Colombia

the most northwesterly country of South America. Its neighbors are Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and the new state of Panama. The government is republican. The boundaries are in dispute on all sides. The area is estimated at 472,000 square miles, or about ten times that of New York. Bogota, the capital, is the largest city of importance. It is situated in the interior, on a lofty table-land, about 200 miles from the Pacific coast and about 300 miles from the Caribbean sea. It is 9,000 feet above the sea and is said to have a climate as delightful as Vermont in September. It is said to be the most beautiful city of South America.

There are about 400 miles of railroad, reinforced by over 8,000 miles of telegraph lines, all owned by the public. There are numerous lines of steamers on the Magdalena River. Barranquilla, at its mouth, is the chief port and town. The total population of Colombia is about 4,300,000, including 150,000 uncivilized Indians, and perhaps half as many negroes, the latter chiefly on the coast. The language of the schools and of society is Spanish. The influential element is of Spanish descent. The religion is Roman Catholic.

Generally speaking, the country is mountainous. The ranges of the Andes run north and south with intervening valleys. A vast territory of level land lies on the southeast of the Andes, about the head waters of the Rio Negro. Generally speaking, the country is not well opened up. The mineral possibilities are great. There are thirty-two emerald mines, and unknown treasures of gold, silver, platinum, copper, lead, mercury, iron, coal, petroleum, salt, and building stone. Cocoa, tobacco, vegetable ivory, coffee, dye woods, rubber, vanilla, silver, hides, meats, bananas, and tolu are exported in considerable quantities. The merchants of the United States sell Colombia about $4,000,000 worth of cotton cloth, flour, petroleum, and provisions, and buy an equal amount of the productions of that country. The trade with England amounts to about the same. That of Germany and France is less. The metric system was introduced in 1857. Accounts are kept in the gold peso worth about one dollar. United States money circulates freely.

STATISTICS. The following statistics are the latest to be had from trustworthy sources :

Pupils enrolled . . . . . 218,000