WHAT ARE THE PLAINS OF COLOMBIA? - GEOGRAPHY - 2025

The plains of Colombia are part of the approximately 3,000,000 km ² that extend from Mexico in the north to Paraguay in the south of the continent, but it is in Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil that they cover the largest area and have the greatest economic importance..

Around 70% of the Colombian territory is made up of plains that are characterized by having one of the greatest plant biodiversity in the world, associated with a complex pattern of climate, soils and topography.

Eastern plains

A large part of these ecosystems have been considered a priority for protection according to the World Conservation Fund.

The vegetation includes the mangroves of the Pacific coast, the scrublands of the Guajira desert, the savanna grasslands and gallery ecosystems of the Atlantic lowlands and the eastern plains, the Amazon rainforest and the Chocó region and even environments of the Andean slopes.

The 4 most important plains of Colombia

Caribbean Plain

• Location: North of the Country.
• Extension: 142,000 Km ²

Longitudinally, it ranges from the Gulf of Urabá to the Guajira Peninsula. Transversely from the last foothills of the mountain ranges to the coasts of the Caribbean.

The lowland region of the Caribbean is similar to the shape of a triangle, the longest side of which is the coast. The savannas of the Caribbean are generally found below 200 m, and are subject to an isothermal regime, that is to say, little temperature variations, an average of 28 ° C and rainfall around 2,040 mm.

A good part of the western surface of this plain is covered by arboreal formations, among which the Campano (Pithecellobium saman) and Corozo (Bactris guineensis) stand out.

The area is home to a fifth of the Colombian population, concentrated in Barranquilla, Cartagena and Santa Marta, the main Caribbean ports in the country.

Cattle ranching and mixed farming are traditional economic activities, but large-scale commercial farming, especially rice, cotton, and banana, has also been successful.

Irrigation has expanded since the mid-20th century, especially in the Sinú and César valleys. Bananas are grown for export in the Urabá region.

Pacific Plain

• Location: West of the Country.
• Extension: 83,170 Km ².

Longitudinally, it ranges from the Gulf of Urabá to the border with Ecuador and Panama. Transversely from the Western Cordillera to the Pacific coast.

It is a swampy and densely forested region that, due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, is characterized by humid climates with annual rainfall between 1,100 and 1,700 mm, as well as high average temperatures ranging between 24 and 28 ° C throughout the region.

Due to its great biodiversity it has been listed as one of the richest areas on the planet and is home to four national parks:

• Utría National Natural Park.
• Gorgona National Natural Park.
• Malpelo Flora and Fauna Sanctuary.
• Uramba Bahía Málaga National Natural Park.

The department of Chocó is one of the most distinctive in the region and stands out for being considered one of the most humid places in the world and with the greatest biodiversity. It is a stretch of tropical mangroves along the Pacific coast and the Atrato River, 885 kilometers long.

The rainforest and the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean combine to form a rich natural environment for plants and animals. More than 450 of the 1,800 species of birds that inhabit Colombia live in Chocó.

They are also the habitat of monkeys, raccoons, deer and peccaries. Large rodents such as agoutis, pacas and capybaras inhabit swampy areas. Wild cats such as pumas and jaguars roam these forests, while crocodiles and manatees swim in these swamps.

Plain of the Orinoquía

• Location: East of the Country.
• Extension: 250,000 Km ². Longitudinally it comprises from the Arauca to the department of Guaviare. Transversely from the Eastern Cordillera to the Orinoco River.

The Eastern Plains of Colombia are made up of an extensive savanna and a part of the Orinoco river basin, known as Orinoquía.

A vast network of rivers and swamps offer top-notch birding opportunities. About 470 species inhabit the region and on a good day of observation up to 130 species can be spotted; one of the most peculiar is the hoatzín or guacharaca de agua.

Large tributaries of the Orinoco River, including the Meta, Guaviare and Vichada, traverse these plains carrying sediments from the flat, sandy savannas to the Orinoco delta in Venezuela.

Despite its wide territorial extension, only 2% of the Colombian population lives in the regions of the Eastern Plains and the Amazon jungle.

The city of Villavicencio is the largest city in the region. Villavicencio is located at the foot of the Eastern Cordillera, just 110 kilometers from Bogotá. Farmers use the grasses that grow on these plains to feed their livestock.

The highest temperatures in the country are recorded in these areas, with annual rainfall ranging from 1,020 to 1,780 mm, but under a monsoon regime with a wet season between May and October, and a dry season in November and April.

Plain of the Amazon

• Location: South East of the Country.
• Extension: 380,000 Km ². Longitudinally it ranges from the Guaviare River to the Putumayo River, which forms a large part of the Colombian border with Ecuador and Peru. Transversely from the foothills of the Eastern Cordillera to the border of Brazil.

This region is covered with lush vegetation and is home to more species of animals than anywhere else on earth.

Butterflies and other insects fly through the forest. Jungle birds such as quetzals, parrots, macaws, and toucans nest among the trees. Sloths and primates hang from the branches of tropical trees.

Indigenous populations of different ethnic groups such as the Huitotos, Ingas, Tucanos and Nukak plant crops, fish and hunt in these savannas.

Gold, coal and oil reserves are also found in the area. Much of the plain is covered with jungle receiving rainfall of up to 2,500 mm each year.

References

1. Boraas, T. (2002). Countries and Cultures: Colombia. Minnesota, Capstone Press.
2. The Caribbean Plain. Recovered from: elespectador.com.
3. Raúl R. Vera. (2006). FAO: Country Pasture / Forage Resource Profiles. Recovered from: fao.org.
4. Rincon, D. (1984). Environmental Law in Colombia. Netherlands, Kluwer Law International.
5. Zenú hydraulic system. Recovered from: banrepcultural.org.