Editing Geography of Colombia (section)

==Vegetation==
{{See also|Fauna of Colombia|Flora of Colombia}}
[[File:Walking tree.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Amazon rainforest]] in Colombia]]
Altitude affects not only temperature, but also vegetation. In fact, altitude is one of the most important influences on vegetation patterns in Colombia. The mountainous parts of the country can be divided into several vegetation zones according to altitude, although the altitude limits of each zone may vary somewhat depending on the latitude.

The "tierra caliente" (hot land), below {{convert|1000|m|abbr=on}}, is the zone of tropical crops such as bananas. The tierra templada (temperate land), extending from an altitude of {{convert|1000|to|2000|m|abbr=on}}, is the zone of coffee and maize. Wheat and potatoes dominate in the "tierra fría" (cold land), at altitudes from {{convert|2000|to|3200|m|abbr=on}}. In the "zona forestada" (forested zone), which is located between {{convert|3200|and|4000|m|abbr=on}}, many of the trees have been cut for firewood. Treeless pastures dominate the páramos, or alpine grasslands, at altitudes of {{convert|4000|to|4500|m|abbr=on}}. Above {{convert|4500|m|abbr=on}}, where temperatures are below freezing, is the "tierra helada", a zone of permanent snow and ice.

Vegetation also responds to rainfall patterns. A scrub woodland of scattered trees and bushes dominates the semiarid northeast. To the south, savannah (tropical grassland) vegetation covers the Colombian portion of the llanos. The rainy areas in the southeast are blanketed by tropical rainforest. In the mountains, the spotty patterns of precipitation in alpine areas complicate vegetation patterns. The rainy side of a mountain may be lush and green, while the other side, in the rain shadow, may be parched.