LOCATION

Colombia covers 1.14 mio. sqkm. It borders the Caribbean to the North, Panama and the Pacific Ocean to the West, Ecuador and Peru to the South, Brazil to the Southeast and Venezuela to the East.

POPULATION

Approximately 49 million inhabitants including Pre-Colombian Natives, Europeans, Africans and Arabs, which makes Colombia a multicultural nation today.

CURRENCY

Colombian Peso

• 1 USD = 2,887.21 COP approx.
• 1 EUR = 3,256.13 COP approx.

LANGUAGE

Spanish, so called Castellano.

TIME DIFFERENCE

- 5hours GMT

VOLTAGE

110V alternating current, it is recommendable to bring a multi-adapter.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

01. January, 06. January, Manudy Thursday & Good Friday, 01. May, Ascension, Corpus Christi, 29. June, 20. Juli, 07. August, 15. August, 12. Oktober, 1. November, 11. November, 08. December, 25. December.

OPENING HOURS

Shops are generally open from 9:00 am – 6/7:00 pm, supermarkets and shopping malls often till 8 pm or even longer, except on Mondays shops are closed or open as of 10am. Banks are open Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 4.00 pm.

CLIMATE

Colombia has a variety of climates according to the altitudes:

Hot areas: Below 1.000 m (3.280 ft) average temperatures of 28-35°C (82-95 F). In this area are: The Pacific Region, the Caribbean islands San Andres & Providencia, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Mompox, Cali, Neiva and Leticia.

Temperate areas: Between 1.000-2.300 m (3.280-7.545 ft) average temperatures of 23-26°C (73-79°F). In this area are: Villa de Leyva, Barichara, Medellín, Pereira, Armenia, Manizales, Popayan, San Agustín.

Cool areas: Between 2.300-3.500 m (7.545-11.480 ft) average temperatures of 8-18°C (46-64°F). In this area are: Bogotá, Zipaquirá, Tunja, Pasto, Ipiales.

Snowcapped mountains: Are found from 4.700 m (15.420 ft) up. In the mountains, temperature changes all the time: in the morning cold, at noon up to 20° C (68°F), at night very cold. Temperatures are between -18°C and +20°C (-0,4 and +68°F).