Colombia is a large country (1,138,914 square kilometres); the size of France, Spain and Portugal combined. It is the fourth largest country in South America, after Brazil, Argentina and Peru. Colombia is the only country with coasts on both the Pacific and the Caribbean and bordered with Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. The physical geography is amazingly diverse. The western part, almost half of the total territory, in mountainous, with three Andean chains - the Cordillera Occidental, Cordillera Central and Cordillera Oriental.

Colombia's image, portrayed by the international media is of violence, and kidnapping, associated mainly with guerrilla and paramilitary activities.   Foreigners are potential targets, and you should be vigilant and take sensible precautions.   Although the image is accurate and there are real risks, it should be kept in perspective.

On the Consular side our aims are to act quickly and professionally to serious consular emergencies (eg kidnappings) involving British citizens, to provide up-to-date, user-friendly and accurate travel advice for Colombia. To provide all consular services within recommended time-scales.

Colombia has suffered from an internal armed conflict for over forty years, and still has a long way to go in solving its problems.  But the security situation has improved under the Colombian Government’s "democratic security policy", adopted in 2002. And in 2005, a peace deal was signed with the the AUC paramilitiary movement, which resulted in more than 35,000 combatants demobilising.  The government and local authorities are working to reintegrate them into society.