Barranquilla
[key], city, capital of Atlántico dept., N Colombia, on the
Magdalena River, 8 mi (12.9 km) from the Caribbean Sea. Colombia's largest
port on the Caribbean, it also has shipbuilding, textile, glass, perfume,
beer, sugar, publishing, and other industries. Founded in 1629, Barranquilla
was a sleepy tropical town until the mid-19th cent., when steamboats began
navigating the river and railroads connecting it with other cities in the
region were built. The port was enlarged in the 1920s, and the city
gradually surpassed its old rival, Cartagena. Barranquilla's carnivals
attract many tourists. It has an international airport and two
universities.
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