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The country of Colombia is divided between the vast heights of the Andes mountains in the west and the dense tropical forests of the Amazon and Orinoco River basins in the east. Colombia is home to more bird species than any other nation on Earth, and nearly a fifth of all plant species, making it the most biodiverse country in the world except for Brazil, which is seven times its size.

The people of Colombia are mostly of European or mixed descent, though there are also sizeable African and Indigenous populations. Spanish is the most commonly spoken language, and most people practice Christianity, especially Roman Catholicism. Once an agrarian culture, Colombia now has a large and complex economy centred around industry and services. Coffee is the most important cash crop, and rich natural resources make mining, especially for gold and emeralds, one of the most important industries.

The earliest inhabitants of Colombia were Indigenous tribes who spoke Chibchan. The Spanish first arrived in 1500, and by mid-century, the land had become part of the Viceroyalty of Peru. Early in the 19th century, the country won its independence from Spain, and the revolutionary leader Simón Bolívar became the first president of the new republic, which at the time also included the territories of Panama, Ecuador, Venezuela and parts of Brazil. The union of Gran Colombia fell apart in 1830, and a new constitution was adopted in 1886, establishing the present basic structure of the country. The first half of the 20th century was one of severe political turmoil between liberal and conservative political factions. A plan for alternating governments eventually gave way to a new constitution in 1991, and conditions have improved greatly, but Colombia has continued to be plagued by civil unrest, drug wars, guerrilla activity and terrorist violence.