COUNTRIES · LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
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Colombia

Heat is 37% of the energy Colombia uses.

Colombia is an upper-middle-income country in Latin America and the Caribbean with 53.4 million people, most of them living in cities. Heat makes up 37% of the energy it uses, below the world average of about 47%.

Wood and other biomass is the largest source of heat (31%), followed by natural gas (28%). In total, 69% of the heat comes from coal, oil and gas. Electricity makes up 19% of energy use and is generated mainly from hydropower (66%).

The country

Population53.4 million2025
GDP per capitaUS$ 8,5602025
Area1,140,600 km²2024
Urban population79%2025
Access to electricity99%2024
Access to clean cooking93%2024
Final energy use377 TWh2023

Where the energy goes

Final energy use in Colombia, 2023: 377 TWh.
Heat: 37%37%Electricity: 19%19%Transport: 44%44%
  • Heat37%
  • Electricity19%
  • Transport44%

Heat in five numbers

Heatshare of all final energy use37%
Fossil heatshare of heat that comes from coal, oil and gas69%
Biomass and wastethe largest single source of heat31%
Electricityshare of final energy use, excluding transport19%
Fossil electricityshare of electricity generated from coal, oil and gas31%

Heat is all fuel and district heating used in industry, buildings and agriculture. Electricity that becomes heat, for example in electric cookers and water heaters, is counted as electricity because no data is available, so the true heat share is somewhat higher.

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