The Andes and the "coffee axis"
Colombian coffee concentrates along the Andes in the north–south "Eje Cafetero" — Huila, Tolima, Cauca, Nariño and neighbors. Altitudes of 1,400–2,200m, volcanic soils and a stable equatorial climate provide near-ideal growing conditions. Because the country straddles the equator, harvest timing differs by region — April–May in the north (Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta), September–December in the south (Nariño, Huila) — so fresh lots reach the market all year round, one of Colombia’s signatures.