| Area Total | 1,138,910 sq km |
| Climate | tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands |
| Natural Resources | petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower |
| Imports | $44.24 billion (2017 est.) partners: US 26.3%, China 19.3%, Mexico 7.5%, Brazil 5%, Germany 4.1% (2017) |
| Government | presidential republic |
| Capital | Bogota |
| Population | 48.2 million (July 2018 est.) |
| Ethnicity | mestizo and white 84.2%, Afro-Colombian (includes mulatto, Raizal, and Palenquero) 10.4%, Amerindian 3.4%, Romani <.01, unspecified 2.1% (2005 est.) |
| Language | Spanish (official) |
| Exports | $39.48 billion (2017 est.) partners: US 28.5%, Panama 8.6%, China 5.1% (2017) |
News about Colombia
- Colombia set for inter-party primaries, presidential race gripped by apathyby Richard Emblin on March 3, 2026
Colombians head to the polls on March 8 for what is, formally, a legislative election. In practice, it is something more consequential: a stress test of the country’s political coalitions ahead of the May 31 presidential race already defined by fragmentation – and by mounting security concerns for right-wing candidates. The vote for Congress matters.
- Marina Sánchez paints Bogotá’s Cerros in luminous colour at Museo del Chicóby Richard Emblin on March 2, 2026
In Bogotá, the mountains are never out of sight. They rise abruptly along the city’s eastern edge, forming a green wall that shapes the capital’s light, weather and sense of place. For Colombian artist Marina Sánchez, the ridges that surround the Colombian capital’s cardinal points are also more intimate: a constant presence, a point of
- Suspected drone attack disrupts high-level visit to Colombia’s Hidroituangoby The City Paper Staff on March 2, 2026
Colombia’s security forces alerted late Sunday Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez and Antioquia Governor Andrés Julián Rendón to cancel a planned visit to the Hidroituango hydroelectric complex for Monday, March 2, after intelligence warnings of a possible drone attack and credible terrorist threat. The visit, which included a press conference […]
- UN report warns Colombia faces worsening human rights crisisby Richard Emblin on February 26, 2026
Colombia is at risk of sliding back into one of the darkest chapters of its recent history, according to a stark new report by the United Nations, which warns that escalating violence, territorial control by illegal armed groups and political instability are eroding hard-won human rights gains. The annual assessment by the Office of the
- Bogotá to welcome 500,000 Easter visitors with expanded Semana Santa programmeby The City Paper Staff on February 25, 2026
Bogotá and the department of Cundinamarca are preparing to receive up to half a million visitors during Semana Santa 2026, as the Mayoralty unveiled an ambitious tourism campaign aimed at positioning the Colombian capital as a leading Easter destination in Latin America. Branded “Paso a Paso, Caminando hacia la Pascua con María” (Step by Step,
- Colombians now the biggest foreign contingent on Ukraine’s frontlinesby Richard Emblin on February 24, 2026
Thousands of miles from Bogotá, in the frozen trench lines of eastern Ukraine, Colombian accents have become a familiar sound of war. Between 1,000 and 2,000 Colombian nationals are currently serving in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to recent investigations, while as many as 7,000 have passed through the country’s defence
- Tayrona Park closure highlights security risks on Colombia’s Caribbean coastby The City Paper Staff on February 22, 2026
The Colombian government temporarily closed last week PNN Tayrona National Natural Park following threats against park staff and escalating violence between rival armed groups fighting for control of drug trafficking corridors along the Caribbean coast. The shutdown, announced on Feb. 17 by Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia, was described as a […]
- Candice Fast on the Hidden Beliefs That Shape Workplace Performanceby Richard Emblin on February 20, 2026
As Latin American companies confront slowing growth, talent churn and the demands of hybrid work, leadership effectiveness is being redefined. Strategy and charisma are no longer enough. Increasingly, performance hinges on something less visible: the assumptions leaders and employees hold about one another. New doctoral research by Dr. Candice Fast suggests […]
- The New Junta del Narcotrafico | Part 1: Originsby Adriaan Alsema on February 19, 2026
To view this content, you must be a member of Colombia's Patreon at $1 or more - Click "Read more" to unlock this content at the source The post The New Junta del Narcotrafico | Part 1: Origins appeared first on Colombia News.
- Exiled Venezuelans may well support regime change – but diasporas don’t always reflect the politicsby The Conversation on February 18, 2026
Protest and military action raised the prospect of regime change in Iran and Venezuela, and the voices of both countries’ diasporas were heard loud and clear through the media of their host nations. Venezuelan exiles in the U.S. were, according to the popular narrative, broadly behind President Donald Trump and his plan to “run Venezuela,”
- Colombia’s government and AUC dissident group EGC resume demobilization talksby Adriaan Alsema on February 17, 2026
Talks between AUC dissident group EGC and the National Government resumed after Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez walked back threats to either kill or capture EGC commander “Chiquito Malo.” The EGC suspended the talks earlier this month after Sanchez said that President Gustavo Petro and his US counterpart Donald Trump agreed to make Chiquito Malo a The […]
- New decree on Colombia’s minimum wage to maintain 23.7% hike: labor ministerby Adriaan Alsema on February 17, 2026
Colombia’s government is expected to decree a 23.7% minimum wage hike for the second time after allegedly obtaining the support of a majority of labor unions and business associations. The State Council, Colombia’s highest administrative court, ordered the government to issue a transitional decree after provisionally suspending the initial minimum age […]
- Fernando Botero Takes on Singapore with Landmark Exhibitionby Richard Emblin on February 17, 2026
Singapore has never been shy about scale. But this season, the city’s appetite for monumentality takes on a distinctly Latin American accent. For the first time, the work of Colombian master Fernando Botero makes his Singapore debut with the largest exhibition of his work ever showcased in Asia. Spanning galleries, inter-active theatres and extensive […]
- Colombia’s Petro Defies Court Suspension of Minimum Wage Hikeby The City Paper Staff on February 16, 2026
Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Sunday mounted a forceful defence of his government’s 23.7% minimum wage increase for 2026, pledging to issue a temporary decree to keep the so-called “vital wage” in place after the Council of State provisionally suspended the original measure. Speaking in a televised address on Feb. 15, Petro said that while
- Camilo Torres: Colombia surrenders remains of legendary “guerrilla priest” 60 years after his deathby Adriaan Alsema on February 16, 2026
Colombia’s Missing Persons Search Unit (UBPD) surrendered the remains of legendary “guerrilla priest” Camilo Torres to his family and friends on Sunday, exactly 60 years after his death. A few dozen people were invited to the National University’s Cristo Maestro chapel for a two-part ceremony in which UBPD director Luz Janeth Forero formally […]




