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Background:
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Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from
the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are
Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year conflict between
government forces and anti-government insurgent groups and
illegal paramilitary groups - both heavily funded by the
drug trade - escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack
the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the
government, and violence has been decreasing since about
2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and
large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla
influence. More than 32,000 former paramilitaries had
demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense
Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had ceased
to function. Still, some renegades continued to engage in
criminal activities. The Colombian Government has stepped up
efforts to reassert government control throughout the
country, and now has a presence in every one of its
administrative departments. However, neighboring countries
worry about the violence spilling over their borders. |
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Location:
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Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
between Ecuador and Panama |
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Geographic coordinates:
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4 00 N, 72 00 W
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Map references:
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South America
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Area:
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total: 1,138,910 sq km
land: 1,038,700 sq km
water: 100,210 sq km
note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and
Serrana Bank
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less than twice the size of Texas
|
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Land boundaries:
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total: 6,309 km
border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km,
Panama 225 km, Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km
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Coastline:
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3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448
km)
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation
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Climate:
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tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
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Terrain:
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flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes
Mountains, eastern lowland plains
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same
elevation
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold,
copper, emeralds, hydropower
|
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.01%
permanent crops: 1.37%
other: 96.62% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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9,000 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
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2,132 cu km (2000)
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Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 10.71 cu km/yr (50%/4%/46%)
per capita: 235 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards:
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highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional
earthquakes; periodic droughts
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of
pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from
vehicle emissions
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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Geography - note:
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only South American country with coastlines on both the
North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
|
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Population:
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45,013,674 (July 2008 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 29.4% (male 6,688,530/female 6,531,768)
15-64 years: 65.1% (male 14,292,647/female
15,017,204)
65 years and over: 5.5% (male 1,072,644/female
1,410,881) (2008 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 26.8 years
male: 25.9 years
female: 27.8 years (2008 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.405% (2008 est.)
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Birth rate:
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19.86 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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Death rate:
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5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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-0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 19.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 72.54 years
male: 68.71 years
female: 76.5 years (2008 est.)
|
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Total fertility rate:
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2.49 children born/woman (2008 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.7% (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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190,000 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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3,600 (2003 est.)
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
hepatitis A
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and
yellow fever
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
|
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Nationality:
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noun: Colombian(s)
adjective: Colombian
|
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Ethnic groups:
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mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed
black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%
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Languages:
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Spanish
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8%
male: 92.9%
female: 92.7% (2006 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
conventional short form: Colombia
local long form: Republica de Colombia
local short form: Colombia
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Government type:
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republic; executive branch dominates government structure
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Capital:
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name: Bogota
geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions:
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32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and
1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia,
Arauca, Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta,
Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca,
Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta,
Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda,
San Andres y Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle
del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada |
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Independence:
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20 July 1810 (from Spain)
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 20 July (1810)
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Constitution:
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5 July 1991; amended many times
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Legal system:
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based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US
procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and reached full
implemention in January 2008; judicial review of executive
and legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
|
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7
August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7
August 2002); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez
(since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS
(since 7 August 2002)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the three
largest parties that supported President URIBE's reelection
- the PSUN, PC, and CR - and independents
elections: president and vice president elected by
popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second
term); election last held 28 May 2006 (next to be held in
May 2010)
election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez
reelected president; percent of vote - Alvaro URIBE Velez
62%, Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz 22%, Horacio SERPA Uribe 12%, other
4% |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or
Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or
Camara de Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2006 (next to
be held in March 2010); House of Representatives - last held
12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - PSUN 20, PC 18, PL 18, CR 15, PDI 10,
other parties 21; House of Representatives - percent of vote
by party - NA; seats by party - PL 35, PSUN 33, PC 29, CR
20, PDA 8, other parties 41 |
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Judicial branch:
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four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court
of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of
criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the
nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year
terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative
law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Superior
Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Constitutional Court
(guards integrity and supremacy of the constitution; rules
on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the
constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial
Council (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary;
resolves jurisdictional conflicts arising between other
courts; members are elected by three sister courts and
Congress for eight-year terms) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Efrain Jose CEPEDA
Sarabia]; Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Carlos GAVIRIA
Diaz]; Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo]; Radical
Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras]; Social National Unity
Party or U Party [Carlos GARCIA Orjuela]
note: Colombia has 15 formally recognized political
parties, and numerous unofficial parties that did not meet
the vote threshold in the March 2006 legislative elections
required for recognition |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia -
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National
Liberation Army or ELN |
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International organization participation:
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BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-24,
G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Carolina BARCO Isakson
chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338
FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San
Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD
embassy: Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogota, D.C.
mailing address: Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogota, D.C.
telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811
FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197
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Flag description:
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three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue,
and red
note: similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer
and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the
center
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Economy - overview:
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Colombia's economy has experienced positive growth over the
past five years despite a serious armed conflict. In fact,
2007 is regarded by policy makers and the private sector as
one of the best economic years in recent history, after
2005. The economy continues to improve in part because of
austere government budgets, focused efforts to reduce public
debt levels, an export-oriented growth strategy, improved
domestic security, and high commodity prices. Ongoing
economic problems facing President URIBE include reforming
the pension system, reducing high unemployment, and funding
new exploration to offset declining oil production. The
government's economic reforms and democratic security
strategy, coupled with increased investment, have engendered
a growing sense of confidence in the economy. However, the
business sector continues to be concerned about failure of
the US Congress to approve the signed FTA. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$319.5 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$171.6 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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7% (2007 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$6,700 (2007 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 11.5%
industry: 36%
services: 52.5% (2007 est.)
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Labor force:
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20.5 million (2007 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 22.7%
industry: 18.7%
services: 58.5% (2000 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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11.2% (2007 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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49.2% (2005)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 7.9%
highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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53.8 (2005)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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5.5% (2007 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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22.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $63.69 billion
expenditures: $64.96 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)
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Public debt:
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53.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn,
sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest
products; shrimp
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Industries:
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textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear,
beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds
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Industrial production growth rate:
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9.4% (2007 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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50.47 billion kWh (2005)
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Electricity - consumption:
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38.91 billion kWh (2005)
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Electricity - exports:
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1.758 billion kWh (2005)
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Electricity - imports:
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16 million kWh (2005)
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Oil - production:
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539,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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264,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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289,700 bbl/day (2004)
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Oil - imports:
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6,453 bbl/day (2004)
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Oil - proved reserves:
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1.387 billion bbl (2007 est.)
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Natural gas - production:
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6.397 billion cu m (2005 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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6.397 billion cu m (2005 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2005 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2005)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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109.7 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
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Current account balance:
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-$6.465 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports:
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$30.58 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas,
cut flowers
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Exports - partners:
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US 35.8%, Venezuela 11.4%, Ecuador 5.4% (2006)
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Imports:
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$31.17 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer
goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity
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Imports - partners:
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US 26.8%, Brazil 8.6%, Mexico 8.5%, China 6%, Venezuela
5.6%, Japan 4.1% (2006)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$511.1 million (2005)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$20.95 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$41.16 billion (30 June 2007)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
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$54.04 billion (2007 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
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$10.38 billion (2007 est.)
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Market value of publicly traded shares:
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$56.2 billion (2006)
|
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Currency (code):
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Colombian peso (COP)
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Exchange rates:
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Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,013.8 (2007), 2,358.6
(2006), 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003)
|
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
|
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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7.865 million (2006)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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29.763 million (2006)
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: modern system in many respects;
telecommunications sector liberalized during the 1990s;
multiple providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular
services; fixed-line connections stand at about 18 per 100
persons; mobile cellular usage is about 70 per 100 persons
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system;
domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations;
fiber-optic network linking 50 cities
international: country code - 57; submarine cables
provide links to the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central
and South America; satellite earth stations - 10 (6
Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully digitalized international
switching centers) (2007) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)
|
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Television broadcast stations:
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60 (1997)
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Internet country code:
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.co
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Internet hosts:
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1.014 million (2007)
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Internet users:
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6.705 million (2006)
|
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Airports:
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934 (2007)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 103
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 39
914 to 1,523 m: 42
under 914 m: 12 (2007)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 831
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 216
under 914 m: 580 (2007)
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Heliports:
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2 (2007)
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Pipelines:
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gas 4,329 km; oil 6,140 km; refined products 3,145 km (2007)
|
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Railways:
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total: 3,304 km
standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
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Roadways:
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total: 164,257 km (2005)
|
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Waterways:
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18,000 km (2006)
|
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Merchant marine:
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total: 15 ships (1000 GRT or over) 35,949 GRT/49,161
DWT
by type: cargo 11, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker
3
registered in other countries: 5 (Antigua and Barbuda
1, Panama 4) (2007)
|
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Ports and terminals:
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Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Turbo
|
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Military branches:
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National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada
Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Naval Infantry (Infanteria
de Marina, Colmar), and Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza
Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2008) |
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Military service age and obligation:
|
18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; service obligation - 18 months (2004)
|
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Manpower available for military service:
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males age 16-49: 11,478,109
females age 16-49: 11,809,279 (2008 est.)
|
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 16-49: 8,056,336
females age 16-49: 9,919,952 (2008 est.)
|
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
|
males age 16-49: 442,403
females age 16-49: 433,192 (2008 est.)
|
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
3.4% (2005 est.)
|
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Disputes - international:
|
memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in
Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and
Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and
territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea - final
public hearings are scheduled for 2007; dispute with
Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered
Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela;
Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and
paramilitary activities penetrate all of its neighbors'
borders and have caused over 300,000 persons to flee the
country, mostly into neighboring states |
|
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
|
IDPs: 1.8-3.5 million (conflict between government
and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers) (2007)
|
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Illicit drugs:
|
illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's
leading coca cultivator with 144,000 hectares in coca
cultivation in 2005, a 26% increase over 2004, producing a
potential of 545 mt of pure cocaine; the world's largest
producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to most of
the US market and the great majority of other international
drug markets; in 2005, aerial eradication dispensed
herbicide to treat over 130,000 hectares but aggressive
replanting on the part of coca growers means Colombia
remains a key producer; a significant portion of non-US
narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in
Colombia through the black market peso exchange; important
supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation
fell 50% between 2003 and 2004 to 2,100 hectares yielding a
potential 3.8 metric tons of pure heroin, mostly for the US
market; no poppy estimate was conducted in 2005 |
This page was last updated on 19 June
2008 |
