Colombia
                                                                                                                                                                    

Colombia officially the Republic of Colombia (Spanish: República de Colombia is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. It is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the northwest by Panama; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the east by Venezuela and Brazil, to the south by Ecuador and Peru; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. Colombia is the 26th largest country by area and the fourth largest in South America. With over 46 million people, the country is the 27th largest in the world by population and has the second largest population of any Spanish-speaking country in the world, after Mexico. Colombia is a middle power, and is the fourth largest economy in Latin America, and the third largest in South America.

The biggest towns in colombia

 Tourism in Colombia

For many years serious internal armed conflict deterred tourists from visiting Colombia, with official travel advisories warning against travel to the country. However, in recent years numbers have risen sharply, thanks to improvements in security resulting from former President Álvaro Uribe's "democratic security" strategy, which has included significant increases in military strength and police presence throughout the country and pushed rebel groups further away from the major cities, highways and tourist sites likely to attract international visitors. Foreign tourist visits were predicted to have risen from 0.5 million in 2003 to 1.3 million in 2007, while Lonely Planet picked Colombia as one of their top ten world destinations for 2006. In 2010, tourism in Colombia increased 11% according to UNWTO Tourism Highlights for that year.

In 2011 Colombia received 3 million foreign visitors, according to official statistics.

Popular tourist attractions include the historic Candelaria district of central Bogotá, the walled city and beaches of Cartagena, the colonial towns of Santa Fe de Antioquia, Popayán, Villa de Leyva and Santa Cruz de Mompox, and the Las Lajas Sanctuary and the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá. Tourists are also drawn to Colombia's numerous festivals, including Feria de Cali (Carnaval of Cali), the Barranquilla Carnival, the Carnival of Blacks and Whites in Pasto, Flower Fair in Medellín and the Ibero-American Theater Festival in Bogotá. Meanwhile, because of the improved security, Caribbean cruise ships now stop at Cartagena and Santa Marta.

Wrestling in Colombia
In Spanish wrestling is called: Lucha Olimpica
In 1936, wrestling came to Colombia. Sailors from the U.S. founded in Barranquilla the first wrestling Club. From there, wrestling arrived in Bogota and spread throughout the country. Mainly in the larger cities. In the year 1967 in Cali, the National Wrestling Federation "Federacion Colombiana de lucha Olimpica" was founded. The first president was Jaime Zapata. Since 2005, the headquarters of the Federation is Medellin and the President is Seniora Fanny Margarita Echeverry.

 
The most successful and famous female wrestler in Colombia: Jackeline Renteria

Wrestling in Colombia – international Situation

Colombia has a very good training for several years.
The first Medals (Junior World Champion 2006 Sandra Roa) on World Championships confirm this. And Jackeline Renteria in Beijing won the first Olympic medal in wrestling and thus gained wide enthusiasm for wrestling in Colombia. Jackeline confirmed her performance with another bronze medal at the Olympic Games in London.
Jackeline Renteria is therefore one of the sports idols of Colombia.
The wrestling Association of Colombia tries to coming in international class . For women, Colombia is close to world class. For men, this is not so easy, but they are one of the stronger nations in the America.
Two Cuban and a Russian coach, are trying to bring forward the Colombian wrestlers.

Wrestling in Colombia - national situation
By the two Olympic medals from Jackeline Renteria, wrestling had a
very good media presence in Colombia. There are countless talents, but it lacks on experienced trainers and material things such as mats.
In Colombia, there are approximately XX wrestling clubs, which are always assigned to one of 16 provincial associations. They are-called "LIGA DE LUCHA". The strongest wrestlers are concentrated at the three power centers in Bogota, Medellin and Cali.  They have only competition in  tournaments. Team fights are not known. The currently National Coaches are David Guiterez and the Russian Esedullakh Shakmardanov - both work in Medellin.
Members of the national team (Seleccion) are professional wrestlers and are
funded by the Sports Association Coldeportes. The Colombian armed forces "Fuerzas Armadas have" in Cali a own wrestling group.

Ferderacion

Federacion Colombiana de lucha Olimpica
Calle 48A No. 70-80 – Off 115
Coliseo Mayor „Ivan de Bedout“ Medellin
Presidente: Fanny Margarita Echeverry Z.

Fedeluchacol.@hotmail.com

Homepage:
http://ligalucha.wix.com/fedeluchacol#!

Links of some „Ligas de Lucha“ in Colombia:

Liga de Lucha Bogota
Liga Antioquenia de Lucha  (Medellin)
Liga Vallecaucana De Lucha  (Cali)
Liga Risaldense de Lucha (Pereira) 
Liga Santandereana de Lucha (Bucaramanga)  
Liga Bolivarense De Lucha Olimpica (Cartagena)
Club de Lucha Baranquilla
Liga de Lucha Huilense (Neiva)
Liga de Lucha Caldas (Manizales)
Liga de Lucha Quindio (Armenia)
Liga de Lucha Olimpica del Meta (Villavicencio)
Liga de Lucha Oilmpica de Narino (Pasto)