| Geography | Colombia |
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Location:
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Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama |
Geographic coordinates:
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4 00 N, 72 00 W |
Map references:
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South America |
Area:
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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:
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slightly less than twice the size of Texas |
Land boundaries:
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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:
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3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km) |
Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Climate:
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tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands |
Terrain:
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flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains |
Elevation extremes:
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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:
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petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower |
Land use:
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arable land: 2.01%
permanent crops: 1.37%
other: 96.62% (2005) |
Irrigated land:
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9,000 sq km (2008) |
Total renewable water resources:
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2,132 cu km (2000) |
Total renewable water resources - per capita:
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47,669 cubic meters per capita |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 10.71 cu km/yr (50%/4%/46%)
per capita: 235 cu m/yr (2000) |
Natural hazards:
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highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts
volcanism: Galeras (elev. 4,276 m) is one of Colombia's most active volcanoes, having erupted in 2009 and 2010 causing major evacuations; it has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Nevado del Ruiz (elev. 5,321 m), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985 producing lahars that killed 23,000 people; the volcano last erupted in 1991; additionally, after 500 years of dormancy, Nevado del Huila reawakened in 2007 and has experienced frequent eruptions since then; other historically active volcanoes include Cumbal, Dona Juana, Nevado del Tolima, and Purace |
Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions |
Environment - international agreements:
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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:
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only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea |
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