AfroColombians

Afro-Colombians are Colombians of African descent. They include descendants of enslaved Africans brought to Colombia during the colonial era and communities formed by Afro-descendants along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Estimates place Afro-Colombians at roughly 10 percent of the population, with highest concentrations in the Pacific region (Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Cauca, Nariño) and sizable communities in Atlántico, Bolívar, and Magdalena.

The African diaspora in Colombia began with the transatlantic slave trade. Enslaved Africans worked in plantations, gold mining, and domestic labor. Following abolition in the 19th century, Afro-Colombian communities established resilient cultural traditions, notably along the Pacific coast. The historic town of San Basilio de Palenque near Cartagena is among the oldest free Black settlements in the Americas.

Afro-Colombian culture is diverse, with music such as cumbia and champeta, dance, and distinctive culinary traditions. Palenquero, a Spanish-based Creole, is spoken in Palenque. African influence is also evident in religious practices and artisanal crafts.

The Colombian Constitution of 1991 recognizes Afro-Colombians as an ethnic group with collective rights. Law 70 of 1993 acknowledged Afro-Colombian land tenure and the creation of territorial associations; many communities live in "territorios colectivos" that secure land rights but face pressures from mining, logging, and displacement. Socioeconomic indicators show higher poverty and lower access to services in many Afro-Colombian communities compared with the national average. In politics, Afro-Colombians have sought greater representation and protection of cultural rights.

Afro-Colombians comprise a foundational element of Colombia's cultural diversity and continue to shape regional identities and national life.