Geography of Colombia

Colombia, South America’s 4th largest country, is bathed by both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

Pico San Cristobal Colon, Colombia’s highest point in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (the world’s highest coastal range), stands at 5,776 meters above sea level.

• The Caribbean region: including the Guajira desert, the eternal snows of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, swamps and plains, white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, jungle and tropical vegetation

• The Andean region: the Andes mountain range divides here into three chains (Cordillera Occidental, Cordillera Central and Cordillera Oriental) that stretch from the south to the north of the country, forming a rugged topography with snow-capped peaks, páramos landscapes (humid, cold highlands), vast high plateaus, deep canyons and extensive valleys.

• The Orenoque region: a vast plain (the Llanos) criss-crossed by numerous rivers on the border with Venezuela, this region is comparable to the Argentine pampas.

• The Amazon region: covering an area of 480,000 km2, the Colombian Amazon (bordering Brazil and Peru) is characterized by its access to the Amazon River and its protected natural sites.

• The Pacific region: with its mountainous terrain, the Pacific coast is particularly well-watered and boasts great biodiversity: numerous birds, humpback whales, an underwater sanctuary..

Climate and weather

Colombia enjoys a pleasant climate, with an average temperature of 25°C all year round. That said, temperatures are strongly influenced by altitude, with differences of 10 to 15°C between a low-lying region and a mountainous area. The Atlantic and Pacific coasts, as well as Amazonia, are hotter and more humid. It can rain at any time of year (with more precipitation between April and June, and from August to November). The reverse is also true: the sun can shine in any season, in any region.