The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 South America
Area - comparative Colombia, in 32 editions.
The entry for Colombia published Area - comparative in 32 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 5 editions. Each is shown as published. Area - comparative in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 5
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Comparative area” (1990 to 1992), “Area - comparative” (1997 to 2025), “Area-comparative” (1998) and “Area--comparative” (1999).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Same as 2024The same text in 3 editions, 1990 to 1992.
Published as “Comparative area”
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
The entry for Colombia did not include Area - comparative.
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Published as “Area-comparative”
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Published as “Area--comparative”
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
slightly less than three times the size of
Montana
The same text in 6 editions, 2000 to 2005.
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
slightly less than three times the size of
The same text in 13 editions, 2006 to 2018.
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
slightly less than three times twice the size of Montana Texas
The same text in 2019 and 2020.
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Area comparison map: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
- total:
- 6,672 km
- border countries (5):
Brazil 1790 km, Ecuador 708 km, Panama 339 km, Peru 1494 km, Venezuela 2341 km
3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)
- territorial sea:
- 12 nm
- exclusive economic zone:
- 200 nm
- continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
- flat coastal lowlands,
- central highlands,
- high Andes Mountains,
- eastern lowland plains (Llanos)
- mean elevation:
- 593 m
- lowest point:
- Pacific Ocean 0 m
- highest point:
Pico Cristobal Colon 5,730 m
- petroleum,
- natural gas,
- coal,
- iron ore,
- nickel,
- gold,
- copper,
- emeralds,
- hydropower
- agricultural land:
- 37.5% (2011 est.)
- arable land:
- 1.4% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 1.6% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 34.5% (2011 est.)
- forest:
- 54.4% (2011 est.)
- other:
- 8.1% (2011 est.)
10,900 sq km (2012)
- the majority of people live in the north and west where agricultural opportunities and natural resources are found;
- the vast grasslands of the llanos to the south and east, which make up approximately 60% of the country, are sparsely populated
- highlands subject to volcanic eruptions;
- occasional earthquakes;
- periodic droughts volcanism: Galeras (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 (5,321 m), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985 producing lahars (mudflows) 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
- deforestation resulting from timber exploitation in the jungles of the Amazon and the region of Chocó;
- illicit drug crops grown by peasants in the national parks;
- soil erosion;
- soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides;
- air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions
- 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
only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
Rewritten: too little of the 2018 text remains to mark the changes.
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Area comparison map: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
total: 6,672 km
border countries (5): Brazil 1790 km, Ecuador 708 km, Panama 339 km, Peru 1494 km, Venezuela 2341 km
3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains (Llanos)
mean elevation: 593 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,730 m
petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower
agricultural land: 37.5% (2011 est.)
arable land: 1.4% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 1.6% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 34.5% (2011 est.)
forest: 54.4% (2011 est.)
other: 8.1% (2011 est.)
10,900 sq km (2012)
the majority of people live in the north and west where agricultural opportunities and natural resources are found; the vast grasslands of the llanos to the south and east, which make up approximately 60% of the country, are sparsely populated
highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts volcanism: Galeras (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 (5,321 m), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985 producing lahars (mudflows) 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
deforestation resulting from timber exploitation in the jungles of the Amazon and the region of Chocó; illicit drug crops grown by peasants in the national parks; soil erosion; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions
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
only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
The same text in 5 editions, 2021 to 2025.
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Rewritten: too little of the 2020 text remains to mark the changes.
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
No edition has those words. Try a shorter word.
Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Colombia: Area - comparative.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/colombia/area-comparative.