Editing Geography of Colombia (section)

===Caribbean region===
{{Main|Caribbean Region of Colombia|Caribbean Natural Region, Colombia}}
[[Image:Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta desde el espacio.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta]], the highest standing mountain by the sea.]]

The Caribbean lowlands consist of all of Colombia north of an imaginary line extending northeastward from the [[Gulf of Urabá|Golfo de Urabá]] to the Venezuelan frontier at the northern extremity of the Cordillera Oriental. The semiarid [[Guajira Peninsula]] and [[Guajira–Barranquilla xeric scrub]], in the extreme north, bear little resemblance to the rest of the region. In the southern part rises the [[Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta]], an isolated mountain system with peaks reaching heights over {{convert|5700|m|ft|0|sp=us}} and slopes generally too steep for cultivation.

The Caribbean lowlands region is in roughly the shape of a triangle, the longest side of which is the coastline. Most of the country's commerce moves through the cities of [[Cartagena, Colombia|Cartagena]], [[Barranquilla]], [[Santa Marta]], and the other ports located along this important coast. Inland from these cities are swamps, hidden streams, and shallow lakes that support [[banana]] and [[cotton]] plantations for major commodity crops, countless small farms, and, in higher places, cattle ranches.

The city of [[Cartagena, Colombia|Cartagena]] is a petrochemical, seaport (#1 in the country), and tourist city (#1 in the country). [[Santa Marta]] is also a seaport and tourist city but it is smaller scale city in comparison. [[Barranquilla]] is located some {{convert|25|mi|km|0}} from the Caribbean coastline but it is a more  developed city, with a greater number of industries and commercial places, widely known for its skilled workers in producing all forms of metalwork and accomplishing construction. Its inhabitants have the highest education level of the region. The city is famous as the starting point and focus of the region and the country's development: it was the first city in the nation to install and use telephones, public lighting, air mail, planes, and industrial works.

The Caribbean region merges next to and is connected with the Andean highlands through the two great river valleys. After the Andean highlands, it is the second-most important region in terms of economic activity. Approximately 17% of the country's population lived in this region in the late 1980s.

The region also includes the peninsular archipelago of [[San Andres Island]] and the Insular Territories of Colombia, which are disputed in part by Nicaragua. However, the Colombian Navy protects such territories with the use of force when necessary to avoid foreign invasion. The islands are fortified with two important bases for defense and custom controls. These were formerly used for research of classified projects with civilian assistance; the local universities often conduct research in the areas of oceanography and marine biology but also in the fields of biochemistry, genetics and immunology. Colombia is known for its advances in medical fields in experimental surgery, breast implant development, or prosthetics, and immunology. These facilities serve as containment and secure experimentation labs to complement those in Barranquilla and other undisclosed locations within the coast territories.

The '''Insular Region''' is considered by some as a [[geopolitical]] region of [[Colombia]]. It comprises the areas outside the [[continental territories]] of Colombia and includes the [[San Andrés y Providencia Department]] in the [[Caribbean Sea]] and the [[Malpelo Island|Malpelo]] and [[Gorgona, Colombia|Gorgona]] islands in the [[Pacific Ocean]]. Its subregions include other groups of [[island]]s:

* [[Archipiélago de San Bernardo]] (in the [[Morrosquillo Gulf]], Caribbean).
* [[Islas del Rosario]] (Caribbean)
* [[Isla Fuerte]] (Caribbean)
* [[Isla Barú]] (Caribbean)
* [[Isla Tortuguilla]] (Caribbean)
* [[Isla Tierra Bomba]] (Caribbean)