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.
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 sq km
land
1,038,700 sq km
water
100,210 sq km
note
includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank
Area - comparative
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries
total
6,309 km
border countries
Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,800 km, 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
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
92.8%
male
92.9%
female
92.7% (2004 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
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
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
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
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 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
Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Julio MANZUR Abdala]; Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz]; Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo]; Social National Unity Party or PSUN [Carlos GARCIA Orjuela]; Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras]
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
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
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
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$374.4 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$106.8 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
6.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$8,600 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
12%
industry
35.2%
services
52.7% (2006 est.)
Labor force
20.81 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
22.7%
industry
18.7%
services
58.5% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate
11.1% (2006 est.)
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)
4.3% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
22.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$50.7 billion
expenditures
$52.29 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
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 (2005)
Roadways
total
112,988 km
paved
16,270 km
unpaved
96,718 km (2004)
Waterways
18,000 km (2006)
Merchant marine
total
17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 42,413 GRT/58,737 DWT
by type
cargo 13, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 3
registered in other countries
7 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 5) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Muelles El Bosque, Puerto Bolivar, Santa Marta, Turbo
Military branches
National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes naval aviation, marine corps, and coast guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2007)
Military service age and obligation
18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation - 18 months (2004)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
10,212,456
females age 18-49
10,561,562 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
6,986,228
females age 18-49
8,794,465 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
389,735
females age 18-49
383,146 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
3.4% (2005 est.)
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
