Demographics of Colombia


The demographics of Colombia consist of statistics regarding Colombians' health, economic status, religious affiliations, ethnicity, population density, and other aspects of the population. Colombia is the second-most populous country in South America after Brazil, and the third-most populous in Latin America, after Brazil and Mexico.
Colombia's population has grown steadily for most of its history, although the growth rate slowed markedly in the late 20th century, due in part to emigration resulting from a sustained internal conflict. However, the economy has improved noticeably in recent decades, especially in urban areas, and living standards have risen in line with this.

Population size and structure

UN estimates

According to the total population was in, compared to only 12,342,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2015 was 24.3%, 68.7% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 7% was 65 years or older.
[Image:Densidad pop col.png|thumb|300px|right|The population density of Colombia. Red showing concentration of population.]
Image:Colombia-demography.png|thumb|300px|Demographics of Colombia, Data of Our World in Data, year 2022; Number of inhabitants in millions.

2018 Census

According to the 2018 census, Colombia has 48,258,494 inhabitants within its territory. All the data below is available in the DANE Census results.

Structure of the population

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total23 550 07224 708 42248 258 494100
0–41 698 6991 621 4853 320 1846.88
5–91 862 7781 780 7383 643 5167.55
10–142 017 2051 925 5133 942 7188.17
15–192 152 3282 055 8124 208 1408.72
20–242 166 8062 137 8514 304 6578.92
25–292 007 5532 026 8574 034 4108.36
30–341 804 8671 857 9523 662 8197.59
35–391 703 5241 809 6933 513 2177.28
40–441 428 4511 568 4012 996 8526.21
45–491 360 8891 529 7942 890 6835.99
50–541 327 1081 510 4912 837 5995.88
55–591 153 3781 336 7602 490 1385.16
60–64916 9111 076 1641 993 0754.13
65–69699 748820 3941 520 1423.15
70–74501 888598 4051 100 2932.28
75–79357 112443 978801 0901.66
80+415 967582 994998 9612.07
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–145 578 6825 327 73610 906 41822.60
15–6416 021 81516 909 77532 931 59068.24
65+1 974 7152 445 7714 420 4869.16

Urbanization

Movement from rural to urban areas was very heavy in the middle of the twentieth century, but has since tapered off. The urban population increased from 29% of the total population in 1938, to 52% in 1964 and about 70% by 1990. Currently the figure is about 77%. The list of the most populated cities in the country only contains the population living in the urban area of the municipalities, according to the results of the 2018 population census.
RankPlace name2026 projections2018 Census2005 CensusChange since 2018
1Bogotá7,914,9117,412,5666,776,6916.8%
2Medellín2,478,2172,427,1292,223,0782.1%
3Cali2,217,3532,227,6422,083,102–0.5%
4Barranquilla1,275,1801,205,2841,142,4515.8%
5Cartagena902,411876,885842,6322.9%
6Soacha888,398655,025396,54435.6%
7Cúcuta761,043685,445567,55911.0%
8Soledad732,525602,644460,74521.6%
9Bucaramanga607,951570,752509,1356.5%
10Bello587,840495,483358,16718.6%
11Valledupar552,094431,794299,11227.9%
12Villavicencio541,221492,052356,46110.0%
13Santa Marta526,978455,299385,18615.7%
14Ibagué516,862492,554468,3784.9%
15Montería458,206388,499286,63117.9%
16Manizales449,879405,234353,13811.0%
17Pereira409,683385,838371,4396.2%
18Neiva382,081335,994295,84713.7%
19Pasto316,257308,095312,4802.6%
20Floridablanca302,462280,025243,7738.0%
21Armenia298,815287,245273,0764.0%
22Palmira296,852275,254228,0567.8%
23Sincelejo294,007249,323219,65517.9%
24Popayán291,391266,561226,8679.3%
25Itagüí277,025247,918213,18711.7%
26Buenaventura262,320235,064292,88911.6%
27Envigado257,546215,766165,46218.0%
28Dosquebradas234,946204,280169,82015.0%
29Barrancabermeja202,927177,272170,82114.5%
30Tuluá187,083174,951160,9166.9%

Metropolitan areas

There are 8 officially metropolitan areas configurated according to the Colombian territorial laws, to organize a metropolitan area in Colombia the vinculated municipalities must consult its population to approve such territorial organization. By population, officially recognized metropolitan areas are:Metropolitan area of Medellín: also known as metropolitan area of the Aburra Valley, includes the Medellin district and the sorrounding municipalities, Bello, Girardota, Envigado, Sabaneta, Barbosa, Copacabana, Itagüí, La Estrella and Caldas. According to the 2026 projections, the population is 4,212,261.Metropolitan area of Bucaramanga: includes the municipalities of Bucaramanga, Floridablanca, Girón and Piedecuesta, their combined population in 2026 is 1,304,153.Metropolitan area of Barranquilla: formed by the district of Barranquilla and the municipalities of Puerto Colombia, Soledad, Malambo and Galapa, their population in 2026 is 2,298,402, making up 80% of the Atlántico department population.Metropolitan area of Cúcuta: includes the municipalities of Cúcuta, Villa del Rosario, Los Patios, El Zulia, San Cayetano and Puerto Santander, right across the international border with Venezuela, the population in 2026 is estimated to be 1,074,787.Metropolitan area of Pereira or New Occident: within the Risaralda Department, includes the municipalities of Pereira, Dos Quebradas and La Virginia, which combined make up a population of 765,594 in 2026.Metropolitan area of Valledupar: includes Valledupar, one of the fastest growing cities of Colombia, and the municipalities of Agustin Codazzi, La Paz, Manaure Balcón del Cesar and San Diego, their combined population is 767,933.Metropolitan area of Manizales: includes the municipalities of Manizales, Villamaria, Neira and Palestina, within the Caldas Department, comprising a population of 587,611 in 2026.Metropolitan area of Cali: conformed by the municipalities of Cali and Jamundí, in Valle del Cauca Department, and Puerto Tejada in Cauca Department, with a population of 2,510,567.
In 2022, Bogotá and the surrounding municipalities of the Cundinamarca Department, conformed the metropolitan region of Bogotá-Cundinamarca, a special urban planning region according to the Law 2199 of 2022, each municipality has to consult its population their will to join the metropolitan region, besides Bogotá, inmmidiate municipalites such as Soacha, Mosquera, Funza, Madrid, Facatativá, Cota, Chía, La Calera and Sopó, conform the metropolitan region with a combined population of 9,798,717, the most populated region in Colombia.
There are also another non official urban regions in Colombia, most of them conformed by some capital cities and their sorrounding municipalities:Urban region of Armenia: within the Quindío department, includes the municipalities of Armenia, Calarcá, Circasia, La Tebaida, Montenegro and Salento, with a population of 492,086 in 2026.Urban region of Cartagena de Indias: including the district of Cartagena and the municipalities of Turbaco, Turbana, Arjona and Santa Rosa de Lima, with a population of 1,255,298.Urban region of Girardot: between the Cundinamarca and Tolima departments, crossed by the Magdalena river, includes the municipalities of Girardot, Ricaurte and Flandes, combined the region has a population of 149,316 in 2026.Urban region of Montería: within the Córdoba department, includes the municipalities of Montería, Cereté, San Carlos, San Pelayo and Ciénaga de Oro, with a combined population of 859,586.Urban region of Sincelejo: a fast growing region in northern Colombia within the Sucre department, includes the municipalities of Sincelejo, Corozal, Sampués, Morroa and Los Palmitos, combined the region has a population of 508,624, close to the Caribbean sea and the touristic conurbation of Tolú and Coveñas with a population of 61,148 in 2026. Both urban regions conmprehend 55% of the department population.Urban region of San Nicolás Valley: located west of Medellín, in the department of Antioquia, currently in the phase of consultation, , if authorized by its population, the metropolitan area would include the municipalities of Rionegro, La Ceja, El Carmen de Viboral, Guarne, Retiro, El Santuario, San Vicente Ferrer and La Unión, with a combined population of 485,099 in 2026.

Vital statistics

UN estimates

The Population Departement of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.
YearAverage populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate Crude death rate Natural change Total fertility rate
195011,770551,064205,952345,11246.717.429.36.41
195112,090565,988205,240360,74846.717.029.76.44
195212,420583,360202,559380,80146.916.330.66.49
195312,770600,964199,936401,02847.015.631.46.54
195413,130618,002198,066419,93647.015.131.96.58
195513,510635,597196,985438,61247.014.532.56.63
195613,910653,149196,894456,25546.914.132.86.66
195714,330671,025190,300480,72546.713.333.46.70
195814,760688,958191,205497,75346.612.933.76.72
195915,210705,451187,724517,72746.312.334.06.74
196015,690722,255186,589535,66646.011.934.16.74
196116,180738,333186,049552,28445.611.534.16.71
196216,690752,124185,533566,59145.011.133.96.71
196317,210763,468184,487578,98144.310.733.66.58
196417,740772,893184,027588,86643.510.433.16.47
196518,280776,098183,487592,61142.410.032.46.33
196618,810776,398182,973593,92541.29.731.56.16
196719,340774,512182,646591,86640.09.430.65.96
196819,870769,229181,980587,24938.69.129.55.74
196920,390762,378180,816581,56237.38.928.45.51
197020,910756,293179,623576,67036.18.627.55.28
197121,410751,603177,215574,38835.08.326.75.06
197221,910747,867174,530573,33734.18.026.14.86
197322,400749,007172,407576,60033.47.725.74.68
197422,900752,841169,838583,00332.87.425.44.53
197523,400761,181167,106594,07532.57.125.44.40
197623,910772,388165,226607,16232.26.925.34.28
197724,440783,971163,447620,52432.06.725.34.18
197825,000796,756162,378634,37831.86.525.34.07
197925,580811,077162,475648,60231.76.325.43.97
198026,180819,818161,752658,06631.36.225.13.86
198126,790829,626162,670666,95630.96.124.83.74
198227,410837,994163,482674,51230.56.024.53.63
198328,040842,011165,467676,54430.05.924.13.53
198428,690849,133167,428681,70529.65.823.83.43
198529,330855,217191,701663,51629.16.522.63.34
198629,960861,901173,581688,32028.75.822.93.27
198730,600868,789178,536690,25328.45.822.63.21
198831,260876,126182,343693,78328.05.822.23.16
198931,920884,747186,089698,65827.75.821.93.12
199032,600892,755190,271702,48427.45.821.63.08
199133,270899,439193,733705,70627.05.821.23.05
199233,940901,828196,248705,58026.65.820.83.01
199334,610903,555197,750705,80526.15.720.42.97
199435,300901,290199,584701,70625.55.719.82.92
199535,970897,429200,808696,62124.95.619.32.86
199636,630892,339202,580689,75924.45.518.92.80
199737,290885,195204,267680,92823.75.518.22.74
199837,940879,217206,553672,66423.25.417.82.68
199938,590874,245209,686664,55922.65.417.22.63
200039,220867,516209,911657,60522.15.416.72.57
200139,840859,788213,177646,61121.65.416.22.52
200240,450850,588212,844637,74421.05.315.72.46
200341,060839,623212,707626,91620.45.215.22.40
200441,650827,013213,860613,15319.95.114.82.33
200542,220813,688214,241599,44719.35.114.22.26
200642,770799,623214,631584,99218.75.013.72.20
200743,310787,414216,353571,06118.25.013.22.14
200843,820776,110216,895559,21517.74.912.82.08
200944,310765,905217,753548,15217.34.912.42.03
201044,820758,072220,750537,32216.94.912.01.99
201145,310752,881224,162528,71916.64.911.71.96
201245,780748,734228,230520,50416.35.011.31.93
201346,240744,381233,264511,11716.15.011.11.90
201446,680739,615238,498501,11715.85.110.71.88
201547,120734,664243,633491,03115.65.210.41.86
201647,630730,565248,057482,50815.45.210.21.84
201748,350726,008252,689473,31915.15.29.91.82
201849,280727,649260,364467,28514.85.39.51.79
201950,190733,940270,504463,43614.75.49.31.76
202050,930733,491335,656397,83514.46.67.81.74
202151,520730,233397,649332,58414.27.76.51.72
202251,874723,264384,947338,31713.97.46.51.69

From January to October 2021, 9.5% of the babies were given birth by Venezuelan mothers. According to the entity during that period, there were 505,114 births and 48,075 were to Venezuelan mothers. In 2017, the birth rate of migrant mothers from Venezuela was 0%, but it has been increasing since 2020, when it was 9.1%.
The births in Colombia have decreased, from 2015 to 2020, a 12.5% lower birth rate. In 2021 there were 12 births for every 1,000 people.
Bogotá and San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina|San Andrés] are the places with the greatest reduction in births, while the departments of Guainía, Vichada and La Guajira had the highest increases, Guainía had an increase of 108.1%.

Ethnicity

Colombia is ethnically diverse, its original people descending from the original native inhabitants, Spanish and European colonists, Africans originally brought to the country as slaves, and 20th-century immigrants from Europe and the Middle East, all contributing to a diverse cultural heritage. The demographic distribution reflects a pattern that is influenced by colonial history. Whites tend to live mainly in urban centers, like Bogotá, Medellín or Cali, and the burgeoning highland cities. The populations of the major cities also include mestizos. Mestizos include artisans and small tradesmen that have played a major part in the urban expansion of recent decades.
The 2005 census reported that the "non-ethnic population", consisting of whites and mestizos, constituted 86% of the national population. 10.6% is of black ancestry. Indigenous Colombians comprise 3.4% of the population. Less than 0.01% of the population is Roma. An extraofficial estimate considers that the 49% of the Colombian population is Mestizo or of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry, and that approximately 19–37% is White, mainly of Spanish lineage, but there is also a large population of Middle East descent; among the upper class there is a considerable input of Italian ancestry.
Many of the Indigenous peoples experienced a reduction in population during the Spanish rule and many others were absorbed into the mestizo population, but the remainder currently represents over eighty distinct cultures. Reserves established for indigenous peoples occupy and are inhabited by more than 800,000 people. Some of the largest indigenous groups are the Wayuu, the Paez, the Pastos, the Emberá and the Zenú. The departments of La Guajira, Cauca, Nariño, Córdoba and Sucre have the largest indigenous populations.
The Organización Nacional Indígena de Colombia, founded at the first National Indigenous Congress in 1982, is an organization representing the indigenous peoples of Colombia. In 1991, Colombia signed and ratified the current international law concerning indigenous peoples, Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989.
Black Africans were brought as slaves, mostly to the coastal lowlands, beginning early in the 16th century and continuing into the 19th century. Large Afro-Colombian communities are found today on the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. The population of the department of Chocó, running along the northern portion of Colombia's Pacific coast, is over 70% black. Britons and Jamaicans migrated mainly to the islands of San Andres and Providencia Islands. A number of other Europeans and North Americans migrated to the country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including people from the former USSR during and after the Second World War.
Many immigrant communities have settled on the Caribbean coast, in particular recent immigrants from the Middle East. Barranquilla and other Caribbean cities have the largest populations of Phoenician, Palestinian and other Middle Easterners. There are also important communities of Romanis and Jews in Colombia|Jews]. There is a major migration trend of Venezuelans, due to the political crisis and economic collapse in Venezuela.

Languages

Spanish is the official language, with 99.2% of Colombians speaking Spanish, and there are small communities in urban areas speaking other European languages such as German, French, English, Italian, and Portuguese. There are 65 indigenous languages and two Creole languages, one Creole in San Basilio de Palenque and one in San Andrés; and also San Andrés is the only place of Colombia where there are three official languages: Spanish, English and a creole language.

Religion

The National Administrative Department of Statistics does not collect religious statistics, and accurate reports are difficult to obtain. However, based on various studies and a survey, about 90% of the population adheres to Christianity, the majority of which are Roman Catholic, while a significant minority adhere to Protestantism. Some 4.7% of the population is atheist or agnostic, while 3.5% claim to believe in God but do not follow a specific religion. 1.8% of Colombians adhere to Jehovah's Witnesses and Adventism and less than 1% adhere to other religions, such as Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Mormonism, Hinduism, Hare Krishna movement, Rastafari movement, Eastern Orthodox Church, and spiritual studies. The remaining people either did not respond or replied that they did not know. In addition to the above statistics, 35.9% of Colombians reported that they did not practice their faith actively. 1,519,562 people in Colombia, or around 3% of the population reported following an indigenous religion.
While Colombia remains a mostly Roman Catholic country by baptism numbers, the 1991 Colombian constitution guarantees freedom of religion and all religious faiths and churches are equally free before the law.

Migration

Immigration

Due to the political situation in Venezuela many of its residents left the country. At the 2018 census, almost 3 million Venezuelans lived in Colombia. They mainly live in the provinces along the border of Venezuela.

Emigration

Historically, a sizable percentage of Colombian emigration has also been motivated by the need to escape from political persecution and bipartisan violence during the periods of "La Violencia", and later due to the effects of the nation's current conflict. This has resulted in numerous applications for political asylum abroad.
Colombians have emigrated in comparably high rates to the United States. Other Colombians migrated to Canada and Europe. Among other locations.