Colombia is one of the rising stars of world travel in recent years, with improvements in security opening up the country for travellers. It is a country of spectacular natural beauty combined with a rich historical heritage, both colonial and pre-Hispanic. Its Caribbean coast boast the beautiful colonial city of Cartagena as well as the jungles, beaches and wildlife of the Tayrona National Park. Around the fascinating and vibrant capital of Bogota lie coffee plantations, volcanic peaks, colonial towns and the salt cathedral at Zipaquira. Stretching back further in time, the archaeological parks at San AgustÃn and Tierradentro are intriguing reminders of lost civilisations. Explore in depth highlights of Colombia.
Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
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groups tours with set departures |
World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
Time zone: | GMT -5 (Columbia standard time) | Daylight savings: None |
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Main languages: | Spanish |
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Currency: |
Colombian pesos (COP) €1 = $0.00, $1 = $3037, £1 = $4039 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
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Internet Domain: | .co | International Dialling Code: 57 |
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For help planning your trip to Colombia including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Colombia trip planning page.
Further information on Colombia
Discover more about Colombia - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 1,138,910 sq km (100,210 sq km under water)
Coastline: 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea, Pacific Ocean)
Neighbours (border lengths): Brazil (1,644km), Ecuador (590km), Panama (225km), Peru (1,800km), Venezuela (2,050km)
Climate: Tropical climate along coasts and in Amazon basin, cooler in highland mountain ranges. Rainy season from February to May and October to November. The highlands are subject to volcanic eruptions and occasional earthquakes.
Highest mountain: Pico Cristobal Colon (5,775m)
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Colombia from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
Index | Status | Rank | |
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Freedom in the World | Partly Free | - | |
Democracy Index | Flawed democracy | 62/167 | |
Economic Freedom | Mostly Free | 28/179 | |
Press Freedom | Difficult situation | 126/179 | |
ILGA LGBT rights | Broad rights | - | |
Corruption Perceptions | Medium corruption | 94/174 | |
Overall Ranking: | 66/195 |
Other Data & Links
Full name: Republic of Colombia Status: Independent Country
Population: 46,245,297 (rank: 29/196) Density: 40.6 people/sq km (rank: 138/196)
Ethnic groups: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%
GDP (PPP): $526.5 billion GDP per capita: $11,100 (rank: 86/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.