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 three countries that emerged after the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1830 -- the others are Ecuador and Venezuela. A decades-long conflict among government forces, paramilitaries, and antigovernment insurgent groups heavily funded by the drug trade -- principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) -- escalated during the 1990s. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization in the 2000s, new criminal groups arose that included some former paramilitaries. After four years of formal peace negotiations, the Colombian Government signed a final accord with the FARC in 2016 that called for its members to demobilize, disarm, and reincorporate into society and politics. The accord also committed the Colombian Government to create three new institutions to form a 'comprehensive system for truth, justice, reparation, and non-repetition,' including a truth commission, a special unit to coordinate the search for those who disappeared during the conflict, and a 'Special Jurisdiction for Peace' to administer justice for conflict-related crimes. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug-trade-related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong and independent democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.


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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
Country comparison total: 6,672 km
Country comparison border countries: (5) Brazil 1,790 km; Ecuador 708 km; Panama 339 km; Peru 1,494 km; Venezuela 2,341 km

Land boundaries
Total: 6,672 km
Border countries: (5) Brazil 1,790 km; Ecuador 708 km; Panama 339 km; Peru 1,494 km; Venezuela 2,341 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 (Llanos)

Elevation
Highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,730 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 593 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 37.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 1.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 1.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 34.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 54.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 8.1% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 10,900 km² (2012)

Major rivers
By length in km: Rio Negro river source (shared with Venezuela and Brazil [m]) - 2,250 km; Orinoco (shared with Venezuela [s]) - 2,101 km
By length in km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds area km²: Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 km²), Orinoco (953,675 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 3.72 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 360 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 25.04 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 2.36 trillion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts
Volcanism: Galeras (4,276 m) is one of Colombia's most active volcanoes, having erupted in 2009 and 2010 causing major evacuations; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Nevado del Ruiz (5,321 m), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985 producing lahars (mudflows) that killed 23,000 people; the volcano last erupted in 1991; additionally, after 500 years of dormancy, Nevado del Huila reawakened in 2007 and has experienced frequent eruptions since then; other historically active volcanoes include Cumbal, Dona Juana, Nevado del Tolima, and Purace

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


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Population
Distribution: the majority of people live in the north and west where agricultural opportunities and natural resources are found; the vast grasslands of the llanos to the south and east, which make up approximately 60% of the country, are sparsely populated
Total: 49,588,357
Male: 24,206,371
Female: 25,381,986 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.48% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 36.6% (2022 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Colombian(s)
Adjective: Colombian

Ethnic groups: Mestizo and White 87.6%, Afro-Colombian (includes Mulatto, Raizal, and Palenquero) 6.8%, Indigenous 4.3%, unspecified 1.4% (2018 est.)

Languages: Spanish (official) 98.9%, indigenous 1%, Portuguese 0.1%; 65 indigenous languages exist (2023 est.)
Major-language samples: La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Roman Catholic 63.6%, Protestant 17.2% (Evangelical 16.7%, Adventist 0.3%, other Protestant 0.2%), Jehovah's Witness 0.6%, Church of Jesus Christ 0.1%, other 0.3%, believer, 0.2%. agnostic 1%, atheist 1%, none 14.2%, unspecified 1.8% (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.3% (male 5,643,995/female 5,394,147)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 16,127,377/female 16,859,161)
65 years and over: 11.2% (2024 est.) (male 2,434,999/female 3,128,678)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 43.5
Youth dependency ratio: 31
Elderly dependency ratio: 12.5
Potential support ratio: 8 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 32.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 31.5 years
Female: 34 years

Population growth rate: 0.48% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 14.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: the majority of people live in the north and west where agricultural opportunities and natural resources are found; the vast grasslands of the llanos to the south and east, which make up approximately 60% of the country, are sparsely populated

Urbanization
Urban population: 82.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 11.508 million BOGOTA (capital), 4.102 million Medellin, 2.864 million Cali, 2.349 million Barranquilla, 1.381 million Bucaramanga, 1.088 million Cartagena (2023)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation resulting from timber exploitation in the jungles of the Amazon and the region of Chocó; illicit drug crops grown by peasants in the national parks; soil erosion; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions
International agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 14.04 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 97.81 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 81.52 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 21.7 years (2015 est.)
Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Maternal mortality ratio: 75 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 11.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 13.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 71.3 years
Female: 78.7 years

Total fertility rate: 1.94 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 81% (2015/16)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Unimproved rural: 12.5% of population
Unimproved total: 2.3% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 99.1% of population
Improved rural: 87.7% of population
Improved total: 97% of population
Unimproved urban: 0.9% of population
Unimproved rural: 12.3% of population
Unimproved total: 3% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 22.3% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 4.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 3.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 8.5% (2020 est.)
Male: 12.4% (2020 est.)
Female: 4.6% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.7% (2015/16)

Education expenditures: 4.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95.6%
Male: 95.4%
Female: 95.9% (2020)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 15 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 19.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 16.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 23.7% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
Conventional short form: Colombia
Local long form: República de Colombia
Local short form: Colombia
Etymology: the country is named after explorer Christopher COLUMBUS

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Bogotá
Geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W
Time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: originally referred to as 'Bacata,' meaning 'enclosure outside of the farm fields,' by the indigenous Muisca

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, Archipielago de San Andres, Providencia y Santa Catalina (colloquially 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
History: several previous; latest promulgated 4 July 1991
Amendments: proposed by the government, by Congress, by a constituent assembly, or by public petition; passage requires a majority vote by Congress in each of two consecutive sessions; passage of amendments to constitutional articles on citizen rights, guarantees, and duties also require approval in a referendum by over one half of voters and participation of over one fourth of citizens registered to vote; amended many times, last in 2020

Legal system: civil law system influenced by the Spanish and French civil codes

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Colombia
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (since 7 August 2022)
Head of government: President Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (since 7 August 2022)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
Elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term; election last held on 29 May 2022 with a runoff held on 19 June 2022 (next to be held on 31 May 2026)
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Election results: 2022: Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (PHxC) 40.3%, Rodolfo HERNÁNDEZ Suárez (LIGA) 28.2%, Federico GUTIÉRREZ Zuluaga (Team for Colombia / CREEMOS) 23.9%, other 7.6%; percent of vote in second round - Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego 50.4%, Rodolfo HERNÁNDEZ Suarez 47.3%, blank 2.3%; 2018: Iván DUQUE Márquez elected president in second round; percent of vote - Iván DUQUE Márquez (CD) 54%, Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (Humane Colombia) 41.8%, other/blank/invalid 4.2%

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of: Senate or Senado (108 seats; 100 members elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote, 2 members elected in a special nationwide constituency for indigenous communities, 5 members of the Commons political party, formerly the People's Alternative Revolutionary Force (FARC), for 2 legislative terms only: 2018-2022 and 2022-2026 as per the 2016 peace accord, and 1 seat reserved for the runner-up presidential candidate in the recent election; all members serve 4-year terms), Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (188 seats; 162 members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote, 2 members elected in a special nationwide constituency for Afro-Colombians, 1 member elected by Colombians residing abroad, 1 member elected in a special nationwide constituency for the indigenous communities, 5 members of the Commons political party for two legislative terms only: 2018-2022 and 2022-2026 as per the 2016 peace accord, 16 seats for rural conflict victims for two legislative terms only: 2022-2026 and 2026-2,030, and 1 seat reserved for the runner-up vice presidential candidate in the recent election; all members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held on 13 March 2022 (next to be held in March 2026), Chamber of Representatives - last held on 13 March 2022 (next to be held in March 2026)
Elections results: Senate - percent of vote by party/coalition - PHxC 16.9%, PC 13.1%, PL 12.4%, Green Alliance and Center Hope Coalition 11.5%, CD 11.4%, CR 9.4%, U Party 8.8%, MIRA–Colombia Free and Just Coalition 3.4%, other 13.1%; seats by party/coalition - PHxC- 20, PC 15, PL 14, Green Alliance and Center Hope Coalition 13, CD 13, CR 11, U Party 10, MIRA–Colombia Free and Just Coalition 4; composition - men 73, women 33, percentage women 31.1%, Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition- PHxC 17.6%, PL 14%, PC 12.4%, CD 10.2% U Party 8.6%, CR 7.9%, Green Alliance 6.5%, others 22.4%; seats by party/coalition - PL 32, PHxC 27, CP 25, CD 16, CR 16, U Party 15, Green Alliance and Center Hope Coalition 11, others 24; composition - men 133, women 54, percentage women 28.9%; total Congress percentage women 29.7%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of the Civil-Agrarian and Labor Chambers each with 7 judges, and the Penal Chamber with 9 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 magistrates); Council of State (consists of 27 judges); Superior Judiciary Council (consists of 13 magistrates)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the Supreme Court members from candidates submitted by the Superior Judiciary Council; judges elected for individual 8-year terms; Constitutional Court magistrates - nominated by the president, by the Supreme Court, and elected by the Senate; judges elected for individual 8-year terms; Council of State members appointed by the State Council plenary from lists nominated by the Superior Judiciary Council
Subordinate courts: Superior Tribunals (appellate courts for each of the judicial districts); regional courts; civil municipal courts; Superior Military Tribunal; first instance administrative courts

Political parties and leaders: Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA, Citizens Option (Opcion Ciudadana) or OC (formerly known as the National Integration Party or PIN), The Commons (formerly People's Alternative Revolutionary Force or FARC), Conservative Party or PC, Democratic Center Party or CD, Fair and Free Colombia (Colombia Justa Libres), Green Alliance, Historic Pact for Colombia or PHxC (coalition composed of several left-leaning political parties and social movements), Humane Colombia, Independent Movement of Absolute Renovation or MIRA, League of Anti-Corruption Rulers or LIGA, Liberal Party or PL, People's Alternative Revolutionary Force or FARC, Radical Change or CR, Team for Colombia - also known as the Experience Coalition or Coalition of the Regions (coalition composed of center-right and right-wing parties), Union Party for the People or U Party, We Believe Colombia or CREEMOS

International organization participation: ACS, BCIE, BIS, CABEI, CAN, Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel GARCÍA-PEÑA JARAMILLO (since 18 September 2024)
In the us chancery: 1724 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 387-8,338
In the us fax: [1] (202) 232-8,643
In the us email address and website: eestadosunidos@cancilleria.gov.co; [link]
In the us consulates general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark (NJ), Orlando, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Francisco L. PALMIERI (since 1 June 2022)
From the us embassy: Carrera 45, No. 24B-27, Bogota
From the us mailing address: 3,030 Bogota Place, Washington DC 20,521-3,030
From the us telephone: [57] (601) 275-2000
From the us fax: [57] (601) 275-4,600
From the us email address and website: ACSBogota@state.gov; [link]

Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Colombia, the short-lived South American republic that broke up in 1830; various interpretations of the colors exist and include: yellow for the gold in Colombia's land, blue for the seas on its shores, and red for the blood spilled in attaining freedom; alternatively, the colors have been described as representing more elemental concepts such as sovereignty and justice (yellow), loyalty and vigilance (blue), and valor and generosity (red); or simply the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity
Note: similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

National symbols: Andean condor; national colors: yellow, blue, red

National anthem
Name: 'Himno Nacional de la Republica de Colombia' (National Anthem of the Republic of Colombia)
Lyrics/music: Rafael NUNEZ/Oreste SINDICI
Note: adopted 1920; the anthem was created from an inspirational poem written by President Rafael NUNEZ

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 9 (6 cultural, 2 natural, 1 mixed)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: prior to COVID-19, one of the most consistent growth economies; declining poverty; large stimulus package has mitigated economic fallout, but delayed key infrastructure investments; successful inflation management; sound flexible exchange rate regime; domestic economy suffers from lack of trade integration and infrastructure

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $978.024 billion (2023 est.); $972.073 billion (2022 est.); $906.034 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 0.61% (2023 est.); 7.29% (2022 est.); 10.8% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $18,800 (2023 est.); $18,700 (2022 est.); $17,600 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 77.5% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 14.6% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.6% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: -4.8% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 17.8% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -22.7% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 8.7% (2023 est.)
Industry: 24.5% (2023 est.)
Services: 56.9% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: sugarcane, oil palm fruit, milk, rice, potatoes, bananas, plantains, maize, chicken, avocados (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: -1.95% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 26.003 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 9.57% (2023 est.); 10.55% (2022 est.); 13.9% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 19.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 16.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 23.7% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 36.6% (2022 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $98.462 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $113.035 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 15.28% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 70.14% of GDP (2022 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.1% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0.75% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 11.74% (2023 est.); 10.18% (2022 est.); 3.5% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

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

Current account balance: -$9.715 billion (2023 est.); -$21.367 billion (2022 est.); -$17.956 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $67.762 billion (2023 est.); $73.06 billion (2022 est.); $50.907 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 26%, Panama 10%, Netherlands 6%, India 4%, Brazil 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: crude petroleum, coal, coffee, refined petroleum, gold (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $75.983 billion (2023 est.); $89.649 billion (2022 est.); $70.914 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 26%, China 25%, Brazil 7%, Mexico 5%, Germany 3% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, corn, packaged medicine (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $59.041 billion (2023 est.); $56.704 billion (2022 est.); $58.019 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $97.915 billion (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 18.896 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 80.936 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 48.176 million kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 479 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 4.69 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 28.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 68.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 58.747 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 7.88 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 60.923 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 800 metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 4.554 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 800,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 320,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 2.036 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 11.29 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 11.451 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 161.491 million m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 87.782 billion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 70.163 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 6.507 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 43.723 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 19.932 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 25.8 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 7.588 million (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 80.812 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 156 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2023 est.); 3% of GDP (2022 est.); 3% of GDP (2021 est.); 3% of GDP (2020 est.); 3.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Military Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Militares de Colombia): National Army (Ejercito Nacional), Republic of Colombia Navy (Armada Republica de Colombia, ARC; includes Coast Guard and marines), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC); Colombian National Police (PNC) (2024)
Note: the PNC is a civilian force that is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense

Military service age and obligation: 18-24 years of age for compulsory (men) and voluntary (men and women) military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months or 12 months for those with a college degree; conscripted soldiers reportedly include regular soldiers (conscripts without a high school degree), drafted high school graduates (bachilleres), and rural (campesino) soldiers who serve in their home regions (2024)
Note: the Colombian military first incorporated women in 1976 in administrative positions; women were incorporated as non-commissioned officers in 1983 and officers in 2009; as of 2023, about 6,000 women served in the uniformed military while more than 30,000 served in the National Police

Space program

Terrorist groups: National Liberation Army (ELN); Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army (FARC-EP); Segunda Marquetalia
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 12 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 157
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 33,704,037 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,349,450,000 (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: HJ, HK

Airports: 662 (2024)

Heliports: 55 (2024)

Pipelines: 4,991 km gas, 6,796 km oil, 3,429 km refined products (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 206,102 km (2022)

Waterways: 24,725 km (2019) (18,225 km navigable; the most important waterway, the River Magdalena, of which 1,092 km is navigable, is dredged regularly to ensure safe passage of cargo vessels and container barges)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 2,875,743 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2023)
Idps: 6,863,334 (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers since 1985) (2023)
Stateless persons: 11 (2022)

Illicit drugs: Colombia is the world’s top cocaine producer and exporter; is a source of heroin and marijuana; coca cultivation estimated at 234,000 hectares (ha) in 2021; pure cocaine production decreased to 972 metric tons in 2021; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics