Geography

Colombia is a relatively large country in Northern South America. It borders the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, and lies in between Panama and Venezuela. It also shares borders with Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru. Because of its size, Colombia also encompasses many various terrains. It includes flat coastal lowlands especially in the North, around the Caribbean Sea’s coast and surrounding the Magdalena River’s head. Central highlands can be found in the middle of Colombia, particularly in the Cordillera Central. There are also high mountains including the infamous Andes mountain range and the Cordillera Oriental. Finally, there are the eastern lowland planes, mostly in the region of Llanos. To go with these versatile terrains, there are also several different climates. The majority of the country is in a primarily tropical climate, though this can vary. Tropical climates can include rainforest, monsoon, and savannah. More arid and hot climates can be found primarily along the Caribbean regions. Cooler temperatures can be found along highlands or on the peaks of mountains. More moderate temperatures can also be found along the bottom-halves of mountains. To correspond with these various climates are 5 major regions. These include the Atlantic Lowlands, the Pacific Coastal Region, the Andean Region, Llanos, and the Amazonian Rainforests. The Atlantic Lowlands are the flat region along the Caribbean Coasts, which are home to ⅕ of Colombia’s population. The Pacific Coastal Region falls on the western side of the country, along the Pacific Ocean. The Andean Region is home to the Andes Mountains, and lies within the south of the country. The Amazon Rainforest covers the entire bottom half of the country, and when combined with Llanos, makes up about ⅔ of the country. Colombia also has many rivers, including the famous Magdalena River which flows in between the Cordillera Occidental and the Cordillera Central. Colombia also contains a tiny chunk of the Amazon River. To summarize, Colombia is a very versatile country with many different terrains, climates, and regions, which allows for a visitor to find an environment that will appeal to their preferences.