This article is about the Colombian capital; for the town in New Jersey, see Bogota, New Jersey.

Bogota (Spanish: Bogotá) officially named Bogotá D.C. (D.C. for "Capital District"), is the capital of Colombia, as well as the largest and most populous city in the country with a population of roughly 7.8 million people (about 8.5 million in the metropolitan area). It is also the capital of the department of Cundinamarca. Jump to: navigation, search State nickname: The Garden State Other U.S. States Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Governor Richard Codey (D) Acting Senators Jon Corzine (D) Frank Lautenberg (D) Official languages None defined Area 22,608 km² (47th)  - Land 19,231 km²  - Water 3,378 km² (14. ... Map highlighting Bogotas location within Bergen County. ... Cundinamarca is a department of Colombia, one of the original nine states of the United States of Colombia. Most of Cundinamarca is in the Eastern Cordillera, just south of Boyacá, bordered by the Magdalena River on the west, reaching down into the Amazon River basin on the east, and bordering...

Downtown Bogota Skyline.

Santafé de Bogotá, Distrito Capital

( Detail) ( Detail)
Motto:
Mayor	Luis Eduardo Garzón
Area	1,587 km²
Population  - Total (2003)  - Density	7,500,000 4,725 people/km²
Adjective	bogotano
Downtown Bogotá, from the National University, with the Andes in the background

ImageMetadata File history File links Panoramicadebogota. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Panoramicadebogota. ... Image File history File links Bandera de Bogotá, Colombia Flag of Bogotá, Colombia File links There are no pages that link to this file. ... Image File history File links Escudo de Bogotá. File links The following pages link to this file: Bogotá ... Image File history File links Bandera de Bogotá, Colombia Flag of Bogotá, Colombia File links There are no pages that link to this file. ... Image File history File links Escudo de Bogotá. File links The following pages link to this file: Bogotá ... Jump to: navigation, search A motto is a phrase or collection of words intended to describe the motivation or intention of a sociological grouping or organization. ... Luis Eduardo Garzón (nicknamed Lucho) (born February 11, 1951 in Bogotá) is currently the Mayor of Bogotá (2004-2007), a left-wing Colombian political activist and a former union leader. ... This article explains the meaning of area as a physical quantity. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... Jump to: navigation, search 2003(MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... Jump to: navigation, search An adjective is a part of speech which modifies a noun, usually making its meaning more specific. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x683, 129 KB)View of Bogotá from National University File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Jump to: navigation, search This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Geography

Bogotá is located at an altitude of 2640 m (8660 ft) above sea level on the Cordillera Oriental of the Northern Andean Mountains. The city is situated at the base of two mountains, Guadalupe and Monserrate. On the summits of these mountains, which are over 3200 m (10,500 ft) high, stand two small churches which are widely visited by tourists and locals. The population of Bogotá is currently increasing at a rate close to 5% per year, mostly due to people coming from rural areas of Colombia. The city is constantly expanding in size to meet this influx of people. Currently the urban area covers 384.3 km² and the more mountainous outlying regions extend 1222.5 km². The metre, or meter (symbol: m) is the SI base unit of length. ... This article is about a foot as a unit of length. ... For considerations of sea level change, in particular rise associated with possible global warming, see sea level rise. ... Jump to: navigation, search This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Hill that dominates the downtown of Bogotá, capital city of Colombia. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ...

Several rivers, one of which, the San Francisco, passes through the city, converge near the southwestern edge of the Cundinamarca-Boyacá plateau and form the Río Funza, also known as the Río Bogotá. This river flows all the way to Salto del Tequendama, a vertical waterfall 145 meters (475 feet) high. Currently, most of the river's water is used to power a hydroelectric project. Jump to: navigation, search Hydroelectricity, is a form of hydropower used to produce electricity. ...

Bogotá's climate is mild and temperate, the average annual temperature is about 14 °C, with about 1100 mm (44 inches) of rainfall. In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... The degree Celsius (°C or ℃ (Unicode 0x2103)) is a unit of temperature named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744), who first proposed a similar system in 1742. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... Mid-19th century tool for converting between different standards of the inch An inch is an Imperial unit of length. ...

The city is planned on a grid, with numbered carreras (avenues), from south to north, intersecting numbered calles (streets) going east-west. Among the city's squares is the Plaza de Bolívar, where many important government buildings and churches are located. Bogotá is connected by road to the Atlantic coast to the north and to the Pacific coast to the west, as well as to all other major cities in Colombia. The Pan-American Highway and the Simón Bolívar Highway both pass through the city. Jump to: navigation, search The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Pacific Ocean (from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, peaceful sea, bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan) is the worlds largest body of water. ... The Pan-American Highway (Carretera Panamericana in Spanish; Estrada Panamericana in Portuguese; Autoroute Panaméricaine in French) is a network of roads, according to the Encyclopædia Britannica (1997) nearly 30,000 miles (48,000 km) in total length, linking (nearly) the mainland nations of the Americas in a unified...

The city is served by El Dorado International Airport. The TransMilenio bus rapid transit system is the most modern form of public transit serving the city. It was opened to the public in November 2000. El Dorado International Airport (IATA: BOG, ICAO: SKBO) is an airport in Bogotá, Colombia. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Jump to: navigation, search Silver Line in Boston Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a broad term given to a variety of different transportation systems which attempt to use bus to provide a high-quality service through a set of various improvements to the bus line. ... 2000 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December This is a timeline for events in November, 2000. ...

History

Bogotá's Flag

Bogotá's coat of arms

Bogotá, originally called Bacatá by the Muiscas, was the center of their civilization before the Spanish conquest, and sustained a large population. The European settlement was founded in August 6, 1538, by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada and was named "Santa Fé de Bacatá" after his birthplace Santa Fé and the local name. "Bacatá" had become the modern "Bogotá" by the time it was made the capital of the viceroyalty of New Granada, and the city soon became one of the centers of Spanish colonial power and civilization in South America. Image File history File links Bandera de Bogotá, Colombia Flag of Bogotá, Colombia File links There are no pages that link to this file. ... Image File history File links Bandera de Bogotá, Colombia Flag of Bogotá, Colombia File links There are no pages that link to this file. ... Symbol of Bogotá File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Symbol of Bogotá File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Muisca was a South American nation that lived mainly in modern day Cundinamarca and Boyacá highlands. ... Conquistador (meaning Conqueror in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who achieved the Conquista (this Spanish term is generally accepted by historians), i. ... Jump to: navigation, search August 6 is the 218th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (219th in leap years), with 147 days remaining. ... Events Treaty of Nagyvarad. ... New Grenada was the name given to a group of colonial provinces in northern South America, corresponding mainly to modern Colombia. ...

In 1810-11 its citizens revolted against Spanish rule and set up a government of their own, but had to contend with Spanish military loyalists, who controlled the city until 1819, when Simón Bolívar captured the city after his victory at Boyacá. Bogotá was then made the capital of Gran Colombia, a federation combining the territories of modern Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. When that republic was dissolved into its constituent parts, Bogotá remained the capital of New Granada, which later became the Republic of Colombia. See History of Colombia. 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1811 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1819 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (July 24, 1783 – December 17, 1830) was a South American revolutionary leader. ... Motto: Capital Tunja Governor Area 23,189 km² Population  - Total (2003)  - Density   1,411,239 61 people/km² Adjective Boyacá is a department of Colombia, one of the original nine states of the United States of Colombia. Boyacá is centrally located within Colombia, almost entirely within the mountains of Eastern... Map showing Gran Colombia The Republic of Gran Colombia, or Greater Colombia, was a short-lived republic in South America consisting of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama. ... Jump to: navigation, search This is the history of Colombia. ...

In 1956, the municipality of Bogotá was joined to other neighboring municipalities forming a "Special District" (Spanish: Distrito Especial). With the Constitution of 1991, Bogotá was confirmed as the Capital of Colombia acquiring the name "Santa Fe de Bogotá", and changing the category from Special District to "Capital District" (Spanish: Distrito Capital).

In August 2000 the capital's name was officially changed back from "Santa Fé de Bogotá" to the more usual "Bogotá". The local government consists in a Capital District, the current chief of government is Luis Eduardo Garzón. Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the year 2000. ... Luis Eduardo Garzón (nicknamed Lucho) (born February 11, 1951 in Bogotá) is currently the Mayor of Bogotá (2004-2007), a left-wing Colombian political activist and a former union leader. ...

Flag

The Flag of Bogotá originates from the insurgency movement against the colonial authorities which began on July 20, 1810. During this insurgency, the rebels wore armbands with yellow and red bands, as these colours were the ones in the Spanish flag which was the one used as the flag for the New Kingdom of Granada. Jump to: navigation, search July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Spain in its current form was adopted on December 19, 1981. ...

In October 9, 1952, exactly 142 years after these events, decree 555 of 1952 (available at [1]) officially and definitively adopted the patriotic armband as the flag of Bogotá. Jump to: navigation, search October 9 is the 282nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (283rd in Leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1952 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The flag itself is divided vertically in two, the top half being yellow and the bottom half being red. The yellow colour denotes the virtues of justice, clemency, benevolence, the so-called "mundane qualities" (defined as nobility, excellence, richness, generosity, splendour, health, steadfastness, joy and prosperity), long life, eternity, power and constancy. The red colour denotes the virtue of charity, as well as the qualities of bravery, nobility, values, audacity, victory, honour and furour.

Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms of the city of Bogotá was ceded by emperor Charles V (Charles I of Spain) to the New Kingdom of Granada, in the Royal Decree given in Valladolid, Spain on December 3, 1548. It contains a black eagle in the center, which symbolises steadfastness. The eagle is crowned with gold and holds a red pomegranate inside a golden background. The border contains olive branches with nine golden pomegranates in a blue background. The two red pomegranates symbolize audacity, and the nine golden ones represent the nine states which constituted the New Kingdom of Granada at the time. In 1932 the coat of arms was officially recognized and adopted as the Symbol of Bogotá. Jump to: navigation, search Charles V Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain Charles V (Spanish: Carlos I, Dutch: Karel V, German: Karl V.) (24 February 1500–21 September 1558) is considered (the first) King of Spain though in fact his son was the first to use that title. ... Plaza Mayor and city hall, Valladolid The unfinished cathedral and the Plaza de Cervantes, near the University of Valladolid The church of Santa María la Antigua, Valladolid Valladolid is an industrial city in central Spain, upon the Rio Pisuerga. ... December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Mary I of Scotland sent to France Births September 2 - Vincenzo Scamozzi, Italian architect (died 1616) September 29 - William V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1626) Francesco Andreini, Italian actor (died 1624) Giordano Bruno, Italian philosopher, astronomer, and occultist (burned at the stake) 1600 (died 1600) Honda Tadakatsu, Japanese general... Species L. Balf. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1932 is a leap year starting on a Friday. ...

Anthem

Main article: Anthem of Bogotá The lyrics to the anthem of Bogotá were written by Pedro Medina Avendaño, the melody was composed by Roberto Pineda Duque. The song was officially declared the anthem of Bogotá by decree 1000 of July 31, 1974, by then Mayor of Bogotá, Aníbal Fernandez de Soto. The lyrics to the anthem of Bogotá, the capital of the Republic of Colombia, were written by Pedro Medina Avendaño. ... July 31 is the 212th day (213th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 153 days remaining, as the final day of July. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ...

Economy

Bogotá is Colombia's largest economic center, followed by Medellín, Cali, and Bucaramanga—residents refer to it as Colombia's "first city". Most companies in Colombia have their headquarters in Bogotá, as it is home to most foreign companies doing business in Colombia as well as Colombia's main stock market. After mining, the three largest sectors of Colombia and Bogotá's economy are the export of coffee, emeralds, and flowers. Medellin Skyline. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Jump to: navigation, search Bucaramanga is the capital of the department of Santander, Colombia, fifth city in terms of importance in that country, and seventh in terms of population, Bucaramanga is one of the fastest growing cities in Latin America. ... Jump to: navigation, search Coffee beans and a cup of coffee Coffee is a beverage, usually served hot, prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant. ... For other things of this name, see Emerald (disambiguation). ... // Flower Anatomy Flowering plants are heterosporangiate (producing two types of reproductive spores) and the pollen (male spores) and ovules (female spores) are produced in different organs, but these are together in a bisporangiate strobilus that is the typical flower. ...

Avenida Chile Finacial District

One of the largest drivers of the Colombian economy, Colombian coffee is prized for being some of the world's finest. Colombia is the world's largest producer of smooth coffee and the second overall coffee exporter. Although it is not grown in Bogotá, the offices of most coffee producing and exporting firms reside in Bogotá. ImageMetadata File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ImageMetadata File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

The emerald trade is a huge business in Bogotá. In downtown Bogotá, millions of dollars in domestically produced rough and cut emeralds are bought and sold daily. For other things of this name, see Emerald (disambiguation). ...

Avenida Septima, Bogota

Colombia is also one of the world's largest flower exporters. As a matter of fact, as much as 55% of all flowers sold in the United States are imported from Colombia. In Bogotá, greenhouses up to 5 miles long are kept stocked with flowers year round, which are then transported to the United States, Europe and Japan. ImageMetadata File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ImageMetadata File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A greenhouse in Saint Paul, Minnesota. ... World map showing Europe (geographically) When considered a continent, Europe is the worlds second-smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ...

Culture

Bogotá has traditionally been a major center of art, culture, and learning in northern South America. Bogotá is home to several universities. The oldest is Universidad del Rosario, founded in 1653. Others include the National University of Colombia, Los Andes University, Pontifical Javerian University (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana), the Universidad Externado de Colombia, and the University of Santo Tomás. Resources ArtLex. ... Look up Culture on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Wikinews has news related to this article: Culture and entertainment Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Cultural Development in Antiquity Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Culture and Civilization in Modern Times Classificatory system for cultures and civilizations, by Dr. Sam Vaknin... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Jump to: navigation, search A professor giving a lecture at the Helsinki University of Technology A university is an institution of higher education and of research, which grants academic degrees. ... Universidad del Rosario, founded in 1602, is the oldest university in Colombia. ... [ [ Image:Chumanasun. ... Located in Bogotá, Universidad de Los Andes ( Spanish for University of the Andes) is one of the most important universities in Colombia. ... The Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas is a private Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers. ...

Bogotá is a city of museums. Museo del Oro or Gold Museum, the most important of its type, holds the world's largest collection of pre-Columbian gold. There is also the National Museum of Colombia which contains a large collection of pre-Columbian and Spanish colonial artifacts and Colombian art. Bogotá has many other history and art museums, among them the Children's Museum of Bogotá, museum of science and technology ("Maloka"), a museum of natural history, the Bogotá Planetarium, La Casa de la Moneda (Bogotá Mint) to which an important collection of modernist art was recently donated, The Botero Museum and several modern art galleries. The Museo del Oro (Gold Museum), established in Bogotá, Colombia by the Banco de la Republica, contains one of the hemispheres largest collections of pre-Columbian artifacts of gold and other materials. ... Jump to: navigation, search General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ... Entrance to the Childrens Museum of Bogotá The Childrens Museum of Bogotá (Fundación Museo de los Niños) is a privately managed museum foundation in Bogotá, Colombias capital city, established in 1986 and aimed at teaching children about science, technology, culture and arts. ...

Maloka is a Science and Technology Museum, the most modern of Latin America.

Bogotá was selected by Unesco as the World Book Capital City 2007 [2][3] for its excellent network of private and public libraries and the great variety in precise initiatives and activities to promote reading. ImageMetadata File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ImageMetadata File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Jump to: navigation, search UNESCO logo The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, commonly known as UNESCO, is a specialized agency of the United Nations system established in 1945. ... World Book Capital is a title bestowed by UNESCO to a city in recognition of the quality of its programs to promote books and reading and the dedication of all players in the book industry. ... Jump to: navigation, search 2007 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro

This is the most important theatre festival in Latin America and Spain. Fanny Mikey, a local actress and threater director, has been the guiding force since the festival´s inception. The Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro takes place in Bogotá every two years and it runs for 17 days.

Top theatre groups from around the world participate in the festival and their performances contribute to making this a truly unique event. Moreover, each year one honoured country is invited.

On the opening day of the festival, a grand parade takes place along the Carrera Séptima (7th Avenue). Some theatre events are free to the public. These are usually performed in open public places such as Plaza de Bolívar, Parque el Tunal, Parque Nacional and other parks around Bogotá. The main theatres are open to the public during the festival; the list includes theaters such as Teatro Colon, Teatro Colsubsidio, Jorge Eliecer Gaitan, La Castellana, Nacional de la 71, Libre de Chapinero, William Shakespeare, Gimnasio Moderno, Leonardus and La Casa del Teatro Nacional.

Music festivals

Music Festivals are presented in parks. These "Al parque" festivals present different kind of performances including rock, hip hop, jazz, opera, ranchera and classical music. Venues for these activities are: Simon Bolivar park, Tunal park, Media Torta square, Olaya park, Renacimiento park, National Park among others. Jump to: navigation, search Jazz master Louis Armstrong remains one of the most loved and best known of all jazz musicians. ...

These activities are performed in open air and mainly, they are for free. The most important ones are: Rock al parque in October, Opera al parque in August, Jazz al parque in September, Hip hop al parque in November. There are also one Ranchera al parque and a Colombian Music Festival. The performancers are both renowned and new groups, bands or soloists. These activities are promoted by "Ministerio de Cultura", or the Ministry of Culture, through the division of "Instituto Distrital de Cultura y Turismo."

Bogotá's Half-Marathon

The biggest sport event is the international half marathon. Every year, between June and August, the Bogotá Mayor´s office organizes a massive running competition with more than 200 million pesos in prizes , where both native and foreigners can compete. And everyone can see the race just in front of them because this race is done in the streets of the city. To make it possible, the Bogotá Mayor's office and other sponsoring firms are in charge of hiring adecuate amount of people to organize and cover the whole event to make audience feel comfortable.

The total route is about 21 km. It begins on "Plaza de Bolivar" and crosses the center of the city ending in "Simon Bolivar Park". Every participant has his or her own runner kit that includes a handbook, a uniform with his/her respective number, water, etc. Moreover, every participant that arrives to the finish line receives a medal.

The registration process is supervised by the Mayor´s office and by the National Police that also cooperates with the security. People can register by buying the registration form or by asking for information on-line, and it must be done five months before the race. The registration can be both individual or in groups. The registration cost is between COP $12,000 and $14,000. This event has an official hotel for foreigners: The International Tequendama Hotel.

Ciclovia

Every Sunday and holiday the main streets of Bogotá are blocked off for traffic and used as Cycleway (Ciclovia). From 7 am to 2 pm, walkers and bicyclists take over the streets. At the same time, stages are set up in city parks. Aerobics instructors, yoga teachers and musicans lead people through various performances. Ciclovia is an event held in cities in Colombia. ... Aerobics is an effective physical exercise which is often done to music. ... Jump to: navigation, search Yoga is a family of spiritual practices that originated in what in the present-day is known as India, where it is seen primarily as a means to enlightenment (or bodhi). ...

Also, some Sundays in December, a night Ciclovia is organized. This is done to give Bogotá's citizens a chance to explore the Christmas decoration in the main streets, and is done from 7 pm to midnight. Ciclovia is an event held in cities in Colombia. ...

La Candelaria

La Candelaria is an amazing neighborhood, a great number of cultural events in Bogotá take place there. It is considered the cultural and historical center of the city.

It is located on the east of the Plaza de Bolivar. An interesting site to visit there is the Chorro de Quevedo. The Chorro de Quevedo is a charming small square surrounded of picturesque bars and an old Spanish style chapel. Bogotá was originally funded in this neighborhood by the Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada in 1538.

Walking through La Candelaria, you can admire its houses which have big well-decorated balconies, red tile roofs and black big iron door knobs. They also have metal and wooden doors and windows. This is the only neighborhood in Bogotá whose streets have names and several of its routes have cobblestone streets.

La Candelaria has several universities, libraries, museums, theaters, galleries, cathedrals and churches to visit. Moreover, the principal government buildings of Colombia are in this neighborhood. For instance, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Universidad de La Salle, Universidad del Rosario, Biblioteca Luis Angel Arango, Casa de la Moneda, Museo Militar, Museo de Arte Colonial, Museo de Trajes Regionales de Colombia, Teatro Colón, Catedral Primada de Bogotá, Iglesia de San Ignacio and Palacio de San Carlos.

Transportation

Bogotá is a modern city with a modern transportation system. It includes airlines, buses, taxis, the Transmilenio, and even a train that serves as transportation for the outskirts of the city.

Buses are the main means of mass transportation. There are two bus systems: traditional system and "Transmilenio". The traditional system runs a variety of bus types, operated by several enterprises , and operating on normal streets and avenues:

• bus, large buses.
• buseta, smaller buses.
• microbus or colectivo, vans.

The buses are divided in two categories: "ejecutivo", which is supposed to be a deluxe service and is not supposed to carry passengers outside their seats, and "corriente" or normal service. Bus fares range from COP 1000 to 1200 (as of May 2005). This article is about the month of May. ... Jump to: navigation, search 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Transmilenio is a system of modern articulated buses that operate on exclusive roads and smaller buses (feeders) that operate in residential areas bus stops bringing passengers to the main system. Transmilenio's main routes are: Caracas Avenue, 80th Street, Avenue of the Americas, Northern Highway (Autopista Norte), Jimenez Avenue and the 30th Avenue (also refered to as Norte Quito Sur or N.Q.S. for short). The routes of Suba Avenue and the southern leg of 30th Avenue route are expected to be complete in 2006. The third phase of the system will cover the 7th Avenue, the 10th Avenue and the 26th Street (or Avenida El Dorado). The system is expected to cover the entire city by 2016. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

In addition, Bogotá has different types of taxis. Yellow taxis (cars) are much more common. People often use them in order to go faster despite their higher fees. Bogotá also has white taxis, used mostly for hotels and El Dorado airport services.

Bogota's principal airport is El Dorado International Airport, it operates different national airlines (Avianca, Aerorepública, West Caribbean, Intercontinental and Satena), and international airlines (such as Iberia, American Airlines, Varig, Copa, Continental, Delta, Air Canada, Taca) El Dorado International Airport (IATA: BOG, ICAO: SKBO) is an airport in Bogotá, Colombia. ... Avianca is an airline based in Bogotá, Colombia. ... Iberia Airlines of Spain, usually shortened to Iberia, is the name of the national airline of Spain. ... Jump to: navigation, search AA 777-200ER landing at London Heathrow Airport American Airlines and American Eagle aircraft at San Juan Note: For the arenas named after this company, see American Airlines Center (Dallas, Texas), or American Airlines Arena (Miami, Florida). ... Varig (Viação Aerea RIo Grandense) is an airline based in Porto Alegre, Brazil. ... Copa Airlines is the national flag airline of Panama. ... Jump to: navigation, search Continental Airlines (IATA: CO, ICAO: COA, and Callsign: Continental) (NYSE: CAL) is an American airline. ... Jump to: navigation, search Delta Boeing 757-232 at LAX in August 2003. ... Jump to: navigation, search Air Canada is Canadas flag air carrier, headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. ...

Many people take the turistic train with their family for fun, especially on Sundays. On weekends, the train runs from Bogotá to Zipaquirá and Nemocón, towns near to Bogotá. Zipaquirá is a town located about 25 km north of Bogotá, Colombia. ...

Goods and Services

Bogotá is the hub of Colombian business. It has a busy banking and insurance sector and a Stock Exchange. Engineering firms provide services for many regions of Colombia and Central America. Bogota houses central governmental institutions and military headquarters. It carries the weight of telecommunications and has the biggest industrial facilities in the country.

Some services are public and others are private. The public services are, for example, energy, sewer and phones. Energy and sewer bills are stratified based on the location of one's residence. Thus, the wealthier sections of society help subsidize the energy bills of the poorer sections of society. Telephone service is provided by both "Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Bogotá" (ETB), a city-owned company, "Capitel", owned by Colombia Telecomunicaciones and "EPMBogotá", owned by the Medellín public services' company (Empresas Públicas de Medellín - EPM) . Coin or card-operated payphones are also available, along with cell phone providers. There are (as of May 2005) three main operators of wireless phones: Movistar (owned by Spanish firm Telefónica), Comcel (owned by Telmex) and Ola (co-owned by ETB and EPM). Medellin Skyline. ... This article is about the month of May. ... Jump to: navigation, search 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Movistar is a major mobile phone operator owned by Telefónica Móviles. ... Telefónica logo Telefónica building in Santiago, Chile Telefónica S.A. NYSE: TEF (TYO: 9481) is the former national telephone network operator (telco) in Spain. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... An OLA (operating level agreement) defines the interdependent relationships among the internal support groups working to support a Service_Level_Agreement. ...

Parks

Northern Bogotá from Cerro Monserrate

Bogotá has one of the largest urban parks of the world, the Simón Bolívar Metropolitan Park, center of a recreational area that includes the Botanical Gardens of Bogotá, the headquarters of Coldeportes (the national sports authority), and the recently finished Virgilio Barco Library. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 677 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 677 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

There are many parks in Bogotá and most of them have facilities for concerts, plays, movies, storytellers and other activities. "El Tunal" park, for instance, is a big park which is regularly used to stage free concerts (such as the annual Rock al Parque, a free festival in which new and popular latin rock bands play for free). The park is also frequented in the month of August and used for kite flying, a national tradition.

Another public park is The National Park, which is one of the biggest in Bogotá. The park has many trees and green spaces, as well as ponds, games for children, many foot and bicycle paths, and venues for entertainment such as public screenings of movies and concerts and events organized by the Council of Bogotá. It is located between two main streets, the Circunvalar Avenue and the 7th Avenue.

The Botanical Garden (Jardín Botánico) is a private park. It has greenhouses where plants from all Colombian climates are exhibited. The park has a waterfall and labs for studying plants and flowers. It also has public services such as a library and a tourist information desk.

There are many other parks around the city of Bogotá. Each neighborhood has its own park. Some of these parks are private and others are public. Some private parks demand that people from the neighborhood have a card to be able to get into the park. Public parks are for everybody. Some of them have watchmen. These parks also have sporting venues, which provide sports programs for children and adults, such as volleyball, basketball, taekwondo, football, and other sports. Jump to: navigation, search Volleyball is a popular sport where two teams, separated by a high net, hit a ball back and forth over the net between the teams. ... Jump to: navigation, search Basketball is very popular in U.S. colleges. ... Jump to: navigation, search Taekwondo (also spelled Tae Kwon Do or Taekwon-Do) is the most popular of the Korean martial arts, and the Korean national sport. ... Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Confederation of African Football (CAF) Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) The Current Laws of the Game (LOTG) The Rec. ...

The most active park (in both leisure activity, promotion of high-end products and nightlife) is the "Parque de la 93" located between the 93rd and 93Ath street, between Carreras 12th and 13th. Several of the top restaurants and bars in the city are located in this park or in the "Zona T" (T-zone) in the 82nd street. Recently, restaurant activity has begun in the "Zona G" (69th and 70th Streets, in the Los Rosales zone) and La Macarena.

Bogotá has not only natural parks but also amusement parks like Mundo Aventura and Salitre Mágico Park. There is a special rate to get into these parks and people have to buy tickets to be able to play mechanical games. Mundo Aventura park has mechanical games such as skycoaster, roller coaster, hammer, and other adult amusements. For children there are some mechanical games like little roller coaster, carousel, turtles, and so on. In this park, people can find both amusements and nature, with animals such as goats for children to feed. Besides, there is a "Cerdodromo", which is a place where pigs make races.

The other amusement park is "Salitre Mágico", which is one of the entertainment centers for children and adults. The are many mechanical games like pirate ship, apocalypse, 3 roller coasters and other games. The park is next to the Simón Bolívar park, which is a well known place in Bogotá (used also for concerts through the year).

For relaxing and finding peace from the stress of city life, the Parque del Chicó, with trees, gardens, artificial creeks and ponds, and a colonial style house converted into a museum, is worth a visit.

Near the city, to the north, the Jaime Duque park offers a cultural encounter for visiting families. It has rides, a giant Colombia map, exhibitions and a zoo. A big hand holding the world symbolizes God, and an actual-size reproduction of the Taj Mahal provides a picture collection with reproductions of famous paintings. However, its attendance has declined, and the park now is more famous for its raves and parties with renowned DJ's. Jump to: navigation, search The Taj Mahal. ...

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See also

• Bogota's Carnival
• Bogota's Bike Paths Network

Bogotás Carnival or Carnival of Bogotá (Spanish: Carnaval de Bogotá) is calebrated in Bogotá every year on August 5th and August 6th for the citys anniversary of its hispanic foundation. ... Jump to: navigation, search A bikepath in Chapinero Bogota is the Colombian city with the most extensive and comprehensive network of bike paths. ...

External links

Travel guide to Bogota from Wikitravel Wikitravel is a project to create an open content, complete, up-to-date, and reliable world-wide travel guide. ...

• Alcaldia de Bogotá - Official web site for the City of Bogotá (Spanish)
• http://www.bogota-dc.com/
• Museo del Oro (The Gold Museum)
• Bogotá from the air - On-line book with aerial photographs of Bogotá (Spanish)
• Museos de Bogotá - On-line book with a description of every major museum in the capital of Colombia. (Spanish)
• El Tiempo - Online edition of one of the main newspapers in Bogotá (Spanish)
• El Espectador - Online edition of one of the main newspapers in Bogotá (Spanish)
• Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería (Spanish) - Home Page of Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería
• Los Andes University (Spanish) - Home Page of Universidad de los Andes
• Pontifical Xaverian University - Home Page of Universidad Javeriana(Spanish)
• National University of Colombia (Spanish)
• Havard Gazette Archives Article about Antanas Mockus' many inspired strategies to change Bogotá (English)
• Bogotá's Urban Development Institute (Spanish) - Includes maps and satellite pictures in the "Servidor de Mapas"
• BogoWiki - A wiki project about Bogotá