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Curriculum Colombia's Economy

Colombia's Economy

How Colombia moved from conflict to growth: coffee and Juan Valdez, oil and coal, the drug economy, the 2016 peace deal, Medellín's transformation, flowers, migration from Venezuela, tourism, the energy transition debate, and a recap.

  1. Colombia at a Glance An overview of Colombia, a country of about 52 million people with a long record of steady growth, its commodity exports and the legacy of armed conflict. 📄 Read-aloud
  2. Coffee and Juan Valdez How Colombian coffee growers organised the National Federation of Coffee Growers in 1927, created the Juan Valdez brand in 1958, and built a premium image. 📄 Read-aloud
  3. Oil and Coal How oil and coal became Colombia's biggest exports, the role of state oil firm Ecopetrol, and the Cerrejón coal mine. 📄 Read-aloud
  4. The Drug Economy How Colombia became the world's largest cocaine producer, the rise and fall of the Medellín and Cali cartels, Plan Colombia, and the costs of prohibition. 📄 Read-aloud
  5. The 2016 Peace Deal How Colombia signed a peace agreement with the FARC in 2016 after over 50 years of conflict, its economic provisions on land and crop substitution, and implementation challenges. 📄 Read-aloud
  6. Medellín's Transformation How Medellín went from the world's most violent city in the early 1990s to a model of urban innovation with cable cars, escalators and libraries in poor neighbourhoods. 📄 Read-aloud
  7. Colombia's Economy: Checkpoint 1 Quick checkpoint - five questions on Colombia's economy, coffee, oil, drugs and peace. 5 questions
  8. Flowers for the World How Colombia became the world's second largest flower exporter after the Netherlands, supplying most US Valentine's Day roses from farms near Bogotá. 📄 Read-aloud
  9. Migrants From Venezuela How Colombia absorbed nearly 3 million Venezuelan migrants fleeing economic collapse, granting temporary protected status in 2021, and the economic effects. 📄 Read-aloud
  10. Tourism After Conflict How Colombia's tourism grew as security improved, with Cartagena, Medellín and coffee country attracting visitors, and the rise of digital nomads. 📄 Read-aloud
  11. The Energy Transition Debate How President Gustavo Petro, elected in 2022, pledged to stop new oil and gas exploration, and the debate over fiscal and energy security costs. 📄 Read-aloud
  12. Inequality and Informality Why Colombia is one of the most unequal countries in Latin America, how its socioeconomic strata system for utilities works, and the 2021 protests over tax reform. 📄 Read-aloud
  13. Colombia's Economy: Recap A recap of Colombia's economy, from conflict to peace and transition. 📄 Read-aloud

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