472
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
