Name
The name Colombia comes from explorer Christopher Columbus, after whom the country was named.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Country
Colombia
3.37° N, 73.17° W
Land borders of 6,672 km — the 19th highest of 230 countries.
land borders 6,672 km · 19th/230
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
- Population
- 50,339,443
- Natural Earth population estimate.
- Area
- 1,138,910 km²
- Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 1,134,461 km².
- Population density
- ≈ 44 / km²
- Population divided by the computed boundary area.
- ISO codes
- CO · COL
- GDP (nominal)
- $418.54 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $18,500
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Colombia 1,138,910 km²Tanzania 947,300 km²
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Where Colombia sits in the world
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
- Median age33.1 years110th of 224 · median 32.6 years
- Life expectancy74.9 years131st of 224 · median 76.2 years
- Fertility rate1.94 children per woman108th of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
- Population50,339,44329th of 235 · median 5,454,073
- Total area1,138,910 km²27th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
- Coastline3,208 km38th of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Background
Colombia emerged in 1830 from the dissolution of Gran Colombia, alongside Ecuador and Venezuela. A decades-long conflict among government forces, paramilitaries, and antigovernment insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), escalated during the 1990s. The insurgent groups were heavily funded by the drug trade. After the paramilitary demobilization in the 2000s, new criminal groups arose, including some former paramilitaries.
Following formal peace negotiations, the Colombian Government signed a final accord with the FARC in 2016. The accord called for FARC members to demobilize, disarm, and reincorporate into society and politics. It committed the Colombian Government to create three institutions forming a 'comprehensive system for truth, justice, reparation, and non-repetition.' These included a truth commission and a special unit coordinating the search for those who disappeared during the conflict. The third was a Special Jurisdiction for Peace to administer justice for conflict-related crimes. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug-trade-related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong and independent democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Climate
The coast and eastern plains have a tropical climate, while the highlands are cooler.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Flag and symbols
Three horizontal bands form Colombia’s flag: a double-width yellow band at the top, followed by blue and red bands. One interpretation assigns yellow to the gold in Colombia’s land, blue to the sea, and red to the blood spilled in attaining freedom. Other interpretations describe the colors as representing sovereignty and justice, loyalty and vigilance, and valor and generosity, or as standing for liberty, equality, and fraternity. The Andean condor is Colombia’s national symbol.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
- GDP (nominal)
- $418.54 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP (PPP)
- $978.59 billion
- Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $18,500
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP growth
- +1.7%
- Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Inflation (consumer prices)
- 6.6%
- Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Unemployment
- 9.7%
- Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Exports
- $68.87 billion
- Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Imports
- $78.63 billion
- Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
- Life expectancy
- 74.9 years
- Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Median age
- 33.1 years
- Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Birth rate
- 14.73 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Death rate
- 6.96 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Fertility rate
- 1.94 children per woman
- Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Population growth
- +0.54% a year
- Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Urban population
- 82.4%
- Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Literacy
- 95.3%
- Field “People and Society → Literacy → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
- Total area
- 1,138,910 km²Land 1,038,700 km² · Water 100,210 km²
- Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Coastline
- 3,208 km
- Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Land borders
- 6,672 km
- Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Mean elevation
- 593 m
- Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Highest point
- 5,730 m Pico Cristobal Colon
- Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Connections
Natural geography 8
Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID
Oceans 1
Seas 1
Gulfs 1
Islands 1
Mountain ranges 4
Largest cities 50
Population · Natural Earth
- Bogotacapital7.8M
- Medellin3.3M
- Cali2.3M
- Barranquilla1.8M
- Bucaramanga1M
- Cartagena887K
- Cucuta722.1K
- Soledad698.9K
- Pereira568.8K
- Bello519.7K
- Santa Marta431.8K
- Ibague421.7K
- Pasto
- Manizales
- Villavicencio
- Neiva
- Armenia
- Valledupar
- Monteria
- Sincelejo
- Popayan
- Buenaventura
- Barrancabermeja
- Tulua
- Tunja
- Cartago
- Riohacha
- Cienaga
- Florencia
- Girardot
- Sogamoso
- Ipiales
- Duitama
- Magangue
- Quibdo
- Tumaco
- Ocana
- Arauca
- Sabanalarga
- Yopal
- El Carmen de Bolivar
- Leticia
- San Andres
- Garzon
- El Banco
- Chiquinquira
- Pamplona
- Lorica
- Turbo
- Arjona