COLOMBIA

Born in Colombia, my first eighteen years were spent in this beautiful country. With beautiful rainforests, mountains and beaches, lovely cities and enchanting people, Colombia should be considered among the world's most attractive and intoxicating destinations. Unfortunately, the current guerrilla war, combined with ongoing activities of cocaine cartels, has  made visitors question if they should visit the country.    I am hoping that soon this will change and that there will be more visitors to Colombia who can appreciate its natural beauty and wonderful and hospitable people.

 Topography

Colombia is located in the northwest corner of South America, and borders Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Panama. Colombia has coastlines on the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Few countries boast such striking physical variety as does Colombia. Its broken, rugged topography, together with its location near the equator, creates an extraordinary diversity of climates, vegetation, soils and crops. The Andean Cordillera, one of the world's great mountain ranges, dominates the landscape of the western part of the country, where most of the people live.

 Nature

Colombia has the highest number of species of plants and animals per unit area of any country in the world. Its animals include jaguars, ocelots, peccaries, tapirs, deer, armadillo, numerous species of monkey and the rare spectacled bear. There are more than 1,550 recorded species of birds (more than in Europe and North America combined), ranging from the huge Andean condor to the tiny hummingbird.

 Economy

Variations in climate give Colombia a diversified agricultural economy. Colombia is the second largest coffee producer in the world, and is also the world's largest producer of cocoa, the second supplier of the world's emeralds and the largest source of petroleum in South America, after Venezuela. The raising of livestock also plays an important role in Colombia's economy.

UNITED STATES

At the age of eighteen I made the United States my home.   It was not easy learning a new language but I did and I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from IONA college.    My husband, John, and my children were born in the United States.   While in college I started and continue to enjoy  a successful professional career in information technology.

 Topography

The United States (U.S.) consists of the Continental U.S. (48 states and the District of Columbia), and the satellite states of Alaska and Hawaii. The U.S. is the fourth largest country in the world, encompassing approximately 3,717,810 square miles (9,629,091 square kilometers). Of that, 181,517 square miles (470,131 square kilometers) are covered with water. The country's highest point is Mount McKinley in Alaska and is 20,319 feet (6,194 meters) above sea level. California's Death Valley, at 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level, is the lowest point in the U.S.

 Nature

 A vast land of contrasts, the U. S.  harbors a wealth of plant and animal life.

 Economy

The U.S. has the largest and one of the most technologically advanced national economies in the world. In this market-oriented mixed economy, private firms and corporations make the vast majority of microeconomic decisions, and the U.S. government buys needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace.