This country profile features selected environmental indicators from the OECD Core Set, building on harmonised datasets available on OECD Data Explorer. The indicators reflect major environmental issues, including climate, air quality, freshwater resources, waste and the circular economy, and biodiversity. Differences with national data sources can occur due to delays in data treatment and publication, or due to different national definitions and measurement methods. The OECD is working with countries and other international organisations to further improve the indicators and the underlying data.
Environment at a Glance Indicators
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Colombia
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Copy link to ContextExcept during the COVID-19 pandemic, Colombia has enjoyed strong economic growth for much of the last decade, underpinned by a commodity price boom, significant economic policy reform and improved security. Despite progress, per person income remains low and inequality high. The vast majority of people live in cities in the Andean and Caribbean regions.
Colombia is located in the northwest of South America, with some territories falling within the boundaries of Central America. It is the 25th largest nation in the world and one of the world’s mega-diverse countries. Much of the biodiversity resides in forests, which cover more than half the territory. Colombia has abundant freshwater resources but variations in spatial and temporal distribution are marked.
Colombia is endowed with abundant minerals, metals and fossil fuels. It is the largest coal producer in Latin America and one of the largest coal exporter in the world. Colombia holds large reserves of metallic and non-metallic minerals, mainly in the Andean, Caribbean and Pacific regions. Gold, ferronickel and emeralds are the most important in terms of export revenue. Agriculture and mining are the two key sectors.
Climate change
Copy link to Climate changeEnergy mix
Copy link to Energy mixAir quality
Copy link to Air qualityAir emissions
Copy link to Air emissionsFreshwater resources
Copy link to Freshwater resourcesIntensity of use of freshwater resources
Copy link to Intensity of use of freshwater resourcesWaste, materials and circular economy
Copy link to Waste, materials and circular economyMunicipal waste
Copy link to Municipal wasteMaterial consumption
Copy link to Material consumptionBiodiversity
Copy link to BiodiversityProtected areas
Copy link to Protected areasReferences and further reading
OECD/ECLAC (2014), OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Colombia 2014, OECD Environmental Performance Reviews, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264208292-en.