Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/828

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COLOMBIA

remainder south of the equator. According to a census taken in 1870, the population at that date was 2,951,323, and an official estimate of 1881 gives it as follows : —

Departments

Area:

English

square miles

Population 1881

Density

per square

mile

Capital

Population

18S6

Antioquia. .

22,316

470,000

21

Medellin. .

40,000

Bolivar. .

21,345

280,000

13

Cartagena

20,000

Boyaca

33,351

702,000

21

Tunja,. .

8,000

Cauca. ..

257,462

621,000

2-4

Popayan. .

10,000

Cundinamarca

79,810

569,000

7

Bogota-

120,000

Magdalena.

24,440

90,000

3-7

Santa Marta ,

6,000

Panama. .

31,571

285,000

9

Panama. .

30,000

Santander

16,409

555,600

35

Bucaramanga

20,000

Tolima. . Total. .

18,069

306,000

17

Ibague. ,

12,000

504,773

3,878,600

7-7

This includes 220,000 uncivilised Indians, and the population, 80,000, of the extensive territories attached to each State. In 1895 the population was estimated at about 4,000,000, including uncivilised Indians to the number of about 150,000. There were 1,434,129 males and 1,517,194 females in 1870.

The capital, Bogota, lies 9,000 feet above the sea. The chief commercial towns are Barranquilla (population 40,000) on a canon of the Magdalena and connected with the coast by 20 miles of railway ; Cartagena (20,000) ; Medellin (40,000), in an important mining region ; Bucaramanga (20,000) ; Cucuta (10,000), the last two being large coffee centres in Santander.

Boundary disputes with Costa Rica have been referred to the President of the French Republic as arbitrator.

Eeligion and Education.

The religion of the nation is Roman Catholicism, other forms of religion being permitted, so long as their exercise is ' not contrary to Christian morals nor to the law.' There is a national university, which includes 4 colleges and technical schools, with about 1,600 students. Belonging to Departments are 4 universities or colleges with 1,083 students ; there are 34 public and numerous private colleges or institutes for secondary instruction. In 1894 there were 15 normal schools with about 600 students, and 1,817 primary schools with about 89,000 pupils in attendance. Primary education is gratuitous but not compulsoiy. The Republic possesses a national library, museum, and observatory.

Finance.

The following are the official estimates of revenue and expenditure for the biennial periods indicated : —

1893-94

1895-96

1897-98

1899-90

Revenue , Expenditure

Pesos 27,312,381 33,502,386

Pesos 26,226,300 35,773,882

Pesos 34,361,000 35,771,013

Pesos 34.305,000 34,000,000