Antioquia

Department in northwest-central Colombia, situated in the Cordillera Occidental of the Andes; area 63,282 sq km/24,433 sq mi; population (1996) 4,919,619. This is a picturesque, mountainous region, sprinkled with small towns noted for their distinctive architecture. The capital is Medellín. Antioquia is the most prosperous department in the country; its favourable climate makes it a prime coffee-growing and cattle-raising area, and it is also a centre of gold- and silver-mining. Cultivation of coffee is particularly intensive in the valley of the River Magdalena, which forms the eastern boundary of the department. In addition, over 80% of Colombia's total textile output comes from Antioquia, especially Medellín.

Previously the principal city in the world cocaine trade, Medellín is still regarded as unsafe for tourists, although it does now have some museums and other tourist facilities.