Geography

Colombia is the fourth largest country in South America, with a population of 43,593,035 and an area of 440,831 square miles. It is the only country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea, which flows into the Atlantic. Colombia borders Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

The country is divided into four major geographic regions: Andean highlands (composed of three mountain ranges and intervening valley lowlands); Caribbean lowlands; Pacific lowlands; and Ilanos and tropical rainforest of eastern Colombia. Colombia also possesses small islands in both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. Colombia’s climate is tropical along the coast and eastern plains and cooler in the highlands. Since it is on the equator, the climate is mostly determined by altitude.