| 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. |
| 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:
4%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 39%
forests and woodland: 48%
other: 8% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
5,300 sq km (1993
est.) |
| 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 |
| Population: |
40,349,388 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
31.88% (male 6,507,282; female 6,354,454)
15-64 years: 63.37% (male 12,452,182; female
13,117,707)
65 years and over: 4.75% (male 859,967; female
1,057,796) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.64% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
22.41
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
5.69 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.33 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 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: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
23.96
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 70.57 years
male: 66.71 years
female: 74.55 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
2.66 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.31% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
71,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
1,700 (1999 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% |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.3%
male: 91.2%
female: 91.4% (1995 est.) |
| 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 |
| 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 Andres PASTRANA (since 7 August
1998); Vice President Gustavo BELL Lemus (since 7 August
1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Andres PASTRANA
(since 7 August 1998); Vice President Gustavo BELL Lemus
(since 7 August 1998); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet Cabinet consists of a
coalition of the two dominant parties - the PL and PSC - and
independents
elections: president elected by popular vote
for a four-year term; election last held 31 May 1998 (next
to be held NA May 2002); vice president elected by popular
vote for a four-year term in a new procedure that replaces
the traditional designation of vice presidents by newly
elected presidents; election last held 31 May 1998 (next to
be held NA May 2002)
election results: no candidate received more
than 50% of the total vote, therefore, a run-off election to
select a president from the two leading candidates was held
21 June 1998; Andres PASTRANA elected president; percent of
vote - 50.3%; Gustavo BELL elected vice president; percent
of vote - 50.3% |
| 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 (163 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 8 March 1998
(next to be held NA March 2002); House of Representatives -
last held 8 March 1998 (next to be held NA March 2002)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by
party - PL 50%, PSC 24%, smaller parties (many aligned with
conservatives) 26%; seats by party - PL 58, PSC 28, smaller
parties 16; House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - PL 52%, PSC 17%, other 31%; seats by party - PL 98,
PSC 52, indigenous parties 2, others 11 |
| 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: |
Conservative
Party or PSC [Ciro RAMIREZ Anzon]; Liberal Party or PL [Luis
Guillermo VELEZ]; Patriotic Union or UP is a legal political
party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or
FARC and Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO];
19 of April Movement or M-19 [Antonio NAVARRO Wolff] |
| 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 Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia
chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338
FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston,
Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco,
San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC
consulate(s): Atlanta |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON
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 |
| Economy
- overview: |
Colombia is
poised for muted growth in the next several years, marking
continued recovery from the severe 1999 recession when GDP
fell by about 4%. President PASTRANA's well-respected
economic team is working to keep the economy on track,
maintaining low interest rates, for example. In accordance
with its IMF loan agreement, the administration also is
taking steps to improve the public sector's fiscal health.
However, many challenges to improved prosperity remain.
Unemployment was stuck at a record 20% in 2000, contributing
to the extreme inequality in income distribution. Two of
Colombia's leading exports, oil and coffee, face an
uncertain future; new exploration is needed to offset
declining oil production, while coffee harvests and prices
are depressed. The lack of public security is a key concern
for investors, making progress in the government's peace
negotiations with insurgent groups an important driver of
economic performance. Colombia is looking for continued
support from the international community to boost economic
and peace prospects. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $250 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $6,200 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
19%
industry: 26%
services: 55% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
55% (1999) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
1%
highest 10%: 44% (1999) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
9% (2000) |
| Labor
force: |
18.3 million
(1999 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
services 46%,
agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
20% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$22 billion
expenditures: $24 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
textiles, food
processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages,
chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
11% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
43.574 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
22.27%
hydro: 76.19%
nuclear: 0%
other: 1.54% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
40.532 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
27 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
35 million kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
coffee, cut
flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa
beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp |
| Exports: |
$14.5 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
petroleum,
coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 50%, EU 14%,
Andean Community of Nations 16%, Japan 2% (2000 est.) |
| Imports: |
$12.4 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
industrial
equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods,
chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 35%, EU 16%,
Andean Community of Nations 15%, Japan 5% (2000 est.) |
| Debt
- external: |
$34 billion (2000
est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$40.7 million
(1995) |
| Currency: |
Colombian peso
(COP) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Colombian pesos
per US dollar - 2,241.43 (January 2001), 2087.90 (2000),
1,756.23 (1999), 1,426.04 (1998), 1,140.96 (1997), 1,036.69
(1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
5,433,565
(December 1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
1,800,229
(December 1998) |
| 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: |
600,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
3,304 km
standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge (connects
Cerrejon coal mines to maritime port at Bahia de Portete)
narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (major
sections not in use) (2000) |
| Highways: |
total:
110,000 km
paved: 26,000 km
unpaved: 84,000 km (2000) |
| Waterways: |
18,140 km
(navigable by river boats) (April 1996) |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 3,585
km; petroleum products 1,350 km; natural gas 830 km; natural
gas liquids 125 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Bahia de Portete,
Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia, Puerto
Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 53,322 GRT/69,444 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 4, container 1,
multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 2
(2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
1,091 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
92
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 38
914 to 1,523 m: 36
under 914 m: 8 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
999
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 64
914 to 1,523 m: 321
under 914 m: 613 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army (Ejercito
Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Marines and Coast
Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana), National Police
(Policia Nacional) |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 10,779,148 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 7,205,211 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
379,295 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$3 billion (FY00) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
3.4% (FY00) |
| 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 |
|
