Colombia Geography 1997

Location Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panamaand Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador andPanama

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, Serrana Bank, and SerranillaBank

Area - comparative slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries
total : 7,408 km
border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 2,900 km, Venezuela2,050 km

Coastline 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)

Maritime claims
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Terrain flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, easternlowland plains

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado del Huila 5,750 m

Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds

Land use
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures : 39%
forests and woodland: 48%
other: 8% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 5,300 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodicdroughts

Environment - current issues deforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution,especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements
party to : Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific Oceanand Caribbean Sea

NOTE: The information regarding Colombia on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Colombia Geography 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Colombia Geography 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.