Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia (Spanish: República de Colombia), is a country in the northwestern part of South America. It has land borders with Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Panama, while its territory faces both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Colombia covers 1,141,748 square kilometres of continental territory and is administratively divided into 32 departments and the Capital District of Bogotá.[1]
Bogotá is the national capital and largest city. Other major urban centres include Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena and Bucaramanga. Colombia's terrain ranges from the Andes and Caribbean lowlands to the Pacific coast, the eastern plains of the Orinoco basin and the Amazon rainforest. The World Bank describes Colombia as one of the largest and most biologically diverse countries in Latin America and identifies it as the world's second-most biodiverse country.[2]
Colombia had a population of 53,425,635 in 2025 according to World Bank data.[3] Spanish is the country's official language, while Indigenous languages, Creole languages and the Romani language form part of its wider linguistic heritage. The Colombian constitution also recognizes the languages and dialects of ethnic groups as official within their respective territories.[4][5]
Human settlement in the territory extends back thousands of years. Before European colonization, the region was home to numerous Indigenous societies, including the Muisca, Tairona and other communities with distinct political, agricultural, artistic and trading traditions. Spanish settlement expanded during the 16th century, and Bogotá eventually became the administrative centre of the Viceroyalty of New Granada.[6][7]
A movement against Spanish rule began in Bogotá on 20 July 1810. Independence was effectively achieved by 1819, and the larger Republic of Colombia, commonly called Gran Colombia, was subsequently organized around territories that now form Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama. The union broke apart in the early 19th century, and the modern state passed through several constitutional forms before taking the name Republic of Colombia in 1886.[8][9]
The country's modern political order is based on the 1991 Constitution, which defines Colombia as a social state under the rule of law and as a unitary, decentralized, democratic, participatory and pluralist republic.[4] Colombia has a presidential system with separate executive, legislative and judicial institutions. As of September 2026, Gustavo Petro is president and Francia Márquez is vice president.[10][11]
Colombia has one of the larger economies in Latin America. The World Bank reported nominal gross domestic product of about US$457.41 billion and GDP per person of US$8,561.6 in 2025.[3] Services make up a large part of the economy, alongside manufacturing, mining, petroleum, agriculture and international trade. Coffee has long held a prominent place in Colombian agriculture and cultural identity, while other important exports include flowers, bananas, avocados and industrial products.[12]
Name
The name Colombia is derived from the name of Christopher Columbus, whose name was rendered in Spanish as Cristóbal Colón. The form became associated with political projects in the Americas during the independence era and was adopted by the republic established in the early 19th century. The state founded under Simón Bolívar is now often called Gran Colombia to distinguish it from the present Republic of Colombia.[13]
After the dissolution of Gran Colombia, the state centred on present-day Colombia was known successively as New Granada, the Grenadine Confederation and the United States of Colombia. The designation Republic of Colombia was adopted in 1886.[8]
Geography
Colombia lies at the northwestern corner of South America. Its continental territory borders Panama to the northwest, Venezuela and Brazil to the east, and Peru and Ecuador to the south. Colombia also possesses islands and maritime territory in both the Caribbean and Pacific.[1]
Colombia is the only South American country with coastlines facing both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian Ocean Commission states that maritime and insular areas make up a large part of the country's national space and that Colombia has maritime boundaries involving numerous neighbouring states in the Caribbean and Pacific regions.[14]
The country's physical geography is highly varied. In western Colombia, the Andes divide into the Western, Central and Eastern cordilleras. The Cauca and Magdalena river valleys run between major mountain chains and have historically supported important centres of population and agriculture. The Caribbean region contains extensive lowlands as well as the isolated Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. East of the Andes, much of the country consists of the Orinoco plains and Amazonian forests.[15]
Colombian institutions commonly divide the national territory into six broad natural regions: the Andean, Caribbean, Pacific, Orinoquía, Amazonian and Insular regions.[15]
Climate
Because Colombia lies close to the Equator, seasonal temperature differences are relatively small in many areas. Elevation is a major influence on climate. Lowland areas are generally tropical and warm, while higher Andean valleys and plateaus have cooler conditions. Mountain summits can experience alpine environments markedly different from those of the coast and rainforest.
Rainfall also varies greatly. The Pacific region contains some exceptionally wet areas, while parts of the Caribbean coast, particularly around La Guajira, are considerably drier. These differences in elevation, precipitation and geography contribute to Colombia's wide variety of ecosystems.[2]
Biodiversity and environment
Colombia is recognized internationally as a megadiverse country. Its ecosystems include tropical rainforest, cloud forest, wetlands, savanna, dry forest, high-altitude páramo, mangroves, coral environments and mountain habitats. The country's location, topography and climatic variation contribute to unusually high biological diversity.[16]
Colombia has protected areas of global ecological significance. UNESCO World Heritage properties include Los Katíos National Park, the Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary and Chiribiquete National Park, the last of which is classified as a mixed cultural and natural property.[17]
History
Early societies
People have inhabited the territory of present-day Colombia for approximately 12,000 years or more according to archaeological collections and research summarized by Colombia's National Museum. Over time, communities developed agriculture, pottery, metalworking and increasingly complex forms of settlement and social organization.[6]
Before Spanish rule, the region contained many distinct Indigenous societies rather than a single political state. Among the best known were the Muisca of the central highlands and the Tairona of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region. Archaeological traditions also associated with areas such as San Agustín, Tierradentro and the Quimbaya region have left significant sculpture, burial structures, ceramics and goldwork.[6]
UNESCO describes the San Agustín archaeological area in southwestern Colombia as containing the largest concentration of religious monuments and megalithic sculpture in South America, produced by a northern Andean culture that flourished during the first millennium CE.[18]
Spanish rule
Spanish expeditions reached the Caribbean coast around the beginning of the 16th century. Santa Marta was founded in 1525 and became one of the earliest enduring Spanish settlements in the region. Santa Fe de Bogotá was founded in 1538 and later developed into a principal centre of colonial administration.[7]
In the 18th century, Bogotá became the capital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada, a Spanish administrative jurisdiction that included territories now forming Colombia and neighbouring countries. Colonial society developed through interactions and conflict among Indigenous populations, Europeans and Africans brought to the region through the Atlantic slave trade.[7][19]
Independence and Gran Colombia
On 20 July 1810, a representative council formed in Bogotá in opposition to Spanish authority, an event commemorated as Colombia's national independence day. The following years included civil conflict, a Spanish reconquest and renewed campaigns by independence forces.[7]
Forces led by Simón Bolívar and other republican commanders defeated Spanish armies in a series of campaigns. By 1819, independence had effectively been achieved in much of New Granada. A larger Republic of Colombia was formed and later constitutionally organized at the Congress of Cúcuta in 1821. The union included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.[9][8]
Political and regional differences weakened the union. Venezuela and Ecuador separated by 1830, bringing Gran Colombia to an end. The remaining state, including the Isthmus of Panama, became the Republic of New Granada.[9]
Nineteenth century
Colombia experienced repeated constitutional changes and conflicts between centralist and federalist political projects during the 19th century. The country was known as New Granada from 1830 to 1856, the Grenadine Confederation from 1856 to 1863 and the United States of Colombia from 1863 until 1886.[8]
A new constitution in 1886 reorganized the country as a centralized Republic of Colombia and replaced the previous federal structure with departments.[20]
Political rivalry between Liberal and Conservative forces contributed to repeated armed confrontations. One of the most destructive was the Thousand Days' War, fought from 1899 to 1902.[21]
Twentieth century
In 1903, Panama separated from Colombia. Contemporary U.S. diplomatic records and later historical accounts document American support for the Panamanian independence movement during a period in which the United States was seeking rights to construct an interoceanic canal.[22][23]
Colombian politics during the first half of the 20th century continued to be strongly shaped by competition between the Liberal and Conservative parties. The assassination of Liberal politician Jorge Eliécer Gaitán in Bogotá on 9 April 1948 triggered widespread unrest known as the Bogotazo and intensified a period of rural and political violence commonly called La Violencia.[24]
General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla took power in a military coup in 1953 and left office in 1957. Liberal and Conservative leaders subsequently established the National Front, under which the two parties agreed to alternate the presidency and share political power for a defined period.[21]
Armed insurgent organizations developed during and after this period. The FARC emerged in 1964, while other guerrilla movements, paramilitary forces, criminal organizations and drug-trafficking networks later became important actors in Colombia's prolonged internal conflict.[24]
Constitution and peace process
A constituent assembly produced a new constitution in 1991. The constitution expanded the framework of fundamental rights, strengthened mechanisms for political participation, recognized Colombia's ethnic and cultural diversity and maintained the country as a unitary but decentralized republic with autonomy for territorial entities.[4]
The government and the FARC-EP conducted formal peace negotiations beginning in 2012. A final peace agreement was signed on 24 November 2016 after more than five decades of armed conflict involving the FARC. The United Nations subsequently established a verification mission to support and monitor parts of the agreement's implementation.[25]
Implementation has included the laying down of FARC weapons, reintegration of former combatants, rural reform measures and security commitments. The United Nations has also continued to report challenges involving violence in conflict-affected areas, protection of former combatants and communities, state presence and the pace of implementing parts of the accord.[26][27]
Government and politics
The 1991 Constitution defines Colombia as a social state under the rule of law, organized as a unitary republic that is decentralized and grants autonomy to territorial entities. It also describes the state as democratic, participatory and pluralist.[4]
The president serves as head of state and head of government and is elected by popular vote. Colombia's national legislature is the bicameral Congress of Colombia, consisting of the Senate and the Chamber of Representatives. The constitutional system also provides an independent judiciary and institutions responsible for constitutional review, elections and public oversight.
Gustavo Petro was elected president on 19 June 2022 and took office later that year. The vice president is Francia Márquez.[10][11]
Administrative divisions
Colombia is divided into 32 departments along with Bogotá's Capital District. Departments are subdivided principally into municipalities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports 1,096 municipalities, as well as districts and departmental corregimientos within the country's administrative structure.[1]
The country's geographical and administrative diversity means that regional governments operate across environments ranging from densely populated Andean cities to sparsely populated Amazonian and Orinoco territories.
Economy
Colombia has a diversified upper-middle-income economy with major activities in services, industry, agriculture, energy, construction, commerce and natural-resource extraction. Macroeconomic policy is supported by an inflation-targeting central bank, a floating exchange rate and fiscal institutions, although the World Bank has identified productivity, inequality, infrastructure, investment and fiscal pressures as continuing development challenges.[2]
According to World Bank data, Colombia's nominal GDP reached about US$457.41 billion in 2025, while GDP per person was US$8,561.6. Real GDP grew by 2.6% during 2025.[3]
The economy continued expanding during the first half of 2026. Banco de la República reported strong consumption and investment but also elevated inflationary pressure. Annual consumer inflation was 6.1% in June 2026, above the central bank's 3% target.[28]
Agriculture and trade
Coffee is one of Colombia's best-known agricultural products and has had a major influence on the history, economy and cultural identity of parts of the country. The traditional coffee-growing region includes mountainous communities in Caldas, Quindío, Risaralda and Valle del Cauca. UNESCO inscribed the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia on the World Heritage List in 2011.[29]
Other agricultural exports include bananas, flowers, avocados and tropical fruits. Colombia's non-mining and non-energy exports reached US$26.39 billion in 2025, according to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. Agricultural exports in this group included significant sales of coffee, bananas, flowers and Hass avocados.[12]
The United States is an important export market for Colombian goods, while regional trade links connect Colombia with neighbouring Latin American economies and markets farther abroad.[12]
Population and society
The World Bank estimated Colombia's population at 53,425,635 in 2025, up from about 52.9 million in 2024.[3] Most Colombians live in urban areas, particularly in the Andean region and major metropolitan areas.
Colombia's society reflects Indigenous, European, African and later immigrant influences. Afro-Colombian communities have particularly important historical roots in the Caribbean and Pacific regions, while Indigenous peoples live in many parts of the country, including La Guajira, the Andes, the Amazon and the eastern plains. The 1991 constitutional order formally recognizes and protects the country's ethnic and cultural diversity.[4]
Languages
Spanish is the national official language and is spoken by most of the population. Colombia is also home to numerous Indigenous languages as well as Creole languages and the Romani language. Under Article 10 of the Constitution, the languages and dialects of ethnic groups are also official within their territories, and bilingual education is provided for communities with their own linguistic traditions.[4][5]
Religion
Christianity, particularly Roman Catholicism, has historically had a major influence on Colombian society and institutions. The modern constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and contemporary Colombia includes Catholic, Protestant and other Christian communities as well as people following Indigenous traditions, other religions or no religion.
Culture
Colombian culture varies substantially by region and reflects Indigenous, African, European and other influences. Distinct musical, culinary and artistic traditions developed in the Caribbean, Pacific, Andean, Llanos and Amazonian regions.
Music associated with Colombia includes cumbia, vallenato, salsa, bambuco, joropo and numerous regional Afro-Colombian and Indigenous forms. Barranquilla's carnival traditions, the music of the Caribbean coast and Pacific musical practices form prominent parts of the country's cultural identity.
Colombian literature has gained international recognition, particularly through novelist Gabriel García Márquez, who received the 1982 Nobel Prize in Literature. Colombian visual art includes major figures such as Fernando Botero, Alejandro Obregón, Beatriz González, Doris Salcedo and others whose works span modern and contemporary movements. The National Museum of Colombia maintains extensive collections covering archaeology, history, ethnography and art.[19]
Heritage
Colombia has nine properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. They include the Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments of Cartagena; the Historic Centre of Santa Cruz de Mompox; San Agustín Archaeological Park; the National Archaeological Park of Tierradentro; the Coffee Cultural Landscape; Los Katíos National Park; the Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary; Chiribiquete National Park; and the multinational Qhapaq Ñan Andean Road System.[17]
The Coffee Cultural Landscape represents the interaction between generations of farming communities and the steep terrain of the western and central Andes. UNESCO describes the landscape as a continuing productive area shaped by small-scale coffee cultivation, settlements and architecture associated with the region's coffee tradition.[29]
Education and research
Colombia has public and private schools, universities, technical institutions and research organizations throughout the country. Bogotá, Medellín, Cali and other large cities are major centres for higher education.
Among the country's longstanding universities are the National University of Colombia, the University of Antioquia and several private institutions founded during different periods of Colombian history. Scientific work includes research in biodiversity, agriculture, medicine, geology, astronomy, social sciences and environmental studies.
Transport and infrastructure
Colombia's mountainous terrain strongly influences transport. Roads connect the principal cities and regional centres, but construction and travel can be difficult across the Andes and in remote rainforest areas.
Major international airports include El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, José María Córdova International Airport serving Medellín, Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport near Cali and Rafael Núñez International Airport in Cartagena.
Important seaports operate on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Caribbean ports include Cartagena, Barranquilla and Santa Marta, while Buenaventura is a major Pacific port. Colombia's access to both maritime regions gives it an important geographic position for trade.[14]
International relations
Colombia is a member of the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the World Trade Organization and other international and regional bodies. It also participates in Latin American integration and cooperation mechanisms.
Its international relations are influenced by trade, regional security, migration, environmental protection, counter-narcotics policy, peacebuilding and cooperation involving the Amazon and Caribbean regions.
The country's five land borders are with Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Panama. Colombia also has maritime boundaries and maritime relations with countries in the Caribbean and Pacific.[1][14]
See also
- Bogotá
- History of Colombia
- Geography of Colombia
- Economy of Colombia
- Culture of Colombia
- Government of Colombia
- Departments of Colombia
- South America
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, "Símbolos patrios y otros datos de interés", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 World Bank, "Colombia: Overview", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 World Bank, "Colombia | Data", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Departamento Administrativo de la Función Pública, "Constitución Política de Colombia 1991", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, "About Colombia", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 National Museum of Colombia, "Arqueología", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 U.S. Department of State, "Colombia: History, Government, and Political Conditions", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State, "A Guide to the United States’ History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country: Colombia", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Library of Congress, "Constitución de la República de Colombia", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Presidency of the Republic of Colombia, "Gustavo Petro – Presidente de la República de Colombia", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Presidency of the Republic of Colombia, "Instalación de las sesiones ordinarias del Congreso de la República 2026–2027", 20 July 2026, accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Colombia, "Colombia cerró 2025 con exportaciones de bienes no mineros por US$26.388,9 millones", 4 February 2026, accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Rex A. Hudson, ed., Library of Congress Federal Research Division, "Colombia: A Country Study", 2010, accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Colombian Ocean Commission, "Mapa Esquemático de Colombia", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Servicio Geológico Colombiano, "The Geology of Colombia, Volume 1, Chapter 1", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, "Access to Genetic Resources and Derived Products in Colombia", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 UNESCO World Heritage Centre, "Colombia – World Heritage Convention", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ UNESCO World Heritage Centre, "San Agustín Archaeological Park", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 National Museum of Colombia, "National Museum of Colombia", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State, "Political Constitution of Colombia, 1886", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 U.S. Department of State, "Background Notes: Colombia", January 1999, accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State, "Panama – A Guide to the United States’ History of Recognition and Diplomatic Relations", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State, "Building the Panama Canal, 1903–1914", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Library of Congress, "El 9 de abril en la memoria visual de Colombia: del Bogotazo al Día Nacional de la Memoria", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, "Timeline", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, "UNVMC Mandate", accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, "Full implementation of the Peace Agreement must be ensured to deliver on its promise of peace, justice and reconciliation", 19 January 2026, accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Banco de la República, "Monetary Policy Report – July 2026", 4 August 2026, accessed 26 September 2026.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 UNESCO World Heritage Centre, "Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia", accessed 26 September 2026.