Not to be confused with persons, places, and things called Columbia.

The Republic of Colombia (Spanish: , IPA ), is a country in northwestern South America. It's bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil, to the south by Ecuador and Peru, to the North by the Atlantic Ocean and to the west by Panama and the Pacific Ocean.

Origin and history of the name

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Colombia's name references the explorer Christopher Columbus. The name was conceived by the revolutionary Francisco de Miranda as a reference to the New World, especially to all American territories and colonies under Spanish and Portuguese rule. The name originally belonged to a short-lived republic consisting of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama (see Great Colombia). This republic collapsed in 1830 when Venezuela and Ecuador separated, and the Cundinamarca region which remained became a new country, the Republic of New Granada. In 1863 New Granada changed its name officially to United States of Colombia, and in 1886 adopted its present day name: Republic of Colombia.

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L.A. Times - Food & Dining

Cool bars in L.A. with decent parking? You're not dreaming
Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Swing by Mission Cantina in Hollywood, the Alibi Room next to Culver City or El Prado in Echo Park and you'll find comfortable watering holes with good drinks and appetizers and a great vibe. YOUR favorite bar got you down lately? The miasma of dismal parking opportunities along the Canter's -dominated stretch of Fairfax Avenue has had you circling the Dime more times than you'd care to count. The last time you cozied up to the bartender at Frank 'n Hank's in Koreatown, a dart whizzed by so close to your ear that you could have come away with an unintended piercing.
How convenient: Los Angeles' new park 'n' meet bars
Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
A smattering of bars and wine bars have opened that are ideal meet-up spots, with convenient parking and location, good food, plentiful seating and conversation-encouraging ambience.
'Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide No. 7' -- a departure from the past
Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Wine critic Robert Parker deploys a team of tasters for his latest guide. ROBERT PARKER Jr., founder of the Wine Advocate magazine and indisputably the world's most influential wine critic, has published "Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide No. 7," the first of his series to be produced by a team of writers.

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