Facts | South America | 22 Captivating Facts about Colombia

Want to learn a little more about the countries of the world? Take a look at these 22 interesting facts about Colombia!

1. Colombia is a beautiful country on the northern tip of South America.
2. It shares a border with Panama to the north-west, Venezuela and Brazil to the east and Ecuador and Peru to the south.
3. This incredible country has an area of 440,831 square miles (1,141,748 square kilometres).

Flag of Colombia

4. Colombia’s population was 49.65 million in 2018.
5. The capital city is called Bogota; it covers an area of 612.7 square miles (1,587 square kilometres) and has a population of 8.7 million (2011).
6. At 8660ft (2640m) above sea level, Bogota also happens to be the 4th highest capital city in the world!

7. The terrain here is a mixture of flat coastal lowlands, with highlands and the famous Andes Mountains inland.
8. It’s the only country in South America to have a coastline along both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
9. The coordinates for Colombia are 4.5833° N, 74.0667°

El Peñón de Guatapé, Colombia

10. Colombia enjoys a tropical climate along its vast coastline and eastern plains, with the temperature dropping slightly in the highlands further inland.
11. The average life expectancy here is 74.38 years (2016).
12. Colombia is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with 314 types of eco systems!

13. Bird watchers unite! Colombia is home to over 1,900 species of bird!
14. The world’s most colourful river, Caño Cristales is in Colombia. You really must visit this incredible river to experience the vibrant colours created by its diverse flora and fauna.
15. When collecting your spending money, remember the currency of Colombia is the Colombian Peso.

Cartagena, Colombia

16. Colombia is home to over 300 beaches, meaning you’ll never be short of options to to relax and get a tan!
17. Even better, Colombia doesn’t have a winter – it’s permanently summer here so pack your sun cream!
18. Spanish is the official language of Colombia.

Coffee fields, Colombia

19. Colombians grow coffee beans, bananas, rice and flowers, catch shrimp and produce forest products.
20. The country’s industry consists of textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing and oil.
21. Colombia exports coffee, petroleum, coal, bananas, clothing and cut flowers.
22. The international dialling code for this diverse country is +57.

Do you have any interesting or fun facts about Colombia that’s we’ve missed?  Share them with us in the comments section below!