Colombia

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Introduction - Colombia:
Country	Colombia


Background	Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups and illegal paramilitary groups - both heavily funded by the drug trade - escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, and violence has been decreasing since about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence. More than 32,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had largely ceased to function. Still, some renegades continued to engage in criminal activities. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its municipalities. However, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.


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

Geographic coordinates	4 00 N, 72 00 W

Map references	South America

Area	total: 1,138,910 sq km land: 1,038,700 sq km water: 100,210 sq km note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank

Area comparative	slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries	total: 6,309 km border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km

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

Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate	tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

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

Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

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

Land use	arable land: 2.01% permanent crops: 1.37% other: 96.62% (2005)

Irrigated land	9,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards	highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment current issues	deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

Environment international agreements	party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

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

People - Colombia:
Population	44,379,598 (July 2007 est.)

Age structure	0-14 years: 29.8% (male 6,696,471/female 6,539,612) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 14,012,140/female 14,732,874) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,042,645/female 1,355,856) (2007 est.)

Median age	total: 26.6 years male: 25.6 years female: 27.5 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate	1.433% (2007 est.)

Birth rate	20.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate	5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate	-0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.024 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.769 male(s)/female total population: 0.961 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate	total: 20.13 deaths/1,000 live births male: 23.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth	total population: 72.27 years male: 68.44 years female: 76.24 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate	2.51 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Hiv aids adult prevalence rate	0.7% (2003 est.)

Hiv aids people living with hiv aids	190,000 (2003 est.)

Hiv aids deaths	3,600 (2003 est.)

Nationality	noun: Colombian(s) adjective: Colombian

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

Religions	Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Languages	Spanish

Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.8% male: 92.9% female: 92.7% (2004 est.)

Government - Colombia:
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Colombia conventional short form: Colombia local long form: Republica de Colombia local short form: Colombia

Government type	republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Capital	name: Bogota geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions	32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

Independence	20 July 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday	Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Constitution	5 July 1991; amended many times

Legal system	based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and is gradually being implemented; judicial review of executive and legislative acts

Suffrage	18 years of age; universal

Executive branch	chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002) cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the three largest parties that supported President URIBEs reelection - the PSUN, PC, and CR - and independents elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez reelected president; percent of vote - Alvaro URIBE Velez 62%, Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz 22%, Horacio SERPA Uribe 12%, other 4%

Legislative branch	bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010); House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSUN 20, PC 18, PL 18, CR 15, PDI 10, other parties 21; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 35, PSUN 33, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 8, other parties 41

Judicial branch	four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Political parties and leaders	Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Julio MANZUR Abdala]; Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz]; Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo]; Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras]; Social National Unity Party or U Party [Carlos GARCIA Orjuela] note: Colombia has 15 formally recognized political parties, and numerous unofficial parties that did not meet the vote threshold in the March 2006 legislative elections required for recognition

Political pressure groups and leaders	two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or ELN

International organization participation	BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the us	chief of mission: Ambassador Carolina BARCO Isakson chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338 FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the us	chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831 mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038 telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Flag description	three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Economy - Colombia:
Economy overview	Colombias economy has experienced positive growth over the past three years despite a serious armed conflict. The economy continues to improve in part because of austere government budgets, focused efforts to reduce public debt levels, an export-oriented growth strategy, an improved security situation in the country, and high commodity prices. Ongoing economic problems facing President URIBE range from reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment, and to achieving congressional passage of a fiscal transfers reform; furthermore, new exploration is needed to offset declining oil production. However, the governments economic policy, democratic security strategy, and the signing of a free trade agreement with the US have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy, particularly within the business sector.

Gdp purchasing power parity	$374.4 billion (2006 est.)

Gdp official exchange rate	$106.8 billion (2006 est.)

Gdp real growth rate	6.8% (2006 est.)

Gdp per capita ppp	$8,600 (2006 est.)

Gdp composition by sector	agriculture: 12% industry: 35.2% services: 52.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force	20.81 million (2006 est.)

Labor force by occupation	agriculture: 22.7% industry: 18.7% services: 58.5% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate	11.1% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line	49.2% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 7.9% highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)

Distribution of family income gini index	53.8 (2005)

Inflation rate consumer prices	4.3% (2006 est.)

Investment gross fixed	22.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget	revenues: $50.7 billion expenditures: $52.29 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

Public debt	45.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate	5.8% (2006 est.)

Electricity production	46.93 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity consumption	42.01 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity exports	1.682 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity imports	48 million kWh (2004)

Oil production	512,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil consumption	269,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil exports	NA bbl/day

Oil imports	NA bbl/day

Oil proved reserves	1.282 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas production	6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas consumption	6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas exports	0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas imports	0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas proved reserves	114.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance	-$2.219 billion (2006 est.)

Exports	$24.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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

Exports partners	US 35.8%, Venezuela 10.4%, Ecuador 6.6% (2006)

Imports	$24.33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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

Imports partners	US 28.2%, Mexico 8.3%, Brazil 6.5%, China 6.3%, Venezuela 5.9%, Japan 4.3% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold	$16.5 billion (2006 est.)

Debt external	$37.21 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid recipient	$NA

Currency code	Colombian peso (COP)

Exchange rates	Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,358.6 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002)

Communications - Colombia:
Fiscal year	calendar year

Telephones main lines in use	7.865 million (2006)

Telephones mobile cellular	29.763 million (2006)

Telephone system	general assessment: modern system in many respects domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations	AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Television broadcast stations	60 (1997)

Internet country code	.co

Internet hosts	581,877 (2006)

Internet users	6.705 million (2006)

Transportation - Colombia:
Airports	984 (2006)

Airports with paved runways	total: 101 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 38 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Airports with unpaved runways	total: 883 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 275 under 914 m: 572 (2006)

Heliports	2 (2006)

Pipelines	gas 4,360 km; oil 6,140 km; refined products 3,158 km (2006)

Railways	total: 3,304 km standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)

Roadways	total: 112,988 km paved: 16,270 km unpaved: 96,718 km (2004)

Waterways	18,000 km (2006)

Merchant marine	total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 42,413 GRT/58,737 DWT by type: cargo 13, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 3 registered in other countries: 7 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals	Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Muelles El Bosque, Puerto Bolivar, Santa Marta, Turbo

Military - Colombia:
Military branches	National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes naval aviation, marine corps, and coast guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2007)

Military service age and obligation	18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service	males age 18-49: 10,212,456 females age 18-49: 10,561,562 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service	males age 18-49: 6,986,228 females age 18-49: 8,794,465 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually	males age 18-49: 389,735 females age 18-49: 383,146 (2005 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons	IDPs: 1.8-3.8 million (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and FARC factions; drug wars) (2006)

Military expenditures percent of gdp	3.4% (2005 est.)

Disputes international	memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in Nicaraguas 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea - final public hearings are scheduled for 2007; dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all of its neighbors borders and have caused over 300,000 persons to flee the country, mostly into neighboring states