Antioquia

Antioquia was one of the states in the original "United States of Colombia", and is now a department in the northwest part of the Republic of Colombia.

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The department has an area of 63,612 km² (24,427 sq mi), and an estimated population of 5,000,000 (2004). It borders on the Caribbean Sea at the Gulf of Uraba, but is mostly mountainous, with two ranges of the Western Cordillera, and is bordered on the east by the Magdalena River. The greater part of its territory lies between the Magdalena and Cauca rivers and includes the northern end of the Central Cordillera. The country is covered with valuable forests, and its mineral wealth renders it one of the most important mining regions of the republic.

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Medell?n is the chief city. Other important towns are Santa F? de Antioquia, the old capital located on the Cauca and Puerto Berri? on the Magdalena. The people of Antioquia are called Paisas.

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Prior to the constitution of 1886, Antioquia and the other states were sovereign governments in their own right, and even afterwards retained some rights, such as the management of finances.

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Department: A department is a part of a larger organization with a specific responsibility. For the division of organizations into departments, see departmentalization....

Colombia: :For other uses, see Columbia....

2004: 2004(MMIV) is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. It was designated the:...