Geography of Colombia
Location: | Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama |
Geographic coordinates: | 4 00 N, 72 00 W |
Map references: | South America |
Area: | total: 1,138,910 sq km land: 1,038,700 sq km water: 100,210 sq km note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank |
Area - comparative: | slightly less than twice the size of Texas |
Land boundaries: | total: 6,309 km border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km |
Coastline: | 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km) |
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
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 5,775 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: 2.01% permanent crops: 1.37% other: 96.62% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | 9,000 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards: | highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts |
Environment - current issues: | deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions |
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 |
Geography - note: | only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea |