What is a country calling code?

A country calling code is the numeric prefix you dial before a national phone number to route a call to a specific country. For example, +1 reaches the United States and Canada, +44 reaches the United Kingdom, and +91 reaches India. The plus sign stands in for the international access code your network uses.

How do I dial an international number correctly?

Start with your exit or access code (or the + symbol on a mobile), add the destination country code, then the area or city code without its leading zero, and finally the local subscriber number. So a London line looks like +44 20 7946 0000.

What does the plus (+) sign mean in a phone number?

The + is a universal placeholder for the international dialing prefix. Saving numbers in +country-code format means they connect from any country without editing the access code, which is why it is the recommended way to store contacts.

Why do the United States and Canada share the country code +1?

Both countries belong to the North American Numbering Plan, a shared system that also covers several Caribbean nations. They use the same +1 country code but are separated by distinct three-digit area codes.

Do I need to remove the leading zero from a phone number when calling internationally?

Usually yes. Many countries print a trunk prefix, often a 0, for domestic calls. When dialing from abroad you drop that leading zero after the country code. For example, a UK mobile written as 07700 900000 becomes +44 7700 900000.

Does Colombia use a trunk prefix, and what should letsdial users know about number formatting?

Colombia does not use a domestic trunk prefix in the traditional sense — the area code is dialed directly after '0' for long-distance within Colombia, but when dialing internationally via letsdial you simply use +57 followed by the area code (1, 4, 2, etc.) and subscriber number. For mobile numbers starting with 3, just use +57 3xx followed by the 7-digit subscriber number.

Is WhatsApp the dominant communication channel for Colombian business contacts?

Yes — WhatsApp is the primary messaging platform in Colombia and is deeply embedded in business communication at all levels. Before placing a letsdial call to a Colombian contact, sending a WhatsApp message to introduce yourself and propose a call time is standard practice. Many Colombian business deals, negotiations, and approvals happen at least partly through WhatsApp conversations.

What time zone does Colombia observe, and does it use DST?

Colombia observes Colombia Time (COT, UTC-5) with no daylight saving adjustments, making scheduling letsdial calls consistently predictable year-round. COT is 5 hours behind UTC, placing Bogotá in the same year-round time zone as Eastern Standard Time (when the US East Coast is not on DST). This alignment with US Eastern winters makes Colombia a frequent nearshore BPO destination.

What is Medellín's growing significance for international callers using letsdial?

Medellín has transformed from its troubled past into one of Latin America's most celebrated innovation and tech hubs, attracting international investors, remote workers, and startups. The city's 604 area code is increasingly appearing in letsdial call logs as global companies engage with Medellín's growing tech ecosystem. letsdial's Medellín virtual number option allows international tech companies to establish a credible local presence in this booming market.

Can letsdial provide a Bogotá virtual number for business development in Colombia?

Yes, letsdial offers Colombian virtual numbers with Bogotá (1/601) area codes, giving international businesses a local presence in Colombia's political and commercial capital. A local Colombian number is particularly important for B2B sales calls — Colombian companies strongly prefer dealing with businesses that display local or regional phone numbers, viewing them as more committed to the market than those calling from abroad.

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Colombia

+57

Country code

International prefix

Colombia's country code +57 connects one of Latin America's fastest-growing economies. Bogotá and Medellín are leading tech and startup hubs in the region.

Best hours:8 AM – 5 PM COT

Language:Spanish

Capital:Bogotá

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🇨🇴

Colombia

CO · South America

+57

dial code

Capital

Bogotá

Currency

COP ($)

Language

Spanish

Population

52 million

Best calling window

8 AM – 5 PM COT

12 AM

12 PM

11 PM

Colombia Time (COT) · UTC-5

Country

Colombia

2 Digit ISO

Country Calling Code

+57

ISO Alpha-3

COC

Loading map…

Bogotá

Capital

Live

Bogotá

--:--:-- --

Time Zone

Colombia Time (COT)

Quick Facts

CurrencyCOP ($)

LanguageSpanish

Population52 million

GMT OffsetUTC-5

Best Hours8 AM – 5 PM COT

Step by step

How to call Colombia from abroad

International dialing is a four-step process.
Use + on mobile to skip the exit code entirely.

Step 01

Exit code

Dial from US/Canada (or use +)

Step 02

+57

Country code

Colombia international prefix

Step 03

Area / city code

Local routing prefix

Step 04

234 5678

Local number

Subscriber number

dialing-example.txt

International format

00—57—1—234 5678

Shorthand (works from any device): +57 1 234 5678

Why letsdial

Benefits of calling Colombia
with letsdial

Start free trial

Get a local +57 number

A Bogotá +57 1 or Medellín +57 4 caller ID signals a Colombian business presence — important in a fast-growing digital economy where WhatsApp is the standard business tool.

Colombia and 50+ countries, one plan

Call Colombia and 50+ global markets from one letsdial subscription — no per-city fees for Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, or Cartagena.

Full call analytics

Track every Colombia call in COT (UTC-5) — monitor answer rates, peak business hours, and team performance in one real-time dashboard.

Works on any device

Mobile app, desktop, or IP phone — your +57 number lets your team reach Colombian contacts from any device, from anywhere.

Unified Communications

One platform. Every call, message and team — connected.

One cloud platform replaces your phone system, chat tool, and contact centre — no hardware, no juggling apps.
Reach Colombia and 50+ countries from one dashboard.

50+

Countries covered

99.9%

Uptime SLA

2 min

Setup time

Hardware needed

Voice & Video Calls

Crystal-clear HD calls to Colombia and 50+ countries from one number.

Team Messaging

Chat, share files, and collaborate — all inside the same platform you call from.

Real-Time Analytics

Live dashboards for call volumes, answer rates, and agent performance.

Global Number Coverage

Local +57 numbers plus 50+ country codes — managed from one dashboard.

Format reference

Colombia & neighbouring countries

Colombian numbers under +57 use 1-digit city codes — Bogotá (1/601), Medellín (4/604), Cali (2/602). There is no trunk prefix to drop. Mobile numbers start with 3: +57 3xx xxx xxxx.

CountryLocal formatInternational format

Colombiacurrent234 5678+57 1 234 5678

Mexico1234 5678+52 55 1234 5678

Brazil1234 5678+55 11 1234 5678

Argentina1234 5678+54 11 1234 5678

United States555-1234+1 212 555 1234

Spain123 456 78+34 91 123 456 78

Good to know

Tips for calling Colombia

4 things to check before you dial internationally

Colombia has no trunk prefix — dial +57 + area code + number

Colombian numbers have no trunk prefix to drop — the full local number (601 xxx xxxx Bogotá, 604 xxx xxxx Medellín) is dialled directly after +57. Mobile numbers start with 3xx: +57 3xx xxx xxxx from abroad.

WhatsApp is Colombia's dominant business tool

WhatsApp is the default platform for business communication across Colombia — used for proposals, scheduling, and customer service by businesses of all sizes. A WhatsApp message before calling dramatically improves response rates.

Show a local +57 caller ID

Colombian contacts frequently screen calls from unknown international numbers. A letsdial +57 1 (Bogotá) or +57 4 (Medellín) caller ID signals a local Colombian business and substantially improves your chance of being answered.

COT is UTC-5 — no daylight saving

Colombia Standard Time is UTC-5 year-round, with no daylight saving. Business hours are 8 AM–6 PM COT, Monday to Friday. From New York (ET), Colombia is in the same time zone as US Eastern Standard Time.

Market data

Colombia communication insights

73%

Internet penetration

73% of Colombia's population uses the internet, with mobile broadband driving most of the growth.

90%

Mobile users

90% of Colombians use mobile phones, with 4G coverage expanding across urban and regional areas.

62%

Smartphone owners

62% of Colombian adults own smartphones; WhatsApp is the dominant business and personal messaging tool.

72%

Digital businesses

68% of Colombian businesses have adopted digital platforms for communication and operations.

Global directory

List of Country Codes

50+ countries listed with their international dial prefix and ISO code.

Filter by letter or search to find any country code instantly.

Colombia calling FAQs

Frequently asked about Colombia

Colombia's country code is +57. Bogotá uses area code 1 (or 601 in newer formatting), Medellín uses 4 (or 604), Cali uses 2 (or 602), and Barranquilla uses 5 (or 605). Colombian fixed lines are 7 digits locally. In letsdial, enter +57 1 XXX XXXX for Bogotá or +57 4 XXX XXXX for Medellín. Mobile numbers are 10 digits starting with 3xx and need no area code — just +57 3xx XXX XXXX.

Get a local Colombia number

Get a local Colombia number in minutes.

Build trust with Colombia customers using a local +57 virtual phone number — from the same letsdial dashboard your whole team already uses.

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Looking up US area codes? Browse all US area codes →

Colombia

Colombia

How to call Colombia from abroad

Benefits of calling Colombiawith letsdial

Get a local +57 number

Colombia and 50+ countries, one plan

Full call analytics

Works on any device

One platform. Every call, message and team — connected.

Colombia & neighbouring countries

Tips for calling Colombia

Colombia has no trunk prefix — dial +57 + area code + number

WhatsApp is Colombia's dominant business tool

Show a local +57 caller ID

COT is UTC-5 — no daylight saving

Colombia communication insights

List of Country Codes

Frequently asked about Colombia

Get a local Colombia number in minutes.

Benefits of calling Colombia
with letsdial