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Why So Few People Live On Colombia's West Coast
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Mar 31, 2025
Colombia is an incredible country, geographically. But despite being home to over 53 million people, the second most populous country in South America, almost no one lives on the country's Pacific coast. And this is weird because most countries in the Americas have gone through great effort to settle and build population centers on their respective west coasts. So what's going on in Colombia and why have they still not developed the vast majority of their Pacific coast?
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Colombia is the second largest country in South America by population with nearly 53 million people
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But despite this large population, the country's Pacific coast is almost entirely empty
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In fact, this expansive coastline is home to only about 2% of the country's entire population
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So why do so few people live on Colombia's west coast? As usual, the answer lies in a combination of geography and history
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Colombia, known primarily for its highland topography that dominates the country, is actually divided into five distinct natural regions. These regions range from the towering
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Andean peaks to the dense Amazonian rainforests, sprawling plains, and tropical coastlines
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All told, the Andean, Caribbean, Orinokia, Amazon, and Pacific regions each contribute
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to Colombia's unique geography. The Andean region is Colombia's most populated area and
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arguably its most diverse in terms of topography. The Andes Mountains divide here into three main
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ranges, the western, central, and eastern Cordilleras. These rugged, lofty ranges are
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interspersed with fertile valleys and plateaus, where high-altitude cities like Bogota, Medellin
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and Cali are located. Despite its highland status, elevation varies significantly, influencing temperatures and weather patterns. This results in distinct ecological zones within
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the Andes such as an alpine tundra, cloud forests, and temperate valleys. The alpine tundra, unique to
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northern South America, acting as sponges that absorb and release water, feeding rivers that
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flow into both the Caribbean and the Pacific. North of the Andes lies the Caribbean region
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a low-lying area that stretches along Colombia's northern coast. The Caribbean region is made up of
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arid deserts like the Guajia Peninsula, tropical rainforests, and savannas. This area is also home
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to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the world's highest coastal mountain range
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which towers above surrounding tropical plains and reaches nearly 5,700 meters in altitude
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The Magdalena River, Colombia's principal waterway, flows through the region, shaping the cultural and economic life
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of its towns and cities. Heading south, the Orinokia region is largely made up of expansive grasslands
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that make up approximately a quarter of Colombia's territory. This region is home to the Mehta and Guaviara rivers, both of which flow into the Orinoco River
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These rivers define the region's wet and dry seasons, as flooding during the rainy season
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transforms part of the plains into wetlands, essential for regional biodiversity. While sparsely populated, the Orinokia is rich in natural resources, including oil and
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agriculture, and is also an important region for cattle ranching. Continuing south is the Amazon region
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Colombia's portion of the world's largest rainforest, covering around one-third of Colombia's landmass
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The Amazon region is dominated by dense tropical forests that thrive in the warm, humid climate
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This area is traversed by the Amazon River and its tributaries, which create a network of waterways that are crucial for transportation
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as there are few roads in the region. And finally, in the far west is the country's Pacific region
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It's actually this region that makes up Colombia's most humid and ecologically dense area
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not the Amazon region. Stretching along the country's western coastline, the region is flanked by the Pacific Ocean and the western Andes
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and is well known for its incredible amount of rainfall, some of the highest levels in the entire world
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All of this rain supports a dense, tropical rainforest and lush mangroves along the coast
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The region's rivers, such as the Atrato and San Juan, are influenced by heavy precipitation and tidal movements
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And like the rest of South America west coast Colombia Pacific region is also very tectonically active due to the ring of fire All of this makes infrastructural development
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a huge challenge. Colombia's five natural regions highlight the country's exceptional geographic
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and ecologic diversity. And if you've picked up on anything, it's that Colombia is mostly made up
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of mountains and tropical rainforests, so not a very hospitable place to develop cities and population
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Despite this, the country is home to nearly 53 million people today
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Feel your best performance with Huel today. When Spanish explorers arrived in Colombia in the early 1500s
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they found a landscape marked by mountains, rivers, and fertile valleys. With established indigenous civilizations such as the Muisca and Tirona
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the Spanish saw these societies and their lands as valuable resources, prompting a push to establish control and export the region's wealth back to Spain
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The Spanish conquest began along Colombia's Caribbean coast, where two major cities, Santa Marta and Cartagena, were quickly established as strategic colonial outposts
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Located on a naturally protected bay, Santa Marta was an ideal landing point for Spanish expeditions into the interior
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However, its development was limited by frequent attacks from indigenous groups and, later, by piracy
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Nearby Cartagena, founded in 1533, quickly grew in importance, surpassing Santa Marta as a critical port
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Cartagena's location on a large protected bay made it ideal for large-scale shipping
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and it soon became the main point of entry for goods, people, and wealth moving between Spain and South America
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The Spanish crown invested heavily in fortifying Cartagena against pirate attacks, making it one of the most heavily fortified cities in the Americas
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While the Spanish solidified their presence on the coast, their ambitions extended inland
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leading to the establishment of Bogota in 1538. Located high in the Andes in a fertile valley, Bogota, initially named Santa Fe de Bogota
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was chosen for its central location within the new kingdom of Granada, a territory that included much of modern-day Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Panama
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The high-altitude setting of Bogota, over 2,600 meters above sea level, offered a cooler, more temperate climate than the Caribbean coast
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which was beneficial for both European settlers and agriculture. As Bogota developed, it became the administrative heart of the Spanish colony
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drawing educated elites, the Catholic Church, and officials who managed the region's economic affairs
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The city's strategic location allowed the Spanish to control the surrounding Indian highlands
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which were agriculturally productive and rich in resources like emeralds. Meanwhile, Medellín, now one of Colombia's most important cities
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was founded later, in 1675. Located in the Abura Valley in the central Andes, Medellin
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was established near rich gold mines, which became central to the local economy. The fertile
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valleys around Medellin allowed for agriculture primarily coffee cultivation which would later transform the region economy Despite being somewhat isolated as Colombia coffee industry expanded in the 1800s and 1900s Medell grew into a major industrial and commercial center
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Finally, in the south, Cali, another of Colombia's major cities, developed in a unique geographic position that contributed to its growth
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Founded in 1536, Santiago de Cali lies in the fertile Calca River Valley in southwestern Colombia
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While not as centrally located as Bogota or Medellín, Cali's location allowed it to connect the Andean highlands to the Pacific coast
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where the port city of Buenaventura eventually became Colombia's main gateway to the Pacific
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Cali's position in a rich agricultural valley helped it become a center for sugarcane cultivation
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and other crops. As Colombia expanded its Pacific trade in the 1900s, Cali's importance grew
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making it a key economic hub in the country's southwest and a center for industry, trade
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and culture. The Magdalena River, Colombia's principal waterway, played a vital role in
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connecting inland cities to the Caribbean coast. The river allowed cities like Bogota and Medellin
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to ship their goods through the port of Barranquilla, another critical city that grew in the late
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colonial and early republican periods. Barranquilla developed near the mouth of the Magdalena River
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and became one of Colombia's main commercial centers. Its port enabled the transport of goods
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from the interior to international markets, especially coffee, which became a dominant
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export in the 19th century. Barranquilla's growth was fueled by its strategic location
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as a gateway to the Magdalena River, giving it a crucial role in Colombia's economy and
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connecting inland cities to global trade networks. While Colombia's major cities were developing
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in the Andean and Caribbean regions, the country's Pacific coast remained largely undeveloped
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Buenaventura, founded in 1540, was one of the few colonial cities established on the Pacific coast
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as the Spanish prioritized the Caribbean for trade with Europe. To this day, it's still the only major city on the Pacific coast of Colombia
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So why don't more Colombians live on the Pacific side of the country? Colombia's Pacific coast is a remote and sparsely populated region of the country
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despite its lush rainforests, rich biodiversity, and long coastline. In fact, the entire Pacific region is home to only about 2% of Colombia's entire population
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or 1.4 million people in total. If a similar population trend were seen in the United States
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only the city of San Francisco would exist, leaving the rest of the Pacific coast from northern Washington
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all the way to southern California as untamed and unsettled wilderness. So what's going on in Colombia's west coast
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When Spanish colonizers arrived in what is now Colombia in the early 1500s
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their focus was primarily on the Caribbean coast. The Caribbean was a critical gateway for Spanish interests
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as it allowed access to and from Europe and facilitated the export of resources such as gold, emeralds, and other valuable goods
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Ports like Cartagena and Santa Marta quickly became essential hubs for Spanish colonial trade
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not only because of their strategic coastal locations, but also due to the calm, navigable waters and natural harbors along the Caribbean
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The Pacific Coast, on the other hand, offered few natural harbors suited for large-scale colonial shipping operations
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and its choppy waters made navigation more challenging. Given these conditions, and the fact that there was essentially zero trade with East Asia or India at the time
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the Spanish saw little incentive to establish major settlements or ports along the Pacific Coast
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But colonial trade reasons aside, the Pacific Coast's geographic features further limited its development
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The Pacific Coast region is one of the rainiest places in the world, receiving between 200 and 500 inches of rainfall annually in some areas
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The rainy city of Seattle Washington by contrast gets about 40 inches of rain per year This extreme level of precipitation fostered dense rainforests and complex river systems making overland travel challenging
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Frequent rains also create a swampy landscape that is difficult to clear and develop
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for agriculture or urban purposes. The result is a largely impenetrable landscape
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that discouraged early settlers from establishing permanent towns and discouraged the expansion
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of transportation infrastructure. In addition to the coastal terrain and high rainfall, the Andes Mountains present a formidable natural barrier between the Pacific Coast and Colombia's interior
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The Western Andes, which run parallel to the Pacific coastline, are rugged and steep, making overland travel to the coast a physically demanding endeavor
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This geographic separation has historically isolated the Pacific Coast from Colombia's central population centers, particularly the Andean cities of Bogota, Medellin, and Cali
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In colonial times, and even for much of Colombia's modern history, it was more practical to transport goods overland to the Caribbean coast, where they could then be shipped to Europe, than to attempt to navigate the difficult Pacific terrain
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As a result, Colombia's interior and Caribbean coast developed more robust infrastructure, trade networks, and cities, while the Pacific coast remained largely peripheral to the country's economic and political life
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All that said, during the colonial period, the Spanish did establish a few settlements along the Pacific coast
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including Tomaco and Buenaventura, but these remained minor outposts rather than significant centers of population or trade
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Buenaventura, now Colombia's main port on the Pacific, initially struggled to grow due to a combination of challenging geography
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limited investment, and its relative isolation. Instead, the Pacific region became a place where enslaved Africans, who were brought to Colombia as laborers in mines and plantations, could escape and form free communities within the difficult-to-access rainforests
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Many Afro-Colombian communities along the Pacific coast today trace their heritage back to these escaped enslaved people, who took refuge in the secluded, rugged environment of the coastal lowlands
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By the time Colombia gained independence from Spain in the early 1800s, the country's geographic
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and economic patterns were already well established, with major population centers and trade routes
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oriented towards the Andean highlands and the Caribbean coast. The Pacific coast continued
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to play a limited role in Colombia's economy and remained sparsely populated, with local
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communities primarily engaged in small-scale fishing, subsistence farming, and mining. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, efforts to develop the Pacific Coast were hindered by ongoing challenges in transportation and infrastructure
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Roads, railways, and later air routes connecting the Pacific to the rest of Colombia were limited
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meaning that much of the region remained isolated, accessible primarily by river or by sea
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In contrast, the Caribbean coast and Andean regions experienced greater economic integration and urban development
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Today, Colombia's Pacific coast remains one of the least populated and developed parts of the country
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Buenaventura, Colombia's principal port on the Pacific, is the largest city in the region with about 400,000 people
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This would be followed by Tumaco with about 250,000 people. And that's about it
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This contrasts heavily with Colombia's capital Bogota with about 12 million people in its metropolitan region
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And other major cities like Medellín, Cali, and Barranquilla, each with millions of inhabitants
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Colombia's west coast is a harsh and unforgiving environment. The dense tropical forests and unrelenting rain made it so that there was little reason
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to ever really colonize the area in the same way as the Caribbean and interior regions were
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Hey, big maps of Colombia make for great gifts for the holidays
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Check it out over on my map store. This was a fun exploration of Colombia, and I hope you enjoyed it
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If you did, please like the video and subscribe to the channel. And of course, you can check out some of my other videos here
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Thanks for watching. See you next time
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