Colombia's world records and distinctions

When I tell friends abroad that I live in Colombia, they are often surprised by how little they know about the country. Then I start telling them a few facts, and their surprise turns into fascination. Colombia is a country of superlatives: of extraordinary nature, of unique traditions, and of people who achieve remarkable things. As an English teacher, I also love these facts because they are perfect for practising comparatives and superlatives in class: "the tallest", "the most diverse", "the largest".

In this article I share the Colombian world records and distinctions that impress me most. I have tried to be careful: I include only facts that are widely documented by scientific institutions, international organisations or official sources, and I indicate when a ranking is approximate or may change. Nature counts, in particular, are updated as scientists discover new species.

1. The country with the most bird species in the world

Colombia is the country with the largest number of bird species on the planet, with more than 1,900 species recorded, close to one fifth of all the bird species in the world. Hummingbirds, toucans, tanagers, parrots and the majestic Andean condor, which appears on the national coat of arms, all live here. Colombia has repeatedly led the Global Big Day, an international bird-counting event organised by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, in which birdwatchers from every country record as many species as possible in one day.

In the Coffee Region where I live, I see colourful birds every morning from my window. For birdwatchers, Colombia is a paradise. Read the wonders of Colombia.

2. A world leader in orchids

Colombia is frequently cited as the country with the greatest diversity of orchids in the world, with more than 4,000 recorded species, many of them found nowhere else. The national flower is an orchid, the Cattleya trianae, also known as the Christmas orchid or "flor de mayo". Orchid exhibitions in Medellín and other cities attract visitors from many countries.

3. Extraordinary butterfly diversity

Recent scientific checklists have placed Colombia at the top of the world ranking for butterfly species, with more than 3,600 recorded. Rankings in this field can change as research continues in other tropical countries, but Colombia's butterfly diversity is undoubtedly among the richest on Earth.

4. One of the most biodiverse countries on the planet

Colombia is one of the world's "megadiverse" countries and is generally considered the second most biodiverse country in the world, after Brazil, despite being much smaller. It ranks among the leaders in amphibians, reptiles, freshwater fish, palms and plants. This richness comes from its geography: three Andean mountain ranges, two oceans, the Amazon, the Orinoco plains and a huge range of altitudes and climates.

5. The tallest palm tree in the world

The Quindío wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense), Colombia's national tree, is the tallest palm in the world, reaching up to around 60 metres. The most famous place to see them is the Cocora Valley, near Salento, in the Coffee Region. Walking among these giant palms, with the clouds moving between them, is one of the most magical experiences I have had in Colombia. Read my Coffee Region guide.

6. The highest coastal mountain range in the world

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, on the Caribbean coast, is considered the highest coastal mountain range in the world. Its peaks rise to around 5,700 metres just a short distance from the sea. In a single day's view, you can see tropical beaches and snow-capped mountains. The Sierra is also sacred territory for Indigenous peoples such as the Kogui, Arhuaco, Wiwa and Kankuamo, and it is home to the Lost City (Ciudad Perdida), an ancient archaeological site.

7. A large share of the world's páramos

Páramos are high-altitude ecosystems of the tropical Andes, with unique plants such as frailejones. They act like sponges, capturing water and supplying it to rivers and cities. Colombia holds a large share of the world's páramos, often estimated at around half, and the Sumapaz páramo, near Bogotá, is widely described as the largest páramo in the world. In Los Nevados National Natural Park, near Manizales, I have walked among frailejones in the cold mist, and it feels like another planet.

8. One of the largest collections of pre-Hispanic gold

The Gold Museum (Museo del Oro) of the Banco de la República in Bogotá holds one of the largest collections of pre-Hispanic goldwork in the world, with tens of thousands of gold objects created by Indigenous cultures such as the Muisca, Quimbaya, Tairona, Calima and Zenú. Its most famous piece, the Muisca Raft, is connected with the ceremony that inspired the legend of El Dorado. It is one of my favourite museums anywhere. Read my Bogotá guide.

9. A world leader in emeralds

Colombia is renowned as one of the world's leading producers of emeralds and is especially famous for the quality and colour of its stones. Mines in Boyacá, such as those of Muzo and Chivor, have been producing emeralds since pre-Hispanic times. Colombian emeralds are considered among the finest in the world.

10. The second largest flower exporter in the world

Colombia is the world's second largest exporter of cut flowers, after the Netherlands, and a major supplier of flowers to the United States. Many of the roses and carnations sold for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day in North America come from the Bogotá savanna and Antioquia. The Flower Fair in Medellín, with its famous silleteros carrying huge flower arrangements on their backs, celebrates this tradition.

11. A coffee giant

Colombia is one of the largest coffee producers in the world and a leader in high-quality washed Arabica coffee. Colombian coffee has a Protected Geographical Indication, and the Coffee Cultural Landscape, where I live, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2011. Juan Valdez and his mule Conchita became famous worldwide as symbols of Colombian coffee growers. Read the best of Colombian food.

12. Coasts on two oceans

Colombia is the only country in South America with coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The Pacific coast offers humpback whale watching between July and October, when whales arrive from the south to give birth in warm waters. The Caribbean offers Cartagena, Santa Marta, Tayrona National Park and the islands of San Andrés and Providencia. Read my Cartagena and Caribbean guide.

13. Medellín: a pioneer in urban innovation

In 2013, Medellín was named the most innovative city in the world in a competition organised by the Urban Land Institute, The Wall Street Journal and Citi. One reason is its Metrocable, opened in 2004, which was among the first cable car systems in the world integrated into a public mass transit network, connecting hillside neighbourhoods with the metro. Its outdoor escalators in Comuna 13 also became an international symbol of social urbanism. Read my Medellín guide.

14. Caño Cristales: the river of five colours

Caño Cristales, in the Serranía de la Macarena, is often called "the most beautiful river in the world" or "the river of five colours". For part of the year, an aquatic plant (Macarenia clavigera) turns the riverbed red, pink and purple, combined with yellow sand, green algae and blue water. It is not a measured record, but it is a natural wonder that appears on many international lists.

15. Chiribiquete: a giant of conservation

Serranía de Chiribiquete National Natural Park, in the Colombian Amazon, is the largest national park in Colombia and one of the largest protected areas of tropical rainforest in the world. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2018 for both its nature and its ancient rock paintings, tens of thousands of images painted on rock walls over thousands of years.

16. Literature and culture of world importance

Gabriel García Márquez won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982, and his novel One Hundred Years of Solitude is one of the most translated and widely read works in the Spanish language. Colombian music has also conquered the world, and the Barranquilla Carnival was proclaimed by UNESCO a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Read Colombian music and festivals.

17. One of the countries with the most public holidays

Colombia has around eighteen national public holidays a year, which places it among the countries with the most public holidays in the world. Many of them are moved to Monday, creating long weekends called puentes (bridges). As a remote teacher, I always check the Colombian calendar when planning classes with local students.

18. Often among the happiest

In several international opinion surveys about happiness and life satisfaction, Colombia has appeared among the top countries. Rankings vary according to the methodology, and other indexes place it differently, but anyone who has lived here understands why Colombians often describe themselves as happy: family, music, humour and a remarkable capacity to enjoy life. Read the people of Colombia.

My favourite record

If I had to choose one favourite, it would be the birds. Every morning in Manizales, hummingbirds visit the flowers near my window, and sometimes a flash of blue or yellow crosses the garden. Knowing that I live in the country with the most bird species in the world makes these ordinary moments feel extraordinary.

A note on accuracy

Records and rankings change. Scientists discover new species, economic figures change every year, and different organisations use different methods. I have described the facts as they are widely reported by scientific and official sources, using words such as "often cited" or "around" when figures are approximate. If you need exact figures for a school project or an article, I recommend checking sources such as the Humboldt Institute, the Colombian Biodiversity Information System (SiB Colombia), Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia, the Banco de la República, UNESCO and the official Guinness World Records website.

Practise your English with superlatives

Here are some sentences you can use in conversation:

• "Colombia has the most bird species in the world."
• "The wax palm is the tallest palm tree on Earth."
• "The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is the highest coastal mountain range in the world."
• "Colombia is one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet."
• "It is the second largest flower exporter in the world."

Notice the structure: the + adjective-est for short adjectives (tallest, highest, largest) and the most + adjective for long adjectives (the most beautiful, the most biodiverse). And "one of the + superlative + plural noun": "one of the largest collections".

Frequently asked questions

Which country has the most bird species in the world?

Colombia, with more than 1,900 recorded species, close to one fifth of all bird species on Earth.

What is the tallest palm tree in the world?

The Quindío wax palm, Colombia's national tree, which can reach around 60 metres. It grows in places such as the Cocora Valley.

What is the highest coastal mountain range in the world?

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia, with peaks of around 5,700 metres near the Caribbean coast.

Is Colombia the most biodiverse country in the world?

It is generally considered the second most biodiverse country, after Brazil, and leads the world in some groups, such as birds.

Where can I verify Colombian records?

In sources such as the Humboldt Institute, SiB Colombia, Parques Nacionales, the Banco de la República, UNESCO and Guinness World Records.