Colombia
Americas Β· Capital: BogotΓ‘
How it is run: Colombia is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Colombia is home to 53.4 million people in South America, where people speak Spanish.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
53.4 million people
That is 0.7% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
1,141,748 kmΒ²
One of the world's large countries: flying across it takes hours.
ποΈ How crowded
About 47 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
4th most people in Americas
8th largest by land in Americas.
π£οΈ Official languages
Spanish
π° Money
Colombian peso ($)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
77.9 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$8,562
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
π’ Living in cities
78.8% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
20% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+57
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.co
π§ People here are called
Colombian
π·οΈ Name at home
Colombia
Also written: Republic of Colombia, RepΓΊblica de Colombia.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Latin American and Caribbean Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Colombia touches 5 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Colombia
French
Colombie
Arabic
ΩΩΩΩΩ Ψ¨ΩΨ§
Chinese
ε₯δΌ¦ζ―δΊ
Japanese
γ³γγ³γγ’
Russian
ΠΠΎΠ»ΡΠΌΠ±ΠΈΡ
Portuguese
ColΓ΄mbia
German
Kolumbien
Put it in perspective π
- United States β the most populated country in Americas β has about 6.4Γ as many people as Colombia.
- Colombia covers roughly 10,874 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Colombia lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 26,713 km.
Flags through time π
A flag is a country telling you what it believes. Scroll the timeline and watch Colombia change.
Gran Colombia
Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama were one huge country.
Modern Colombia
Yellow for gold, blue for the two oceans, red for the blood of heroes.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: π¨π΄ is the flag of Colombia. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is CO.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Colombia
ποΈ Capital
BogotΓ‘
π Region
Americas Β· South America
π€ Country code
CO
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Colombia π
Walled city of Cartagena
Thick stone walls built in the 1500s kept pirates out. Inside, balconies drip with bougainvillea flowers.
See it in Street Viewπ§ Where on the map
4.0Β° N, 72.0Β° W
π Half of the world
Northern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-5 β when it is noon in London it is about 07:00 in BogotΓ‘.
- Colombia sits in South America, in the northern and western half of the globe.
- The capital of Colombia is BogotΓ‘ β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Colombia shares its part of the world with Chile. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Colombia is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- π¨π΄ is the flag of Colombia. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is CO.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Colombia has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Colombia can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Colombia spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Colombia?
BogotΓ‘
Which money do people spend in Colombia?
Colombian peso ($)
How many countries share a land border with Colombia?
5 β Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Venezuela.
Roughly how many people live in Colombia?
53.4 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.