Map of Colombia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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. 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 largely 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.


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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 reference: South America

Area
Total: 1,138,910 km²
Land: 1,038,700 km²
Water: 100,210 km²
Note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 6,309 km
Border countries: (5) Brazil 1,644 km; , Ecuador 590 km; , Panama 225 km; , Peru 1,800 km; , Venezuela 2,050 km

Coastline: 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1760 km North Pacific Ocean 1448 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
Extremes highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
Extremes 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 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts

Geography
Note: only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea


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Population: 44,379,598 (July 2007 est.)
Growth rate: 1.433% (2007 est.)
Below poverty line: 49.2% (2005)

Nationality
Noun: Colombian
Adjective: Colombian

Ethnic groups: mestizo 58% white 20% mulatto 14% black 4% mixed black-Amerindian 3% Amerindian 1%

Languages: Spanish

Religions: Roman Catholic 90% other 10%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 29.8% (male 6,696,471/female 6,539,612)
15-64 years: 64.8% (male 14,012,140/female 14,732,874)
65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,042,645/female 1,355,856) (2007 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 26.6 years
Male: 25.6 years
Female: 27.5 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.433% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 20.16 births/1000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 5.54 deaths/1000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.29 migrant(s)/1000 population (2007 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution especially in Bogota from vehicle emissions
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.024 male/female
15-64 years: 0.951 male/female
65 years and over: 0.769 male/female
Total population: 0.961 male/female (2007 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 20.13 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 23.86 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 16.28 deaths/1000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.27 years
Male: 68.44 years
Female: 76.24 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.51 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 190,000 (2003 est.)
Deaths: 3,600 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 92.8%
Male: 92.9%
Female: 92.7% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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

Dependent areas

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 is gradually being implemented; judicial review of executive and legislative acts

International law organization participation

Citizenship

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
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
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

International organization participation: BCIE CAN Caricom (observer) CDB CSN FAO G-3 G-15 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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Carolina BARCO Isakson
In the us chancery: 2,118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 387-8,338
In the us fax: [1] (202) 232-8,643
In the us consulates general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD
From the us embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3,831
From the us mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34,038
From the us telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811
From the us fax: [57] (1) 315-2,197

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Colombia's economy has experienced positive growth over the past three years despite a serious armed conflict. The economy continues to improve in part because of austere government budgets focused efforts to reduce public debt levels an export-oriented growth strategy an improved security situation in the country and high commodity prices. Ongoing economic problems facing President URIBE range from reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment and to achieving congressional passage of a fiscal transfers reform; furthermore new exploration is needed to offset declining oil production. However the government's economic policy democratic security strategy and the signing of a free trade agreement with the US have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy particularly within the business sector.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $374.4 billion (2006 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 6.8% (2006 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $8,600 (2006 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 12%
Industry: 35.6%
Services: 52.4% (2006 est.)

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: 5.8% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 20.34 million (2006 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 22.7%
By occupation industry: 18.7%
By occupation services: 58.5% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 11.1% (2006 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 49.2% (2005)

Gini index

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)

Budget
Revenues: $49.09 billion
Expenditures: $49.75 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 56.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.3% (2006 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares: $56.2 billion (2006)

Current account balance: $-3.06 billion (2006 est.)

Exports: $25.18 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: petroleum coffee coal nickel emeralds apparel bananas cut flowers
Partners: US 35.7% Venezuela 11.4% Ecuador 5.4% (2006)

Imports: $24.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: industrial equipment transportation equipment consumer goods chemicals paper products fuels electricity
Partners: US 26.9% Brazil 8.6% Mexico 8.5% China 6% Venezuela 5.6% Japan 4.1% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $15.44 billion (2006 est.)

Debt external: $38.47 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $45.01 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $10.01 billion (2006 est.)

Exchange rates: Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,359 (2006) 2,321 (2005) 2,629 (2004) 2,878 (2003) 2,504 (2002)


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Electricity
Production: 50.47 billion kWh (2005)
Consumption: 38.91 billion kWh (2005)
Exports: 1.758 billion kWh (2005)
Imports: 16 million kWh (2005)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 6.397 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Consumption: 6.397 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2005 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2005)
Proven reserves: 109.7 billion m³ (1 January 2006 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 7.865 million (2006)
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 approaching 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 - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching centers (2007)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .co
Hosts: 1.014 million (2007)
Users: 6.705 million (2006)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 3.4% (2005 est.)

Military and security forces

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

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 934 (2007)
With paved runways total: 103
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 39
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 42
With paved runways under 914 m: 12 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 831
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 34
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 216
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 580 (2007)

Heliports: 2 (2007)

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

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 Muelles El Bosque Puerto Bolivar Santa Marta Turbo


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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: 1.8-3.8 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