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Geography of Colombia 1

Geography of Colombia

Geography of Colombia

 Relief map of Colombia.

(San Andres Archipielago not shown)

Area'

Total2,070,408 km

2 (799,389 sq mi)

Land1,141,748 km

2 (440,831 sq mi)

Water928,660 km

2 (358,558 sq mi)

Latitude 4•0' N

Longitude 72•0'W

Borders

Venezuela 2,850 km

Brazil 1,653 km

Peru 2,696 km

12,380 miles

Ecuador 590 km

Panama 225 km

Maritime claims

Continental shelf  200-m depth or to the

depth of exploitation

Economic zone 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)

Territorial sea 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)

The Republic of 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 Bogot‚. 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.

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Geography of Colombia 2

Main Regions

Colombia usually classifies its geography into five natural region, from the Andes mountain range, a region shared

with Ecuador, 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 the only South American country

which borders both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Despite this The World 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.

The chief western mountain range, the Cordillera Occidental, is a moderately high range with peaks reaching up to

about 15,000 ft (4,572 m) (4,670 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 17,000 ft (5,182 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 ci€nagas by the people of Colombia. The Guajira Peninsula in

the east is semiarid. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a spectacular triangular snowcapped block of rock that

towers over the eastern part of this lowland. Here can be found the highest peak of the country named Pico CristobalColon (5775 m).

Andean region

P‚ramo of Rabanal, Boyac‚.

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 18,700 ft

(5,700 m), 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 percent of the country's population lived in the

Andean highlands.

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Geography of Colombia 3

Glaciers in Colombia.

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 thesouthern 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 9,840 ft (2,999 m) above sea level and do

not have permanent snows. Few passes exist, although

one that is about 4,985 ft (1,519 m) 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 Rƒo Cauca rises within 124 mi (200 km) 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 a towering wall dotted with

snow-covered volcanoes that is 500 mi (805 km) long. There are no plateaus in this range and no passes under

10,825 ft (3,299 m). The highest peak in this range, the Nevado del Huila, reaches 17,602 ft (5,365 m) 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 Magdalena River. This 1,600-kilometer

(994 mi)-long river rises near a point some 180 km (112 mi) 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 Magdalena River 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 km

(497 mi) from the river's mouth the elevation is no more than about 300 meters (984 ft).

In the Cordillera Oriental at elevations between 2,500 and 2,700 meters (8,202 and 8,858 ft), 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 Bogot‚ (present-day Bogot‚) at an elevation of 2,650 meters (8,694 ft) above sea level.

To the north of Bogot‚, in the densely populated basins of Chiquinquir‚ and Boyac‚, 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 (18,022 ft) above sea level. In the department of Santander, thevalleys on the western slopes are more spacious, and agriculture is intensive in the area around Bucaramanga. The

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Geography of Colombia 4

northernmost region of the range around C„cuta 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

Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the highest standing mountain by the

sea.

The Caribbean lowlands consist of all of Colombia

north of an imaginary line extending northeastward

from the Golfo de Urab‚ 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 (18,701 ft) and slopes generally too steep

for cultivation.

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 city of Cartagena is a petrochemical, seaport(#1 in the country) and tourist city((#1 in the country). Santa Marta

is also a seaport and tourist city but is a smaller-scale city by comparison. Barranquilla is located some 25 miles(40 km) from the Caribbean coastline but it is a more developed city with a greater number of industries and

commercial places, widely known for its abilities in all forms of metalwork and construction . Its inhabitants have

the highest education level of the region and the city is famous for being the starting point and focus of the region

and the country's development as the first city in the country with the use of phones, public lighting, air mail, planes

and industrial works.

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 and the Insular Territories of Colombia,

which are disputed in part by Nicaragua. However, the Colombian Navy protects such territories with the use of 

force when necessary to avoid foreign invasion and the islands are home to 2 important bases for defense and custom

controls, formerly used for research of classified projects with civilian assistance as the local universities often

research in the area of oceanography and marine biology but also in the fields of biochemistry, genetics,

immunology and Colombia is known for its advances in medical fields in experimental surgery, implant

development or prosthetics and immunology and these facilities serve as containment and secure experimentation

labs to complement those in Barranquilla and other undisclosed locations within the coast territories.

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 Andr…s y Providencia Department in the Caribbean sea

and the Malpelo and Gorgona Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Insular region subregions include other group of islands;

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Geography of Colombia 5

† Archipi…lago de San Bernardo (in the Morrosquillo Gulf, Caribbean).

† Islas del Rosario.(Caribbean)

† Isla Fuerte.(Caribbean)

† Isla Bar„.(Caribbean)

† Isla Tortuguilla.(Caribbean)

† Isla Tierra Bomba. (Caribbean)

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 Serranƒa de

Baud‡, the lowest and narrowest of Colombia's mountain ranges. Next is the broad region of the Rƒo Atrato/Rƒo 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 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 Rƒo Atrato, flows

northward to the Golfo de Urab‚, making the river settlements accessible to the major Atlantic ports and

commercially related primarily to the Caribbean lowlands hinterland. To the west of the Rƒo Atrato rises the Serranƒa

de Baud‡, 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 Atrato Swamp €in Choc‡ 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 Tap‡n del Choc‡ (Chocon Plug). A second major

transportation project involving Choc‡ Department has been proposed. A second interoceanic canal would be

constructed by dredging the Rƒo Atrato and other streams and digging short access canals. Completion of either of 

these projects would do much to transform this region, although it could have devastating consequences on the

fragile environment.

Orinoqu€a 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 inthe northern part, particularly the piedmont areas near the Cordillera Oriental, where extensive cattle raising is

practiced.

The region is unbroken by highlands except in Meta Department, where the Serranƒa 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.

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Geography of Colombia 6

Amazon region

Many of the numerous large rivers of eastern Colombia are navigable. The Rƒo Guaviare and the streams to its north

flow eastward and drain into the basin of the Rƒo Orinoco, river that crosses into Venezuela and flows into the

Atlantic Ocean. Those south of the Rƒo Guaviare flow into the Amazon Basin. The Rƒo Guaviare divides eastern

Colombia into the llanos subregion in the north and the tropical rainforest, or selva, subregion in the south.

Climate

Flooding in Colombia, April 2004

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 Bogot‚, for example, the average annual

temperature is 15 •C (59 •F), and the difference

between the average of the coldest and the warmest

months is less than 1 •C (1.8 •F). More significant,however, is the daily variation in temperature, from

5 •C (41 •F) at night to 17 •C (62.6 •F) during the day.

Colombians customarily describe their country in terms

of the climatic zones: the area under 900 meters

(2,953 ft) in elevation is called the hot zone (tierra

caliente), elevations between 900 and 1,980 meters

(2,953 and 6,496 ft) are the temperate zone (tierra

templada), and elevations from 1,980 meters (6,496 ft)

to about 3,500 meters (11,483 ft) constitute the cold

zone (tierra frƒa). 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

(14,764 ft) are high, bleak areas (usually referred to as

the p‚ramos), 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 and 38 •C (75.2 and 100.4 •F), 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 7,600 millimeters (299.2 in) 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 (523.6 in).[3]

  In eastern Colombia, it decreases

from 6,350 millimeters (250 in) in portions of the Andean piedmont to 2,540 millimeters (100 in) 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 Medellƒn (1,487 meters or4,879 feet) and Cali (1,030 meters or 3,379 feet) are located in this zone, where rainfall is moderate and the mean

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Geography of Colombia 7

annual temperature varies between 19 and 24 •C (66.2 and 75.2 •F), 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 Atrato River.

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; thiszone supports about onefourth of the country's total

population. The mean temperature ranges between 10

and 19 •C (50.0 and 66.2 •F), and the wet seasons

occur in April and May and from September to

December, as in the high elevations of the temperate

zone.

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 350 millimeters (13.8 in) 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 Costeˆo from the Caribbean coast; the Caucano in the Cauca

region and the Pacific coast; the Antioqueˆo 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

Boyac‚ 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 (1.9 •C) for every 1,000-foot (305 m) 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

(762 mm) per year. Colombia's rainy southeast, however, is often drenched by more than 200 in (5,080 mm) of rain

per year. Rainfall in most of the rest of the country runs between these two extremes.

Flora and Fauna

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 "tierra caliente" (hot land), below 3,300 ft (1,006 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 (1,006 to 2,012 m), is the zone of coffee

and maize. Wheat and potatoes dominate in the "tierra frƒa" (cold land), at altitudes from 6,600 to 10,500 ft (2,012 to

3,200 m). In the "zona forestada" (forested zone), which is located between 10,500 and 12,800 ft (3,200 and

3,901 m), many of the trees have been cut for firewood. Treeless pastures dominate the p‚ramos, or alpine

grasslands, at altitudes of 12,800 to 15,100 ft (3,901 to 4,602 m). Above 15,100 ft (4,602 m), where temperatures are

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Geography of Colombia 8

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 

Relief map of Colombia

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

Andes, Central Andes and West Andes) that form two

long valleys, Magdalena and Cauca follow by the rivers

of the same name.

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 Orinoquƒa). The southern

part is covered by the Amazon rain forest and belongs

mostly to the Amazon basin. It is usually called

Amazonƒa.

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, chiefly at the north (Choc‡).

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 Montes de Marƒa and the Serranƒa de San Lucas.

In the Pacific Plains there are other mountain formations, chiefly the Serranƒa del Dari…n and the Serranƒa del Baud‡.

In the eastern Region, there is the Serranƒa de la Macarena and there are formations belonging to the Guyana Shield.

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Geography of Colombia 9

Protected areas

National natural parks of Colombia.

Natural resources

The natural resources of Colombia are varied and

extensive with most of its territory and oceans stillunexplored. Colombia has one of the largest open pit

coal mines 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 participant in

gold, silver, iron, salt, platinum, petroleum, nickel,

copper, hydropower and uranium extraction.[4]

Environmental issues

Land use map of Colombia, 1970.

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.

Extreme points

Highest 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.

Historical, geographical, and pictorial records point

toward a consistent and progressive depletion of 

ice-and-snow masses in the Colombian Andes since the

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Geography of Colombia 10

Economic activity map of Colombia, 1970.

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

Land boundaries: total: 6,004 km

Coastline: 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North

Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)

Climate: tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler

in highlands

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

Land use: arable land: 2.42% permanent crops: 1.67% other: 95.91% (2001)

Irrigated land: 8,500 km‰ (1998 est.)

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 Orinoco and Amazon Rivers mark limits with Colombia to Venezuela and Peru respectively.

Caribbean Drain Pacifice Drain Orinoco Basin Amazon Basin

Rivers confined to Colombia

†† Atrato

†† Cauca

†† Magdalena

†† Nechƒ  

†† Sin„

†† Baud‡

†† Patƒa

†† San Juan

†† Guaviare

†† Inƒrida

†† Meta

†† Vichada

†† Apaporis

†† Cagu‚n

Rivers originating in Colombia

†† Catatumbo †† Arauca †† Caquet‚

†† Guainƒa

†† Putumayo River

†† Vaup…s

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Geography of Colombia 11

Lakes

The mouth of the Magdalena River and the Ci…naga Grande de Santa

Marta.

†† Ci…naga Grande de Santa Marta

†† La Cocha Lagoon

†† Lake Tota

References

[1] UNAL: History of the Colombian current territory (http:/   /  www.

virtual.  unal. edu.  co/  cursos/  humanas/  2004878/  docs_curso/ 

contenido/  c4l1geologica.  htm) UNAL Accessed 23 August 2007.

[2] DANE: 2005 Census of Colombia - total area (http:/   /  www.

dane.  gov.  co/  dane_censo/  mapa/  censo2005/  Ficha/  2004.  htm)

dane.gov.co Accessed 23 August 2007.

[3] Global Measured Extremes of Temperature and Precipitation

(http:/   /  www.ncdc.  noaa.  gov/  oa/  climate/  globalextremes.

html). National Climatic Data Center . August 9, 2005. Last

accessed January 18, 2007.

[4] Encyclopedia Encarta: Natural Resources of Colombia (http:/   / 

es. encarta.msn.  com/  encyclopedia_761564636_2/  Colombia.

html) Encyclopedia Encarta Accessed 24 August 2007. Archived

(http:/   /  www.webcitation.  org/  query?id=1257036587656122)

2009-10-31.

[5] USGS: Glaciers of Colombia (http:/   /  pubs.  usgs. gov/  prof/ 

p1386i/  colombia/  intro.  html) USGS Accessed 23 August 2007.

† This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Library of Congress

Country Studies.

† This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook.

†† Mellander, Gustavo A.; Nelly Maldonado Mellander (1999). Charles Edward Magoon: The Panama Years. Rƒo

Piedras, Puerto Rico: Editorial Plaza Mayor. ISBN 1-56328-155-4. OCLC 42970390.

†† Mellander, Gustavo A. (1971). The United States in Panamanian Politics: The Intriguing Formative Years.

Danville, Ill.: Interstate Publishers. OCLC 138568.

External links

† (Spanish) Colombian Ministry of Environment (http:/   /  web. minambiente.gov. co/  biogeo/  menu/  biodiversidad/ 

ecosistemas/  historia_geologia.htm)

† (English) Map of the Republic of Colombia (http:/   /  www. wdl. org/  en/  item/  11318/  ) from 1891

Coordinates: 4•N 72•W (http:/   /  tools.wmflabs.  org/  geohack/  geohack. php?pagename=Geography_of_Colombia&

params=4_N_72_W_type:country)

8/12/2019 Geography of Colombia (1)

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Article Sources and Contributors 12

Article Sources and ContributorsGeography of Colombia  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=590674517 Contributors: A little insignificant, AfroBrazilian, AjaxSmack, Alexandra Hewett, Alexius08,

AlexiusHoratius, Andyjsmith, Angela, Arakunem, Arjayay, Arthena, Bazonka, Bejnar, BertSen, Bgwhite, Blastwizard, Bobblewik, Brewcrewer, Brian0918, CalJW, Carolina wren, Chlewey,

Chris the speller, ChrisCork, Citylover, Conversion script, D6, Darwinek, Dcoetzee, DeadEyeArrow, Denisarona, DerHexer, Dhartung, Dirtyfox, Discospinster, Docu, Domino theory, Dr.

Blofeld, Eastlaw, Eclecticology, Egil, Ermanon, Eugene-elgato, EvanT10, Excirial, Fences and windows, Feydey, Fraggle81, Gaius Cornelius, Gareth Griffith-Jones, Georgequizbowl08,

Gilgamesh, Graham87, Harry, Hmains, Imaninjapirate, Iohannes Animosus, Irn, JamesMoose, Jimp, Koven.rm, Koyaanis Qatsi, Little Mountain 5, Lmcm1990, Mac, Magnus Manske,

Marianocecowski, Mateo.gable, Materialscientist, Mendaliv, MuZemike, Occur Curve, Owen, Parslow II, Pascal, Peter Horn, Pgreenfinch, Philip Trueman, PhnomPencil, PigFlu Oink,

Pigsonthewing, Polaron, Polylerus, Ponyo, R'n'B, RJFJR, Racerx11, Rich Farmbrough, Roshan220195, Sadalmelik, SarahStierch, Sardanaphalus, SchreiberBike, ScottDavis, Serein (renamedbecause of SUL), ShaunM, Soap, Stemonitis, Tabletop, Teratornis, ThaddeusB, Theryx7, TigerShark, Trafford09, TriniMuˆoz, UBeR, Ufwuct, Vianello, Vipinhari, Vsmith, Warofdreams,

WereSpielChequers, Widr, Wireless Keyboard, Woohookitty, Youssefsan, Zero Gravity, 185 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsImage:Colombia Topography 2.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Colombia_Topography_2.png  License: Public Domain Contributors: Colombia_Topography.png:

Sadalmelik derivative work: UAwiki

Image:Rabanal.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Rabanal.JPG  License: Public Domain Contributors: Patricio Mena V‚sconez

Image:Usgs-glaciers-colombia.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Usgs-glaciers-colombia.png License: Public Domain Contributors: USGS

Image:Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta desde el espacio.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Sierra_Nevada_de_Santa_Marta_desde_el_espacio.jpg License: Public

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Image:Colombia.A2004117.1535.250m.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Colombia.A2004117.1535.250m.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Brian0918,

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Image:Rio Atrato.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Rio_Atrato.JPG  License: Public Domain Contributors: Aliman5040, Beao, Mircea, Nelammog, XalDImage:Colombia Mapa Relieve.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Colombia_Mapa_Relieve.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:

Shadowxfox

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Image:Colombia econ 1970.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Colombia_econ_1970.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Brian0918, Shadowxfox

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