Colombia

:For other uses, see Columbia.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Colombia

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Located in the North of South America (4 00 N, 72 00 W) and part of Caribbean South America. The only South American country with coast in both oceans (Atlantic or Caribbean Sea with 1,760 km and Pacific Ocean with 1,448 km. Borders: North with the Caribbean Sea (sea boaders with Jamaica, Haiti and Dominican Republic). West with Panama (225 km) and sea borders with Costa Rica both in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean and Guatemala. South with Ecuador (590 km), Peru (1,496 km) and Brazil (1,643 km). East with Brazil and Venezuela (2,050 km).

Related Topics:
South America - Caribbean South America - Atlantic - Caribbean Sea - Pacific Ocean - Jamaica - Haiti - Dominican Republic - Panama - Costa Rica - Guatemala - Ecuador - Peru - Brazil - Venezuela

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Colombia has a total area of 1,138,910 km² being the fourth biggest country in South America after Brazil, Argentina and Peru and the seventh one in the American Continent. From this area, the land has 1,038,700 km² and the water area has 100,210 km². It has also an archipelago in the Caribbean sea (San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina) that forms the territory of the department San Andrés y Providencia.

Related Topics:
Argentina - American Continent - San Andrés y Providencia

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The Colombian climate, though it is in the tropical area is affected by the Andes. It is tropical in its coastlands and lowlands and cool in the mountains.

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The Andes range is located in Colombia from Southwest (Ecuador boarder) toward Northeast (Venezuela boarder) and is divided in the Colombian Massif (Macizo Colombiano) in three ranges (East Range, Centre Range and West Range) that form two long valleys, Magdalena and Cauca follow by the rivers of the same name. The highest mountain in Colombia is not in the Andes but in the Caribbean plain: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta with its highest points named Pico Cristobal Colon (5,775 m) and Pico Simon Bolivar (same elevation).

Related Topics:
Colombian Massif - Magdalena - Cauca - Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

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The eastern part of Colombia, comprising more than half its territory, is plain and composed by savanna and rainforest, crossed by rivers belonging to the Amazon and Orinoco basins. The northern part, called "Los Llanos" is a savanna region, mostly in the Orinoco basin (therefore called also Orinoquía). The southern part, usually called Amazonía, is covered by the Amazon rain forest and belongs mostly to the Amazon basin.

Related Topics:
Savanna - Rainforest - Amazon - Orinoco - Basins

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At the north and west of the Andes there are coastal plains, the Caribbean plains to the north and the Pacific plains to the west.

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Colombian Pacific plains are among the most rainy parts in the world, especially at the north (Chocó).

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The five traditional natural regions are therefore: the Andean Region, the Caribbean Region, the Pacific Region, the Orinoquia Region and the Amazonia Region. Some people also include an Insular Region, separated from the coastal regions.

Related Topics:
Andean Region - Caribbean Region - Pacific Region - Orinoquia Region - Amazonia Region - Insular Region

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