population.

References

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