2018 Edition

Background

Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged after the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A decades-long conflict between 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. More than 31,000 former United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) paramilitaries demobilized by the end of 2006, and the AUC as a formal organization ceased to operate. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, illegal armed groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. After four years of formal peace negotiations, the Colombian Government signed a final peace accord with the FARC in November 2016, which was subsequently ratified by the Colombian Congress. The accord calls for members of the FARC 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,' to include 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. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to expand its presence into every one of its administrative departments. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug-related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.

Area

land

1,038,700 sq km

note

includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank

total

1,138,910 sq km

water

100,210 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

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)

Elevation

elevation extremes

0 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean

mean elevation

593 m

note

5730 highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

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

Environment 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

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea

Geographic Coordinates

4 00 N, 72 00 W

Geography Note

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

Irrigated Land

10,900 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (5)

Brazil 1790 km, Ecuador 708 km, Panama 339 km, Peru 1494 km, Venezuela 2341 km

total

6,672 km

Land Use

arable land: 1.4% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 1.6% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 34.5% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

37.5% (2011 est.)

forest

54.4% (2011 est.)

other

8.1% (2011 est.)

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

Natural Hazards

highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughtsvolcanism: 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

Natural Resources

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

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

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0-14 years

23.89% (male 5,895,637 /female 5,611,298)

15-24 years

16.96% (male 4,161,661 /female 4,006,875)

25-54 years

41.98% (male 10,043,080 /female 10,177,042)

55-64 years

9.44% (male 2,145,031 /female 2,404,090)

65 years and over

7.73% (male 1,555,848 /female 2,168,434) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

15.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

3.4% (2010)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

81% (2015/16)

Death Rate

5.5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic Profile

Colombia is in the midst of a demographic transition resulting from steady declines in its fertility, mortality, and population growth rates. The birth rate has fallen from more than 6 children per woman in the 1960s to just above replacement level today as a result of increased literacy, family planning services, and urbanization. However, income inequality is among the worst in the world, and more than a third of the population lives below the poverty line.Colombia experiences significant legal and illegal economic emigration and refugee outflows. Large-scale labor emigration dates to the 1960s; the United States and, until recently, Venezuela have been the main host countries. Emigration to Spain picked up in the 1990s because of its economic growth, but this flow has since diminished because of Spain’s ailing economy and high unemployment. Colombia has been the largest source of Latin American refugees in Latin America, nearly 400,000 of whom live primarily in Venezuela and Ecuador. Venezuela’s political and economic crisis since 2015, however, has created a reverse flow, consisting largely of Colombians returning home.Forced displacement continues to be prevalent because of violence among guerrillas, paramilitary groups, and Colombian security forces. Afro-Colombian and indigenous populations are disproportionately affected. Even with the Colombian Government’s December 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the risk of displacement remains as other rebel groups fill the void left by the FARC. Between 1985 and September 2017, nearly 7.6 million persons have been internally displaced, the highest total in the world. These estimates may undercount actual numbers because many internally displaced persons are not registered. Historically, Colombia also has one of the world’s highest levels of forced disappearances. About 30,000 cases have been recorded over the last four decades—although the number is likely to be much higher—including human rights activists, trade unionists, Afro-Colombians, indigenous people, and farmers in rural conflict zones.Because of political violence and economic problems, Colombia received limited numbers of immigrants during the 19th and 20th centuries, mostly from the Middle East, Europe, and Japan. More recently, growth in the oil, mining, and manufacturing sectors has attracted increased labor migration; the primary source countries are Venezuela, the US, Mexico, and Argentina. Colombia has also become a transit area for illegal migrants from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean -- especially Haiti and Cuba -- who are en route to the US or Canada.

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

10.2 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

9.8 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

45.6 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

35.4 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 96.8% of population

rural: 73.8% of population

total: 91.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 3.2% of population

rural: 26.2% of population

total: 8.6% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic Groups

mestizo and white 84.2%, Afro-Colombian (includes mulatto, Raizal, and Palenquero) 10.4%, Amerindian 3.4%, Romani (2005 est.)

Health Expenditures

7.2% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

0.5% (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

4,400 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

150,000 (2017 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

1.5 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

10.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

16 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

13.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official)

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

79.5 years (2018 est.)

male

73 years (2018 est.)

total population

76.2 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

94.4% (2015 est.)

male

94.1% (2015 est.)

total population

94.2% (2015 est.)

Major Infectious Diseases

degree of risk

high (2016)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea (2016)

note

active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

10.574 million BOGOTA (capital), 3.934 million Medellin, 2.726 million Cali, 2.218 million Barranquilla, 1.295 million Bucaramanga, 1.047 million Cartagena (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

64 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

31.4 years (2018 est.)

male

29.4 years

total

30.4 years

Mother S Mean Age At First Birth

21.7 years (2015 est.)

note

median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

adjective

Colombian

noun

Colombian(s)

Net Migration Rate

-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

22.3% (2016)

Physicians Density

1.82 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

48,168,996 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.97% (2018 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 79%, Protestant 14% (includes Pentecostal 6%, mainline Protestant 2%, other 6%), other 2%, unspecified 5% (2014 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 85.2% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 67.9% of population (2015 est.)

total: 81.1% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 14.8% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 32.1% of population (2015 est.)

total: 18.9% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

15 years (2015)

male

14 years (2015)

total

14 years (2015)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.88 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.72 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.98 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

22.7% (2016 est.)

male

13.7% (2016 est.)

total

17.5% (2016 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.22% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

80.8% of total population (2018)

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

4 36 N, 74 05 W

name

Bogota

time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

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 2018 (2018)

history

several previous; latest promulgated 5 July 1991 (2018)

Country Name

conventional long form

Republic of Colombia

conventional short form

Colombia

etymology

the country is named after explorer Christopher COLUMBUS

local long form

Republica de Colombia

local short form

Colombia

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

chief of mission

Ambassador Kevin WHITAKER (since 11 June 2014)

embassy

Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogota, D.C.

FAX

[57] (1) 275-4600

mailing address

Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogota, D.C.

telephone

[57] (1) 275-2000

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

chancery

1724 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Francisco SANTOS Calderon (since 17 September 2018)

consulate(s)

Boston, Chicago, San Francisco

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark (NJ), Orlando, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

FAX

[1] (202) 232-8643

telephone

[1] (202) 387-8338

Executive Branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Ivan DUQUE Marquez (since 7 August 2018); Vice President Marta Lucia RAMIREZ Blanco (since 7 August 2018); the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

Ivan DUQUE Marquez elected president in second round; percent of vote - Ivan DUQUE Marquez (CD) 54%, Gustavo PETRO (Humane Colombia) 41.8%, other/blank/invalid 4.2%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term (beginning in 2018); election last held on 27 May 2018 with a runoff held on 17 June 2018 (next to be held in 2022); note - political reform in 2015 eliminated presidential reelection

head of government

President Ivan DUQUE Marquez (since 7 August 2018); Vice President Marta Lucia RAMIREZ Blanco (since 7 August 2018)

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

Government Type

presidential republic

Independence

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

BCIE, BIS, 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, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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 31 members); 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

Legal System

civil law system influenced by the Spanish and French civil codes

Legislative Branch

description

bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of:Senate or Senado (108 seats; 102 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 People's Alternative Revolutionary Force (FARC) political party for the 2018 and 2022 elections only 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 (172 seats; 166 members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote, 5 members of the FARC for the 2018 and 2022 elections only as per the 2016 peace, and 1 seat reserved for the runner-up vice presidential candidate in the recent election; all members serve 4-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CD 19, CR 16, PC 15, PL 14, U Party 14, Green Alliance 10, PDA 5, other 9 Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 35, CD 32, CR 30, U Party 25, PC 21, Green Alliance 9, other 13

elections

  Senate - last held on 11 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2022) Chamber of Representatives - last held on 11 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2022)

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Rafael NUNEZ/Oreste SINDICI

name

"Himno Nacional de la Republica de Colombia" (National Anthem of the Republic of Colombia)

note

adopted 1920; the anthem was created from an inspirational poem written by President Rafael NUNEZ

National Holiday

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

National Symbol S

Andean condor; national colors: yellow, blue, red

Political Parties And Leaders

Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Clara LOPEZ]Citizens Option (Opcion Ciudadana) or OC [Angel ALIRIO Moreno] (formerly known as the National Integration Party or PIN)Conservative Party or PC [David BARGUIL]Democratic Center Party or CD [Alvaro URIBE Velez, Oscar Ivan ZULUAGA, Carlos HOLMES TRUJILLO, Ivan DUQUE]Green Alliance [Jorge LONDONO, Antonio SANGUINO, Luis AVELLANEDA, Camilo ROMERO]Humane Colombia [Gustavo PETRO]Liberal Party or PL [Horacio SERPA]People's Alternative Revolutionary Force or FARC [Timoleon JIMENEZ]Radical Change or CR [Carlos Fernando GALAN]Social National Unity Party or U Party [Roy BARRERAS, Jose David NAME]

note

Colombia has numerous smaller political movements

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

91.73 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

83.35 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

4.75% (12 December 2017)

7.5% (31 December 2016)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

13.69% (31 December 2017 est.)

14.65% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$10.36 billion (2017 est.)

-$12.13 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$124.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$115 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

51.1 (2015)

53.5 (2014)

Economy Overview

Colombia heavily depends on energy and mining exports, making it vulnerable to fluctuations in commodity prices. Colombia is Latin America’s fourth largest oil producer and the world’s fourth largest coal producer, third largest coffee exporter, and second largest cut flowers exporter. Colombia’s economic development is hampered by inadequate infrastructure, poverty, narcotrafficking, and an uncertain security situation, in addition to dependence on primary commodities (goods that have little value-added from processing or labor inputs).Colombia’s economy slowed in 2017 because of falling world market prices for oil and lower domestic oil production due to insurgent attacks on pipeline infrastructure. Although real GDP growth averaged 4.7% during the past decade, it fell to an estimated 1.8% in 2017. Declining oil prices also have contributed to reduced government revenues. In 2016, oil revenue dropped below 4% of the federal budget and likely remained below 4% in 2017. A Western credit rating agency in December 2017 downgraded Colombia’s sovereign credit rating to BBB-, because of weaker-than-expected growth and increasing external debt. Colombia has struggled to address local referendums against foreign investment, which have slowed its expansion, especially in the oil and mining sectors. Colombia’s FDI declined by 3% to $10.2 billion between January and September 2017.Colombia has signed or is negotiating Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with more than a dozen countries; the US-Colombia FTA went into effect in May 2012. Colombia is a founding member of the Pacific Alliance—a regional trade block formed in 2012 by Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru to promote regional trade and economic integration. The Colombian government took steps in 2017 to address several bilateral trade irritants with the US, including those on truck scrappage, distilled spirits, pharmaceuticals, ethanol imports, and labor rights. Colombia hopes to accede to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Exchange Rates

Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar -

2,957 (2017 est.)

3,055.3 (2016 est.)

3,055.3 (2015 est.)

2,001 (2014 est.)

2,001.1 (2013 est.)

Exports

$39.48 billion (2017 est.)

$31.39 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

US 28.5%, Panama 8.6%, China 5.1% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

14.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption

14.8% (2017 est.)

household consumption

68.2% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-19.7% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0.2% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

7.2% (2017 est.)

industry

30.8% (2017 est.)

services

62.1% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$314.5 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$14,400 (2017 est.)

$14,300 (2016 est.)

$14,200 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$711.6 billion (2017 est.)

$699.1 billion (2016 est.)

$685.6 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

1.8% (2017 est.)

2% (2016 est.)

3% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

18.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

19% of GDP (2016 est.)

17.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

39.6% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

39.6% (2015 est.)

Imports

$44.24 billion (2017 est.)

$43.24 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

US 26.3%, China 19.3%, Mexico 7.5%, Brazil 5%, Germany 4.1% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

-2.2% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

4.3% (2017 est.)

7.5% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

25.76 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

17%

industry

21%

services

62% (2011 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$85.96 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$146.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$202.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

28% (2017 est.)

Public Debt

49.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

49.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

note

data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$47.13 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$46.18 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$36.37 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$34.01 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$55.51 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$51.82 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$179.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$164.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$173.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$153.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$36.37 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$34.01 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

26.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

9.3% (2017 est.)

9.2% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

95.59 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

726,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

853,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

1.665 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - rural areas

88% (2013)

electrification - total population

97% (2013)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2013)

population without electricity

1.2 million (2013)

Electricity Consumption

68.25 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

460 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

29% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

69% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

378 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

16.89 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

74.92 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

10.08 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

48.14 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

10.02 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

113.9 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

333,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

56,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

57,170 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

303,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13 (2017 est.)

total

6,318,936 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

combination of state-owned and privately owned broadcast media provide service; more than 500 radio stations and many national, regional, and local TV stations (2007)

Internet Country Code

.co

Internet Users

percent of population

58.1% (July 2016 est.)

total

27,452,550 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

fixed-line connections stand at about 15 per 100 persons; mobile cellular telephone subscribership is about 130 per 100 persons; competition among cellular service providers is resulting in falling local and international calling rates and contributing to the steep decline in the market share of fixed-line services (2017)

general assessment

modern system in many respects with a nationwide microwave radio relay system, a domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations, and a fiber-optic network linking 50 cities; the cable sector commands about half of the market by subscribers, with DSL having a declining share and with fibre-based broadband developing strongly; competion among the MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) sector has promoted 2.9 million subscribers as of mid-2018; though most infrastructure as yet is primarily in high-density urban areas (2017)

international

country code - 57; multiple submarine cable systems provide links to the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 10 (6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully digitalized international switching centers) (2016)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

15 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

6,987,654 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

130 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

62,222,011 (2017 est.)

Airports

836 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

39 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

9 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

53 (2017)

over 3,047 m

2 (2017)

total

121 (2017)

under 914 m

18 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

25 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

201 (2013)

over 3,047 m

1 (2013)

total

715 (2013)

under 914 m

488 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

HJ, HK (2016)

Heliports

3 (2013)

Merchant Marine

by type

general cargo 17, oil tanker 9, other 77 (2017)

total

103 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1,317,562,271 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

30,742,928 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

157 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

12 (2015)

Pipelines

4991 km gas, 6796 km oil, 3429 km refined products (2013)

Ports And Terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Cartagena (2,510,093) (2016)

dry bulk cargo port(s)

Puerto Bolivar (coal)

major seaport(s)

Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean) - Cartagena, Santa Marta, Turbo

note

Pacific Ocean - Buenaventura

oil terminal(s)

Covenas offshore terminal

river port(s)

Barranquilla (Rio Magdalena)

Railways

narrow gauge

1,991 km 0.914-m gauge (2015)

standard gauge

150 km 1.435-m gauge (2015)

total

2,141 km (2015)

Roadways

total

206,500 km (2016)

Waterways

24,725 km (18,300 km navigable; the most important waterway, the River Magdalena, of which 1,488 km is navigable, is dredged regularly to ensure safe passage of cargo vessels and container barges) (2012)

Military Branches

National Army (Ejercito Nacional), Republic of Colombia Navy (Armada Republica de Colombia, ARC, includes Naval Aviation, Naval Infantry (Infanteria de Marina, IM), and Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2012)

Military Expenditures

3.5% of GDP (2018 est.)

3.39% of GDP (2016)

3.13% of GDP (2015)

3.13% of GDP (2014)

3.29% of GDP (2013)

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation is 18 months (2012)

Disputes International

in December 2007, ICJ allocated San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but did not rule on 82 degrees W meridian as maritime boundary with Nicaraguamanaged dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of VenezuelaColombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all neighboring borders and have caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countriesColombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank

Illicit Drugs

illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator with 188,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2016, a 18% increase over 2015, producing a potential of 710 mt of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to nearly all of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets; in 2016, the Colombian government reported manual eradication of 17,642 hectares; Colombia suspended aerial eradication in October 2015 making 2016 the first full year without aerial eradication; a significant portion of narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange; Colombia probably remains the second largest supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation was estimated to be 1,100 hectares in 2015, sufficient to potentially produce three metric tons of pure heroin

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

IDPs

7,708,465 (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers since 1985; about 300,000 new IDPs each year since 2000) (2018)

refugees (country of origin)

417,355 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2018)

stateless persons

11 (2016)

Terrorist Groups Home Based

National Liberation Army (Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional, ELN)

aim(s): represent the rural poor against the nation's wealthy and block the privatization of national resourcesarea(s) of operation: the nation's largest remaining insurgent group operates mainly in the rural and mountainous areas in the northeast, especially Arauca Department, and is active in the northern and southwestern regions and along the borders with Venezuela and Ecuador note: the group has a long history of engaging in narcotics production and trafficking, extortion, and kidnappings for ransom to fund operations (April 2018)

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC)

aim(s): signed a peace accord with the Colombian Government in 2016 and entered the political arena in September 2017 as the People's Alternative Revolutionary Force (also known as FARC) in order to change Colombia's economic model, push an agenda focused on social justice and development of rural areas; historically, FARC's aim has been to install a Marxist-Leninist regime in Colombia through a violent revolutionarea(s) of operation: NAnote: on 30 November 2016, the Colombian Congress approved a peace accord between the FARC and Colombian Government; the government allowed FARC to form an official political party and integrate former fighters into society through measures such as funding education programs (April 2018)