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On his first great voyage, Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro traveled around the area of South America, nearing the Colombian territory. -
After a treacherous journey, in which his men were repeatedly ambushed by Native Americans, the group eventually reached and took over the region, claiming Bogota as the capital of Colombia. Around the founding, two rival conquistadors arrived in the area, and challenged Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada for rule over the land. -
On this date in 1810, Colombia gained their independence from Spain. The Colombian Declaration of Independence was issued the same day. -
The Cúcuta earthquake (also known as the Earthquake of the Andes) occurred on May 18, 1875 at 11:15 AM. This devastation took the lives of over 16,000 Colombians and Venezuelans. -
The Thousand Day War was the largest civil war that struck the Republic of Colombia and Panama (which was a Department of Colombia at that time), between October 17, 1899 and November 21, 1902, extending through 1130 days. -
The separation of Panama from Colombia was an event that occurred on November 3, 1903, after the Thousand Day War, and which triggered the proclamation of the Republic of Panama, previously a department of the Republic of Colombia since 1821, with brief periods of secession by the Isthmus of Panama. -
President of the United States Franklin D Roosevelt, visits Colombia (as the first US president to attend) with his wife Eleanor. They are welcomed by Colombia's president, Alfonso López Pumarejo. -
Colombia becomes one of the first members of the United Nations in November of 1945. -
In the town of Armero, a small eruption from the Nevado del Ruiz volcano caused a large mud flow which swept through this town, where more than 23,000 people were killed. -
Iván Duque Márquez, is a Colombian politician and lawyer who is the current president of Colombia. He was elected as Colombia's youngest president, as the candidate from the Democratic Centre Party in the 2018 presidential election.