Armenia, Colombia
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2008-06-28T17:21:21Z
Snowmanradio
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clean up, typos fixed: turkish → Turkish using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]]
:''This article is about the city in Colombia. For other uses, see [[Armenia (disambiguation)]].''
{{Infobox City
| official_name = Armenia
| nickname = "Miracle City"
| motto = "Trabajo y Civilización" (work and civilization)
| image_skyline =
| imagesize =
| image_caption =
| image_flag = Flag of Armenia, Colombia.svg
| image_seal = Escudo_armenia.gif
| image_map = MunsQuindio Armenia.png
| mapsize = 250px
| map_caption = Location of the city and municipality of Armenia in the Quindio Department
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = [[Colombia]]
| subdivision_type1 = [[departments of Colombia|Departamento]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Quindío]]
| subdivision_type2 =
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| area_magnitude =
| area_total_km2 = 140
| area_total_sq_mi =
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| population_as_of = 2004
| population_note =
| population_total = 324,588
| population_density_km2 = 5320.75
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| timezone =
| utc_offset = -5
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| latd=4 |latm=51 |lats=30 |latNS=N
| longd=75 |longm=68 |longs=30.49 |longEW=W
| elevation_m = 1480
| elevation_ft =
| website = [http://www.armenia.gov.co/ Government of Armenia's official website]
| footnotes =
}}
'''Armenia''' is the capital of [[Quindío Department|Quindío]], a department in [[Colombia]]. The city is located at coordinates 4.5170° north, 75.6830° west, 290 kilometers west of [[Bogotá]]. Armenia is a mid-size city located between Bogotá, [[Medellín]] and [[Cali]], the 3 largest Colombian cities. The city's area code for phone calls is 096. Its average temperature is between 18 °C- 22 °C. [[Raipur]], [[India]] is the latest to become a [[sister city]] of Armenia (see [[list of twin towns and sister cities]]). It's one of the three that forms the [[Colombian Coffee-Growers Axis]]. Perhaps one of the most attractive areas in Colombia.
== History ==
Armenia was founded in [[October 14]], [[1889]] by Jesús Maria Ocampo, also known as "Tigrero" (translates to "tiger killer") due to his love of hunting [[jaguar]]s, known locally as tigers. Ocampo came from Anaime, [[Tolima Department|Tolima]], looking for shelter in the mountains of Quindío since he was running away from General Gallo. He paid one hundred pesos in gold coins to Antonio Herrera for the land in which to build a fonda, or trade center, not only for himself but also for other colonists who calme from [[Salento]], [[Antioquia]], [[Manizales]] and areas surrounding the [[Quindío River]] and [[La Vieja River]]. Ocampo then proceeded to sell land for settlement. To encourage settlement, Ocampo returned to Anaime to ask for the help of his friend Juan de La Cruz Cardona, and to marry thirteen year-old Arsenia Cardona. Six months after its founding, in August 1890, Armenia had reached a population of 100 people, allowing it to gain legal recognition by the government. The city was initially called Villa Holguin, in honor of the then-current president of the country. It is believed the name was changed to Armenia in memory of the Armenian people murdered in the Turkish ottoman [[Hamidian Massacres]] of 1894-97 in [[Western Armenia]].
Despite Armenia's quickly expanding economy at the time, the means of transportation were still very limited. The main form of [[arriero|transporting]] people and merchandise was by [[mule]], due to the mountainous terrain surrounding the city. It was not until the construction of the first asphalt road in 1927 to [[Zarzal]] in the [[Cauca]] river valley that transportation was improved.
Nowadays, the city combines its contemporary development with the all traditional ways of its forefathers' heritage, like the historic Liberator Pathway, the path used by Colombia's 19th century Liberator [[Simon Bolívar]] to move his army between the west of the country and [[Bogotá|Santa Fe de Bogotá]] during his successful independence campaign from [[Spain]], currently one of the top two tourist destinations in Colombia.
The [[1999 Armenia earthquake]] caused devastation in Armenia]] In [[January 25]], [[1999]], at 1:19 P.M. (local time), the city was devastated by an [[earthquake]] measuring 6.2 on the [[Richter Scale]]. The earthquake caused extensive damage to the city, mainly because of poor construction codes and aging buildings. The earthquake claimed several thousand lives and left over 200,000 people homeless.
Since then, international aid has helped rebuild and expand the city. Numerous new government buildings and highways have been constructed.
It is estimated that a large earthquake, approximately 6-7 in magnitude, will hit this area every 20 years due to high seismic activity. It can be explained by the triple junction that occurs at the northwest corner of the [[South American Plate]] where the Nazca, Cocos, and Pacific plates converge.
== Economy ==
[[Image:Coffee Farmer.jpg|thumb|100px|left|A coffee farmer meticulously sorts Coffee beans]] Armenia is often referred to as "Ciudad Milagro" (Miracle City) due to its fast urban growth and development. The local economy main trade is still based on the production of [[Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia|coffee]], [[plantain]]s, and [[banana]]s.
To the south of the city as it gets closer to sea level, the temperature favors not only Quindio's agricultural economy, but a renewed tourist industry in the shape of villas for rent, theme parks, eco-hoteles and family day leisure centers, not excluding all time favorites like local cuisine restaurants, exhibition centers and country clubs specialized in [[fishing]], [[tennis]], [[golf]], cart racing and other sports. Many traditional plantations still exist in the surrounding area and many offer bed and breakfast accommodation and "[[ecotourism]]" packages. The city has a modern airport with daily links to Bogotá, [[Cali]], and [[Medellín]] which make the city a convenient choice for conferences, meetings, business and social events.
== Tourism and Folklore ==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Chapolera.JPG|thumb|150px|left|Chapolera costume{{ifdc|Image:Chapolera.JPG|log=2008 February 11}}]] -->
The renewed tourist industry has activated the popularity of the city and its surrounding areas. The region's northern area is the gateway to [[Los Nevados]] national park, where the highest peaks in central Colombia rise to perpetual snows at more than 4,500 meters. At the Quindio side of the foothills of this national park, lays the magnificent [[Cocora]] valley, where the National Tree of Colombia, the [[wax palm]] grows, and whose municipality of [[Salento, Quindío|Salento]] is a top touristic destination famous for its culinary delicacy: fried river trout, for its guadua crafts and furniture (the strong native [[bamboo]] cane), its art galleries and its fame for being the bohemian centre of regional artists. Tourists and hikers walk from here to reach the spectacular views of the park.
The county's folklore is rich and is represented throughout events and traditions visible during most of its towns festivities to name a few:
The [[Yipao]] (Parade of Jeeps): After World War II Armenia was given imported general purpose [[Jeep]]s vehicles so that they may be used for the difficult paths. However, these old vehicles have been also adopted into a traditional parade carrying oversized loads of coffee, local agriculture products and people.
The Chapoleras [[beauty pageant]], with costumes depicting the traditional coffee harvesting dress in the fashion of late 19th century, and the various popular dances is widely known in the entire country.
== Art and handcrafts ==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Gallinaartcraft.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Hand painted Totumo recipient depicting a chicken{{ifdc|Image:Gallinaartcraft.jpg|log=2008 February 11}}]] -->
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Guaduatollroad.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Guadua [[toll road]] in Armenia-Pereira Highway{{ifdc|Image:Guaduatollroad.jpg|log=2008 February 11}}]] -->
This region was widely known in the coutry at the early XX century for the production of storage recipients made of the empty dried shell of the fruit of a local specie of inedible [[cucurbita|pumpkin]], the "Cuyabra" or "totumo", which gives the [[demonym]] of "cuyabros" to the people born in this city. Nowadays, this recipients are no longer mass produced to practical purposes, since the cheaper materials such plastics displaced them from the market, but these traditional recipients are still produced and hand painted as artcrafts.
The [[Carriel]] is a traditional handbag leather handcraft symbolic of the [[paisa]] culture and the early antioquian [[colonisation]]. It is often used in the typical dances and parades, and its miniature version is sold to tourists as souvenir. The [[cabuya]] hancrafts are often seen.
The bamboo [[guadua]] is widely used in creation of artcrafts, furniture and buildings.
== Education and Sports ==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Quimbayapottery.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Quimbaya precolumbian artpiece{{ifdc|Image:Quimbayapottery.jpg|log=2008 February 11}}]] -->Armenia has several universities, the primary ones being the University of Gran Colombia and the University of Quindio.
The main sport center in the city is the [[Estadio Centenario (Armenia, Colombia)|Centennial Stadium]], where local sporting events can be seen, including national and international soccer tournaments. Other sport events are [[bullfighting]], [[golf]], [[swimming]] and [[cycling]]. The mountainous area surrounding Armenia has helped create some of the greatest climbing cyclists in the world, many of whom compete internationally in events such as the [[Tour de France]]{{ref|Rendell}}.
The [[Quimbaya museum]] designed by [[Rogelio Salmona]], offers a permanent display of precolumbian handcrafts, ceramic and gold artpieces.
== Media ==
* Newspaper: [[La Crónica del Quindío]]
* Television: Telecafé [http://www.telecafetv.com.co]
== Transportation ==
* [[El Edén Airport]]
== References ==
* {{note|Rendell}}Rendell, M.: Kings of the Mountains: How Colombia's Cycling Heroes Changed Their Nation's History, Aurum Press Ltd. 2003
== External links ==
{{commons|Armenia, Colombia}}
* [http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,18896,00.html Colombia Quake Kills 1,000]
== Gallery ==
{{cleanup-gallery}}
<gallery>
Image:Armenia 030.jpg|Armenia view
<!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Armeniaeffort.jpg|Bolivar Square depicting [[Monument to Effort]] by [[Rodrigo Arenas]] and Cathedral to the [[Immaculate Conception]] -->
<!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Ancizarlopezavenue.jpg|The [[Ancizar López]] [[cenotaph]] and same name Avenue -->
Image:Armenia01.jpg|Landscape of Armenia and the Andes. [[Peñasblancas]] can be seen in the background to the right
</gallery>
{{Quindío, Colombia}}
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Colombia]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Quindío]]
[[Category:Settlements established in 1889]]
[[bg:Армения (град)]]
[[es:Armenia (Quindío)]]
[[eo:Armenia (Kolombio)]]
[[fr:Armenia (Colombie)]]
[[ko:아르메니아 (콜롬비아)]]
[[lt:Armenija]]
[[nl:Armenia (Quindío)]]
[[ja:アルメニア (コロンビア)]]
[[pl:Armenia (miasto w Kolumbii)]]
[[ru:Армения (город)]]
[[sv:Armenia]]
[[vo:Armenia]]