The relative frequency of the non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) subtypes varies around the world. The objective of this study was to describe the general features of patients with lymphoma in Colombia. A total of 819 patients with a new diagnosis of lymphoma were included. Nighty-nine (12 %) of them had Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and 720 (88 %) had NHL. Most cases had advanced stage disease at presentation (63.6 %). Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was the most frequent diagnosis; it was seen in 40 % of patients with NHL and in 35 % of patients in the whole series. Overall survival rates at 3 years were 77 % for HL and follicular lymphoma, 54 % for DLBCL, and 45 % for T cell lymphomas. In conclusion, the distribution of specific NHL subtypes is similar to what has been reported previously in other tropical countries.