Background: Colombia gained its independence from Spain in 1819. Earlier than most countries in the area, it established traditions of civilian government with regular, free elections. In recent years, however, assassinations, widespread guerrilla activities, and drug trafficking have severely disrupted normal public and private activities.

Land boundaries:

Coastline:

Maritime claims: Continental shelf:200 meters or to depth of exploitation Extended economic zone:200 nm Territorial sea:12 nm

Climate: tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Terrain: mixture of flat coastal lowlands, plains in east, central highlands, some high mountains

Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds

Land use: 4% arable land; 2% permanent crops; 29% meadows and pastures; 49% forest and woodland; 16% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

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

Population: 31,945,165 (July 1989), growth rate 2.0% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Colombian(s; adjective - Colombian

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

Languages: Spanish

Religions: 95% Roman Catholic

Birth rate: 27 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1000 population (1989)

Environment
Current issues: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; deforestation

Infant mortality rate: 54 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 68 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 3.0 children born/woman (1989)

Literacy: 88% (1987 est.), Indians about 40%

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Colombia

Government type: republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Capital: Bogota

Administrative divisions: 23 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento), 5 commissariats* (comisarias, singular - comisaria), and 4 intendancies** (intendencias, singular - intendencia; 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**, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes*, Vichada*; note - there may be a new special district (distrito especial) named Bogota

Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Constitution: 4 August 1886, with amendments codified in 1946 and 1968

Legal system: based on Spanish law; religious courts regulate marriage and divorce; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: age 18 and over

Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government - President Virgilio BARCO Vargas (since 7 August 1986), term ends 1990; President Designate Victor MOSQUERA Chaux

Legislative branch: armed forces include Police (Policia Nacional) and military - Army (Ejercito Nacional), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia), Navy (Armada Nacional)

International organization participation: Contadora Group, FAO, G-77, GATT, Group of Eight (G-8), IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB - Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU, LAIA and Andean Sub-Regional Group, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPEB, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Victor MOSQUERA; Chancery at 2,118 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 387-8,338; there are Colombian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Tampa; US - Ambassador Thomas E. MCNAMARA; Embassy at Calle 38, No.8-61, Bogota (mailing address is APO Miami 34,038; telephone Õ57å (1) 285-1300 or 1688; there is a US Consulate in Barranquilla

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: The economy has performed well in recent years after a period of poor performance during the first half of the 1980s. By the end of 1986 economic growth had recovered to the level of the late 1970s. Colombia is the world's second-largest producer of coffee, following Brazil. Coffee accounts for about 30% of total exports, and during 1986-87 high world prices helped the economy grow at an annual rate of about 5%. An upswing in exports of petroleum and coal also contributed to growth. On the negative side the inflation rate has remained above 20% a year and the unemployment rate has yet to fall below 10%.

Agriculture products: coffee, rice, corn, sugarcane, plantains, bananas, cotton, tobacco; an illegal producer of coca and cannabis for the international drug trade

Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, metal products, cement; mining - gold, coal, emeralds, iron, nickel, silver, salt

Industrial production growth rate: 5.9% (1987)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: 11.7% (1987 est.)

Budget: revenues $3.6 billion; expenditures $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1987)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $4.6 billion (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: coffee 30%, petroleum 24%, coal, bananas, fresh cut flowers
Partners: US 36%, EC 21%, Japan 5%, Netherlands 4%, Sweden 3%

Imports: $4.3 billion (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: industrial equipment, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, paper products
Partners: US 34%, EC 16%, Brazil 4%, Venezuela 3%, Japan 3%

Debt external: $17.0 billion (1987)

Exchange rates: Colombian pesos (Col$) per US$1 - 339.79 (January 1989), 299.20 (1988), 242.61 (1987), 194.26 (1986), 142.31 (1985)

Electricity
Capacity: 8,809,000 kW capacity; 34,700 million kWh produced, 1,110 kWh per capita (1988)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $747 million, 14.2% of central government budget (1988)

Airports: 577 total, 552 usable; 66 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 9 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 102 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Pipelines: crude oil, 3,585 km; refined products, 1,350 km; natural gas, 830 km; natural gas liquids, 125 km

Waterways: 14,300 km, navigable by river boats

Merchant marine: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 363,924 GRT/520,473 DWT; includes 1 passenger-cargo, 26 cargo, 1 chemical tanker, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 9 bulk

Disputes international: maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela over the Gulf of Venezuela; territorial dispute with Nicaragua over Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank