Relief map of Colombia. (San Andres Archipielago not shown) |
|
Area' | |
Total | 1,138,910 km2 (439,736 sq mi) |
Land | 1,038,700 km2 (401,044 sq mi) |
Water | 100,210 km2 (38,691 sq mi) |
Latitude | 4°0' N |
Longitude | 72°0'W |
Borders | |
Venezuela | 2,341 km |
Brazil | 1,790 km |
Peru | 1,494 km |
Ecuador | 708 km |
Panama | 339 km |
Maritime claims | |
Territorial sea | 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) |
Continental shelf | 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Economic zone | 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) |
The Republic of Colombia is a transcontinental country largely situated in the northwest of South America, with territories in North America. Colombia is bordered to the northwest by Panama; to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; and it shares maritime limits with Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. Colombia is the 26th largest nation in the world and the fourth-largest country in South America after Brazil, Argentina, and Peru. Despite its large territory, Colombia's population is not evenly distributed, with most Colombians living in the mountainous western portion of the country as well as the northern coastline, most living in or near the capital city of Bogotá. The southern and eastern portions of the country are mostly sparsely inhabited tropical rainforest, and inland tropical plains containing large estates or large livestock farms, oil and gas production facilities, small farming communities and indigenous tribes.
Colombia usually classifies its geography into five natural regions, from the Andes mountain range, a region shared with Ecuador, Venezuela; the Pacific Ocean coastal region shared with Panama and Ecuador; the Caribbean Sea coastal region, shared with Venezuela and Panama; the Llanos (plains), shared with Venezuela; to the Amazon Rainforest region shared with Venezuela, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. Colombia is the only South American country which borders both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.