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 municipalities. However, neighboring countries worry about the
violence spilling over their borders.
Geography
Colombia
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
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, and Serrana Bank
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the
size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 6,309 km
border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225
km, Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km
Coastline:
3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760
km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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
total: 10.71 cu km/yr
(50%/4%/46%) per capita: 235 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
highlands subject to volcanic
eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil and water
quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in
Bogota, from vehicle emissions
Environment - international agreements:
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
Geography - note:
only South American country
with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
total: 26.8 years
male: 25.9 years female: 27.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.405% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
19.86 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.54 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.28 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2008 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: 0.76
male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008
est.)
Infant mortality rate:
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.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.54
years male: 68.71 years female: 76.5 years (2008
est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.49 children born/woman (2008
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.)
Major infectious diseases:
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)
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%, other 10%
Languages:
Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write total population: 92.8%
male: 92.9% female: 92.7% (2004 est.)
Government
Colombia
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:
name: Bogota
geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W time
difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
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
Independence:
20 July 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 20 July
(1810)
Constitution:
5 July 1991; amended many times
Legal system:
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
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 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%
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 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
Judicial branch:
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)
Political parties and leaders:
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
Political pressure groups and leaders:
two largest insurgent groups
active in Colombia - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and
National Liberation Army or ELN
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 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
Flag description:
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
Economy
Colombia
Economy - overview:
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.
US 26.8%, Brazil 8.6%, Mexico
8.5%, China 6%, Venezuela 5.6%, Japan 4.1% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$511.1 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$23.14 billion (31 December
2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$43.3 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$45.01 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$10.01 billion (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$56.2 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Colombian peso (COP)
Currency code:
COP
Exchange rates:
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)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications
Colombia
Telephones - main lines in use:
7.865 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
29.763 million (2006)
Telephone system:
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)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27
(1999)
Radios:
21 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
60 (1997)
Televisions:
4.59 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.co
Internet hosts:
1.014 million (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
18 (2000)
Internet users:
6.705 million (2006)
Transportation
Colombia
Airports:
934 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
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)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
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)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 4,329 km; oil 6,140 km;
refined products 3,145 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,304 km
standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge:
3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 112,988 km
paved: 16,270 km unpaved: 96,718 km (2004)
Waterways:
18,000 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
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)
Ports and terminals:
Barranquilla, Buenaventura,
Cartagena, Santa Marta, Turbo
Military
Colombia
Military branches:
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)
Military service age and obligation:
18-24 years of age for
compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation - 18 months
(2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49:
11,478,109 females age 16-49: 11,809,279 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49:
8,056,336 females age 16-49: 9,919,952 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 16-49: 442,403
females age 16-49: 433,192 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.4% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Colombia
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: 1.8-3.8 million
(conflict between government and illegal armed groups and FARC factions;
drug wars) (2006)
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
