Barranquilla

Barranquilla Center

Barranquilla is located in northern Colombia. The city is the capital of the province of Atlántico. With about 1.1 million inhabitants it is the 4th largest city in Colombia after Bogota, Medellin and Cali. The city is situated on the Magdalena River and about 13 km from the Caribbean Sea. The average temperature is between 25 and 35 degrees year round.
There are no real data of the foundation date of the city. Since 1629, the name does come in the books. The recognition of the village Barranquilla is only in 1813. In 1834 the city had approximately 11 thousand inhabitants. About half of what Cartagena in that time.
In 1919, the first airport in South America, opened in the city. The worlds second-oldest airline today Avianca, is launched. During the 1st and 2nd world war many immigrants from Europe, the Middle East and Asia come through the port of the city. In the 40s of the 19th century it was the 2nd largest city of Colombia. But the corruption of government, little money was inverted in the city. Because of this the city loses the 2nd position. Currently 2.6% of the population of Colombia lives in this city.

Barranquilla has the largest port in the country. Thanks to the Magdalena river goods form the country can be transported through and from the port of Barranquilla to leave or comein in the country. The port and the surrounding industries provide most employment opportunities in the city.

Barranquilla is home to the 2nd largest carnival in the world. Only the carnival of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is larger. It is annually held 4 days before ash Wednesday. The carnival is also on the list of UNESCO.

Barranquilla is working on a public transport system similar to Transmilenio from Bogota. Only the name is different in Barranquilla they call the TransMetro.