Colombia covers a total area of 1,141,748 km² (440,831 sq mi), making it the 25th-largest country in the world and the fourth-largest in South America. That footprint is roughly equal to France and Spain combined, and it gives Colombia the unusual distinction of being the only South American nation with coastlines on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
Colombia's Total Area in Numbers
At 1,141,748 km², Colombia accounts for about 0.77% of the planet's total land area of roughly 148.94 million km². While that may sound modest, it places Colombia ahead of the vast majority of the world's nearly 200 countries. Within South America, only Brazil, Argentina, and Peru are larger.
- Total area: 1,141,748 km² (440,831 sq mi)
- World rank: 25th largest country
- Rank in South America: 4th largest
- Share of global land: about 0.77%
- Capital: Bogotá, at 2,640 m elevation
Colombia also holds a small Pacific maritime territory and several island groups, including the San Andrés and Providencia archipelago in the Caribbean, far to the northwest of the mainland.
How Far Colombia Stretches
The country extends roughly 2,000 km from its northern Caribbean tip to its southern Amazonian border, and about 1,200 km from east to west. Its coastline runs approximately 3,208 km, split between Caribbean shores in the north and Pacific shores in the west.
This wide span helps explain Colombia's extraordinary range of landscapes. The Andes enter from the south and split into three parallel ranges, called cordilleras, that fan out across the western half of the country. Between and around them lie the Caribbean and Pacific lowlands, the vast Amazon rainforest in the southeast, and the Llanos, sweeping tropical grasslands in the east that alone cover an area comparable to Italy.
The highest point is Pico Cristóbal Colón, reaching 5,700 m (18,701 ft). Remarkably, it sits in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the world's highest coastal mountain range, rising to that altitude just 42 km from the sea.
How Colombia Compares to Other Countries
Size comparisons make Colombia's scale easier to grasp:
- Roughly equal to France and Spain combined.
- About 1.8 times the size of France (640,679 km²).
- You could fit the United Kingdom inside Colombia about four times.
- Slightly larger than the U.S. states of Texas and California together.
- Around twice the area of Texas on its own.
Compared with its neighbors, Colombia is larger than Venezuela and Peru is just slightly bigger, while it dwarfs Ecuador and Panama. Brazil, the continent's giant, is roughly seven times Colombia's size.
Why Colombia Feels Even Bigger
Land area only tells part of the story. Because of its three Andean cordilleras and dramatic changes in altitude, Colombia packs an enormous variety of climates and ecosystems into relatively short distances. Travel a few dozen kilometers and you can move from steamy Caribbean beaches to cool, spring-like highland cities, then on to snow-capped peaks.
This vertical geography makes Colombia one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, second only to Brazil. It hosts nearly 2,000 bird species, more than any other country, along with the towering wax palms of the Cocora Valley, which reach up to 60 m, and the rainbow-colored waters of Caño Cristales. The Pacific coast, meanwhile, is among the wettest regions on the planet, with parts receiving over 10,000 mm of rain a year. For more on the country's regions, climate zones, and travel highlights, see our colombia country guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What rank is Colombia by area?
Colombia is the 25th-largest country in the world by total area and the fourth-largest in South America, after Brazil, Argentina, and Peru.
Is Colombia bigger than France?
Yes. At 1,141,748 km², Colombia is about 1.8 times the size of France (640,679 km²) and is roughly equal to France and Spain put together.
How big is Colombia compared to Texas?
Colombia is roughly twice the size of Texas. Texas covers about 695,000 km², so Colombia's 1.14 million km² comfortably exceeds it.
What is the highest point in Colombia?
The highest point is Pico Cristóbal Colón, at 5,700 m (18,701 ft), located in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the world's tallest coastal mountain range.
