THE 10 MOST IMPORTANT COASTAL ACCIDENTS IN COLOMBIA - GEOGRAPHY - 2024

The coastal features of Colombia are located in South America and can be found in five geographical areas: the Andean region, the Amazon region, the Orinoquia region, the Pacific region and the Caribbean region.

These last two regions are coastal areas, whose names derive from the fact that they are bathed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, respectively.

The Caribbean region is located to the north of the country, while the Pacific region is located to the west.

The main coastal accidents in Colombia

1- The island of Malpelo

Malpelo Island is an isolated rock mass located in the Pacific Ocean, west of Buenaventura Bay. This island is made up of cushioned lava, volcanic cracks, and basaltic dikes. The coast of the island is composed solely of cliffs.

The island is about 1,850 meters long, about 600 meters wide and 376 meters high. Malpelo's surface is arid and has little vegetation.

2 - The Guajira peninsula

The Guajira peninsula, located on the Caribbean coast, is composed of tectonic blocks of metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, belonging to the Jurassic and Tertiary eras, and alluvial deposits, sandbanks and marine lagoons from the Quaternary era.

The Guajira peninsula begins in Castilletes, in the Gulf of Maracaibo (Venezuela) and extends to Dibulla, Colombia, reaching a length of 280 km.

3 - Barranquilla and the Cartagena coastline

The Barranquilla - Cartagena coastline is 100 km long and is located on the Caribbean coast of Colombia.

The coastline that goes from Galezaramba to Barranquilla is made up of cliffs that exceed 100 meters above sea level and of hills divided by alluvial valleys.

Between Galezaramba and Barranquilla, Bocas de Ceniza is located, whose coastline is made up of steep cliffs, 5 to 40 meters high.

4 - Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

To the south of the Guajira Peninsula, is the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain formation, which constitutes the highest coastal mountain in the world, reaching its highest point, 5800 meters in the Pico Bolívar (Venezuela).

This formation, located on the Caribbean coast, is composed of metamorphic rocks from the Cretaceous period, with alluvial valleys from the Quaternary era.

The northwestern coasts of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta are gullies, with beaches that may have coarse sand or granules generated by the erosion of the adjacent cliffs.

The mountains of the Colombian Andean region also make up one of the most visited geographical features.

5 - Tumaco Bay

Tumaco Bay is the largest on the Pacific coast of Colombia, and is located between the Patía delta and the Mira delta. This bay is shallow (30 meters is the maximum depth).

The coasts to the north and east of Tumaco are made up of vertical and subvertical cliffs. On the cliffs located to the east, you can find beach bars, which are concave beaches.

Most of the city of Tumaco is located in La Viciosa and El Morro, two barrier islands (coastal geo-forms created by the accumulation of sand brought from the sea through the waves).

Until 1979, these two barrier islands were protected by the literal cord of sand known as El Guano; however, on December 12, 1979, this coastal feature was destroyed by an earthquake.

6 - Gorgona Island

Gorgona Island, located on the Pacific coast, is made up of igneous rocks, both intrusive and extrusive. It is 9 km long and 2.5 km wide.

7 - Buenaventura Bay

Buenaventura Bay is located on the Pacific coast. South of the bay are a series of barrier islands and mangroves.

8 - Malaga Bay

Malaga Bay, located on the Pacific coast, is characterized by the presence of cliffs that measure between 10 and 20 meters.

9 - Gulf of Urubá

The Gulf of Urubá is located on the Caribbean coast. This gulf is mainly composed of basalt rocks, agglomerates and sedimentary rocks of the Tertiary era; on the other hand, it presents alluvial deposits from the Quaternary era.

The northern part of the gulf is characterized by beaches that are the result of the erosion of the cliffs that surround them.

10 - Cabo Corrientes - Togomorá

The coastline of Cabo Corrientes - Togomorá has a length of 100 km and is located on the Pacific coast of Colombia. It is characterized by the presence of barrier islands, estuarine lagoons and mangroves.

References

1. Phillips, Matt. The wonders of Colombia's Caribbean coast. Retrieved on March 16, 2017, from lonelyplanet.com.
2. 5 Places You Should't Miss on the Colombian Caribbean Coast (2013). Retrieved on March 16, 2017, from uncovercolombia.com.
3. The Colombian Caribbean Coast vs the Pacific Coasr (2014). Retrieved on March 16, 2017, from uncovercolombia.com.
4. Coasts of Colombia. Retrieved on March 16, 2017, from coastal.er.usgs.gov.
5. Malpelo Island. Retrieved on March 16, 2017, from bluewaterdivetravel.com.
6. Tumaco. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on March 16, 2017, from britannica.com.
7. Gorgona Island. Retrieved on March 16, 2017, from donquijote.org.