Medellín 340197 225864412 2008-07-15T19:29:32Z 65.2.85.139 {{Copyedit|date=May 2008}} {{dablink|For other uses, see [[Medellín (disambiguation)]].}} {{Infobox City |official_name = Municipio de Medellín |nickname = "The City of Everlasting Spring", "Mountain's Capital", "City Of The Flowers", "Orchids' Capital", "Beautiful Village", "Little Silver Cup", "Medallo" |motto = |image_skyline = Centro de Medellin- Colombia.JPG |imagesize = 250px |image_caption = |image_flag = banderamedellín.PNG |image_seal = Escudo de Medellin.png |image_map = MunsAntioquia Medellin.png |mapsize = 250px |map_caption = Location of the city (urban in red) and municipality (dark gray) of Medellín in Antioquia Department. |subdivision_type = [[departments of Colombia|Department]] |subdivision_name = [[Antioquia]] |subdivision_type1 = [[Region]] |subdivision_name1 = Valle de Aburrá |subdivision_type2 = |subdivision_name2 = |leader_title = Mayor |leader_name = [[Alonso Salazar]] Jaramillo |established_title = Founded |established_date = [[March 2]], [[1616]] |area_magnitude = |area_total_km2 = 382 |area_total_sq_mi = |area_land_km2 = |area_land_sq_mi = |area_water_km2 = |area_water_sq_mi = |area_water_percent = |area_urban_km2 = |area_urban_sq_mi = |area_metro_km2 = 1152 |area_metro_sq_mi = |population_as_of = 2006 |population_note = |population_total = 2350227 |population_density_km2 = 5320.75 |population_density_sq_mi = |population_metro = |population_density_metro_km2 = |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_urban = |timezone = |utc_offset = -5 |timezone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |latd=6 |latm=14 |lats=9.33 |latNS=N |longd=75 |longm=34 |longs=30.49 |longEW=W |elevation_m = 1495 |elevation_ft = |postal_code_type = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... --> |postal_code = |area_code = |blank_name = '''[[Human Development Index|HDI]]''' (2006) |blank_info = 0.808 – <span style="color:#090">high</span> |website = [http://www.medellin.gov.co/ Government of Medellín official website] |footnotes = }} '''Medellín''' (Spanish pronunciation {{IPA2|mɛdəˈjiːn}} or {{IPA|[mɛdəˈliːn]}}, [[Spanish language|Spanish]]: {{IPA|[með̞eˈʝin]}} or {{IPA|[með̞eˈʎin]}}) is the [[List of capitals and largest cities by country|second largest city]] in [[Colombia]] and is located in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northern regions of the [[Andes]] in [[South America]]. It has a population of 2.4 million inhabitants.<ref>{{cite web|last=Helders|first=Stefan|url=http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&dat=32&geo=-55&srt=npan&col=aohdq&pt=c&va=&srt=pnan|title=World Gazetteer: Colombia: largest cities: calc 2006|accessdate=2006-06-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Butler|first=Rhett|year=2003|url=http://www.mongabay.com/igapo/Colombia.htm|title=Largest cities in Colombia (2002)|accessdate=2006-06-15}}</ref> Medellín also serves as the core of the [[Metropolitan Area of Medellín|Metropolitan Area]] (''Area Metropolitana de Medellín''), the second largest in Colombia in terms of population with more than 3.2 million and the 95th world [[World's largest cities|most populous metropolitan area]] in the world. Medellín was founded in 1616 by the [[Spain|Spaniard]] Francisco Herrera y Campuzano as ''Poblado de San Lorenzo'' ([[Lawrence of Rome|Saint Lawrence]] Town) in the nowadays [[El Poblado (Medellín)|''El Poblado'' District]]. In 1675 [[Regent]] [[Mariana of Austria]] created the ''[[Villa]] de Nuestra Señora de la [[Candelaria]]'' (''Our Lady of Candelaria''). In 1826 was proclaimed by the Spaniard Colonial Administration as Provincial Capital of [[Department of Antioquia|Antioquia]]. In 1803 was founded the [[University of Antioquia]], one of the most prestigious government-owned education centers in Colombia. After the Colombian Independence from [[Spain]], Medellín became the Capital of the Federal State of Antioquia until 1888 with the proclamation of a centralized Political Constitution. During the 19th century Medellín was a dynamic commercial center with the exportation of [[gold]] first and after with the growing production of [[coffee]]. After the [[Thousand Days War]] (1899 - 1902), Medellín was the first Colombian center to start its [[Industrial Revolution]] with the opening of textile companies, transport projects like the train that made possible the development of import-export activities of its industry and the founding of several centers of superior education and vocational training that created an industrialist and intellectual class. During the second half of the 20th century, Medellín became the headquarter of the [[Infamy|infamous]] [[Pablo Escobar]], leader of its criminal organization, that became the seventh richest man of the world from drug trade according with a 1989 [[Forbes|Forbes Magazine]]'s report.<ref>[http://www.cocaine.org/colombia/pablo-escobar.html P. Escobar].</ref> It was because he and his associates settled their business in the industrial urban center, that his organization was named by the American Media as "[[Medellín Cartel|Cartel of Medellín]]".<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|url=http://www.rakontur.com/2006/10/27/cocaine-cowboys/|title=Cocaine Cowboys|accessdate=2008-05-04}}</ref> Escobar led a terrorist war (1980's - 1990's) against the Colombian government in order to dissuade any intention of extradition to the U.S.A until he was killed by police forces on [[December 2]] [[1993]]. The ''Medellin Cartel War'' was one of the most notable factors causing the city's reputation as a violent and dangerous city, being the motive for a large number of murders. This reputation is one that the city is still trying hard to shake off, and holds true in a reduced with varied estimates averaging around 35 per 100,000 people. The city gained its former industrial dynamism at the beginning of the 21st century with the construction of the [[Metro de Medellín]] urban railway, liberalised development policies, improved security, improved education; and the international promotion of the city as a tourist destination. The Medellín Metropolitan Area makes the 67% of the [[Department of Antioquia|State of Antioquia]]'s [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] and the 11% of the [[Economy of Colombia|National Economy]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Proexpo|first=Colombia|url=http://www.proexport.com.co/VBeContent/NewsDetail.asp?ID=7658&IDCompany=16|title=Economic Overview of Medellín, Colombia|accessdate=2008-05-04}}</ref> Medellín is also regarded as important to the region for its universities, academies, commerce, industries, science, health services, flower production, festivities and [[nightlife]]. The Metropolitan Area of Medellín is the birthplace of several personalities like the [[rock music]]ian [[Juanes]], the inspirational city of painter [[Fernando Botero|Botero]], the birth place of movements of literature like [[Nadaism]], philosophers like [[Fernando González (writer)|González]] and [[Estanislao Zuleta|Zuleta]], the Colombian capital of [[tango]]<ref>[http://primerfestivalinternacionaldeltan.blogspot.com/2007/07/medelln-demostr-que-es-la-capital-del.html 1st International Festival of Tango]. Retrieved on May 8, 2008.</ref> where [[Carlos Gardel|Gardel]] came to die in 1935, the seat of the International Festival of Poetry<ref>Prometeo Art and Poetry Corporation of Medellín, [http://www.festivaldepoesiademedellin.org/pub.php/en/Intro/index.htm International Poetry Festival of Medellín]. Retrieved on May 4, 2008.</ref> and many others. It is claimed that Medellín is a much safer city than previously in recent times<ref>{{cite web|last=Medellintraveler|first=Colombia|url=http://www.medellintraveler.com/|title=The Transformation of Medellín, Colombia|accessdate=2008-05-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Beith|first=Malcolm|url=http://www.medellininfo.com/others/newsweek.html|title= Good Times in Medellin: A city tainted by violence is experiencing a renaissance|accessdate=2008-05-04}}</ref>. Partly thanks to this, it is one of the main tourist destinations in Colombia. <ref>{{cite web|last=Medellín Info|first=|url=http://www.medellininfo.com/|title=Tourism|accessdate=2008-05-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Matthew|url=http://albeiror24.wordpress.com/2008/03/11/colombia-an-emerging-travel-destination/|title=Colombia: An Emerging Travel Destination|accessdate=2008-05-04}}</ref> == Origin of the name == [[Image:Diego Velázquez 032.jpg|right|thumb|100px|[[Regent]] [[Mariana of Austria]].]] The new Spaniard settlement got five names before the actual: Aburrá de los Yamesíes, San Lorenzo de Aburrá, San Lorenzo de Aná, Valle de San Bartolomé, Villa de la Candelaria de Medellín and Medellín. The name of the city honours [[Medellín (Spain)|Medellín]] of [[Extremadura]] ([[Spain]]) because some of the Spaniard conquerors, like [[Gaspar de Rodas]], the first governor of [[Department of Antioquia|Antioquia]], came from that region of [[Badajoz (province)|Badajoz]]. The [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberian Medellín]] was founded in 75 BC by [[Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius]].<ref>[http://www.medellin.es/psituacion.htm Ayuntamiento de Medellín (España). Toponímicos de Medellín].</ref> [[Count]] Pedro Portocarrero y Luna, President of the Council for the Western India (''Consejo de Indias''), asked the [[Monarchy]] to give the name of his town, Medellín of Extremadura, to the new foundation in America. His request was accepted on [[November 22]] [[1674]] when [[Regent]] [[Mariana of Austria]] proclaimed the name of ''Villa de Nuestra Señora de Medellín''. The official proclamation was given by Miguel Aguinaga y Mendiogoitia, Governor, on November 2, 1675. ==History== === Aborigines === There are archaeological evidences of human settlements in the Aburrá Valley since 10,500 years by [[hunter]]s and [[collector]]s. The Spaniard conquers of the Valley found groups like Aburrá, Yamesí, Pequé, Ebejico, Norisco and Maní that were in the Valley since about the 5th century. The Aburrá people gave the name to the Valley. They lived from agriculture ([[maize]], [[beans]] and [[cotton]]), [[Textile|textile weaving]] and decoration, commercialization of [[salt]] and [[goldsmith]]. Under the Spaniard rule they lost the possession of the land and were located in mines and [[feudalist]] systems. Sickness brought by the Europeans, the heavy work and mistreatments caused their extinction, at least from the Valley. Descendants and peoples related to the Aburrá Valley ancient ancestors could be found today in other regions of the Antioquia State like [[Urabá]] and the West and South regions. === The Spaniard discovering of the Valley === [[Image:Jorge Robledo-Busto-Medellin.JPG|thumb|right|110px|Marshal Jorge Robledo.]] In [[August]] 1541 [[Marshal]] Jorge Robledo was in what is today [[Heliconia, Antioquia|Heliconia]], when he saw at the distant what he thought was a valley. He sent Jerónimo Luis Tejelo to explore the territory and Tejelo arrived during the night of [[August 23]] to a plain field. The Spaniards gave the name of Valley of [[Bartholomew the Apostle|Saint Bartholomew]] that was to be changed for the Aboriginal one of Aburrá that is translated as the "''Painters''" due to the textile decorations of the natives.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge: Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo (tr. "''Medellín, Its Origin, Progress and Development''"), Ed. Servigráficas, Medellín, 1981. ISBN 84-300-3286-X.</ref> However, the conquerors did not feel attracted by the valley due to the lack of wealth and the bellicosity of the aborigines. In 1574 Gaspar de Rodas asked to the [[Department of Antioquia|Antioquia]]'s [[Cabildo (council)|Cabildo]] four miles of land to establish herds and food stays in the valley. The Cabildo granted three miles.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge: Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo.</ref> In 1616 the Colonial Visitor Francisco de Herrera y Campuzano founded a settlement with 80 aborigines naming it "''Poblado de San Lorenzo''" in what is today "[[El Poblado, Medellín|El Poblado Square]]". In 1646 a [[racist]] Colonial law ordered the separation of aborigines from [[mestizo]]s and [[mulatto]]s and for this reason the colonial administration began the construction of a new town in Aná, where is today the [[La Candelaria, Medellín|Berrio Square]] and where it was built a place called ''Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Aná'' (''Our Lady of Candelaria of Aná''). Three years after they started the construction of the [[Iglesia La Candelaria de Medellín|Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria]], rebuilt at the end of the 18th century.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge: Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo.</ref> === Development of the Villa === [[Image:Iglesia de Nuestra Iglesia de la Candelaria-Mede.JPG|160px|thumb|right|Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria in the Berrio Square.]] After 1574, with the establishing of Gaspar de Rodas in the Valley, population started to grow according with weddings registered in the San Lorenzo Church: six couples between 1646 and 1650 to 41 couples between 1671 and 1675.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge: Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo.</ref> The development of gold mines in the Northeast of Antioquia required an agricultural region to provide enough food, therefore, the Aburrá Valley became the nearest supplier. Moreover, the Aburrá Valley is located in a strategic position between the gold mines' region and what was the first provincial capital of Antioquia, [[Santa Fe de Antioquia|Santa Fe]].<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge: Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo.</ref> Santa Fe became an old and poor town, while trade and prominent personalities of the region were passing through the Aburrá Valley where rich families started to buy lands. Soon the first settlers asked the creation of the [[Cabildo (council)|Cabildo]] in the Valley, thus gaining a most autonomous administration from Santa Fe.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge: Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo.</ref> Such intention was opposed by the Santa Fe administration, but [[Regent]] [[Mariana of Austria]] signed the edict of its creation on [[November 22]] [[1674]]. The governor Miguel de Aguinaga proclaimed the royal edict on [[November 2]] [[1675]] where it was given the title of ''Villa de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria''.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge: Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo.</ref> === During the Spanish Colony === [[Image:Plano de Medellin 1791.jpg|thumb|right|100px|Map of Medellín as it was in 1791.]] Before the creation of the [[Villa]], the inhabitants were dispersed in the Valley and there were only some families concentrated in the junction of Aná Stream (today Santa Helena Stream) and [[Medellín River]] and others were living in El Poblado San Lorenzo. With the royal edict the settlers chose the Aná Site as the heart of the future city with the Candelaria Church as the centre. [[Image:Iglesia La Veracruz-Fachada 2-Medellin.JPG|160px|thumb|right|[[Iglesia de la Veracruz (Medellín)|The Veracruz Church]]]] The first constructions were simple: straw roofs, the houses of the most important persons were of two floors, while the church and the Cabildo had nothing to admire. It was only during the 18th century when they started to beautify the church. The Cabildo had only one floor located at the western part of the plaza and it had straw roof until 1742 when it was changed by roof tiles. In 1682 traders and foreigners started the construction of [[Iglesia de la Veracruz (Medellín)|Veracruz Hermitage]] that was consecrated as a church by the Bishop of [[Popayán]] in 1712.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge: Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo.</ref> The first census during the Colonial times in the Valley was done in 1675: there were 3,000 persons and 280 families. There was not other census in the following hundred years until the colonial visitor Antonio Mon y Velarde ordered one that was done between 1786 and 1787: there were 14,507 persons and 241 families. In 1808, two years before the independence, there were 15,347 persons and 360 families.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge (1981), Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo, Servigráficas, Medellín. ISBN 84-300-3286-X.</ref> In 1803 was founded the ''Royal College of the Franciscans'' in the Central Plaza (today Berrío Square) with faculties as [[grammar]], [[philosophy]] and [[theology]].<ref>According with ''Suramericana de Seguros'', History of Antioquia, Ed. Presencia Ltda, Medellín, 1988, without ISBN, in Spanish.</ref> Soon after they translated the [[College]] to a new building in the ''San Ignacio Plazoleta''. In 1821 was renamed as ''Colegio de Antioquia'' (Antioquia's College} and finally it was named ''[[Universidad de Antioquia]]'' in 1901. The first Antioquian university was also the seat for the first skill training school, the first cultural [[radio broadcasting]] of [[Latin America]], the first regional [[botanical garden]] and it is nowadays popular for development in medicine and [[organ transplant]]. === The Medellín Industrial Revolution === [[Image:Estacion del Ferrocarril -Medellin.JPG|200 px|thumb|right|Central Rail Station.]] The population of Medellín grew six times during the first part of the 20th century from 59.815 inhabitants in 1905 to 358,189 in 1951. During the 19th century the city got a national importance because its production of gold and coffee and the construction of the regional railway (''Ferrocarril de Antioquia''). The [[Thousand Days War]] (1899-1902), stopped the industrial development of the city , although the [[civil war]] did not touch the region in a direct way. Thanks to reforms by President [[Rafael Reyes]] after the conflict, the city restarted its industrial development<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge (1981), Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo, Servigráficas, Medellín. ISBN 84-300-3286-X.</ref> with the foundation of the [[Chamber of commerce|Chamber of Commerce]] of Medellín. The Chamber was the responsible of the development of a regional transport project that put Medellín in contact with other Colombian regions and the international economies at the time. However the importance of gold production in the development of the city, the product that would make the city to grow during the 20th century, was [[coffee]] that was to become of international dimensions as the first export product of the country as [[Café de Colombia]]. The industrial and commercial dynamism of Medellín created also a caste of traders and entrepreneurs that were to open the first industries with a national projection.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge (1981), Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo, Servigráficas, Medellín. ISBN 84-300-3286-X.</ref> However, the hot part of the industrialization came during the 1930s with the development of [[textile]]s created by families which fortunes came from the gold mine exploitation during the Colonial time. There were also production of glass, drinks and food that put Medellín as the first industrial region of Colombia. It is during the 1930s that most of the Antioquian industries were created and many of them still alive, either with their original names or with modifications. [[Image:Coltejer-Medellin.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [[Coltejer Tower]], the tallest building of Medellín, was built between 1968 and 1972, became an international symbol of the city. ''[[Coltejer]]'' is one of the most important [[textile]] companies of Colombia and it was founded in Medellín by Alejandro Echavarría in [[October 22]] [[1907]].<ref>Compañía Colombiana de Tejidos (''Colombian Textile Company'') Coltejer: [http://www.coltejer.com.co/empresa.htm History of the Company], [[Itagüí]], Colombia, Retrieved on on May 7, 2008.</ref>]] The discovering of [[coal]] mines in [[Amagá]], few miles at the south of the Aburrá Valley, and the building of [[Hydroelectricity|industrial hydroelectric plants]] gave the energy that the big new industries required and they supported the creation of several small companies. The Antioquia Railway (constructed in 1875) defeated the difficult geography of one of the most mountainous regions of [[South America]], especially with the construction of ''La Quiebra Tunnel'' which allowed the industrial center to get in connection with the [[Magdalena River]], the main fluvial commercial way of Colombia. Also during the 1930s Medellín became a main trade center in the region and it got its first airport, the ''Enrique Olaya Herrera'' Airport in 1932.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge (1981), Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo, Servigráficas, Medellín. ISBN 84-300-3286-X.</ref> The study of [[Charles H. Savage]] about the ways of production in the Antioquia region for ten years (1960 - 1972) is an example of how important the Medellín industries came to be in the Colombian and South American context. He studied the consequence of the social changes produced by the introduction of technologies to give as a result a kind of development. Savage examined three factories from Antioquia: two pottery works in [[Santuario]] and La Blanca and a tailoring factory in Medellín. What was admired by Savage was not only the kind of production of the Antioquian factories, but the working relationships of the workers and their patrons, giving as a result an industrial productivity and efficiency that he called the "Culture of Work". Savage died in 1973,<ref>Charles H. Savage presented the conclusion of his investigation in his thesis "Factory in the Andes: Social Organization in a Developing Economy" to gain the Doctorate in Business Administration in the [[University of Harvard]] in 1962.</ref> but his conclusions were published by his college [[George F. Lombardi]] as ''[[Sons of the Machines]]''.<ref>SAVAGE, CHARLES H. AND LOMBARD, GEORGE F. F., Sons Of The Machine. Cambridge, MIT Press, 1986. F First Edition, H Hard Cover, J Very Good, Fine in Very Good Jacket. '''Also see''': JSTOR: Trusted Archived for Scholarship, "[http://www.jstor.org/pss/3105262 Sons of the Machine: Case Studies of Social Change in the Workplace]" by Charles H. Savage, Jr.; George F. F. Lombard. Technology and Culture, Vol. 29, No. 1 (Jan., 1988), pp. 177-179 (review consists of 3 pages) Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press on behalf of the Society for the History of Technology, link checked on May 6, 2008.</ref> === Art and literature during the first part of the 20th century === [[Image:UNAL-Bloque M5-Facultad de Minas-Medellin.JPG|170px|thumb|right|Faculty of Mines of the National University of Colombia, Medellín branch.]] The [[University of Antioquia]], the [[National University of Colombia]] with its Medellín branch and the [[Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana]], have been the historical academic centres in the city and the responsible for the formation of an intellectual class in the region with a national and international projection. Arts and literature have been an important social element in Medellín. During the first part of the 20th century the city saw in literature the transition from [[romanticism]] to the most modern art and literary movements of the new century. [[Tomás Carrasquilla]] (1858 - 1940) was among those who represent such transition with a work that focused on the people of his native Antioquia, accurately portraying their daily lives and customs. The writer and philosopher [[Fernando González (writer)|Fernando González]] from [[Envigado]] (in the Metropolitan Area of Medellín), the cartoonist [[Ricardo Rendón]] and the poet [[León de Greiff]], all of these founders among others of ''Los Panidas'', a Medellín literature movement of the time. Other featured poets and writers were [[Porfirio Barbajacob]] and [[Efe Gómez]], while as painters the masters were [[Eladio Vélez]] and [[Pedro Nel Gómez]]. Among musicians were [[Carlos Vieco Ortiz]] and the city became a national centre of home record music like ''Sonolux'', ''Ondina'' and ''Silver''.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge (1981), Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo, Servigráficas, Medellín. ISBN 84-300-3286-X.</ref> The Medellín Clubs, many of them with a long tradition traced in the city since the end of the 19th century, became also a centre for intellectual and industrialist movements like ''Club Union'' (founded in 1894) and ''Club Campestre'' (founded in 1924). In 1909 was created ''Circo España'' and ''Teatro Bolívar'' in 1919. The beautiful ''Teatro Junín'' was demolished for the construction of the [[Coltejer Tower]]. ''Cine Colombia'', the first movie distributor of the country, was founded in Medellín in 1927.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge (1981), Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo, Servigráficas, Medellín. ISBN 84-300-3286-X.</ref> === Medellín Master Plan === [[Image:El Poblado Medellín(1).jpg|right|thumb|300px|[[El Poblado, Medellín|El Poblado]], the southern and rich district, was the first village founded by Spaniards in the Aburrá Valley, today is one of the most important urban and economic centre in Colombia.]] During the 1950s the industrialists, traders and local government traced what was called the "Medellín Master Plan" (MMP) (''Plan Piloto'') consisting in an urban projection of the city in the Aburrá Valley that would give way to the creation of the first Metropolitan Area in Colombia. [[Paul Wiener]] and [[José Luis Sert]] were the architects that leaded the project. Among the main features of the MMP were the canalization of the [[Medellín River]], the control of new settlements in the Valley slopes, the creation of an industrial zone in the Guayabal District, the planning of the city in harmony with the river, the construction of a main sport zone with the city stadium and an administrative centre in ''La Alpujarra''.<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge (1981), Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo, Servigráficas, Medellín. ISBN 84-300-3286-X.</ref> However, Colombia entered in a new era of political instability with the murder of presidential candidate [[Jorge Eliecer Gaitán]] in [[El Bogotazo|Bogotá]] in 1949 and political violence punished the rural areas of Colombia. Farmers fled to the cities and Medellín saw the fast growing of its population in the span of a few years. The Valley slopes became soon popular quarters with poor conditions that would change the history of the industrialist centre. In 1951 the city had 358,189 inhabitants and only 20 years after, in 1973, the population was of 1,071,252 inhabitants, thus three times more. This demographic explosion had several consequences in the MMP: the urban limits of the city grew to areas that were not contemplated in the MMP making that Medellín touched the urban areas of other cities of the Aburrá Valley like [[Envigado]], [[Bello]] and [[Itagüí]] among others; the new Medellín settlers were poor families without credit to buy their housing, therefore, several quarters were built out of the MMP; several old downtown buildings were demolished to construct tall towers, offices and avenues. For example, the other time beautiful and traditional Junin Theatre along the ''Santa Elena Stream'' was demolished to build the Coltejer Tower. The migration provided with enough workforces that contributed in a bigger expansion of textile factories that were modernized during this period,<ref>Restrepo Uribe, Jorge (1981), Medellín, su Origen, Progreso y Desarrollo, Servigráficas, Medellín. ISBN 84-300-3286-X.</ref> but it created new problems for the city as the rising of unemployment, lack of services for poor quarters, urban violence in several districts and a collapse of any transport system that so far has served the city. It was the perfect conditions for the development of [[mafia]] that were to punish the city in the following decades, while the MMP had to wait better times. === Cultural life in the last decades === [[Image:La Raza de Rodrigo Arenas Betancur-Medellin.JPG|240 px|thumb|right|"La Raza" Monument, a work in bronze and concrete of [[Rodrigo Arenas|Rodrigo Arenas Betancur]], 124 feet tall. It is located in La Alpujarra Administrative Centre.]] The 1950s decade saw also a new generation of writers and artists in Medellín with new literature tendencies and many of them strong critics of the local and national life. [[Manuel Mejía Vallejo]] established a new narrative style without abandon his regional preferences. It was also the time of [[Nadaism]], a literature movement founded by [[Gonzalo Arango]] and many other companions that was openly anti-clerical, expressing against the traditional institutions of society and culture and considered philosophically [[nihilist]]. The painter [[Debora Arango]] joined the social and political reviews of the Colombian arena with her works. Other painter that would make Medellín famous in art was [[Fernando Botero]] who found in the daily life of the city and its dramas the inspiration for his work. He donated most of this works to the [[Museum of Antioquia]] and the city dedicated to him the [[Botero Square]]. In the 1970s the artist [[Rodrigo Arenas|Rodrigo Arenas Betancur]] would let his monumental works of sculptures not only in Medellín but also in many other regions of Colombia. His famous work, the ''Monument to the Race'' in La Alpujarra Administrative Center was homage to the [[Paisa]] culture. There were many cultural centres built during this time that enriched the city like the Pablo Tobón Uribe Theatre (1967), the Modern Art Museum (1978) and the Metropolitan Theatre (1987). In 2000 the traditional Museum of Antioquia had a second official opening with many works of Fernando Botero. It was also the time of new universities in the city like [[Medellín University]] (1950) and [[Universidad EAFIT|Eafit University]] (1960). === Violence and overcoming === [[Image:Parque del Periodista.JPG|thumb|right|Park of the Journalist in [[Medellín]] downtown with a monument to the victims of the [[Villatina Massacre]].]] The 1980s and beggining of 1990's was a critical time for Medellín as it came to be the base of powerful international [[drug trafficking]] organisations named by the American press as [[Medellín Cartel]], a name that would associate the prestigious industrial city to crime and violence and gave to it the infamous title of "''Murder Capital of the World''".<ref>[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=murder+capital+of+the+world Urban Dictionary, Retrieved on May 7, 2008.], Murder Capital of the World.</ref> The [[Infamy|infamous]] [[Pablo Escobar]] led a criminal organization. The [[Colombian armed conflict (1960s–present)|Colombian conflict]] would have its effects in the Andean coffee city with urban dispute for its control by [[guerrilla]] and [[paramilitary groups]]. It was, however, delinquent elements such as street gangs that made Medellín one of the violent cities in the world. In the year 1991, for example, the city recorded 6,349 homicides and a rate eleven times higher than that of [[Chicago]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.medellin.gov.co/AdmonContenido/EstadisticasGobierno/DocumentosEstadisticasGobierno/REGISTRO%20MENSUAL%20DE%20HOMICIDIOS%20198806.pdf|title=REGISTRO MENSUAL DE HOMICIDIOS COMUNES EN MEDELLIN|accessdate=2007-07-14 |format=PDF |publisher=Medellin |language=Spanish}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://idbdocs.iadb.org/wsdocs/getdocument.aspx?docnum=821497|title=Violencia Juvenil|accessdate=2007-07-14 |publisher=idbdocs |language=Spanish}}</ref> In the early 21st century, Medellín has become a normal city for its residents and international travellers due to recent economic and social changes. <ref>{{cite web|publisher=Fundación Seguridad y Democracia |year=2006 |url=http://www.seguridadydemocracia.org/docs/pdf/seguridadUrbana/indiceEnero31.pdf |title=Índice de la Seguridad Urbana 2005 |accessdate=2006-10-16 |language=Spanish |format=PDF}}</ref> The local government and its citizens in general have gone to great lengths to shake off its bad reputation and improve the image of the city, with tangible results. In 2006 the rate of intentional homicides was 33 per 100,000 people, the lowest in over 20 years, and one of the best improvements of any city in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.derechoshumanos.gov.co/observatorio/departamentos/2007/antioquia.pdf |title=Diagnóstico Departamental Antioquia |accessdate=2008-04-07 |format=PDF |publisher=Derechos Humanos y DIH |language=Spanish |pages=p. 14}}</ref> Most of the homicides tend to occur in the poorer northern sections of the city, and much work is being done to build greater infrastructure, such as public libraries, new schools and strong community programmes. In fact, by way of comparison, the homicide rate in Medellín is now lower than that of [[Caracas]] with 110 per 100,000, [[Recife]] with 90 and [[Cali]] with 62.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.incosec.org/Microsoft%20PowerPoint%20-%20plan180%20actualizado.pdf |title=Actualización del “Plan 180” |accessdate=2008-06-14 |format=PDF |pages=pp. 47, 52 |publisher=INCOSEC |language=Spanish}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ritla.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2314&Itemid=147 |title=Mapa da Violência dos Municípios Brasileiros |accessdate=2008-06-15 |format=PDF |pages=p. 47 |publisher=RITLA |language=Portuguese}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.derechoshumanos.gov.co/observatorio/departamentos/2007/valle.pdf |title=Diagnóstico Departamental Valle del Cauca |accessdate=2008-06-14 |publisher=Derechos Humanos y DIH |language=Spanish |pages=p. 5}}</ref>. === Medellín today === [[Image:Biblioteca España(1)-Medellin.JPG|thumb|right|240px|Spain Library, a modern, art-shaped architectonic and huge library built at the top of the highest slopes of northern Medellín and in one of the former most violent quarters of the city, today a symbol of peace and a real tourist spot.]] The vocation of Medellín as the industrial city of Colombia has been the main factor to support the overcoming of its 1980's-1990's crisis. The [[Metro de Medellín]], a massive urban transport service, became the proud of the city and so far the only Colombian Metro that helped the city to recover the ''Medellín Master Plan'' designed in the 1950s. The construction of the ''[[Plaza Mayor of Medellín|Plaza Mayor]]'', an international centre for congresses and expositions, was designed to show the [[Globalization|globalized]] economy of Colombia to the world. Medellín is today a modern city with a 3 million population Metropolitan Area that is recovering the rithm of its vocation as a main trade and industrial centre. The former violent crisis served also to make the purpose of demolish the heavy social barriers that were in a big part the reason of many social evils. The same Metro joined the Metropolitan Area from poor to rich districts and a new planning of the public buses is undergoing with the so-called "Metroplus". The spaces for art, poetry, drama, the construction of public libraries, the foundation of new ecological parks and the integration of the Medellineans to the development of their own city, can be widely proven today.<ref>Nelson Alcantara: [http://www.decolombia.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=35 Colombia’s Medellin: City transformed], February 23, 2008. De Colombia Net. Retrieved on May 7, 2008.</ref> ==Geography and climate== [[Image:HPIM0506.JPG|thumb|right|View of Medellín at night]] Medellín has an area of 382 km². It has 16 ''[[comuna]]s'' (districts), 5 ''[[corregimiento|township]]s'' and 271 ''[[barrio]]s''. The [[metropolitan area]] of Medellín lies within the Aburrá valley at an elevation of 1,538 meters and is bisected by the [[Medellín River]], which flows northward. North of the valley are the towns of [[Bello, Antioquia|Bello]], [[Copacabana, Antioquia|Copacabana]], [[Girardota]] and [[Barbosa, Antioquia|Barbosa]]. To the south of the valley [[Itagüí]], [[Envigado]], [[Sabaneta, Antioquia|Sabaneta]], [[La Estrella]] and [[Caldas]] can be found. Because Medellín is located at {{convert|5000|ft|m|-2|abbr=on}} above sea level, its climate is not as hot as other cities located at the same latitude near the equator. Because of its altitude above sea level and privileged location in the Andes Range, Medellín's weather is more characteristic of a [[Humid subtropical climate]] rather than that of a [[Tropical climate]]. The city's average annual temperature is 22 °C (72 °F) and because of its proximity to the equator, its temperature is constant year round with minimal temperature variations. Temperatures range from 15 °C (52 °F) to 30 °C (86 °F). The pleasant spring-like climate year round makes it known as 'La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera' or 'City of the Eternal Spring'. However, as the city is located in a Valley and many of its districts are on slopes, temperatures can be even cooler on its surrounding mountains. {|class="wikitable collapsible" align="center" style="font-size:90%;width:100%;border:0px;text-align:center;line-height:120%" ! colspan= "13" style="background: #6688AA; color: white;" | '''Weather averages for Medellín City''' |- ! colspan= "13" style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Temperature (°C) |- ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" height="16" | Month ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Jan ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Feb ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Mar ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Apr ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | May ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Jun ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Jul ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Aug ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Sept ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Oct ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Nov ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Dec |- ! height="16;" |Minimum average | style="background: #181CF7; color: white;" align=right| 16,1 | style="background: #181CF7; color: white;" align=right| 16,3 | style="background: #181CF7; color: white;" align=right| 16,7 | style="background: #181CF7; color: white;" align=right| 17,0 | style="background: #181CF7; color: white;" align=right| 17,0 | style="background: #181CF7; color: white;" align=right| 16,6 | style="background: #2400D8; color: white;" align=right| 16,1 | style="background: #2400D8; color: white;" align=right| 16,3 | style="background: #181CF7; color: white;" align=right| 16,2 | style="background: #181CF7; color: white;" align=right| 16,3 | style="background: #181CF7; color: white;" align=right| 16,4 | style="background: #181CF7; color: white;" align=right| 16,3 |- ! height="16;" |Average | style="background: #99EAFF; color: black;" align=right| 22,0 | style="background: #99EAFF; color: black;" align=right| 22,3 | style="background: #99EAFF; color: black;" align=right| 22,3 | style="background: #99EAFF; color: black;" align=right| 22,0 | style="background: #99EAFF; color: black;" align=right| 21,9 | style="background: #99EAFF; color: black;" align=right| 22,3 | style="background: #99EAFF; color: black;" align=right| 22,5 | style="background: #99EAFF; color: black;" align=right| 22,5 | style="background: #99EAFF; color: black;" align=right| 21,9 | style="background: #75D3FF; color: black;" align=right| 21,2 | style="background: #75D3FF; color: black;" align=right| 21,2 | style="background: #75D3FF; color: black;" align=right| 21,5 |- ! height="16;" |Maximum average | style="background: #FFAC75; color: black;" align=right| 28,1 | style="background: #FFAC75; color: black;" align=right| 28,5 | style="background: #FFAC75; color: black;" align=right| 28,5 | style="background: #FFD6BC; color: black;" align=right| 27,9 | style="background: #FFD6BC; color: black;" align=right| 27,8 | style="background: #FFD6BC; color: black;" align=right| 28,1 | style="background: #FFAC75; color: black;" align=right| 28,6 | style="background: #FFAC75; color: black;" align=right| 28,5 | style="background: #FFAC75; color: black;" align=right| 28,0 | style="background: #FFD6BC; color: black;" align=right| 27,2 | style="background: #FFD6BC; color: black;" align=right| 27,3 | style="background: #FFD6BC; color: black;" align=right| 27,6 |- ! colspan= "13" style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Raining average, sun brightness and relative humidity |- ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" height="16" | Month ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Jan ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Feb ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Mar ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Apr ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | May ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Jun ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Jul ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Aug ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Sept ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Oct ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Nov ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Dec |- ! height="16;" |Average raining (mm) | style="background: #B2F2FF; color: black;" align=right| 55 | style="background: #7FD4FF; color: black;" align=right| 77 | style="background: #1965FF; color: black;" align=right| 114 | style="background: #003FFF; color: black;" align=right| 179 | style="background: #3288FF; color: black;" align=right| 191 | style="background: #99E5FF; color: black;" align=right| 153 | style="background: #E5FFFF; color: black;" align=right| 108 | style="background: #B2F2FF; color: black;" align=right| 154 | style="background: #7FD4FF; color: black;" align=right| 178 | style="background: #1965FF; color: black;" align=right| 218 | style="background: #3288FF; color: black;" align=right| 150 | style="background: #7FD4FF; color: black;" align=right| 79 |- ! height="16;" |Raining days | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 11 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 12 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 16 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 21 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 23 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 18 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 16 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 19 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 21 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 24 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 21 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 14 |- ! height="16;" |Relative humidity (%) | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 66 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 66 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 67 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 70 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 71 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 68 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 63 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 64 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 68 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 72 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 73 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=right| 70 |- ! height="16;" |Sun brightness (hour/month) | style="background: #FFFF14; color: black;" align=right| 177 | style="background: #FFFFAB; color: black;" align=right| 148 | style="background: #FFFF81; color: black;" align=right| 154 | style="background: #FFFFEA; color: black;" align=right| 128 | style="background: #FFFFEA; color: black;" align=right| 142 | style="background: #FFFFC0; color: black;" align=right| 170 | style="background: #FFFF14; color: black;" align=right| 204 | style="background: #FFFF14; color: black;" align=right| 192 | style="background: #FFFF96; color: black;" align=right| 150 | style="background: #FFFFAB; color: black;" align=right| 135 | style="background: #FFFFC0; color: black;" align=right| 140 | style="background: #FFFF6C; color: black;" align=right| 156 |- ! rowspan= "4" colspan= "3" style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Information according to: <br/>[[Olaya Herrera Airport]]<br/>IDEAM<ref>"[http://www.ideam.gov.co/atlas/mclima.htm Atlas climatológico de Colombia]" (Colombian Climates Atlas)</ref> ! rowspan= "4" colspan= "2" style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Annual <br />average ! colspan= "3" style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Temperature ! colspan= "4" style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Raining ! rowspan= "2" style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Sun <br/>brightness |- ! style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Min ! style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Med ! style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Max ! style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Total ! style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Raining ! colspan= "2" style="background: #446688; color: white;" | Humidity |- ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | °C ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | °C ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | °C ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | mm ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | Days ! colspan= "2" style="background: #DDDDDD;" | % ! style="background: #DDDDDD;" | hours |- | style="background: #2400D8; color: white;" | 16,4 | style="background: #99EAFF; color: black;" | 22,0 | style="background: #FFAC75; color: black;" | 28,0 | style="background: #65BFFF; color: black;" align=center| 1656 | style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=center| 215 | colspan= "2" style="background: #F0F0F0; color: black;" align=center | 68 | style="background: #FFFF81; color: black;" align=center| 158 |} ==Administrative divisions== [[Image:Comunas de Medellin.png|thumb|right|Communes in Medellín]] [[Image:Corregimientos de Medellin.png|thumb|right|Townships (rural areas) in Medellín]] Medellín is a city based in a [[republican]] democratic system that comes from the Administrative decentralisation processes stated in the [[Colombian Constitution of 1991]]. Government is shared by the '''[[Mayor]] of Medellín''' and the Municipal Council, both elected by popular vote. The municipality is made by official departments (''secretarías''): Social promotion, urban culture, social development, education, evaluation and control, government, resources, public works, administrative services, environment, general department, private department, transport and women. There are also many departments with a certain autonomy: the Olaya Herrera Airport, the Public Library (''Biblioteca Pública Piloto''), the College of Antioquia (''Colegio Mayor''), the Urban Development Enterprise (EDU), the Public Service Enterprise (EEPPM), the Sport and Recreation Institute (INDER), the General Enterprises of Medellín (EEVVM), the Medellín Bus stations, the General Hospital of Medellín, the health service enterprise "Metrosalud", the Metropolitan Institute of Technology (ITM), the [[Metro de Medellín]], the Department for the Administration of the Medellín parks (Metroparques) and Metroseguridad. The city belongs to the Medellín Metropolitan Area that is made by ten municipalities. Medellín is divided into six zones and these are subdivided into 16 Communes. The [[barrio]]s and urban institutional areas make the Communes. There are more than 249 barrios and 5 [[corregimiento|township]]s, which are part of the municipality of Medellín. ====Zones==== * South-eastern Zone: [[El Poblado (Medellín)|El Poblado]] [[Communes of Colombia|Commune]]. * South-western Zone: Guayabal and Belén communes. * West Central Zone: Laureles, La América and San Javier communes. * East Central Zone: La Candelaria, Villa Hermosa and Buenos Aires communes. * North-western Zone: Castilla, Doce de Octubre and Robledo communes. * North-eastern Zone: Aranjuez, Manrique, Popular and Santa Cruz commune. * [[Corregimiento|Township]]s: Palmitas, San Cristóbal, Altavista, San Antonio de Prado and Santa Elena. === Street nomenclature=== Streets in Medellín are somewhat defined based on the [[Cartesian coordinate system]]. Certain definitions for these streets are: * Street (Calle): any street running from east to west and vice versa. The numbers increase from south to north except in a zone of El Poblado where the street numbers increase from north to south adding the denomination "sur". e.g.: Calle 10 sur. In downtown streets are known by name and many of them honouring [[Latin America]]n countries: Calle Colombia, Calle Perú, Calle Bolivia, Calle Venezuela, etc. * Street (Carreras): run from south to north and vice versa; Carrera 1st starting to the east. * Circulars (Circulares): these streets loop certain areas, for example in Barrio Laures around Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. They are known by numbers: Circular 1... * Transversals (Transversales). * Diagonal streets (Diagonales). * Avenues (Avenidas): usually wide and large streets, with some sort of importance. They have names : Avenida Jorge Eliecer Gaitán, Avenida Regional, Avenida El Poblado, etc. * Boulevards (Pasajes): Rather a pedestrian street with gardens, the most popular is "''Pasaje Junín''" between the Coltejer Tower and the Bolívar Square, downtown. {{wide image|medellin_panorama.jpg|1111px|Panorama}} == Economy == [[Image:Edificio Argos-Medellin.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Headquarters of Argos Company, the first cement industrial group of Colombia.<ref>[http://www.argos.com.co/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN4i3MPMASYGYxqb6kWhCjgiRIH1vfV-P_NxU_QD9gtzQiHJHR0UAcrHMnA!!/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvd0ZNQUFzQUMvNElVRS82XzBfQ0k! Data on ''Cementos Argos'']</ref>]] The present-day economy of Medellín is one of the largest of Colombia and is led by a powerful group of people from the private sector known as the ''Grupo Empresarial Antioqueño'' (Antioquian Enterprises Group). (It was known as the ''Sindicato Antioqueño'' -Antioquian Union-, but after being mistakenly associated with working unions abroad, which hampered its international growth for many years; the more formal name was created) . Represented by David Bojanini; who leads ''Suramericana de Seguros'' (an insurance conglomerate), Carlos Piedrahita; with the ''Compañía Nacional de Chocolates'' (Food industry), José Alberto Velez; ''Cementos Argos'' (a multinational cement company) and Jorge Londoño; leading Bancolombia, (Colombia's largest bank). Together they consolidated this group that has an aggregate market capitalization of approximately US$17 billion dollars and who employ more than 80,000 Colombians.<ref>[http://www.suleasing-intl.com/Colombia/ColGrupoSura.asp Grupo Empresarial Antioqueño] on www.suleasing-intl.com. Accessed [[15 October]] [[2006]]</ref> This group also participates in other sectors of the city industry and is an active trader in the Colombian stock exchange. The city serves as headquarters for many national and multinational companies and its centres of higher education constantly contribute to the modernization of the region and its industry. [[Tourism]] has strongly developed in the city in recent years. The main economic products are [[steel]], [[textile]]s, [[confection]]s, food and [[beverage]], [[agriculture]] (from its rural area), [[public services]], chemical products and pharmaceuticals, refined [[oil]] and [[flower]] exports. === Medellín [[GDP]] === [[Image:Edificio EPM-Fachada- Este-Medellin.JPG|right|thumb|200px|''Edificio Inteligente'' (The "Intelligent Tower"), headquarters of the Public Enterprises of Medellín (EPM).]] According to [[Proexport Colombia]], the [[Gross Domestic Product]] (GDP) can be studied in two areas: Medellín as a [[Metropolitan Area]] and Medellín itself. As a Metro Area, it contributes the 67% of the total State of Antioquia's GDP. As the only city it contributes the 55% of the GDP State. At its level the State of Antioquia is the second national economical region of Colombia. The Antioquia's GDP was by 2005 more than USD 14,700 and it is the first exporter State of Colombia.<ref>Revista Semana (2007): «Ruta Empresarial», en Semana, vol. II, Edición especial, Nº 1329. p. 106.</ref> The Aburrá Valley is the first economical concentration of the State and its GDP was of USD 7,800 million.<ref>Proexport Colombia: [http://www.proexport.com.co/VBeContent/NewsDetail.asp?ID=7658&IDCompany=16 Report on Medellín's Economy by 2005]. Retrieved on May 8, 2008.</ref> In the National GDP, Medellín contributes the 8%. If we combined the Medellín GDP contribution with the one of [[Valle del Cauca|Valle del Cauca State]] the total is 11%. It means that Medellín is the second economical region in Colombia after [[Bogotá]] as far as 2005. The 2005 Report of the Economic Colombian Review of Proexport and the International Cooperation Agency of Medellín, concluded also that Medellín was at the same level of GDP contribution to the national economy with cities like [[Panama City|Panama]], [[Lima]] and [[San José de Costa Rica]]. The % GDP contribution of Medellín to the national economy was superior to cities like [[Monterrey]] - [[Mexico]] (6,47%); [[Cali]] - [[Colombia]] (6,26%) and [[Miami]] - [[United States|USA]] (0,58%).<ref>Proexport Colombia: [http://www.proexport.com.co/VBeContent/NewsDetail.asp?ID=7658&IDCompany=16 Report on Medellín's Economy by 2005], participation of the cities GDP by countries provided by the International Cooperation Agency of Medellín. Retrieved on May 8, 2008.</ref> === Medellín [[Business cluster|Cluster]] === [[Image:CIC(5)-Medellin.JPG|thumb|200px|right|International Centre for Congresses and Expositions "Plaza Mayor" of Medellín, La Alpujarra area.]] Medellín created the first Colombian [[Business cluster]] being with the Antioquia State the first exporter region of the country with 1,750 exporter enterprisers based in Medellín.<ref>Revista Semana (2007): «Ruta Empresarial», en Semana, vol. II, Edición especial, Nº 1329. p. 106.</ref> The Cluster was created with the support of the Chamber of Commerce of Medellín and the City Administration for an actual total of 21,000 companies that share the 40% of total exportations, the 25% of the regional GDP and the 40% of the Metro Area employment.<ref>Revista Semana (2007): «Ruta Empresarial», en Semana, vol. II, Edición especial, Nº 1329. p. 106</ref> The main economical activities of the Medellín Cluster (MC) are located in [[electricity generation]], [[textile]], [[fashion design]], [[construction]], [[tourism]] and [[business]].<ref>Cámara de Comercio de Medellín. [http://www.camaramed.org.co/quees.html Comunidad Clusters].</ref> As a goal of the MC is the inclusion of the health services, a sector that is also very important in the local economy. === Tourism industry === [[Image:Quebrada Santa Elena-corregimiento.JPG|right|thumb|200px|Santa Elena Creek.]] [[Image:Christmas2004inMedellín.JPG|thumb|240px|right|December is one of the better times to visit Medellín due to its Christmas settings of light and festivity that attracts national and international visitors. This image shows the [[Medellín River]] in a night of December of 2004.]] Medellín became in the last decade as a main destination for national and international tourism. The city has the infrastructure to answer the exigencies of a tourist industry at any level. As a trade and industrial centre, its tourism is rather of business, congresses, international and national meetings and the health tourism due to its world reputation in medicine and modern health centres. Plaza Mayor was built for congresses and expositions with all the facilities of any international space of such kind. Several hotels are specialized in this kind of events, most of them with halls and meeting rooms for conventions, seminars, rooms with offices, translation services and many other facilities for business people. In health service Medellín is leader in [[plastic surgery]], [[organ transplant]] and health treatments related to [[cancer]] and [[Template:Circulatory system pathology|circulatory system pathology]]. As setting, the Aburrá Valley is a favourite place for photographers due to the high mountains that surround the city as green-blue walls, sun settings and hills among the urban areas with several parks. The [[Arví Regional Park]] with 11,241 hectares in the Santa Elena Township is one of the most visited. That is a place for camping, ecological scouting and contemplation of stunning views of the city. In many other hills there are tourist spots for view seen, restaurants, music and dance, shopping and ecology. December is one of the best times to visit Medellín, because is the month where the city is adorned with thousand of colorful lights and designs that attracts national and international visitors. Among the several Catholic churches in the city, the most visited are the Metropolitan Cathedral in the Bolívar Square (downtown) that is said to be the biggest only-brick temple of the world with 45 metres of high and 5,000 meters square of area. Other old temples can be seen downtown like the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria, the Veracruz Church, one of the oldest in the Aburrá Valley, the Saint Ignatius Church, Saint Joseph Church, Saint Anthony Church and many others. [[Image:Pano Plazo Botero.jpg|370 px|thumb|center|Botero Square and the [[Museum of Antioquia]].]] Medellín is also a city of Museums, sculptures, popular festivities (''Feria de las Flores'', ''Desfile de Mitos y Leyendas'', International Festival of Poetry, Feria Taurina and many others), concerts, theatre, opera, parks, tourist areas and a very busy nightlife with the traditional ''rumba''. ==Urban development== [[Image:HPIM1184.JPG|thumb|right|Botero Square]] There are obvious signs of heavy urban development within the city of Medellín, particularly with the construction of new skyscrapers. In fact, Medellín is outpacing all other major Colombian cities in the construction and proposed development of new high-rises, including Bogotá, the nation's capital and economic centre<ref>Insert footnote text here</ref>. As April 2008, there were 127 high-rises under construction in Medellín, including 25 being approved, and 17 being proposed.<ref>[http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/bu/sk/?id=101122 Skyscrapers of Medellín<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Interestingly, there are more high-rises under construction in Medellín today than in [[New York City]], [[Los Angeles]], and [[Philadelphia]] combined. ==Education== [[Image:Plazuela CentralUdeA.JPG|right|thumb|200px|The Central Plaza in the [[Universidad de Antioquia|University of Antioquia]], the first superior education center founded in Medellín during the 19th century. Today is one of the most important Colombian universities.]] Medellín is also home to over 30 universities that serve mainly the Antioquia State, the "Eje Cafetero" ([[Colombian Coffee-Growers Axis]]) region and the Caribbean Coast. Among the most important are the public universities [[Universidad de Antioquia]], [[Universidad Nacional de Colombia|Universidad Nacional]] and Politecnico Jaime Isaza Cadavid, and the private EAFIT University, Universidad de Medellín, [[Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana]], Universidad de San Buenaventura, Escuela de Ingenieria de Antioquia, Universidad Santo Tomas, Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje SENA and CES. There are also important technological centres such as the Metropolitan Institute of Technology (ITM). [[Image:Biblioteca-EAFIT.JPG‎|This is the Library Universidad EAFIT|right|thumb|200px|The Library of Private EAFIT University.]] During the last decade the administration of the city has given importance to the popular education with the building of several schools and libraries in poor quarters. Many private schools and colleges have a long tradition in the city, several of them run by the [[Catholic Church]], private organizations and foreign institutions. Among of them can be mentioned: Theodoro Hertzl School, The Columbus School, San Ignacio de Loyola School, Colegio Colombo Britanico, El Corazonista School, Marymount School, Montessori School, Gimnasio Los Pinares, Gimnasio Los Alcázares, San José De La Salle, Instituto Jorge Robledo, the [[Salesian]] Technical School [[Pedro Justo Berrío]], Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Colegio Cumbres and many others. Many NGOs and official organizations have very important nets in the city to support the development of children and youth from poor communities, for example [[Ciudad Don Bosco]] that cares for [[street children]].<ref>[http://www.ciudaddonbosco.org Ciudad Don Bosco Medellín], a center for street children.</ref> The process of pacification of the city brought several organizations to the poorest quarters to work with youth that have been involved in urban violence in order to give to them better opportunities. In that process the Medellín universities, public and private, played a good role together with official institutions of the local and national level. ==Transport== ===Air transportation=== [[Image:Aeropuerto Jose Maria Cordova-Exterior1.JPG|thumb|left|[[José María Córdova International Airport]]]] [[Image:Aeropuerto Olaya Herrera-Medellin.JPG|thumb|right|Olaya Herrera Airport]] International flights are served through the [[José María Córdova International Airport]] (MDE), in [[Rionegro]], another municipality east of Medellín and outside the Aburrá Valley. The José María Córdova Intl. is better suited for large aircraft and instrument/night time operation. Its international terminal is served with daily international flights to and from [[Miami]], [[New York]], [[Caracas]], [[Quito]], [[Panama City]], [[Porlamar]], [[Aruba]] and other important cities. [[Olaya Herrera Airport]] (EOH) serves mainly regional flights, commuter and light aircraft. ===Land transportation=== [[Image:HPIM0499.JPG|thumb|left|Medellín´s Metro]] Diesel buses, taxis and an urban train referred as [[Metro de Medellín]] served as public transportation in the city.. The Metro of Medellín connects the cities of Medellín, [[Itagüí]], [[Envigado]] and [[Bello, Antioquia|Bello]]. Line A departs from Itagüí to Niquía, while Line B goes from San Antonio to San Javiér. The metro is complemented with Line K and Line J, an air cable car, locally known as [[Metrocable]], which serves a depressed and geographically difficult area. Line K begins on Acevedo Station on Metro Line A, and continues uphill ending in Santo Domingo Savio. Line J begins on San Javiér Station on Metro Line B, and continues uphill ending in La Aurora. A new Metrocable line (Line S) is projected to be inaugurated in 2009, and will connect Santo Domingo Savio with El Tambo in Arví Park near [[Guarne]]. Medellín is the only Colombian city with such transportation systems. Despite the variety of options, traffic in Medellín has become chaotic, as the number of vehicles have exceeded highway capacity; furthermore, the pollution produced by the diesel buses has become a major issue, most notably in the center of the city and the southern district of ''El Poblado''. The city has no further space for the construction of new highways. In 2006, the construction of ''Metroplus'' began, a service of buses with an exclusive road, which will allow faster transit for the service's buses, and stations, much like Bogotá's [[TransMilenio]]. The service will be inaugurated in 2008, and it will cover most of the city, the first step will be the ''Troncal Medellín'' that will go from the ''Universidad de Medellín'' in the west, to Aranjuez, in the north east part of the city. The service will help to decrease the city's contamination and traffic problems, as many old buses will be retired and the service's buses will work with [[natural gas]]. == Demography == {|class="toccolours" align="right" style="width:210px; float:center; clear:right; margin:1em 0 2em 2em; line-height:140%;font-size: 90%;" ! colspan= "3" style="background: #6688AA; color: white;" |Growing of the population of<br/>Medellín between 1905-2005 |- ! style="background: #F0F0F0;"|Years<br/>with census !! style="background: #F0F0F0;"|Total<br/>population !!style="background: #F0F0F0;"| % growing<br/>year base 1905 |- | align=left|1905*||align=right|59.815||align=center| 100% |- | align=left|1912*||align=right|70.547||align=center| 118% |- | align=left|1918*||align=right|79.146||align=center| 132% |- | align=left|1928*||align=right|120.044||align=center| 201% |- | align=left|1938*||align=right|168.266||align=center| 281% |- | align=left|1951**||align=right|358.189||align=center| 599% |- | align=left|1964**||align=right|772.887||align=center| 1292% |- | align=left|1973**||align=right|1.077.252||align=center| 1791% |- | align=left|1985**||align=right|1.468.089||align=center| 2454% |- | align=left|1993**||align=right|1.630.009||align=center| 2725% |- | align=left|2005**||align=right|2.223.078||align=center| 3717% |- !colspan=3 |[[Image:Poblacion Medellin.png|240px|border]] |- ! colspan="3" style="background: #F0F0F0;" |*<small>Historia de Antioquia<ref>Suramericana de Seguros (1988), ''Historia de Antioquia''. Editorial Presencia Ltda.(Edición especial no tiene ISBN) Medellín. pp. 299.</ref></small> - **<small>Censos del [[DANE]]</small> |} The 58% of the [[Department of Antioquia|Antioquian]] State population lives in the Aburrá Valley. From that number, the 67% lives in the Medellín municipality. From those who live now in Medellín, 61.3% were born in the city, 38% in other Colombian municipality and 0,3% in other country.<ref>[http://www.dane.gov.co/files/censo2005/perfiles/perfiles.swf DANE]: the 2005 census of the National Department of Statistics of Colombia.</ref> According with [[DANE]], Medellín had by 2005 a population of 2,223,078 inhabitants becoming the second most populated city of Colombia. The Metropolitan Area of Medellín had that year 3,312,165 inhabitants. The density for km.sq in the city is 5,820. There were 130,031 Medellineans living in the city townships. 46,7% of Medellineans is males and 53,3% is females. Illiteracy is 9,8% in persons older than 5 years old. The 98,8% of the houses in Medellín has electricity, the 97.3% has drinking water and the 91,0% has fix phone.<ref>[http://www.dane.gov.co/files/censo2005/perfiles/perfiles.swf DANE]: the 2005 census of the National Department of Statistics of Colombia.</ref> === Birth and dead === According to the 2005 DANE census, in that year Medellín registered 33,307 new born,<ref>[http://www.dane.gov.co/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=16&id=36&Itemid=148 DANE]: Results of births and dead.</ref> a little less than year 2004 (33,615). Dead numbers for year 2005 were 10,828, less than year 2004 with 11,512. ===Ethnicities=== The vast majority of [[Paisa]]s are of mixed white European and native descendant, followed closely by Italians. Medellin also received a lot of immigration during the 17th and 18th centuries mainly from Spain. Later, some immigrants arrived from Syria, Jordan, Germany and Portugal during the 19th century. There are also Zambo-Colombians and Afro-Colombians. The [[Chocó Department]] is just west of Antioquia and leading the move of many Afro-Colombian and Zambo-Colombian migrants to Medellín and other municipalities near Medellín. Migration from the Colombian Caribbean coasts has been important in the city especially through young people who come to study in the Medellinian universities and remain to work. The main foreign migration is of [[Ecuador]]ians dedicated to informal trade. According with the 2005 DANE census, the ethnicity of the Medellinians during that year<ref>[http://www.dane.gov.co/files/censo2005/perfiles/perfiles.swf DANE]: Etnicity by municipalities in Colombia, 2005 census of the National Department of Statistics of Colombia.</ref> was 93,4% [[Mestizo]]s & White, 6,5% Black and 0,1% Yellow. ==Culture== The city is universally known as the ''City of Eternal Spring''. [[Image:Desfile de Silleteros2007-(30)Medellin.JPG|thumb|right|One of Medellín's traditional "silletas" in the Annual Flower Festival.]] People from Medellín are actually called by their State denomination: ''Antioqueños'' (Antioquians), as opposed to a city-derived name: ''Medellinenses'' (Medellinians). They are also known as ''[[Paisa Region|Paisa]]s'', which some suggest is derived from the coffee growers. The term ''Paisa'' comes from the word ''Paisano'' (fellow countrymen). They make up one of the five different regional cultures within Colombia, also called the [[Paisa region]] with the states of [[Caldas]], [[Risaralda]], [[Quindío]] and some towns of [[Valle del Cauca]] and [[Tolima]]. Although the Paisa culture is dominant in Medellín (the "Paisa Capital"), it is possible to find variety as the city starts to be more cosmopolitan. Some streets of the city start to reflect such reality: places where you can find [[vallenato]]s, [[Chocó|traditional music from Chocó]], national and international food, [[China|Chinese restaurants]], [[Mexico|Mexicans]] and even [[Argentina|Argentinean cafés]]. The universities in special became a meeting of a human variety with the richness of students coming from Aborigin communities of Colombia and foreigners. The Paisa culture is made rather by Spanish background; evident Catholic traditions, business people and they are famous for being very welcoming and friendly. Paisas like [[Bullfighting|Fiesta Brava]], [[rodeo]], music, poetry and [[soccer]]. They are very proud of their city, their success and future and they talk about that every moment. Paisas speak soft and fast, they smile very easy and can create a party in a short time. They are famous for being hard workers. It is common to discuss prizes with Paisas in popular markets. The traditional ''rumba'' is the way they call the nightlife of enjoying weekends in discos, pubs, parks or certain appropiated streets.<ref>Description of ''rumba'' and Paisa culture in Medellín: [http://albeiror24.wordpress.com/2008/03/11/colombia-an-emerging-travel-destination/ Colombia: An Emerging Travel Destination], Matthew Brown (frommers.com), January 25, 2007, Colombia Passport: Economic, Society and Culture in Colombia. Retraive on May 8, 2008.</ref> ===Festivals and events=== ''La Feria de las Flores'' (The [[Festival of the Flowers]]) is the most important [[festival]] of Antioquia and it takes place in Medellín in early August. The event has been celebrated every year since 1957. This festival has several activities such as antique cars [[parade]], ''Desfíle de Silleteros'' (flower carriers parade), [[cavalcade|mass horse rides]] down the streets, exhibition of fondas from much of the towns in Antioquia, etc. Other festivals are the International [[Poetry]] [http://www.festivaldepoesiademedellin.org/ Festival] (June) (which received the 2006 [[Right Livelihood Award]] ), the Parade of Myths and Legends (December) and ColombiaModa (fashion industry event). [[Image:Librarymed1.png|thumb|right|The Library of EPM, which is next to the Park of Lights.]] ===Sports=== Medellín's best known and most popular sports clubs are [[Atlético Nacional]] and [[Independiente Medellín]] football (soccer) teams. They play at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium. Medellín is also known for its two main swimming teams, which are Calamares Pilsen and Huracanes. Three times Tour de France stage winner [[Santiago Botero|Santiago Botero Echeverry]] was also born in the city. Medellín is also the birthplace of professional golfer and PGA Tour player [[Camilo Villegas]]. ===Nicknames=== Besides being called the "industrial capital of Colombia", Medellín is also called ''"Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera"'' (The City of Everlasting Spring), ''"Capital de la Montaña"'' (Mountain's Capital), ''"Ciudad de las Flores"'' (City Of The Flowers), ''"Capital de las Orquídeas"'' (Orchids' Capital), ''"La Bella Villa"'' (Beautiful Village), ''"Tacita de Plata"'' (Little Silver Cup), and ''"Medallo"''. ==Sister cities== *{{flagicon|Spain}} [[Barcelona]], [[Spain]].<ref>[http://w3.bcn.es/XMLServeis/XMLHomeLinkPl/0,4022,229724149_257217612_2,00.html Acuerdos de colaboración según la web del Ayuntamiento de Barcelona]. Retrieved on April 21, 2008.</ref> *{{flagicon|Spain}} [[Bilbao]], [[Spain]] *{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Bogotá|Bogotá D.C]], [[Colombia]] *{{flagicon|Argentina}} [[Buenos Aires]], [[Argentina]] *{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Cali]], [[Colombia]] *{{flagicon|USA}} [[Fort Lauderdale]], [[United States]].<ref>[http://www.sister-cities.org/icrc/directory/Americas Sister cities], Online directory: the Americas (the member directory for sister cities in the Americas. Retrieved on April 2, 2008.</ref> *{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Milan]], [[Italy]] *{{flagicon|Mexico}} [[Monterrey]], [[Mexico]] *{{flagicon|USA}} [[Miami]], [[United States of America]]. *{{flagicon|Uruguay}} [[Tacuarembó]], [[Uruguay]].<ref>[http://www.lanacion.com.ar/herramientas/printfriendly/printfriendly.asp?nota_id=580269 Hermandad entre ciudades], La Nación, March 14, 2004.</ref><ref>[http://www.radiogardel.com/html/tacuarembo2.html Gardel en Tacuarembó], Radio Gardel,</ref> ==Gallery== <center><gallery> Image:Iglesia_de Nuestra_Iglesia_de_la_Candelaria-Mede.JPG|Iglesia Nuestra Iglesia de la Candelaria Image:Plazuela_San_Ignacio-Medellin-Colombia.JPG|Plazuela San Ignacio Image:Estacion_del_Ferrocarril -Medellin.JPG|Estacion del Ferrocaril Image:UNAL-Bloque M5-Facultad de Minas-Medellin.JPG|Facultad de Minas Image:La Raza de Rodrigo Arenas Betancur-Medellin.JPG|Race Monument by [[Rodrigo Arenas]] Image:Biblioteca España(1)-Medellin.JPG|Biblioteca España (Spain Library) Image:La Alpujarra-Medellin.JPG|La Alpujarra Image:Centro de Medellin- Colombia.JPG|Medellin Center Image:Btca epm.JPG|EPM Library Image:Biblioteca Publica Piloto-ArchivoFotografico.JPG|Library Publica Piloto Image:Biblioteca Leon de Greiff-Exterior4-Medellin.JPG|Leon de Greiff Library Image:Cerro Nutibara-Navidad 2006-Medellin(1).JPG|Cerro Nutibara Image:Plaza Cisneros-BosqueColumnas-Medellin.JPG|Plaza Cisneros Image:Museoelcastillo1.jpg|Museo El Castillo Image:Teatro Metropolitano de Medellín.JPG|Teatro Metropolitano Image:Christmas2004inMedellín.JPG|Rio Medellin </gallery></center> ==References== <!--This article uses the Cite.php citation mechanism. If you would like more information on how to add references to this article, please see http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cite/Cite.php --> {{reflist|2}} ==External links== {{commons|Medellín}} {{Wikitravel}} {{en}} *[http://www.medellin.gov.co/ The city's official government webpage in Spanish] {{es}} *[http://www.metrodemedellin.org.co Metro] {{es}} *[http://www.medellininfo.com/metro/ Metro-Metrocable photos] {{en}} *[http://www.lacasamedellin.com/medellin/ Various photos of Medellin] {{en}} *[http://www.medellintraveler.com Medellin Traveler's Guide] *[http://www.rightlivelihood.org/recip/2006/festival.htm 2006 Right Livelihood Award winner La Festival Internacional de Poesía de Medellín] {{en}} *[http://www.lovemedellin.com/medellin/ Medellin Culture] {{en}} * [http://www.newsweek.com/id/69552 Colombia’s City On A Hill, Newsweek] {{en}} *[http://wikitravel.org/en/Medellín Medellin in Wikitravel] {{en}} {{Department of Antioquia}} [[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Colombia]] [[Category:Municipalities of Antioquia]] [[Category:Metropolitan Area of Medellín]] [[Category:Settlements established in 1616]] {{Link FA|es}} [[bg:Меделин (Колумбия)]] [[cs:Medellín]] [[de:Medellín]] [[el:Μεντεγίν]] [[es:Medellín (Antioquia)]] [[eo:Medellín (Kolombio)]] [[eu:Medellin]] [[fr:Medellín]] [[io:Medellín]] [[id:Medellin]] [[ie:Medellín (Antioquia)]] [[it:Medellín (Colombia)]] [[he:מדיין]] [[lt:Medeljinas]] [[hu:Medellín]] [[nl:Medellín (Colombia)]] [[ja:メデリン]] [[no:Medellín]] [[oc:Medellín]] [[pl:Medellín]] [[pt:Medellín]] [[ro:Medellín]] [[qu:Medellín]] [[ru:Медельин]] [[simple:Medellín]] [[sr:Медељин]] [[fi:Medellín]] [[sv:Medellín]] [[vi:Medellín]] [[tr:Medellin]] [[vo:Medellín]]