Armenia, Colombia

A coffee farmer meticulously sorts beans near Armenia, Colombia.

Armenia is the capital of the Quindío Department in Colombia. With a population of 300.000. Located at coordinates: 4.5170° north, 75.6830° west, 290 kilometers west of Colombia's capital Bogotá, covering aprox. 121 km². Mid-size city located between the 3 largest Colombian cities Bogotá, Medellín and Cali.

Armenia was founded in 1889 by Jose Maria Ocampo and other colonists who arrived from Antioquia (Western region). It was named after a plantation that formerly existing in this area. Armenia had been called the "Ciudad Milagro" (miracle City), due to its fast urban growth and development.

The local economy is based on the production of coffee and bananas. Many traditional plantations still exist in the surrounding area and many offer bed and breakfast accommodation and "ecotourism" packages. The city has a modern airport with daily links to Bogotá, Cali, and Medellín. International flights arrive daily from New York to the nearby city of Pereira.

In 1999, the city was devastated by a shallow 6.2 earthquake which caused extensive damage to the city center and claimed several thousand lives. International aid has since helped to rebuild and expand the city. Numerous new government buildings and highways have helped make Armenia one of Colombia's most modern cities.

Armenia has several universities, the primary being the University of Gran Colombia and the University of Quindio. Local sporting events include national and international soccer tournaments, bullfighting, golf, swimming and cycling. The mountainous area surrounding Armenia has helped create some of the greatest climbing cyclists in the world, many of whom compete internationally in events such as the Tour de France.

References

Rendell, M.: Kings of the Mountains: How Colombia's Cycling Heroes Changed Their Nation's History, Aurum Press Ltd. 2003