Updated 23 Sep 2026 · Source: Wikipedia / geography
Colombia has six natural regions: Andean, Caribbean, Pacific, Orinoquía, Amazonian and Insular. Here are the departments in each one, with overlaps where the territory spans two regions.
Andean region: list of 13 departments, capitals, climate and profiles. Overlaps where they apply (Valle, Cauca and Nariño also Pacific; Urabá in Antioquia).
Caribbean region: list of 7 departments, capitals, climate and profiles. Overlaps where they apply (Urabá in Antioquia; northern Chocó). San Andrés is Insular.
Pacific region: list of 4 departments (Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Cauca, Nariño), coastal cities, climate and profiles. Andean overlaps where they apply.
Amazon region: list of 6 departments, capitals, climate and profiles. Transition overlaps (Meta, Vichada) stay in the Orinoquía, not as primary listings here.
Orinoquía: list of 4 departments (Arauca, Casanare, Meta, Vichada), capitals, climate and profiles. Amazon transition overlaps where they apply.
Insular region: list of 1 department (San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina), capitals, islands and profiles. Cultural Caribbean link in the FAQ.
Updated 23 Sep 2026 · Source: Wikipedia / geography
The natural regions of Colombia are listed below. The country is organized geographically into six regions: Andean, Caribbean, Pacific, Orinoquía, Amazonian and Insular. Here you will see the departments of each one, the capitals and the link to the region page.
Natural regions are defined by relief, climate, vegetation and soils. They are not political-administrative entities. The political-administrative division is the 32 departments and the Capital District of Bogotá.
Some geographic frames (IGAC, IDEAM) describe five large continental zones and treat the islands separately. This site presents the six natural regions, in line with the usual school lookup and with Wikipedia. Natural boundaries overlap: a department can appear in more than one region, with notes.
Natural (or geographic) regions group territories with similar physical and environmental traits. They help study geography, climate and culture. They do not replace the departments or Bogotá D.C.
You can open each department profile and the department list.
Colombia has six natural regions:
Some official geography texts speak of five continental zones (Caribbean, Pacific, Andean, Orinoquia and Amazonia) and set the islands aside. Both readings are useful: the zones help read the physical map; the six natural regions include the archipelago and make the school lookup easier.
Lookup table. Several departments appear in more than one region. That is why the count column does not add up to 32.
| Region | Departments | List | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andean | 13 | Antioquia, Boyacá, Caldas, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Huila, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Quindío, Risaralda, Santander, Tolima, Valle del Cauca | See region |
| Caribbean | 7 | Atlántico, Bolívar, Cesar, Córdoba, La Guajira, Magdalena, Sucre | See region |
| Pacific | 4 | Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Cauca, Nariño | See region |
| Orinoquía | 4 | Arauca, Casanare, Meta, Vichada | See region |
| Amazon | 6 | Amazonas, Caquetá, Guainía, Guaviare, Putumayo, Vaupés | See region |
| Insular | 1 | San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina | See region |
Note: Valle del Cauca, Cauca and Nariño appear in both the Andean and Pacific regions (Andean interior and coast). The sum of counts is above 32 because of those overlaps. Bogotá D.C. is associated with the Andean region; it is not a department and it does not add to the 32.
Reference cities in the Pacific region: Quibdó, Buenaventura, Guapi and Tumaco. Cali, Popayán and Pasto are capitals of the Andean interior of those departments, not capitals of the Pacific region.
A region map (static or interactive) uses one color per region. It helps place the ranges, plains, Caribbean coast, Pacific coast, Orinoquía, Amazon and islands.
Suggested map caption: Natural regions of Colombia. Natural boundaries do not always match the political-administrative boundaries of the departments.
Bogotá D.C. belongs to the Andean region. It is surrounded by Cundinamarca, but it is not a municipality of that department and it is not a department of its own.
| Department | Regions | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Valle del Cauca | Andean and Pacific | Andean interior (Cali); Pacific coast (Buenaventura, Malpelo) |
| Cauca | Andean and Pacific | Andean interior (Popayán); coast (Guapi, López, Timbiquí; Gorgona) |
| Nariño | Andean and Pacific | Andean interior (Pasto); coast (Tumaco) |
| Antioquia | Andean; also Caribbean (Urabá) | Main listing Andean; Urabá has Caribbean features |
| Chocó | Pacific; also Caribbean (north) | Main listing Pacific; Acandí and Unguía touch the Caribbean |
| Meta and Vichada | Orinoquía; Amazon transition | Main listing Orinoquía; a soft note toward the Amazon |
| San Andrés y Providencia | Insular | Main listing Insular; cultural Caribbean link in the FAQ |
Islands such as Rosario, San Bernardo, Gorgona or Malpelo belong to continental departments. On the Insular page they are mentioned as islands, not as extra departments.
Colombia is organized into six natural regions: Andean, Caribbean, Pacific, Orinoquía, Amazonian and Insular. They are defined by relief, climate, vegetation and soils. Some geographic frames (IGAC, IDEAM) describe five continental zones and treat the islands separately; this site presents the six.
Andean 13 (plus Bogotá D.C.): Antioquia, Boyacá, Caldas, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Huila, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Quindío, Risaralda, Santander, Tolima, Valle del Cauca. Caribbean 7: Atlántico, Bolívar, Cesar, Córdoba, La Guajira, Magdalena, Sucre. Pacific 4: Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Cauca, Nariño. Orinoquía 4: Arauca, Casanare, Meta, Vichada. Amazon 6: Amazonas, Caquetá, Guainía, Guaviare, Putumayo, Vaupés. Insular 1: San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina.
Valle, Cauca and Nariño appear in both the Andean and Pacific regions. San Andrés is not added to the Caribbean 7.
Because natural boundaries do not match political-administrative ones. Valle, Cauca and Nariño have an Andean interior and a Pacific coast. Urabá in Antioquia and northern Chocó touch the Caribbean. The site shows those overlaps with notes.
In this presentation, San Andrés y Providencia belongs to the Insular region. It shares the Caribbean Sea and cultural ties with the coast; the FAQ can mention that link without adding it to the 7 Caribbean departments.
Yes. Bogotá D.C. is associated with the Andean region. It is not a department and it is not a municipality of Cundinamarca.
We do not claim that here without a verified figure. It is the most populated and urbanized region in the country.
Regions are geographic zones. The departments (and Bogotá D.C.) are the political-administrative division. A department can touch more than one natural zone.
Last copy review: 23 Sep 2026 (America/Bogota). Version v3-mau-wikipedia.