Colombia uses a grid/cross-street address system. Generally, Carreras (Cr. or KR) run east-to-west, Calles (Cl.) run north-to-south. Other roads like Avenidas, Transversales, Diagonales, etc. are large streets that can run in any cardinal orientation.
Addresses contain four components: the street type, the street name, the numbers and/or letters before the dash are the name of the intersecting/perpendicular street, and the number after the dash is the house/building number. The name of the intersecting/ perpendicular street and the house number together form the street number. i.e. Not only does the intersecting street orient you as to where in the grid system the address is, but the street number officially contains the intersecting street name.
Street names are usually numbers but can include additional letters (ex: Carrera 49A) or the cardinal direction (ex: Avenida 2F Norte). “No.” or “#” can precede the building number to distinguish between the street name and the building number.
There are two government maps that may help you in your research:
For the Bogotá metro area: https://mapas.bogota.gov.co/#
National Postal Code lookup: http://visor.codigopostal.gov.co/472/visor
Examples:
Address | Component Breakdown |
Cl. 53 21-20 Bogotá D.C. | [Street Type] [Street Name] [Street Number] [Calle] [53] [21-20] |
Carrera 8 No. 3-21 San Juan Betulia 705010 Sucre | [Street Type] [Street Name] [Street Number] [Carrera] [8] [3-21] |
Carrera 13A BIS 49G-68 Bogotá D.C. | [Street Type] [Street Name] [Street Number] [Carrera] [13A BIS] [49G-68] |
KR 1 Norte #8N-21 Yumbo 760501 Valle del Cauca | [Street Type] [Street Name] [Street Number] [Carrera] [1 Norte] [8N-21] |