2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Distrito Capital de 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

Age structure

0-14 years: 31.3% (male 6,601,581; female 6,447,679) 15-64 years: 63.7% (male 12,931,093; female 13,626,333) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 913,798; female 1,141,589) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

1,050 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 36

total

96

under 914 m

11 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 38

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

954 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51

under 914 m

587 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 315

Area

land

1,038,700 sq km

note

includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank

total

1,138,910 sq km

water

100,210 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Background

Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries has grown to be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging the insurgents for control of territory and illicit industries such as the drug trade and the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas. While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders. Geography Colombia

Birth rate

21.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$25.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

revenues

$24 billion

Capital

Bogota

Climate

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Coastline

3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)

Constitution

5 July 1991

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Colombia

conventional short form

Colombia

local long form

Republica de Colombia

local short form

Colombia

Currency

Colombian peso (COP)

Currency code

COP

Death rate

5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$38.4 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia

consulate(s)

Atlanta

consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC

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 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian drug activities penetrate Peruvian border area

Distribution of family income - Gini index

57.1 (1996)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Economy - overview

Colombia's economy suffers from weak domestic and foreign demand, austere government budgets, and serious internal armed conflict. Other economic problems facing the new president URIBE range from reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment. Two of Colombia's leading exports, oil and coffee, face an uncertain future; new exploration is needed to offset declining oil production, while coffee harvests and prices are depressed. Colombian business leaders are calling for greater progress in solving the conflict with insurgent groups. On the positive side, several international financial institutions have praised the economic reforms introduced by President URIBE and have pledged enough funding to cover Colombia's debt servicing costs in 2003.

Electricity - consumption

39.81 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

210 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

40 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

42.99 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

26%

hydro

72.7%

nuclear

0%

other

1.3% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

note

nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Ethnic groups

mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Exchange rates

Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,504.24 (2002), 2,299.63 (2001), 2,087.9 (2000), 1,756.23 (1999), 1,426.04 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two dominant parties - the PL and PSC - and independents

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

election results

President Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the vote; Vice President Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket

elections

president and vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006)

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

Exports

$12.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Exports - partners

US 44.8%, Venezuela 9.4%, Ecuador 6.8% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 232-8643

[57] (1) 315-2197

telephone

[1] (202) 387-8338

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Colombia

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 Colombia

GDP

purchasing power parity - $251.6 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

13%

industry

30%

services

57% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.5% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

4 00 N, 72 00 W

Geography - note

only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea People Colombia

Government type

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Heliports

1 (2002) Military Colombia

Highways

paved

26,000 km

total

110,000 km

unpaved

84,000 km (2000)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

5,600 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

140,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

44% (1999)

lowest 10%

1%

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2002 was 144,450 hectares, a 15% decline since 2001); potential production of opium between 2001 and 2002 declined by 25% to 91 metric tons; potential production of heroin declined to 11.3 metric tons; the world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of about 90% of the cocaine to the US market and the great majority of cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier of heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program; a significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$12.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Imports - partners

US 32.6%, Venezuela 7%, Mexico 5.3%, Japan 5.3%, Brazil 5.2%, Germany 4.2% (2002)

Independence

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

Industrial production growth rate

4% (2001 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

18.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

26.46 deaths/1,000 live births

total

22.47 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.2% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Internet country code

.co

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

18 (2000)

Internet users

1.15 million (2002) Transportation Colombia

Irrigated land

8,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

four coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justical (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law, judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice 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); Higher Council of Justice (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; members of the disciplinary chamber resolve jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Labor force

18.3 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990)

Land boundaries

border countries

Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km

total

6,004 km

Land use

arable land

1.9%

other

96.14% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

1.96%

Languages

Spanish

Legal system

based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted in 1992-93; judicial review of executive and legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

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)

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

elections

Senate - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006)

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.12 years (2003 est.)

male

67.29 years

total population

71.14 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

92.6% (2003 est.) Government Colombia

male

92.4%

total population

92.5%

Location

Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

26.4 years (2002)

male

24.8 years

total

25.6 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Germany 1 (2002 est.)

note

includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 5, cargo 6, container 1, petroleum tanker 3

total

15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 51,445 GRT/55,930 DWT

Military branches

Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, including Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana), National Police (Policia Nacional)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$3.3 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3.4% (FY01) Transnational Issues Colombia

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

11,101,719 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

7,403,433 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

392,468 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Nationality

adjective

Colombian

noun

Colombian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

132 billion cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

-0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

252,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

614,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

1.8 billion bbl (37257)

Pipelines

gas 4,360 km; oil 6,134 km; refined products 3,140 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Liberal Party or PL [Piedad CORDOBA and Juan Manuel LOPEZ Cabrales]; Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; 19 of April Movement or M-19 [Antonio NAVARRO Wolff]

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 anti-insurgent paramilitary group is United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC

Population

41,662,073 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

55% (2001)

Population growth rate

1.56% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Bahia de Portete, Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia, Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo

Radio broadcast stations

AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Radios

21 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

standard gauge

150 km 1.435-m gauge

total

3,304 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities

general assessment

modern system in many respects

international

satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables

Telephones - main lines in use

5,433,565 (December 1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,800,229 (December 1998)

Television broadcast stations

60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions

4.59 million (1997)

Terrain

flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Total fertility rate

2.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

17.4% (2002 est.)

Waterways

18,140 km (navigable by river boats) (April 1996)