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Fernando Botero

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Colombia consists of a vast territory of 1'143,748 km² land and  828,660 km² of three big areas: the Amazon Rain Forest area that made 50% of its land territory and is divided in the Eastern Plains (Llanos Orientales) and Amazons (Amazonía); the Andean Ranges with the Pacific and Atlantic coastlands at the northwest of the country and the Sea Territories in both oceans with their islands. Colombia has land borders with Venezuela and Brazil to the east, Peru and Ecuador to the south and Panama to the west. By sea Colombia has borders with Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. 

See also: Climate - Bogotá - Countries Around Colombia

Political Map	Physical Map

50% of the Colombian territory belongs to the Amazon Region. The Region is divided in the Western Plains (Llanos Orientales or the Basin of the Orinoco River) and the Amazon to the south until the Amazon Trapeze touching the Amazon River. Both regions have the lowest concentration of the Colombian population. Located at the east of the Andean Ranges, both are extensive plains with some altitudes. The most important is National Park of Macarena Mountain (Sierra de la Macarena). There are many other national parks among the forest with precious species of animals and plants. The Amazon regions are the natural environment of many indigenous peoples, some of them Nomadic and all of them have their own languages. The access to those regions, specially the southern ones, is made by airplanes and boats through the rivers. Roads are not yet developed.

Colombia has also a big share in the Caribbean Region to the north. There is an islander state, the San Andrés y Providencia Archipelago State, its northern territory that is located just in front of the costs of Nicaragua. The Caribbean Region is also an extensive plain but it has very important mountain systems like the Santa Marta Snow Mountain (Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta) that is the highest altitude of Colombia and the world highest mountain so near to the Ocean: with more than 5,000 meters, it is located just 40 kilometers far from the sea coast. The Caribbean Region is divided in sub-regions: the Plain of the southern states of Córdoba and Sucre (Sabana de Córdoba y Sucre). The middle with the main cities of Cartagena de Indias, Barranquilla and Santa Marta. And the Guahira Peninsula at the north. The Caribbean region of Colombia is one of the main Colombian spots for tourists .

Colombia has also a big share in the Pacific Ocean that makes the Pacific Region. This region is one of the most beautiful and natural of Colombia, with one important forest, Darien, that is shared with Panama. Darien is the forest that interrupts the Pan-American Road, a highway that crosses the Americas from Alaska to Fire Land. All the Pacific Region is a forest, from the border with Panama to the border with Ecuador. The main cities in the region are Quibdó, Buenaventura and Tumaco. There are many beaches that are frequently visited due to their natural views. Access to the region is limited and the best way is going by plane. The region is also the natural environment of the Afro-Colombian people and many Indigenous groups.

Colombia is also crossed by the Andean Mountain Ranges. The Andes is a big chain of mountains that crosses the South American Continent from Fire Land to the south of Argentina and Chile, by the west coast of the Continent to the north crossing Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. The majority of the Colombians live in the Andean region. It is also the place of the biggest urban centers: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Bucaramanga, Cúcuta, Manizales, Pereira, Popayán, San Juan de Pasto and Ibagué.  

Cities

Colombia is a urban country (70% of the Colombians live in cities). Cities in Colombia are rather developed, although they have popular sectors living under poverty. In the Colombian cities you can find practically whatever you expect from a city: banking, hotels, restaurants, public transport, airports, museums, nightlife, hospitals, security and so on. Colombian cities are rather secure in their main compounds. Colombians are eager to prevent you which places could be unsafe. Unsafe places in the cities have the same conditions as in any other urban center in North America and Europe. The main Colombia urban centers with populations over 1 million are Bogotá (6.840.116), Medellín (2.273.078), Cali (2.068.387) and Barranquilla (1.146.359). The population in those cities can be doubled if you include the Metropolitan Areas that include nearby cities. The second big cities of Colombia are Cartagena de Indias (842.228), Cúcuta (742.689), Bucaramanga (549.263), Santa Marta (415.270), Pereira (421.648), Ibagué (495.689) and Manizales (414.389). Other important cities are Pasto, Popayán, Buenaventura, Neiva, Tunja, Villavicencio, Sincelejo, Monteria and Rioacha. Every Colombian city has to offer in tourism and cultural manifestations.

Administrative division

The provincial divisions in Colombia are called in Spanish "Departmentos" that are something like the "States". They are the same concept of the French Departments. A Department is not a Province or a Federal State. There are not States in Colombia and the idea of Province is rather informal. For effects of English we can said "States" since that term is near to what they are, for this reason you can find in many sources expressions like the "Antioquia State" that is "Departmento de Antioquia". Colombia is divided in 32 states. The second is well understood for a Spanish speaker, but could be confused for an English speaker. Every state has a city capital that is called "Capital departamental" (the Capital of the State). The state is divided by sub-regions leaded by a main municipality. The sub-regions are divided by municipalities. In Colombia there are 1119 municipalities. Every municipality has a center town (hall city). The municipalities are divided in barrios at the urban sectors and veredas at the rural sector. Cities with a population higher than 300 thousand are divided in Comunas (communes). Comunas are a together of barrios.

The Lower the Latitude, the Better my Attitude!  Friday, July 04, 2008   Site dedicated to the Colombian people!

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