2020 Edition

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.

Area

land

1,038,700 sq km

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

highest point

Pico Cristobal Colon 5,730 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

593 m

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

6,506 sq km (2013)

Land boundaries

border countries

Brazil 1,790 km; Ecuador 708 km; Panama 339 km; Peru 1,494 km; Venezuela 2,341 km

total

6,672 km

Land use

agricultural land

36.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 32% (2023 est.)

forest

53.8% (2023 est.)

other

9.7% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Amazon Basin

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 note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km)

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 droughts volcanism: Galeras (4,276 m) is one of Colombia's most active volcanoes; 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; 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

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

4.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

14.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

6.7% (2015)

women married by age 15

4.9% (2015)

women married by age 18

23.4% (2015)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.7% (2016 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

50.9% (2018 est.)

Death rate

6.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

17.5 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

5.7 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

50.7 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

33.2 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 86.7% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 97.5% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 13.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 2.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

5.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.94 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

9% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

15.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

10.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

13.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish (official) 98.9%, indigenous 1%, Portuguese 0.1%; 65 indigenous languages exist (2023 est.)

major-language sample(s)

La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.7 years

male

71.3 years

total population

74.9 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

95.7% (2024 est.)

male

95% (2024 est.)

total population

95.3% (2024 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)

Maternal mortality ratio

59 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

34 years

male

31.5 years

total

33.1 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.7 years (2015 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Colombian

noun

Colombian(s)

Net migration rate

-2.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.3% (2016)

Physician density

2.54 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

female

25,521,339

male

24,320,959

total

49,842,298 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.54% (2025 est.)

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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 88.2% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 97% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 11.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2022 est.)

male

14 years (2022 est.)

total

14 years (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

4.1% (2025 est.)

male

11.2% (2025 est.)

total

7.6% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.94 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

82.4% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlántico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyacá, Caldas, Caquetá, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainía, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindío, Risaralda, Archipiélago de San Andres, Providencia y Santa Catalina (colloquially San Andres y Providencia), Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

Capital

etymology

originally named Santa Fe de Bacatá in 1538, after the Chibcha people's nearby settlement of Bacatá; the name was later corrupted to Bogotá

geographic coordinates

4 36 N, 74 05 W

name

Bogotá

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

amendment process

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

history

several previous; latest promulgated 4 July 1991

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Colombia

conventional short form

Colombia

etymology

named after explorer Christopher COLUMBUS

local long form

República de Colombia

local short form

Colombia

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires John McNAMARA (since 1 February 2025)

email address and website

ACSBogota@state.gov https://co.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Carrera 45, No. 24B-27, Bogota

FAX

[57] (601) 275-4600

mailing address

3030 Bogota Place, Washington DC 20521-3030

telephone

[57] (601) 275-2000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1724 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Daniel GARCÍA-PEÑA JARAMILLO (since 18 September 2024)

consulate(s) general

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

email address and website

eestadosunidos@cancilleria.gov.co https://www.colombiaemb.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 232-8643

telephone

[1] (202) 387-8338

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (since 7 August 2022)

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%

election/appointment process

president directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single 4-year term

expected date of next election

31 May 2026

head of government

President Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (since 7 August 2022)

most recent election date

29 May 2022, with a runoff held on 19 June 2022

Flag

description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red meaning: various interpretations of the colors exist; one has yellow for the gold in Colombia's land, blue for the sea, and red for the blood spilled in attaining freedom; another describes them as representing sovereignty and justice (yellow), loyalty and vigilance (blue), and valor and generosity (red); another has the colors standing for liberty, equality, and fraternity 

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

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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

Legal system

civil law system influenced by the Spanish and French civil codes

Legislative branch

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

Congress (Congreso)

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

House of Representatives (Cámara de Representantes)

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

March 2026

most recent election date

3/13/2022

number of seats

187 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Liberal Party (PL) (32); Historic Pact (27); Conservative Party (CP) (25); Democratic Centre (CD) (16); Radical Change (CR) (16); Union Party for the People “Partido de la U” (15); Green Alliance - Hope Centre coalition (11); Other (14)

percentage of women in chamber

29.4%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate (Senado de la República)

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

March 2026

most recent election date

3/13/2022

number of seats

108 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Historic Pact (20); Conservative Party (CP) (15); Liberal Party (PL) (14); Green Alliance - Hope Centre coalition (13); Democratic Centre (CD) (13); Radical Change (CR) (11); Union Party for the People “Partido de la U” (10); Other (4)

percentage of women in chamber

31.4%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1920; the anthem comes from an inspirational poem written by President Rafael NUNEZ; the anthem always starts with the chorus

lyrics/music

Rafael NUNEZ/Oreste SINDICI

title

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

National color(s)

yellow, blue, red

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Chiribiquete National Park (m); Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia (c); Historic Center of Santa Cruz de Mompox (c); Los Katíos National Park (n); Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary (n); Tierradentro National Archeological Park (c); San Agustín Archaeological Park (c); Colonial Cartagena (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c)

total World Heritage Sites

9 (6 cultural, 2 natural, 1 mixed)

National holiday

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

National symbol(s)

Andean condor

Political parties

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugarcane, oil palm fruit, milk, rice, plantains, potatoes, bananas, maize, chicken, avocados (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

20.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$123.966 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$116.49 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$20.879 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$8.285 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$7.412 billion (2024 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$108.027 billion (2023 est.)

Economic 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

Exchange rates

Currency

Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

3,693.276 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

3,744.244 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

4,256.194 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

4,325.955 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

4,074.434 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$73.514 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$68.674 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$68.866 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, coal, gold, coffee, refined petroleum (2023)

Exports - partners

USA 27%, Panama 9%, India 5%, China 5%, Netherlands 4% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

16% (2024 est.)

government consumption

14.7% (2024 est.)

household consumption

73.1% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-20.9% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

16.5% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

0.6% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

9.3% (2024 est.)

industry

23.1% (2024 est.)

services

58.2% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$418.542 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

53.9 (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

42.7% (2023 est.)

lowest 10%

1.1% (2023 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$89.608 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$76.449 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$78.633 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, aircraft, packaged medicine (2023)

Imports - partners

USA 26%, China 22%, Brazil 6%, Mexico 5%, Germany 4% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-1.3% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

10.2% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

11.7% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

6.6% (2024 est.)

Labor force

26.822 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

33% (2023 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2023

71.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$955.016 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$961.82 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$978.592 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

7.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

1.7% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$18,500 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$18,400 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$18,500 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

2.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

2.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

2.8% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$56.704 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$59.041 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$61.898 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

10.6% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

9.6% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

9.7% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

24.3% (2024 est.)

male

16.5% (2024 est.)

total

19.8% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

9.72 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

46.425 million metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

1,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

production

52.376 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

4.554 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

82.309 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

1.293 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

407.788 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

21.053 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

7.232 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

2.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

34% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

62.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

29.305 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

11.885 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

958.724 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

10.927 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

87.782 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

2.036 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

374,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

800,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

17 (2023 est.)

total

8.91 million (2023 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 (2019)

Internet country code

.co

Internet users

percent of population

77% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

12 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

6.32 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

174 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

92.1 million (2024 est.)

Airports

661 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HJ, HK

Heliports

57 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 28, oil tanker 13, other 112

total

153 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Covenas, El Bosque, Mamonal, Pozos Colorados, Puerto Bolivar, Puerto Prodeco, Santa Marta

large

0

medium

2

ports with oil terminals

10

size unknown

1

small

8

total ports

14 (2024)

very small

3

Railways

narrow gauge

1,991 km (2019) 0.914-m gauge

standard gauge

150 km (2019) 1.435-m gauge

total

2,141 km (2019)

Military - note

the Colombian military is responsible for defending and maintaining the country’s independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity but also has a considerable internal security role, which includes protecting the civilian population, as well as private and state-owned assets, and ensuring a secure environment; the military’s primary focus is the conduct of counterinsurgency and counter-narcotics operations against domestic illegal armed groups, including drug traffickers, several factions of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) terrorist group, and the insurgent/terrorist group National Liberation Army (ELN) border security is also a focus, particularly with Venezuela where economic and political instability has brought refugees and attracted narcotics trafficking and other cross-border crime; both the ELN and FARC dissidents operate openly in the border region; ELN and FARC insurgents have also used neighboring Ecuador to rest, resupply, and shelter Colombia has close security ties with the US, including joint training, military assistance, and designation in 2022 as a Major Non-NATO Ally, which provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense, trade, and security cooperation; it also has close security ties with regional neighbors, such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru; Colombian military and security forces have training programs with their counterparts from a variety of countries, mostly those from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean (2025)

Military and security forces

Military Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Militares de Colombia): National Army (Ejercito Nacional), Colombian Aerospace Force (Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana, FAC), Colombian Navy (Armada de Colombia; includes Coast Guard); National Police of Colombia (Policia Nacional de Colombia, PNC) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 260,000 active Military Forces; approximately 150,000 National Police (2025)

Military deployments

275 Egypt (MFO) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported armaments from a variety of suppliers, including Brazil, Canada, Germany, Israel, South Korea, and the US; Colombia's defense industry is active in producing air, land, and naval platforms (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

3.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

3.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

3.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-24 years of age for compulsory (men) and voluntary (men and women) military (and police) 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 (2025)

Illicit drugs

USG identification

major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

7,264,767 (2024 est.)

refugees

30,611 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

5 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

2007 - first domestically produced technology-demonstration/remote-sensing (RS) nanosatellite (Libertad I) launched by Russia 2014 - second experimental RS nanosatellite (UAPSAT) launched by US 2018 - first RS satellite (FACSAT-1) for military use purchased from Denmark and launched by India 2022 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration 2023 - second RS satellite (FACSAT-2 or Chibiriquete) launched by US

Space agency/agencies

Colombian Space Commission (Comision Colombiana Del Espacio, CCE; established 2006) (2025)

Space program overview

has a small program focused on acquiring satellites, particularly remote sensing (RS) satellites; operates satellites and produces nanosatellites; researches other space technologies, including astronautics, satellite navigation, and telecommunications; works with a variety of foreign space agencies or commercial space industries, including those of Denmark, India, Russia, Sweden, the US, and some members of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

National Liberation Army (ELN); Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army (FARC-EP); Segunda Marquetalia (SM); Tren de Aragua (TdA)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

15.463 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

20.688 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

49.727 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

85.878 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

deforestation from timber exploitation in the Amazon and the Chocó region; soil erosion; soil and water pollution from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

International environmental 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

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea

Methane emissions

agriculture

1,791.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

814.5 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

18.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

600.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

13.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

2.36 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

20.46 billion cubic meters (2022)

industrial

1.033 billion cubic meters (2022)

municipal

3.405 billion cubic meters (2022)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

12.15 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

28.5% (2022 est.)