Colombia

§1. Colombia Introduction

Background:
  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. Paramilitary groups challenge the insurgents for control of
  territory and the drug trade. Most paramilitary members have demobilized
  since 2002 in an ongoing peace process, although their commitment to
  ceasing illicit activity is unclear. 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.

§2. 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

Area:
  total: 1,138,910 km²
  land: 1,038,700 km²
  water: 100,210 km²
  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:
  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

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:
  8,500 km² (1998 est.)

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

§3. 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.)

Median age:
  total: 26.3 years
  male: 25.4 years
  female: 27.2 years (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:
  2.54 children born/woman (2006 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%, other 10%

Languages:
  Spanish

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

§4. 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,
  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

Legal system:
  based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was
  enacted into law in 2004 and is gradually being implemented; 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); note - the
    president is both the chief of state and head of government
  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; election last held 26 May 2002 (next to be held in May
    2006)
  election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the vote;
    Vice President Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket

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 10 March 2002 (next to be held in March
    2006); House of Representatives - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be
    held in March 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
    PL 28, PSC 13, independents and smaller parties (many aligned with
    conservatives) 61; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
    NA; seats by party - PL 54, PSC 21, independents and other parties 91

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 Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; Conservative Party or PSC
  [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Democratic Pole or PDI [Samuel MORENO Rojas];
  Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA]
  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 - Revolutionary Armed
  Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or ELN; largest
  illegal paramilitary group, a roughly organized umbrella group of disparate
  paramilitary forces, is United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC

International organization participation:
  BCIE, CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA,
  NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Andres PASTRANA
  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

§5. 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 (purchasing power parity):
  $303.7 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $98.47 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $7,100 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 11.9%
  industry: 50.4%
  services: 37.7% (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:
  10.2% (2005)

Population below poverty line:
  49.2% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 7.9%
  highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  53.8 (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.9% (2005)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.1% of GDP (2005)

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

Public debt:
  44.2% of GDP (2005)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  50.43 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  48.83 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  1.082 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  48.4 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  512,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  270,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.492 billion bbl (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  6.08 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  6.08 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 m³ (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  127.6 billion m³ (2005)

Current account balance:
  $1.3 billion (2005)

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

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Exports - partners:
  US 42.1%, Venezuela 9.7%, Ecuador 6% (2004)

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

Imports - commodities:
  industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals,
  paper products, fuels, electricity

Imports - partners:
  US 29.1%, Venezuela 6.5%, China 6.4%, Mexico 6.2%, Brazil 5.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $14.95 billion (2005)

Debt - external:
  $37.06 billion (30 June 2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency (code):
  Colombian peso (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

§6. Colombia Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  7.767 million (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  10,400,600 (2004)

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: country code - 57; 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)

Television broadcast stations:
  60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Internet country code:
  .co

Internet hosts:
  386,610 (2005)

Internet users:
  3,585,688 (2004)

§7. Colombia Transportation

Airports:
  981 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 100
  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: 11 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 881
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 35
  914 to 1,523 m: 273
  under 914 m: 572 (2005)

Heliports:
  2 (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 4,360 km; oil 6,134 km; refined products 3,140 km (2004)

Railways:
  total: 3,304 km
  standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)

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

Waterways:
  18,000 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
  total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 40,463 GRT/55,802 DWT
  by type: cargo 13, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 2
  registered in other countries: 8 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 6) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Muelles El Bosque, Puerto Bolivar,
  Santa Marta, Turbo

§8. Colombia Military

Military branches:
  Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation,
  Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana)

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

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 10,212,456 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 6,986,228 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 389,735 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3.3 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.4% (FY01)

§9. Colombia Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in
  2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary involving 50,000 km² in the
  Caribbean Sea, including the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and
  Quita Sueno Bank; dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Los
  Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal
  narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all of its
  neighbors' borders and have created a serious refugee crisis with over
  300,000 persons having fled the country, mostly into neighboring states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 2,900,000 - 3,400,000 (conflict between government and FARC; drug
    wars) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca
  cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2004 was 114,100 hectares, virtually
  unchanged from 2003, but down one-third from its peak of 169,800 ha);
  producing a potential of 430 mt of pure cocaine; the world's largest
  producer of coca derivatives; supplying most of the US market and the great
  majority of cocaine to other international drug markets; 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; in 2004, aerial eradication treated over
  130,000 hectares of coca but aggressive replanting on the part of 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


<Factbook 2006>
