Caribbean coast near Buritaca, Colombia

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Coastal Colombia. Northern coast of Colombia

Central America becomes South America at the shores of Colombia, which is the only country on the continent to have a coastline on both the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Seen here is a stretch of beach near Buritaca, on the Caribbean side. This region boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. It is also among the most ecologically diverse areas, with jungle, desert and the highest coastal mountain range in the world, the Sierra Nevada.

Colombia’s colonial history began in this region when Spanish conquistadors landed in 1499. Within 50 years, the Spanish had established the kingdom of Granada, the start of nearly three centuries of Spanish rule.