Spanish World Academy

Colombia

Introduction

Background:

Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow the government. While Bogota continues to try to negotiate a settlement, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.

Colombia

Geography

Location:

Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama

Geographic coordinates:

4 00 N, 72 00 W

Map references:

South America, Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total:  1,138,910 sq km land:  1,038,700 sq km water:  100,210 sq km note:  includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries:

total:  6,004 km border countries:  Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km

Coastline:

3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)

Maritime claims:

continental shelf:  200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Terrain:

flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:  Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m note:  nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 2.01% permanent crops: 1.37% other: 96.62% (2005)

Irrigated land:

9,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note:

only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

Colombia

People

Population:

43,593,035 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.3% (male 6,683,079/female 6,528,563) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 13,689,384/female 14,416,439) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 996,022/female 1,279,548) (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.46% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

20.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

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: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 20.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.99 years male: 68.15 years female: 75.96 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.66 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

190,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,600 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun:  Colombian(s) adjective:  Colombian

Ethnic groups:

mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 90%

Languages:

Spanish

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 92.4% female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Colombia

Government

Country name:

conventional long form:  Republic of Colombia conventional short form:  Colombia local long form:  Republica de Colombia local short form:  Colombia

Government type:

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Capital:

Bogota

Administrative divisions:

32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, 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, Distrito Capital de Santa Fe de Bogota*, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

Independence:

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Constitution:

5 July 1991

Legal system:

based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted in 1992-93; judicial review of executive and legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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 two dominant parties - the PL and PSC - 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%

Legislative branch:

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 17, CR 15, PDI 11, other parties 21; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 36, PSUN 30, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 42, other parties 42

Judicial branch:

four, coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justical (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law, judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice 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); Higher Council of Justice (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; members of the disciplinary chamber resolve jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

Clandestine Communist Party of Colombia or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Samuel MORENO Rojas]; Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA]; Social National Unity Party or PSUN [Juan Manuel SANTOS] note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political parties, most of which do not have a presence in either house of Congress

Political pressure groups and leaders:

two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - National Liberation Army or ELN and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC; largest paramilitary group is United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC

International organization participation:

BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G- 3, G-11, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831 mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038 telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Colombia

Economy

Economy - overview:

Colombia's economy has been on a recovery trend during the past two years despite a serious armed conflict. The economy continues to improve thanks to austere government budgets, focused efforts to reduce public debt levels, an export-oriented growth strategy, and an improved security situation in the country. Ongoing economic problems facing President URIBE range from reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment. New exploration is needed to offset declining oil production. On the positive side, several international financial institutions have praised the economic reforms introduced by URIBE, which succeeded in reducing the public-sector deficit below 1.5% of GDP. The government's economic policy and democratic security strategy have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy, particularly within the business sector. Coffee prices have recovered from previous lows as the Colombian coffee industry pursues greater market shares in developed countries such as the United States.

GDP:	$341.1 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita:

$7,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 12.5% industry: 34.2% services: 53.3% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

49.2% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 7.9% highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

20.52 million (2005)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 22.7% industry: 18.7% services: 58.5% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

11.8% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $46.82 billion expenditures: $48.77 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)

Industries:

textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Industrial production growth rate:

3.7% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:

43.574 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 26% hydro: 72.7% nuclear: 0% other: 1.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

48.83 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:

1.082 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:

48.4 million kWh (2003)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Exports:

$19.3 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Exports - partners:

US 41.8%, Venezuela 9.9%, Ecuador 6.3% (2005)

Imports:

$18 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:

industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Imports - partners:

US 28.5%, Mexico 8.3%, China 7.6%, Brazil 6.5%, Venezuela 5.7% (2005)

Debt - external:

$32.35 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Currency:

Colombian peso (COP)

Currency code:

COP

Exchange rates:

Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002), 2,299.63 (2001)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Colombia

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:

7,678,800 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

21.85 million (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment:  modern system in many respects domestic:  nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities international:  satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Radios:

21 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions:

4.59 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.co

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

18 (2000)

Internet users:

4.739 million (2005)

Colombia

Transportation

Railways:

total: 3,304 km standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Highways:

total:  110,000 km paved:  26,000 km unpaved:  84,000 km (2000)

Waterways:

18,000 km (2005)

Pipelines:

gas 4,360 km; oil 6,140 km; refined products 3,158 km (2006)

Ports and harbors:

Bahia de Portete, Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia, Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo

Merchant marine:

total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 42,413 GRT/58,737 DWT by type: cargo 13, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 3 registered in other countries: 7 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 5) (2006)

Airports:

984 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 101 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 38 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 883 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 275 under 914 m: 572 (2006)

Colombia

Military

Military branches:

Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, includes naval aviation, marines, and coast guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana) (2006)

Military manpower - military age:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 24 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:

males age 18-49: 10,212,456 females age 18-49: 10,561,562 (2005 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:

males age 18-49: 6,986,228 females age 18-49: 8,794,465 (2005 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:

males age 18-49: 389,735 females age 18-49: 383,146 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$3.3 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

3.4% (FY01)

Colombia

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:

maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela; territorial disputes with Nicaragua over Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of coca, opium poppies, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 1999 - 122,500 hectares, a 20.3% increase over 1998); cultivation of opium in 1999 increased to 7,500 hectares from 6,100 hectares in 1998; potential production of opium in 1999 - 75 metric tons, a 25% increase over 1998; potential production of heroin in 1999 - nearly 8 metric tons, as compared with 6 tons in 1998; the world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of about 90% of the cocaine to the US and the great majority of cocaine to other international drug markets, and an important supplier of heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program

This page was last updated on 14 November, 2006 by cia.gov/cia/publications