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Travel Information on Colombia
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Colombia (CO)
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| Continent: |
South America |
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| Area: |
1,138,910 km² |
| Population: |
41,966,000 |
| Capital city: |
Bogota |
ISO code: |
CO |
| National language: |
Spanish |
International dialling code: |
+57 |
| Currency: |
Peso |
Licence plate number: |
CO |
| Flight routes from Colombia: |
815 |
Flight routes to Colombia: |
1225 |
| Popular airports: |
Bogota (BOG),
Cali (CLO),
Medellin (MDE),
San Vincente Del Caguan (SVI),
Cartagena (CTG),
La Chorrera (LCR),
Guapi (GPI),
Leticia (LET),
Florencia Capitolio (FLA),
Popayan Machangara (PPN)
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| Large cities: |
Bogota,
Cali,
Medellin,
Barranquilla,
Cartagena,
Cúcuta,
Bucaramanga,
Pereira,
Santa Marta,
Ibagué,
Bello,
Pasto,
Manizales,
Neiva,
Soledad
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| Airlines based in Colombia: |
AVIANCA,
AIRES,
SATENA,
TAMPA Transportes Aereos Mercantiles Panamericanos,
Aerorepublica
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Republic in north-western South America surrounded by the Caribbean Sea.
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The Republic of Colombia is the fourth largest country in South America and borders on Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama. Colombia is the only country in South America linked to mainland Central America. Several islands in the Pacific and the Caribbean are also part of Colombia.
Geography: the mountain chain of the Andes dominates the western part of the country and divides the country into three: the western, central and the eastern Cordillera. Between these the large rivers the Cauca and Magdalena flow into the Atlantic Ocean. The countryside in the east tends to be flat and is crisscrossed by many rivers that all either flow into the Orinoco or the Amazonas.
Hills and Mountains: The highest mountains in Colombia are the Pico Cristobal Colón and the Pico Simón Bolívar with a total height of 5,775 metres (18,946 ft). Both are to be found in the central Cordilleras and are only 45 km from the coast. The longest river is the Rio Magdalena with a length of 1500 km (932 miles).
Climate and best time to travel: the climate tends to vary greatly and all climate zones can be found in the country. On the pacific coast the climate is sub-tropical (Terra Caliente), in the valleys higher up the weather tends to be temperate (Terra Templada), from an altitude of 2000 metres the weather becomes cooler (Terra Fria) and in the mountain regions (Terra Nevada) the climate is cold all year round.
National language and communication: the official and national language is Spanish. English may be understood in the larger cities and a few Indio languages such as Chibcha and Quecha are also spoken.
Health and immunisation: a vaccine against hepatitis A, polio, diphtheria, and tetanus is recommended. Long clothing should be worn to provide protection against the virus infections spread by mosquitoes, an insect repellent should also be purchased locally. Medical care is good in all major cities and in the tourist resorts. Travellers should take out a comprehensive travel and medical insurance policy. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled or boiled and a first aid kit should be packed.
Entry requirements: before travelling to Colombia, particular for purposes other than tourism please contact the Colombian embassy as visa requirements may change. Currently, British nationals may stay in Colombia for 90 days without a visa but the immigration officer on arrival may take decisions on whether to permit entry and as to the length of the stay. Please contact the Colombian Consulate-General in London for information if travelling with children.
Arrival and Onward journey: very good connections to Bogota (BOG) are provided by Iberia (IB) from Madrid (MAD) a further possibility is to travel with Air France (AF) from Paris (CDG). AVIANCA (AV) can be recommended for domestic flights as it has the best-developed network and serves all large airports including those on the Caribbean coast.
Capital city: the largest city is Bogotá with about 7 million inhabitants. There is a wealth of interesting places in the city from the colonial era; in the old town there are many churches, cathedrals and historical buildings that may be visited. Especially worth a visit is the Gold Museum (Museo de Oro), which is in the central bank of Columbia and has a unique collection of more than 34,000 exponents of pre-Columbian goldsmiths artwork from indigenous peoples.
Places of interest and beaches: the town of Zipaquirá about 25 km north of Bogotá is interesting. In the towns salt mine is a cathedral that was constructed entirely of salt. With its length of 120 metres and total area of 8500 m², it is one of the biggest religious buildings in the world. The whole complex was chiselled out of the salt crystals. Besides the large cathedral, there are also several smaller churches and a way of the cross whose 14 stations are linked via a labyrinth of tunnels.
The tourist magnet in Colombia is without doubt Cartagena. The city is on the Caribbean Sea and was founded in 1533 AD as one of the first cities of the new world. Cartagena is the town with the most visitors in Colombia and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985 thanks to its favourable position the port town was served early on by trade ships and often attacked by pirates. The numerous lanes with the colourful houses add to the flair of the town. The city centre and city walls and the district of Centro with the cathedral as well as the many palaces in Andalusia style are all worth a visit.
The San Agustin Archaeological Park in the south of Colombia is also impressive. It is a UNESCO World heritage site and is famous for the great megalithic sculptures well beyond the borders of Colombia. The park is in the lush countryside and besides the sculptures is also the site of the Salto de Bordones, the second largest waterfall in South America.
An especially beautiful place to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Caribbean is the Archipelago San Andrés. The islands are to be found on the same height as Nicaragua and are the palm tree paradise of Colombia. The Archipelago is about 700 km from the Colombian mainland and consists of coral reefs with a series of coconut palm covered. The relief shimmers in seven different tones of blue according to the depth of the water and the type of ground.
Highlight: the Ciudad Perdida (lost city) is a particularly interesting place to visit in Colombia and is in the north of the country, in the region of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Along with Machu Picchu, it is one of the biggest rediscovered prehistoric cities in South America. In an area of about 2 km² there are 200 oval and round terraces that are linked via steep stone paths, the difference in height of the terraces is almost 12 metres. The exact date when the city was founded is not known, but it is estimated that the Tairona peoples founded it in the 7th century. The largest population is estimated to have been a maximum of 4000 people. After the Spaniards had conquered the country in the 16th century, the Tairona very quickly left the place and it lay abandoned and forgotten for 400 years. Only in 1975 was the city rediscovered by excavators and plundered. The Colombian government then sent an archaeological expedition to protect the town from being destroyed further. A small part of the finds may now be seen in the Museo de Oro in Cartagena.
Religion: more than 95% of the population are of catholic faith and the rest is without confession or believers in the natural religions.
Large cities and accommodation: Bogotá, Medellin, Cali, Caragena de Indias, Barranquilla, Ibagué, Manizales, Pasto, Cúcuta and Bucaramanga.
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Favourite Flights and Cheap Flights from and to Colombia / CO
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