2021 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

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

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

10,900 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

6,672 km

Land use

agricultural land

37.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 34.5% (2018 est.)

forest

54.4% (2018 est.)

other

8.1% (2018 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 kmnote – [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 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

23.27% (male 5,853,351/female 5,567,196)

15-24 years

16.38% (male 4,098,421/female 3,939,870)

25-54 years

42.04% (male 10,270,516/female 10,365,423)

55-64 years

9.93% (male 2,307,705/female 2,566,173)

65 years and over

8.39% (male 1,725,461/female 2,390,725) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

16.51 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.7% (2015/16)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

81% (2015/16)

Current Health Expenditure

7.6% (2018)

Death rate

5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2021 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

13.2

potential support ratio

7.6 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

45.4

youth dependency ratio

32.3

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 86.4% of population

improved: total

total: 97.3% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 13.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 2.7% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.4% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,000 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

180,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.7 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Infant mortality rate

female

9.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

15.73 deaths/1,000 live births

total

12.88 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

Spanish (official)

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

80.23 years (2021 est.)

male

73.77 years

total population

76.91 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

95.9% (2020)

male

95.4%

total population

95.6%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

note

note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Colombia; as of 6 October 2021, Columbia has reported a total of 4,963,243 cases of COVID-19 or 9,754.25 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 248.46 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 1 October 2021, 33.56% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever

Major urban areas - population

11.167 million BOGOTA (capital), 4.034 million Medellin, 2.810 million Cali, 2.299 million Barranquilla, 1.349 million Bucaramanga, 1.071 million Cartagena (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

83 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

32.2 years (2020 est.)

male

30.2 years

total

31.2 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.7 years (2015 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Colombian

noun

Colombian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.3% (2016)

Physicians density

2.19 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

50,355,650 (July 2021 est.)

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

Population growth rate

1.04% (2021 est.)

Religions

Christian 92.3% (predominantly Roman Catholic), other 1%, unspecified 6.7% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 80.1% of population

improved: total

total: 94.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 19.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 5.3% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.7% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2019)

male

14 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.72 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.14 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

33% (2020 est.)

male

20.7%

total

25.8%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

81.7% of total population (2021)

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

etymology

originally referred to as "Bacata," meaning "enclosure outside of the farm fields," by the indigenous Muisca

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 2020

history

several previous; latest promulgated 4 July 1991

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 Philip S. GOLDBERG (since 19 September 2019)

email address and website

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

embassy

Carrera 45, No. 24B-27, Bogota

FAX

[57] (1) 275-4600

mailing address

3030 Bogota Place, Washington DC  20521-3030

telephone

[57] (1) 275-2000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1724 Massachusetts Avenue 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), Washington, DC

email address and website

eestadosunidos@cancilleria.gov.cohttps://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 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

2018: 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%2014: Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (U Party) 51.0%, Oscar Ivan ZULUAGA (CD) 45.0%, other 4.0%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term; election last held on 27 May 2018 with a runoff held on 17 June 2018 (next to be held on 29 May 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

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 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

description

bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of:Senate or Senado (108 seats; 100 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; 165 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 accord, 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; composition - men 77, women 31, percent of women 28.7%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; composition - men 147, women 25, percent of women 14.5%; total Congress percent of women 20%

elections

 Senate - last held on 11 March 2018 (next to be held on 13 March 2022)Chamber of Representatives - last held on 11 March 2018 (next to be held on 13 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

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 [Jorge Enrique ROBLEDO]Citizens Option (Opcion Ciudadana) or OC [Angel ALIRIO Moreno] (formerly known as the National Integration Party or PIN)Conservative Party or PC [Hernan ANDRADE]Democratic Center Party or CD [Alvaro URIBE Velez]Green Alliance [Claudia LOPEZ Hernandez]Humane Colombia [Gustavo PETRO]Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA]People's Alternative Revolutionary Force or FARC [Rodrigo LONDONO Echeverry]Radical Change or CR [Rodrigo LARA Restrepo]Social National Unity Party or U Party [Roy BARRERAS]

note

note: Colombia has numerous smaller political movements

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugar cane, milk, oil palm fruit, potatoes, rice, bananas, cassava leaves, plantains, poultry, maize

Budget

expenditures

91.73 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

83.35 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BBB- (2020)

Moody's rating

Baa2 (2014)

Standard & Poors rating

BBB- (2017)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2018

-$13.118 billion (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2019

-$13.748 billion (2019 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$128.238 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$135.644 billion (2019 est.)

Economic 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

currency

Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

2,001.1 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

2,001 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

3,147.43 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

3,416.5 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

3,457.93 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$55.06 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$52.96 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$39.14 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, coal, refined petroleum, coffee, gold (2019)

Exports - partners

United States 31%, China 11%, Panama 6%, Ecuador 5% (2019)

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)

$323.255 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014

53.5 (2014)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

50.4 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

39.6% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

1.2%

Imports

Imports 2018

$64.56 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$65.83 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$51.56 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicines, corn (2019)

Imports - partners

United States 27%, China 20%, Mexico 7%, Brazil 6% (2019)

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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

4.3% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

3.2% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

3.5% (2019 est.)

Labor force

19.309 million (2020 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

17%

industry

21%

services

62% (2011 est.)

Population below poverty line

35.7% (2019 est.)

Public debt

note

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

Public debt 2016

49.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

49.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$710.89 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$734.22 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$683.94 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2017

1.36% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

2.51% (2018 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2019

3.26% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$14,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$14,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$13,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$46.18 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$47.13 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

26.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2018

9.68% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate 2019

10.5% (2019 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

33% (2020 est.)

male

20.7%

total

25.8%

Crude oil - exports

726,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

863,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

1.665 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

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.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

86% (2019)

electrification - total population

97% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2019)

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

15.26 (2020 est.)

total

7,764,772 (2020)

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

65.01% (2019 est.)

total

34.73 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line connections stand at about 14 per 100 persons; mobile cellular telephone subscribership is about 132 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; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations (2019)

general assessment

Colombia’s telecom infrastructure has improved through a government program of competition to upgrade services based on LTE and 5G, focusing on infrastructure in small urban centers and rural areas; national ICT Plan increased broadband and fiber connectivity; operators testing 5G and completed 20k terrestrial cable connecting 80% of the country; benefit due to access to commercial submarine cable (2020)

international

country code - 57; landing points for the SAC, Maya-1, SAIT, ACROS, AMX-1, CFX-1, PCCS, Deep Blue Cable, Globe Net, PAN-AM, SAm-1 submarine cable systems providing 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) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14.24 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

7,248,026 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

133 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

67,672,570 (2020)

Airports

total

836 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

39

2,438 to 3,047 m

9

914 to 1,523 m

53

over 3,047 m

2

total

121

under 914 m

18 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

25

914 to 1,523 m

201

over 3,047 m

1

total

715

under 914 m

488 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HJ, HK

Heliports

3 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 23, oil tanker 7, other 92 (2021)

total

122

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1,349,450,000 mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

33,704,037 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

157

number of registered air carriers

12 (2020)

Pipelines

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

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Buenaventura (1,121,267), Cartagena (2,995,031) (2019)

dry bulk cargo port(s)

Puerto Bolivar (coal)

major seaport(s)

Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean) - Cartagena, Santa Marta, TurboPacific Ocean - Buenaventura

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 - note

the Colombian Armed Forces are primarily focused on internal security, particularly counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, and counterinsurgency operations against drug traffickers, militants from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and National Liberation Army (ELN) terrorist/guerrilla organizations, and other illegal armed groups; the Colombian Government signed a peace agreement with the FARC in 2016, but some former members (known as dissidents) have returned to fighting; the Colombian military resumed operations against FARC dissidents and their successor paramilitary groups in late 2019; in 2017, the Colombian Government initiated formal peace talks with the ELN, but in January 2019, the government ended the peace talks shortly after the ELN exploded a car bomb at the National Police Academy in Bogotá and resumed counter-terrorism/counterinsurgency operations against the group; operations against both the FARC and ELN continued into 2021 (see Appendix T); the military is also focused on the security challenges posed by its neighbor, Venezuela, where instability has attracted narcotics traffickers and both the ELN and FARC dissidents operate openly

Military and security forces

Military Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Militares de Colombia): National Army (Ejercito Nacional), Republic of Colombia Navy (Armada Republica de Colombia, ARC; includes Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC); Colombian National Police (civilian force that is part of the Ministry of Defense) (2021)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Military Forces of Colombia (FMC) have approximately 295,000 total active troops (235,000 Army; 45,000 Navy, including about 22,000 marines; 14,000 Air Force); approximately 185,000 Colombian National Police (2021)

Military deployments

275 Egypt (MFO) (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Colombian military inventory includes a wide mix of equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Brazil, Canada, Europe, Israel, South Korea, and the US; Germany, Israel, and the US are the leading suppliers of military hardware since 2010; Colombia's defense industry is active in producing air, land, and naval platforms (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

3.1% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

3.2% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

3.1% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

3.2% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months (2021)

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 Nicaragua; managed 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 neighboring borders and have caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countries; Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank

Illicit drugs

Colombia is the world’s top cocaine producer; exports and is a source of heroin and marijuana; coca cultivation was estimated at 245,000 hectares (ha) in 2020; potential pure cocaine production reached 1,010 metric tons in 2020  

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

8,176,460 (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers since 1985) (2021)

refugees (country of origin)

1,742,927 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2021)

stateless persons

11 (2020)

Terrorist group(s)

National Liberation Army (ELN); Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

97.81 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

81.52 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

15.24 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

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-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

Land use

agricultural land

37.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 34.5% (2018 est.)

forest

54.4% (2018 est.)

other

8.1% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Amazon Basin

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

note

note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Colombia; as of 6 October 2021, Columbia has reported a total of 4,963,243 cases of COVID-19 or 9,754.25 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 248.46 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 1 October 2021, 33.56% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever

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 kmnote – [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)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0.75% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

2.36 trillion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

6.391 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

3.73 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

3.49 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

81.7% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

12,150,120 tons (2011 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

2,089,821 tons (2013 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

17.2% (2013 est.)