Region caribe, Natural region in northern Colombia.
This area stretches from the Gulf of Uraba to the Gulf of Venezuela along Colombia's northern shore and covers around 110,000 square kilometers (42,000 square miles). Flat plains alternate with the Sierra Nevada and dry semi-deserts in La Guajira while the sea forms the entire northern edge.
Spanish colonizers founded the first cities in this zone during the 16th century and brought enslaved Africans to work in the ports. During later centuries, immigrants from the Middle East and Europe moved here to trade and settle.
Along the coast and in smaller towns, people celebrate carnival and festivals throughout the year with parades where dancers wear bright costumes. Local markets sell fresh fish and tropical fruit while families gather outdoors during the cooler evening hours.
The territory includes eight departments and around 182 municipalities, each with its own character and access to different landscapes. Larger cities like Barranquilla and Cartagena lie along the coast while smaller settlements sit inland or in the mountains.
Baseball is more popular than football here, which sets this territory apart from nearly all other parts of South America. The local music scene has given rise to cumbia and vallenato, two styles that have spread across Latin America.
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