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Colombia Trivia Questions and Answers

40 questions with answers about Colombia: its cities and rivers, wildlife, food, music, writers, sport and history.

40 questions · tap “Show answer” under each one · Answer key

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Round 1

  1. Bogotá lies in which mountain range?

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    The Andes

    In Colombia the Andes split into three ranges. Source

  2. How many departments does Colombia have?

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    32

    Bogotá is a separate capital district. Source

  3. What is Colombia's currency?

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    The peso

    Its banknotes honor writers, artists and scientists. Source

  4. Colombia's flag is yellow, blue and which other color?

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    Red

    The yellow band takes up the top half. Source

  5. Colombia has coasts on the Pacific Ocean and on which sea?

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    The Caribbean Sea

    It's the only South American country with both. Source

  6. Colombia is named after which explorer?

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    Christopher Columbus

    It's the only country named after him. Source

  7. Who led the patriot army to victory at the Battle of Boyacá in 1819?

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    Simón Bolívar

    The battle opened the way to Bogotá. Source

  8. On which date does Colombia celebrate its independence?

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    July 20

    The date recalls 1810; August 7 marks the Battle of Boyacá. Source

  9. What was the country called that joined Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama from 1819 to 1831?

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    Gran Colombia

    Historians named it to tell it apart from today's Colombia. Source

  10. Which woven hat is a cultural symbol of Colombia?

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    The sombrero vueltiao

    It's woven from caña flecha fiber. Source

Round 2

  1. Which Colombian writer of 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' won the Nobel Prize in 1982?

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    Gabriel García Márquez

    Friends and readers called him Gabo. Source

  2. What is the name of the fictional town in 'One Hundred Years of Solitude'?

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    Macondo

    It was inspired by Aracataca, where García Márquez was born. Source

  3. Which singer from Barranquilla sang 'Waka Waka' for the 2010 World Cup?

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    Shakira

    Her first international album was 'Pies descalzos' (1995). Source

  4. Which music from Colombia's Caribbean coast is played with an accordion, a small drum and a scraper?

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    Vallenato

    UNESCO listed it as heritage in need of urgent safeguarding in 2015. Source

  5. Which artist is famous for painting and sculpting plump, rounded figures?

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    Fernando Botero

    Medellín has a square full of his sculptures. Source

  6. Which crop is Colombia most famous for exporting?

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    Coffee

    It's grown on the slopes of the Andes. Source

  7. Juan Valdez, with his mule Conchita, is the fictional face of what?

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    Colombian coffee

    He is shown as a coffee grower from Colombia's mountains. Source

  8. Colombia is famous for which green gemstone?

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    Emeralds

    The mines of Muzo are among the most famous. Source

  9. Which walled port city on the Caribbean is a World Heritage Site?

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    Cartagena

    Its walls were built to keep out pirates. Source

  10. Which Colombian city is called 'the City of Eternal Spring'?

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    Medellín

    It's mild all year round; its flower fair is every August. Source

Round 3

  1. Which city calls itself the world capital of salsa?

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    Cali

    Its Feria de Cali is held every December. Source

  2. Which city's carnival is on UNESCO's list of intangible heritage?

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    Barranquilla

    It's held in the four days before Ash Wednesday. Source

  3. Which river is called 'the river of five colors'?

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    Caño Cristales

    Plants on its bed turn red in the right season. Source

  4. What is the main river of Colombia?

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    The Magdalena

    It flows north into the Caribbean at Barranquilla. Source

  5. Colombia has more species of which kind of animal than any other country?

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    Birds

    That's about 1,900 species. Source

  6. Which bird is a national symbol of Colombia and appears on its coat of arms?

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    The Andean condor

    It's one of the largest flying birds. Source

  7. Colombia's national tree is the tallest palm in the world. Which is it?

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    The Quindío wax palm

    It grows to about 60 m in the Cocora Valley. Source

  8. Which flat corn cake is eaten every day in Colombia and Venezuela?

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    The arepa

    It's split and filled, or eaten plain with butter. Source

  9. Which hearty dish from Antioquia comes with beans, rice, chicharrón, egg and arepa?

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    Bandeja paisa

    Paisa means a person from that region. Source

  10. What is the chicken and potato soup that Bogotá is famous for?

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    Ajiaco

    It's flavored with the herb guasca. Source

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Round 4

  1. In which national sport do players throw metal discs at targets that hold gunpowder?

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    Tejo

    A hit sets off a small bang. Source

  2. Which footballer with a famous blond afro captained Colombia at the 1990s World Cups?

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    Carlos Valderrama

    He was nicknamed 'El Pibe'. Source

  3. Which goalkeeper made the famous 'scorpion kick' save at Wembley in 1995?

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    René Higuita

    He jumped forward and cleared the ball with his heels. Source

  4. Which Colombian was the top scorer at the 2014 World Cup?

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    James Rodríguez

    He scored six goals. Source

  5. Who became the first Latin American to win the Tour de France, in 2019?

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    Egan Bernal

    He was 22 years old. Source

  6. Roughly how high above sea level is Bogotá?

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    2,600 m

    That makes it one of the highest capitals in the world. Source

  7. Which people built the 'Lost City' (Ciudad Perdida) in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta?

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    The Tairona

    It's older than Machu Picchu. Source

  8. The legend of El Dorado came from a ritual of which people at Lake Guatavita?

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    The Muisca

    A new ruler covered in gold dust bathed in the lake. Source

  9. What is the largest natural lake in Colombia?

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    Lake Tota

    It lies in Boyacá, about 3,000 m above sea level. Source

  10. Which 2021 Disney film is set in Colombia?

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    Encanto

    Its song 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' topped the charts. Source

Answer key

Round 1

  1. The Andes
  2. 32
  3. The peso
  4. Red
  5. The Caribbean Sea
  6. Christopher Columbus
  7. Simón Bolívar
  8. July 20
  9. Gran Colombia
  10. The sombrero vueltiao

Round 2

  1. Gabriel García Márquez
  2. Macondo
  3. Shakira
  4. Vallenato
  5. Fernando Botero
  6. Coffee
  7. Colombian coffee
  8. Emeralds
  9. Cartagena
  10. Medellín

Round 3

  1. Cali
  2. Barranquilla
  3. Caño Cristales
  4. The Magdalena
  5. Birds
  6. The Andean condor
  7. The Quindío wax palm
  8. The arepa
  9. Bandeja paisa
  10. Ajiaco

Round 4

  1. Tejo
  2. Carlos Valderrama
  3. René Higuita
  4. James Rodríguez
  5. Egan Bernal
  6. 2,600 m
  7. The Tairona
  8. The Muisca
  9. Lake Tota
  10. Encanto

Link to this page

Sources

  1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andes
  2. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Departments of Colombia
  3. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombian peso
  4. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag of Colombia
  5. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography of Colombia
  6. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia
  7. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle of Boyacá
  8. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombian Declaration of Independence
  9. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran Colombia
  10. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sombrero vueltiao
  11. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel García Márquez
  12. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macondo
  13. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakira
  14. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vallenato
  15. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando Botero
  16. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee production in Colombia
  17. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan Valdez
  18. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald
  19. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartagena, Colombia
  20. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medellín
  21. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cali
  22. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barranquilla's Carnival
  23. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caño Cristales
  24. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdalena River
  25. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity of Colombia
  26. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andean condor
  27. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceroxylon quindiuense
  28. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arepa
  29. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandeja paisa
  30. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajiaco
  31. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tejo (sport)
  32. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos Valderrama
  33. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/René Higuita
  34. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James Rodríguez
  35. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egan Bernal
  36. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogotá
  37. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciudad Perdida
  38. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El Dorado
  39. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake Tota
  40. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encanto (film)

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