NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Geography of Colombia

The Geography of Colombia is characterized by containing five main natural regions which present their own unique characteristics, from the Andes mountain range region shared with Ecuador and Venezuela, the Pacific Ocean coastal region shared with Panama and Ecuador, the Caribbean Sea coastal region shared with Venezuela and Panama, the Llanos (plains) shared with Venezuela to the Amazon Rainforest region shared with Venezuela, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. Colombia is one of only two South American countries which border both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A Natural region is one which is distinguished by its natural features of geography and usually more importantly, geology. ... This article is about the mountain system in South America. ... The Pacific Coast is any coast fronting the Pacific Ocean. ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean Sea (pronounced or ) is a tropical sea in the Western Hemisphere, part of the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ... Los Llanos (meaning the flat plains) is a vast tropical grassland plain situated at the east of the Andes in northwestern South America (Colombia and Venezuela). ... Map of the Amazon rainforest ecoregions as delineated by the WWF. Yellow line encloses the Amazon rainforest. ...

Colombia is located in the northwestern region of South America bordering to the east with Venezuela and Brazil; to the south with Ecuador and Peru; to the North with the Atlantic Ocean, through the Caribbean Sea; and to the west with Panama and the Pacific Ocean.^[1] Colombia is the 26th largest nation in the world and the fourth-largest country in South America after Brazil, Argentina, and Peru.^[2] Despite its large territory, Colombia's population is not evenly distributed with most Colombians living in the mountainous western portion of the country as well as the northern coastline, most living in or near the capital city of Bogotá. The southern and eastern portions of the country are mostly sparsely inhabited tropical rainforest and inland tropical plains containing small farming communities and indigenous tribes. South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean Sea (pronounced or ) is a tropical sea in the Western Hemisphere, part of the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ... Countries by area. ... For other uses, see World (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see BogotÃ¡ (disambiguation). ...

Natural regions

Colombia usually classifies its geography into five regions, despite this the factbook makes no difference between Amazon region of Colombia (predominantly jungle) and the Orinoquia region of Colombia (predominantly plains). The World Factbook considers most appropriate to divide the country into four geographic regions: the Andean highlands, consisting of the three Andean ranges and intervening valley lowlands; the Caribbean lowlands coastal region; the Pacific lowlands coastal region, separated from the Caribbean lowlands by swamps at the base of the Isthmus of Panama; and eastern Colombia, the great plain that lies to the east of the Andes Mountains. However due to the notable difference between these. The Natural Regions of Colombia are five natural regions comprised by primarily the Colombian Andes mountain range pertaining to the Andes, the Caribbean region pertaining to the area contiguous to the Caribbean sea, the Pacific region contiguous to the Pacific Ocean, the Amazon region part of the Amazon rainforest and... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The World Factbook 2007 (government edition) cover. ...

The chief western mountain range, the Cordillera Occidental, is a moderately high range with peaks reaching up to about 13,000 ft (4,000 m). The Cauca River Valley, an important agricultural region with several large cities on its borders, separates the Cordillera Occidental from the massive Cordillera Central. Several snow-clad volcanoes in the Cordillera Central have summits that rise above 18,000 ft (5,500 m). The valley of the slow-flowing and muddy Magdalena River, a major transportation artery, separates the Cordillera Central from the main eastern range, the Cordillera Oriental. The peaks of the Cordillera Oriental are moderately high. This range differs from Colombia's other mountain ranges in that it contains several large basins. In the east, the sparsely populated, flat to gently rolling eastern lowlands called llanos cover almost 60 percent of the country's total land area.

This cross section of the republic does not include two of Colombia's regions: the Caribbean coastal lowlands and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, both in the northern part of the country. The lowlands in the west are mostly swampy; the reed-filled marshes of the area are called ciénagas by the people of Colombia. The Guajira Peninsula in the east is semiarid. The Sierra Nevada is a spectacular triangular snowcapped block of rock that towers over the eastern part of this lowland. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a mountain range in northern Colombia. ... Guajira is a style of Cuban acoustic music. ...

Andean Region

Near the Ecuadorian frontier, the Andes Mountains divide into three distinct, roughly parallel chains, called cordilleras, that extend northeastward almost to the Caribbean Sea. Altitudes reach more than 5,700 meters, and mountain peaks are permanently covered with snow. The elevated basins and plateaus of these ranges have a moderate climate that provides pleasant living conditions and in many places enables farmers to harvest twice a year. Torrential rivers on the slopes of the mountains produce a large hydroelectric power potential and add their volume to the navigable rivers in the valleys. In the late 1980s, approximately 78% of the country's population lived in the Andean highlands. The Andean Region of Colombia is the most populated zone of the country and is located in north part of the Andes. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 526 pixelsFull resolution (2080 Ã— 1368 pixels, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 526 pixelsFull resolution (2080 Ã— 1368 pixels, file size: 2. ... Motto: Capital Tunja Governor Jorge Eduardo LondoÃ±o Area 23,189 kmÂ² Population - Total (2003) - Density 1,411,239 61 people/kmÂ² Adjective Boyaca (Spanish: BoyacÃ¡) is a department of Colombia, one of the original nine states of the United States of Colombia. BoyacÃ¡ is centrally located within Colombia, almost...

The Cordillera Occidental in the west, the Cordillera Central in the center, and the Cordillera Oriental in the east have different characteristics. Geologically, the Cordillera Occidental and the Cordillera Central form the western and eastern sides of a massive crystalline arch that extends from the Caribbean lowlands to the southern border of Ecuador. The Cordillera Oriental, however, is composed of folded stratified rocks overlying a crystalline core.

The Cordillera Occidental is relatively low and is the least populated of the three cordilleras. Summits are only about 3,000 meters above sea level and do not have permanent snows. Few passes exist, although one that is about 1,520 meters above sea level provides the major city of Cali with an outlet to the Pacific Ocean. The relatively low elevation of the cordillera permits dense vegetation, which on the western slopes is truly tropical.

The Cordillera Occidental is separated from the Cordillera Central by the deep rift of the Cauca Valley. The Río Cauca rises within 200 kilometers of the border with Ecuador and flows through some of the best farmland in the country. After the two cordilleras converge, the Cauca Valley becomes a deep gorge all the way to the Caribbean lowlands.

The Cordillera Central is the loftiest of the mountain systems. Its crystalline rocks form an 800-kilometer-long towering wall dotted with snow-covered volcanoes. There are no plateaus in this range and no passes under 3,300 meters. The highest peak in this range, the Nevado del Huila, reaches 5,439 meters above sea level. The second highest peak is a volcano, Nevado del Ruiz, which erupted violently on November 13, 1985. Toward its northern end, this cordillera separates into several branches that descend toward the Caribbean coast.

Between the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera Oriental flows the Río Magdalena. This 1,600-kilometer-long river rises near a point some 180 kilometers north of the border with Ecuador, where the Cordillera Oriental and the Cordillera Central diverge. Its spacious drainage area is fed by numerous mountain torrents originating high in the snowfields. The Río Magdalena is generally navigable from the Caribbean Sea as far as the town of Neiva, deep in the interior, but is interrupted midway by rapids. The valley floor is very deep; nearly 800 kilometers from the river's mouth the elevation is no more than about 300 meters.

In the Cordillera Oriental at elevations between 2,500 and 2,700 meters, three large fertile basins and a number of small ones provide suitable areas for settlement and intensive economic production. In the basin of Cundinamarca, where the Spanish found the Chibcha Indians, the European invaders established the town of Santa Fe de Bogotá (present-day Bogotá) at an elevation of 2,650 meters above sea level.

To the north of Bogotá, in the densely populated basins of Chiquinquira and Boyacá, are fertile fields, rich mines, and large industrial establishments that produce much of the national wealth. Still farther north, where the Cordillera Oriental makes an abrupt turn to the northwest near the border with Venezuela, the highest point of this range, the Sierra Nevada de Cocuy, rises to 5,493 meters above sea level. In the department of Santander, the valleys on the western slopes are more spacious, and agriculture is intensive in the area around Bucaramanga. The northernmost region of the range around Cúcuta is so rugged that historically it has been easier to maintain communications and transportation with Venezuela than with the adjacent parts of Colombia.

Caribbean region

The Caribbean lowlands consist of all of Colombia north of an imaginary line extending northeastward from the Golfo de Urabá to the Venezuelan frontier at the northern extremity of the Cordillera Oriental. The semiarid Guajira Peninsula and Guajira-Barranquilla xeric scrub, in the extreme north, bear little resemblance to the rest of the region. In the southern part rises the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, an isolated mountain system with peaks reaching heights over 5,700 meters and slopes generally too steep for cultivation. Caribbean Region The Caribbean Region or Caribbean Coast Region is a natural region of Colombia mainly composed of eight departments located near the Caribbean Sea coast. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (639 Ã— 639 pixels, file size: 489 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta vista desde el espacio por la NASA. Enero de 1990. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (639 Ã— 639 pixels, file size: 489 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta vista desde el espacio por la NASA. Enero de 1990. ... The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a mountain range in northern Colombia. ... The Gulf of UrabÃ¡ is a gulf on the northern coast of South America. ... Guajira is a style of Cuban acoustic music. ... The Guajira Peninsula satellital view. ...

The Caribbean lowlands region is in roughly the shape of a triangle, the longest side of which is the coastline. Most of the country's commerce moves through Cartagena, Barranquilla, Santa Marta, and the other ports located along this important coast. Inland from these cities are swamps, hidden streams, and shallow lakes that support banana and cotton plantations, countless small farms, and, in higher places, cattle ranches.

The Caribbean region merges into and is connected with the Andean highlands through the two great river valleys. After the Andean highlands, it is the second most important region in economic activity. Approximately 17% of the country's population lived in this region in the late 1980s. The region also includes the peninsular archipelago of San Andres Island San AndrÃ©s and Providencia Islands. ...

Pacific region

The western third of the country is the most geographically complex. Starting at the shore of the Pacific Ocean in the west and moving eastward at a latitude of 5 degrees north, a diverse sequence of features is encountered. In the extreme west are the very narrow and discontinuous Pacific coastal lowlands, which are backed by the Serranía de Baudó, the lowest and narrowest of Colombia's mountain ranges. Next is the broad region of the Río Atrato/Río San Juan lowland, which has been proposed as a possible alternate to the Panama Canal as a human-made route between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. Colombia occupies most of the Andes mountain range northern extremity sharing a bit with Venezuela which splits into three branches between the Colombia-Ecuador border in the Map of Colombia subdivided into five regions; The Pacific Region covering the western part of the country bordering the Pacific Ocean. ... The BaudÃ³ Mountains (SerranÃa de BaudÃ³) are a coastal mountain range on the Pacific coast of Colombia. ... The Río Atrato is a river of northwestern Colombia. ... Two Panamax running the Miraflores Locks The Panama Canal (Spanish: ) is a major ship canal that traverses the Isthmus of Panama in Central America, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. ...

In the 1980s, only 3% of all Colombians resided in the Pacific lowlands, a region of jungle and swamp with considerable but little-exploited potential in minerals and other resources. Buenaventura is the only port of any size on the coast. On the east, the Pacific lowlands are bounded by the Cordillera Occidental, from which numerous streams run. Most of the streams flow westward to the Pacific, but the largest, the navigable Río Atrato, flows northward to the Golfo de Urabá, making the river settlements accessible to the major Atlantic ports and commercially related primarily to the Caribbean lowlands hinterland. To the west of the Río Atrato rises the Serranía de Baudó, an isolated chain of low mountains that occupies a large part of the region. Its highest elevation is less than 1,800 meters, and its vegetation resembles that of the surrounding tropical forest. The BaudÃ³ Mountains (SerranÃa de BaudÃ³) are a coastal mountain range on the Pacific coast of Colombia. ...

The Atrato Swamp—in Chocó Department adjoining the border with Panama—is a deep muck sixty-five kilometers in width that for years has challenged engineers seeking to complete the Pan-American Highway. This stretch, near Turbo, where the highway is interrupted is known as the Tapón del Chocó (Chocon Plug). A second major transportation project involving Chocó Department has been proposed. A second interoceanic canal would be constructed by dredging the Río Atrato and other streams and digging short access canals. Completion of either of these projects would do much to transform this somnolent region. The DariÃ©n Gap is a large swath of undeveloped swampland and forest separating Panama and Colombia. ... The Pan American Highway from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina. ... Turbo is a port town in Antioquia Department, Colombia. ...

Orinoquía Region

The area east of the Andes includes about 699,300 square kilometers, or three-fifths of the country's total area, but Colombians view it almost as an alien land. The entire area, known as the eastern plains, was home to only 2% of the country's population in the late 1980s. The Spanish term for plains (llanos) can be applied only to the open plains in the northern part, particularly the piedmont areas near the Cordillera Oriental, where extensive cattle raising is practiced. Map of Colombia subdivided into five regions; The OrinoquÃa Region covering the eastern part of the country, predominantly plains. ... Los Llanos (meaning the flat plains) is a vast tropical grassland plain situated at the east of the Andes in northwestern South America (Colombia and Venezuela). ...

The region is unbroken by highlands except in Meta Department, where the Serranía de la Macarena, an out lier of the Andes has unique vegetation and wildlife believed to be reminiscent of those that once existed throughout the Andes. Motto: Capital Villavicencio Governor Area 85,635 kmÂ² Population - Total (2003) - Density 771,089 9 people/kmÂ² Adjective The Meta is a department of Colombia. ... Deer can be seen in La Macarena SerranÃa de La Macarena (Macarena Mountain Range) is a Colombian mountain range located to the east of the Andes and separated at its northern part about 40 km from the Cordillera Oriental ( ). The range is orientated North-South 120 km in length...

Amazon Region

Many of the numerous large rivers of eastern Colombia are navigational. The Río Guaviare and the streams to its north flow eastward and drain into the basin of the Río Orinoco, river that crosses into Venezuela and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Those south of the Río Guaviare flow into the Amazon Basin. The Río Guaviare divides eastern Colombia into the llanos subregion in the north and the tropical rainforest, or selva, subregion in the south. The Amazon Region in Colombia The AmazonÃa Region is a region in southern Colombia. ... The Guaviare is a tributary of the Orinoco located in Colombia. ... For other uses, see Orinoco (disambiguation). ... Amazon River basin The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. ...

Climate

The striking variety in temperature and precipitation results principally from differences in elevation. Temperatures range from very hot at sea level to relatively cold at higher elevations but vary little with the season. At Bogotá, for example, the average annual temperature is 15°C, and the difference between the average of the coldest and the warmest months is less than 1°C. More significant, however, is the daily variation in temperature, from 5°C at night to 17°C during the day. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... A not so common Hailstorm in BogotÃ¡ on March 3, 2006 product of a combination of altitude (low temperature at 2600 meters over sea level) and precipitation. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1500x2000, 898 KB) Floods in Colombia, April 2004. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1500x2000, 898 KB) Floods in Colombia, April 2004. ...

Colombians customarily describe their country in terms of the climatic zones: the area under 900 meters in elevation is called the hot zone (tierra caliente), elevations between 900 and 1,980 meters are the temperate zone (tierra templada), and elevations from 1,980 meters to about 3,500 meters constitute the cold zone (tierra fría). The upper limit of the cold zone marks the tree line and the approximate limit of human habitation. The treeless regions adjacent to the cold zone and extending to approximately 4,500 meters are high, bleak areas (usually referred to as the páramos), above which begins the area of permanent snow (nevado).

About 86% of the country's total area lies in the hot zone. Included in the hot zone and interrupting the temperate area of the Andean highlands are the long and narrow extension of the Magdalena Valley and a small extension in the Cauca Valley. Temperatures, depending on elevation, vary between 24°C and 38°C, and there are alternating dry and wet seasons corresponding to summer and winter, respectively. Breezes on the Caribbean coast, however, reduce both heat and precipitation.

Rainfall in the hot zone is heaviest in the Pacific lowlands and in parts of eastern Colombia, where rain is almost a daily occurrence and rain forests predominate. Precipitation exceeds 760 centimeters annually in most of the Pacific lowlands, making this one of the wettest regions in the world. The highest average annual precipitation in the world is estimated to be in Lloro, Colombia, with 13,299 mm (523.9 inches).^[3] In eastern Colombia, it decreases from 635 centimeters in portions of the Andean piedmont to 254 centimeters eastward. Extensive areas of the Caribbean interior are permanently flooded, more because of poor drainage than because of the moderately heavy precipitation during the rainy season from May through October.

The temperate zone covers about 8% of the country. This zone includes the lower slopes of the Cordillera Oriental and the Cordillera Central and most of the intermontane valleys. The important cities of Medellín (1,487 meters) and Cali (1,030 meters) are located in this zone, where rainfall is moderate and the mean annual temperature varies between 19°C and 24°C, depending on the elevation. In the higher elevations of this zone, farmers benefit from two wet and two dry seasons each year; January through March and July through September are the dry seasons.

The cold or cool zone constitutes about 6% of the total area, including some of the most densely populated plateaus and terraces of the Colombian Andes; this zone supports about onefourth of the country's total population. The mean temperature ranges between 10°C and 19°C, and the wet seasons occur in April and May and from September to December, as in the high elevations of the temperate zone. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 Ã— 1200 pixels, file size: 708 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) FotografÃa del RÃo Atrato en Colombia desde helicÃ³ptero. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 Ã— 1200 pixels, file size: 708 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) FotografÃa del RÃo Atrato en Colombia desde helicÃ³ptero. ... The Río Atrato is a river of northwestern Colombia. ...

Precipitation is moderate to heavy in most parts of the country; the heavier rainfall occurs in the low-lying hot zone. Considerable variations occur because of local conditions that affect wind currents, however, and areas on the leeward side of the Guajira Peninsula receive generally light rainfall; the annual rainfall of thirty-five centimeters recorded at the Uribia station there is the lowest in Colombia. Considerable year-to-year variations have been recorded, and Colombia sometimes experiences droughts.

Colombia's geographic and climatic variations have combined to produce relatively well-defined "ethnocultural" groups among different regions of the country: the Costeño from the Caribbean coast; the Caucano in the Cauca region and the Pacific coast; the Antioqueño in Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda, and Valle del Cauca departments; the Tolimense in Tolima and Huila departments; the Cundiboyacense in the interior departments of Cundinamarca and Boyacá in the Cordillera Oriental; the Santandereano in Norte de Santander and Santander departments; and the Llanero in the eastern plains. Each group has distinctive characteristics, accents, customs, social patterns, and forms of cultural adaptation to climate and topography that differentiates it from other groups. Even with rapid urbanization and modernization, regionalism and regional identification continued to be important reference points, although they were somewhat less prominent in the 1980s than in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Colombia's proximity to the equator influences its climates. The lowland areas are continuously hot. Altitude affects temperature greatly. Temperatures decrease about 3.5°F (2°C) for every 1,000-foot (300-meter) increase in altitude above sea level. Rainfall varies by location in Colombia, tending to increase as one travels southward. This is especially true in the eastern lowlands. For example, rainfall in parts of the Guajira Peninsula seldom exceeds 30 in (75 cm) per year. Colombia's rainy southeast, however, is often drenched by more than 200 in (500 cm) of rain per year. Rainfall in most of the rest of the country runs between these two extremes. For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ... Celsius is, or relates to, the Celsius temperature scale (previously known as the centigrade scale). ... Guajira is a style of Cuban acoustic music. ...

Fauna & Flora

Altitude affects not only temperature, but also vegetation. In fact, altitude is one of the most important influences on vegetation patterns in Colombia. The mountainous parts of the country can be divided into several vegetation zones according to altitude, although the altitude limits of each zone may vary somewhat depending on the latitude. The Pink Dolphin of Amazon river is an endangered specie The Fauna of Colombia is characterized by a high biodiversity, with the highest rate of species by area unit worldwide[1]. // Yellow-eared parrot is an endemic specie which only lives in a 20km2 area in Cocora valley Colombia has... The Flora of Colombia is characterized by a high biodiversity, with the highest rate of species by area unit worldwide. ...

The "tierra caliente" (hot land), below 3,300 ft (1,000 m), is the zone of tropical crops such as bananas. The tierra templada (temperate land), extending from an altitude of 3,300 to 6,600 ft (1,000 to 2,000 m), is the zone of coffee and maize. Wheat and potatoes dominate in the "tierra fría" (cold land), at altitudes from 6,600 to 10,500 ft (2,000 to 3,200 m). In the "zona forestada" (forested zone), which is located between 10,500 and 12,800 ft (3,200 and 3,900 m), many of the trees have been cut for firewood. Treeless pastures dominate the páramos, or alpine grasslands, at altitudes of 12,800 to 15,100 ft (3,900 to 4,600 m). Above 15,100 ft (4,600 m), where temperatures are below freezing, is the "tierra helada", a zone of permanent snow and ice.

Vegetation also responds to rainfall patterns. A scrub woodland of scattered trees and bushes dominates the semiarid northeast. To the south, savannah (tropical grassland) vegetation covers the Colombian portion of the llanos. The rainy areas in the southeast are blanketed by tropical rainforest. In the mountains, the spotty patterns of precipitation in alpine areas complicate vegetation patterns. The rainy side of a mountain may be lush and green, while the other side, in the rain shadow, may be parched.

Relief

The Andean range is located in Colombia from the southwest (Ecuador border) toward the northeast (Venezuela border) 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. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1059x1258, 275 KB) Shaded relief map of Colombia. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1059x1258, 275 KB) Shaded relief map of Colombia. ... Colombian Massif (from the Spanish Macizo Colombiano) also known colloquially as Nudo de Almaguer (Node of Almaguer) refers to a group of mountains in south central Colombia, in which 70% of the Colombian safe water for human consumption and irrigation originates; formed by the Magdalena River, Cauca River, CaquetÃ¡ River... Categories: Departments of Colombia | Stub ... Cauca may refer to: Cauca Department, an administrative division of Colombia Cauca language Cauca River Cauca Valley Coca, Segovia, Spain, Latin name was Cauca Cauca Guan, a bird Category: ...

The eastern half 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 is covered by the Amazon rain forest and belongs mostly to the Amazon basin. It is usually called Amazonía. Savannah redirects here. ... The Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, Australia. ... This article is about the river. ... For other uses, see Orinoco (disambiguation). ... Los Llanos (meaning the flat plains) is a vast tropical grassland plain situated at the east of the Andes in northwestern South America (Colombia and Venezuela). ...

At the north and west of the Andes range there are some coastal plains. The Caribbean plains at the north and the Pacific plains at the west.

Colombian Pacific Plains are among the most rainy parts in the world, chieftly at the north (Chocó). Look up choco in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

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 (5775 m) and Pico Simon Bolivar (same elevation). Other mountains in the Caribbean plain include the María Mountains and the San Lucas Range. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a mountain range in northern Colombia. ...

In the Pacific Plains there are other mountain formations, chiefly the Darién and the Baudó Ranges. Darien is the name of several places in the United States of America: Darien, Connecticut Darien, Georgia Darien, Illinois - a suburb of Chicago Darien, New York Darien, Wisconsin Darien (town), Wisconsin DariÃ©n can also refer to places in Panama: DariÃ©n Province The town of DariÃ©n, founded by... The BaudÃ³ Mountains (SerranÃa de BaudÃ³) are a coastal mountain range on the Pacific coast of Colombia. ...

In the eastern Region, there is the Macarena Range and there are formations belonging to the Guyanas Shield.

Protected Areas

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 533 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (792 Ã— 891 pixels, file size: 53 KB, MIME type: image/png) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 533 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (792 Ã— 891 pixels, file size: 53 KB, MIME type: image/png) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...

Natural Resources

The natural resources of Colombia are varied and extensive with most of its territory and oceans still unexplored. Colombia has one of the largest coal open mine pits in the world in the region of Cerrejon in the Guajira peninsula. It also has oil rigs and natural gas extraction in the eastern plains. Colombia is the main producer of emeralds and an important participation in gold, silver, iron, salt, platinum and uranium extraction.^[4] CerrejÃ³n is a coal mine located in the Guajira department in the north of Colombia. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Environmental issues

The main environmental issues affecting Colombia are deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions and other main cities. The collateral damaged produced by attacks against oil pipeline infrastructure by rebel guerrillas in the Colombian armed conflict has produced long term damage to the environment. The armed groups also deforest large areas to cultivate illegal crops and open unauthorized highways in protected areas. Environmental issues in Colombia was codified in the 1991 constitution with new environmental protection legislation, including the creation of specially protected zones, of which more than 200 were created in the early 1990s, mostly in forest areas and national parks. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (744x963, 153 KB) Land use map of Colombia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (744x963, 153 KB) Land use map of Colombia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1093x949, 147 KB) Economic activity map of Colombia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1093x949, 147 KB) Economic activity map of Colombia. ...

Extreme Points

Snowfields and glaciers in Colombia are limited to the highest peaks and ranges in the Cordillera Central and Cordillera Oriental and above the 4,700-meter elevation on the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The total area of snowfields and glaciers was estimated to be about 104 square kilometers in the early 1970s. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Historical, geographical, and pictorial records point toward a consistent and progressive depletion of ice-and-snow masses in the Colombian Andes since the end of the "Little Ice Age" in the late 1800s. Many glaciers have disappeared during the 20th century, and others are expected to disappear in the coming decades.^[5]

Facts

Terrain: flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,975 m note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower

Natural hazards: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Hydrology

Colombia has four main drainage systems: the Pacific drain, the Caribbean drain, the Orinoco Basin and the Amazon Basin. The Atrato River of Northwestern Colombia This is a list of rivers in Colombia. ...

The Orinoco and Amazon Rivers mark limits with Colombia to Venezuela and Peru respectively. For other uses, see Orinoco (disambiguation). ... This article is about the river. ...

The Río Atrato is a river of northwestern Colombia. ... The Cauca River is a river in Colombia that lies between the Cordilleras Occidental and Central. ... Map of the Magdalena River watershed. ... SinÃº River (or RÃo SinÃº in Spanish), is a river in northwestern Colombia that flows mostly through the Cordoba Department and into the Caribbean Sea. ... The BaudÃ³ Mountains (SerranÃa de BaudÃ³) are a coastal mountain range on the Pacific coast of Colombia. ... InÃrida may refer to: InÃrida, the capital city and a municipality of the GuainÃa Department in Colombia; InÃrida River, major tributary of the Guaviare River in the GuainÃa Department in Colombia; InÃrida flower, an endemic plant in Colombia. ... The Meta River is formed in the Meta Department, Colombia by the intersection of the UpÃa and Guayuriba rivers. ... The Vichada River is a river in the country of Colombia, South America. ... The Arauca River (Spanish: RÃo Arauca) rises in the Andes Mountains of north-central Colombia and ends at the Orinoco in Venezuela. ... The CaquetÃ¡ River rises in the Andes Mountains near the southern Colombian city of Mocoa. ... RÃo Negro or Rio Negro (black river in, respectively, Spanish and Portuguese) may refer to: // Rio Negro (Amazon), left tributary of the Amazon River RÃo Negro (Argentina), Most important river of the Argentine Patagonia RÃo Negro (Uruguay), left tributary of the Uruguay River Negro River (Chaco), River... The Içá or Putumayo River is one of the tributaries of the Amazon river, west of and parallel to the Yapura. ...

Lakes

Magdalena River delta Photo #: STS073-760-32 Date: Oct. ... Magdalena River delta Photo #: STS073-760-32 Date: Oct. ... Map of the Magdalena River watershed. ... In this satellite image, the CiÃ©naga Grande de Santa Marta is the greenish area at top, bordered by the Caribbean Sea on the left. ... In this satellite image, the CiÃ©naga Grande de Santa Marta is the greenish area at top, bordered by the Caribbean Sea on the left. ... Satellite view of Lake Tota. ...

See also

Environmental issues in Colombia was codified in the 1991 constitution with new environmental protection legislation, including the creation of specially protected zones, of which more than 200 were created in the early 1990s, mostly in forest areas and national parks. ...

References

The U.S. National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in Asheville, North Carolina is the worlds largest active archive of weather data. ... The Country Studies are works published by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress ( USA), freely available for use by researchers. ... The U.S. Constitution, adopted in 1789 by a constitutional convention, sets down the basic framework of American government in its seven articles. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... The World Factbook 2007 (government edition) cover. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

External links

Coordinates: 4°N 72°W / 4, -72 Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Categories: Cleanup from July 2006 | All pages needing cleanup | Geography of Colombia Map of South America. ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... Map of Trinidad and Tobago Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela Geographic coordinates: 11Â°00â€² N 61Â°00â€² W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 5,128 sq km land: 5,128 sq km water: 0 sq km... Image File history File links South_America. ... A dependent territory, dependent area or dependency is a territory that does not possess full political independence or sovereignty as a State. ... Geography of French Guiana. ... Motto: Leo Terram Propriam Protegat (Latin: The Lion shall protect his own land) Official language English Capital Grytviken Commissioner Howard Pearce Area - Total - % water not ranked 3,093 kmÂ² - Population - Total (2006 E) - Density not ranked ~20 n/a; Currency GBP Time zone UTC/GMT -2 National anthem God Save... This is a list of countries spanning more than one continent. ... World map showing the Americas CIA political map of the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the continents of North America[1] and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Colombia. ... Image File history File links Coat_of_arms_of_Colombia. ... // Main article: Indigenous peoples in Colombia The Zipa used to cover his body in gold and, from his raft, he offered treasures to the Guatavita goddess in the middle of the sacred lake. ... This is a timeline of Colombian history. ... The Indigenous peoples in Colombia (pueblos indÃgenas in Spanish) comprise a large number of distinct ethnic groups who inhabited the countrys present territory prior to its discovery by Europeans around 1500. ... Spanish conquest of the Chibchan Nations refers to the conquest by the Spanish monarchy of the Chibchan speaking nations, mainly the Muiscas and Taironas that inhabited what is nowadays Colombia to eventually begin the Spanish colonization of the Americas. ... New Kingdom of Granada Capital Santa Fe de BogotÃ¡ Language(s) Spanish Religion Roman Catholic Government Monarchy Historical era Spanish Empire - Established 16th century - Disestablished 1819 Currency Real The New Kingdom of Granada (Spanish: Nuevo Reino de Granada) was the name given to a group of 16th century Spanish colonial... The Viceroyalty of New Granada was the name given to a group of colonial provinces in northern South America, corresponding mainly to modern Colombia. ... BolÃvars War refers to a series of independence wars in South America from 1811 to 1825 led by the famous South American nationalist and general SimÃ³n BolÃvar. ... Capital SantafÃ© de BogotÃ¡ Language(s) Spanish (de facto) Religion Roman Catholic Government Republic First President - 1810 JosÃ© Miguel Pey y GarcÃa de Andrade History - Independence Declared July 20, 1810 - Confederacy formed October 4, 1812 - Reconquest by Spain September 3, 1816 Currency Real Categories: | | | | | | | | | ... Gran Colombia Capital BogotÃ¡ Language(s) Spanish Religion Roman Catholic Government Republic History - Established December 17, 1819 - Disestablished November 19, 1831 Gran Colombia (Spanish for Great Colombia) is a name used today for the Republic of Colombia of the period 1819-1831. ... Motto: Libertad y Orden (Spanish: Liberty and Order) Location of the Republic of the New Granada shown in green Capital Santa Fe de BogotÃ¡ Religion Roman Catholic Government Republic History - The Granadine Convention stablishes the new Federal Republic. ... Motto: Libertad y Orden (Spanish: Liberty and Order) Location of the Granadine Confederation shown in green Capital Santa Fe de BogotÃ¡ Religion Roman Catholic Government Republic President - 1858-1861 Mariano Ospina RodrÃguez - 1861 BartolomÃ© Calvo - 1861-1863 TomÃ¡s Cipriano de Mosquera History - New constitution May 22, 1858 - Constitutional... Capital BogotÃ¡ Religion Roman Catholic Government Republic History - Established 1863 - Rionegro Constitution 1863 - Disestablished 1886 The United States of Colombia is the name adopted in 1863 through the Rionegro Constitution for the nation which had been known as the Republic of New Grenada since the dissolution of the federation of... Combatants Colombian Liberal Party Colombian Conservative Party Commanders Rafael Uribe Uribe BenjamÃn Herrera PrÃ³spero PinzÃ³n RamÃ³n GonzÃ¡lez Valencia Pedro Nel Ospina The Thousand Days War (1899-1902) (Spanish: Guerra de los Mil Dias), was a civil armed conflict in the newly created Republic of Colombia... The Separation of Panama from Colombia Spanish: (November 3, 1903) refers to the separation and independence of the Department of Panama from the Republic of Colombia to create the Republic of Panama. ... Colombia-Peru War theater of operations. ... La Violencia (literally The Violence, in Spanish) is a term that refers to an era of civil conflict in Colombia between supporters of the Colombian Liberal PartybobColombian Conservative Party, a conflict which took place roughly from 1948 to 1958 (exact dates vary). ... National Front (Spanish: 1958-1974) was a period in the history of Colombia in which the two main political parties; Liberal Party and Conservative Party agreed to let the opposite party govern, intercalating for a period of four presidential terms. ... Colombian Armed Conflict or Colombian Civil War are terms that are employed to refer to the current low intensity conflict in Colombia that has existed since approximately 1964 or 1966, which was when the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and later the National Liberation Army (ELN) were founded and... Plate tectonics within Colombia. ... The Natural Regions of Colombia are five natural regions comprised by primarily the Colombian Andes mountain range pertaining to the Andes, the Caribbean region pertaining to the area contiguous to the Caribbean sea, the Pacific region contiguous to the Pacific Ocean, the Amazon region part of the Amazon rainforest and... Caribbean Region The Caribbean Region or Caribbean Coast Region is a natural region of Colombia mainly composed of eight departments located near the Caribbean Sea coast. ... Map of Colombia subdivided into five regions; The Pacific Region covering the western part of the country bordering the Pacific Ocean. ... The Andean Region of Colombia is the most populated zone of the country and is located in north part of the Andes. ... The Amazon Region in Colombia The AmazonÃa Region is a region in southern Colombia. ... Map of Colombia subdivided into five regions; The OrinoquÃa Region covering the eastern part of the country, predominantly plains. ... Insular Region The Insular Region is considered by some as a geopolitical region of Colombia which comprises the areas outside the continental territories of Colombia and includes the San AndrÃ©s y Providencia Department in the Caribbean sea and the Malpelo and Gorgona Islands in the Pacific Ocean. ... Map of Colombia This is a list of cities and towns in Colombia: Arauca, Arauca Armenia Barrancabermeja, Santander Barranquilla, AtlÃ¡ntico Bello, Antioquia BogotÃ¡ or BogotÃ¡ D.C.(Capital) Bucaramanga, Santander Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca Cali or Santiago de Cali, Valle del Cauca Cartagena de Indias, BolÃvar CÃºcuta... The Atrato River of Northwestern Colombia This is a list of rivers in Colombia. ... The Pink Dolphin of Amazon river is an endangered specie The Fauna of Colombia is characterized by a high biodiversity, with the highest rate of species by area unit worldwide[1]. // Yellow-eared parrot is an endemic specie which only lives in a 20km2 area in Cocora valley Colombia has... The Flora of Colombia is characterized by a high biodiversity, with the highest rate of species by area unit worldwide. ... Environmental issues in Colombia was codified in the 1991 constitution with new environmental protection legislation, including the creation of specially protected zones, of which more than 200 were created in the early 1990s, mostly in forest areas and national parks. ... The Executive Branch of Government in Colombia is one of the three branches of the government of Colombia under the Constitutional provision of separation of powers. ... List of Heads of State (Presidents etc. ... The Vice President of Colombia is the first in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of Colombia upon certain absences or death, resignation, or removal of the President. ... The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Colombia is part of the excecutive power, and according to the presidential orientation of the Colombian Constitution of 1991, its a cabinet of advicers to the President of Colombia. ... Congress (Spanish: Congreso) is the name given to Colombias bicameral national legislature. ... The Senate (Spanish: Senado) is the upper house of the Congress of Colombia. ... The Chamber of Representatives (Spanish: CÃ¡mara de Representantes) is the lower house of the Congress of Colombia. ... Superior Council of Judicature (Spanish: ) is Colombian institution part of the judicial branch of Colombia in charge of adopting a yearly report which is presented to the Congress of Colombia with a detailed report on justice handling in Colombia. ... Not to be confused with Inspector General of Colombia. ... The Supreme Court of Colombia is the highest judicial body in Colombia and leads the judicial branch of the Government of Colombia. ... The Constitutional Court of Colombia is the highest entity in the judicial branch of government in the Republic of Colombia in charge of safeguarding the integrity and supremacy of the Colombian Constitution of 1991 within the Constitutional laws. ... Not to be confused with Attorney General of Colombia. ... Location of the urban area of Bogota (red) and the Capital District (dark gray) within the Cundinamarca Department. ... Colombia is a unitary republic conformed by 32 departments (Spanish: departamentos, sing. ... Below the departments Colombia is divided into municipalities (municipios). ... Corregimiento is a term used in Colombia to define a subdivision of Colombian departments. ... Colombia seeks diplomatic and commercial relations with all countries, regardless of their ideologies or political or economic systems. ... The Colombian National Police (Spanish: PolicÃa Nacional de Colombia) is the national police force of the Republic of Colombia. ... Constitutional Reforms Colombias present constitution, enacted on July 4, 1991, strengthened the administration of justice with the provision for introduction of an accusatorial system which ultimately is to replace entirely the existing Napoleonic Code. ... A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating in elections. ... Elections in Colombia gives information on election and election results in Colombia. ... This article is part of or related to the Liberalism series Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Liberalism by country | Colombian political parties ... Bolivar is the image in which conservatism in Colombia creates its ideologies: the ideals of this great character were used by many years on the different conservative movements. ... Guerrilla movements in Colombia refers to the origins, development and actions of guerrilla movements in the Republic of Colombia. ... Paramilitarism in Colombia refers to the origin and development of paramilitary groups in Colombia during the 20th century. ... Communications in Colombia Telephones - main lines in use: 7,500. ... List of Colombian companies: This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ... ISO 4217 Code COP User(s) Colombia Inflation 4. ... Family in absolute poverty. ... Demographics of Colombia, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands. ... The largest concentration of people of Colombian origin in a foreign country is located in Queens Emigration from Colombia is determined by economic, social, and security issues linked mainly to the Colombian armed conflict. ... The Caro y Cuervo Institute in BogotÃ¡ promotes the good use of spanish in Colombia The Colombian spanish language is the variation of Spanish language spoken in Colombia, which have some distinctive features in comparison to the Spanish spoken in Spain and in other countries of Latin America. ... Health care in Colombia refers to the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well being through the services offered by the medical, nursing, and allied health professions in the Republic of Colombia. ... Metropolitan Areas of Colombia is the name of the regions conformed legally by an urban center and some metropolitan municipalities in the Republic of Colombia. ... According to the U.S. Department of Stateâ€™s 2003 human rights report, Colombiaâ€™s human rights record, despite significant improvements by police and military forces in some areas, remained poor. ... Stacks of Cocaine. ... // Key issues in the water and sanitation sector in Colombia include: (i) insufficient service coverage, in particular in rural areas; (ii) inadequate quality of water and sanitation services. ... Gabriel GarcÃa MÃ¡rquez (b. ... CENICAFE is an important center in Colombian coffee research Science and technology in Colombia refers to the development of scientific research and technological innovation in Colombia, and how these in turn affect Colombian society, politics, and culture. ... The research of Malaria and other tropical diseases are important health issues in Colombia. ... The Architecture of Colombia is, with the exception of that of the indigenous peoples, closely linked to the techniques and styles developed in Europe and more recently with the United States. ... Estudiante Muerto by Alejandro ObregÃ³n, oil on canvas, 1956. ... Poporo Quimbaya, phytomorphic (fruit-shaped) lime container, gold, 300 BCE - 1000 CE. Colombian handicraft history can be traced back to the stone age to the lithic instruments in El Abra stadial. ... // The first meal of the day is breakfast and is eaten upon rising. ... Bogota colombia (Spanish:Carnaval de BogotÃ¡) in August 6 for the citys centenary of Hispanic foundation, includes masquerades, krewes and dances parades at the same time or after 5 days takes place the Summer festival which is a group of activities, concerts and sports events in all the city... Carnaval de Barranquilla Marimonda characters. ... Nobel Prize winner in Literature, Gabriel Garcia Marquez for his masterpiece One Hundred Years of Solitude The Colombian literature, as an expression of the Culture of Colombia, is halfblooded, tropical and diverse due to the struggle between the Spanish, African and Native American heritages. ... Modern Colombian music is a mixture of African, native Indigenous and European (especially Spanish) influences, as well as more modern American and Caribbean musical forms, such as Trinidadian, Cuban, and Jamaican. ... The following are public holidays in Colombia: Ano Nuevo (New Years Day) (January 1) DÃa de los Reyes Magos (Epiphany) (January 6*) DÃa de San JosÃ© (St. ... Map of Colombia Tourism in Colombia has grown in the last few years with the increase in safety and growth in the economy. ... The nationa symbols of Colombia represent the identity of the South American country of Colombia. ... Chia Goddess Preliminary Sketch by Alonso Neira Martinez Muisca mythology refers to the precolumbian beliefs of the muisca culture about the origin and organization of the universe. ... The Chapinero LGBT Communitary Center LGBT Topics in Colombia: There is no complete statistical studies about the amount of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgendered people in Colombia. ... Occidente tunnel, Antioquia. ...

Contents

Natural regions

Andean Region

Caribbean region

Pacific region

Orinoquía Region

Amazon Region

Climate

Fauna & Flora

Relief

Protected Areas

Natural Resources

Environmental issues

Extreme Points

Facts

Hydrology

Rivers confined to Colombia

Rivers originated in Colombia

Lakes

See also

References

External links

Contents

Natural regions GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Andean Region

Caribbean region

Pacific region

Orinoquía Region

Amazon Region

Climate

Fauna & Flora

Relief

Protected Areas

Natural Resources

Environmental issues

Extreme Points

Facts

Hydrology

Rivers confined to Colombia

Rivers originated in Colombia

Lakes

See also

References

External links

Natural regions