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KOSHER DELIGHT - YOUR JEWISH ONLINE MAGAZINE!
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COLOMBIA |
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Background,
Geography, People, Government,
Economy, Communications,
Transportation, Military,
Transnational Issues
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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 insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian Government
escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds from the
drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large swaths of
the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks
the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow
the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries has grown
to several thousand strong in recent years, challenging the
insurgents for control of territory and the drug trade, and also
the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas.
While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert government control
throughout the country, neighboring countries worry about the
violence spilling over their borders.
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Geography
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Colombia |
Top
of Page |
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Location:
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Northern
South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and
Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador
and Panama |
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Geographic coordinates:
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4
00 N, 72 00 W |
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Map references:
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South
America |
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Area:
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total:
1,138,910 sq km
land: 1,038,700 sq km
water: 100,210 sq km
note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank,
and Serranilla Bank |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
less than three times the size of Montana |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
6,004 km
border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama
225 km, Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km |
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Coastline:
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3,208
km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km) |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial
sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation |
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Climate:
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tropical
along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands |
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Terrain:
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flat
coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern
lowland plains |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum,
natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds,
hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 2.42%
permanent crops: 1.67%
other: 95.91% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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8,500
sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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highlands
subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic
droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation;
soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air
pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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only
South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific
Ocean and Caribbean Sea
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People |
Colombia |
Top
of Page |
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Population:
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42,954,279 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 30.7% (male 6,670,950/female 6,516,371)
15-64 years: 64.2% (male 13,424,433/female 14,142,825)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 968,127/female 1,231,573)
(2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
26.04 years
male: 25.14 years
female: 26.93 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.49%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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20.82 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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5.59 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.31
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 20.97 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 24.92 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 71.72 years
male: 67.88 years
female: 75.7 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.56 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.7% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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190,000 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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3,600 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Colombian(s)
adjective: Colombian |
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Ethnic groups:
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mestizo
58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%,
Amerindian 1% |
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Religions:
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Roman
Catholic 90%, other 10% |
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Languages:
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Spanish |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 92.4%
female: 92.6% (2003 est.)
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Government |
Colombia |
Top
of Page |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Colombia
conventional short form: Colombia
local long form: Republica de Colombia
local short form: Colombia |
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Government type:
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republic;
executive branch dominates government structure |
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Capital:
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Bogota |
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Administrative divisions:
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32
departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital
district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca,
Atlantico, Distrito Capital de Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas,
Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca,
Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino,
Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y
Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes,
Vichada |
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Independence:
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20
July 1810 (from Spain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence
Day, 20 July (1810) |
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Constitution:
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5
July 1991 |
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Legal system:
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based
on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures
was enacted into law in 2004; judicial review of executive and
legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18
years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two
dominant parties - the PL and PSC - and independents
elections: president and vice president elected by popular
vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 May 2002 (next to
be held May 2006)
election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53%
of the vote; Vice President Francisco SANTOS was elected on the
same ticket |
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Legislative branch:
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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 10 March 2002 (next to be
held March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 10 March
2002 (next to be held March 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - PL 28, PSC 13, independents and smaller parties
(many aligned with conservatives) 61; House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PL 54, PSC 21,
independents and other parties 91 |
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Judicial branch:
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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) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Colombian
Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; Conservative Party or PSC
[Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Democratic Pole or PDI [Samuel MORENO
Rojas]; Liberal Party or PL [Juan Fernando CRISTO]
note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political
parties, most of which do not have a presence in either house of
Congress |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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two
largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or ELN;
largest anti-insurgent paramilitary group is United Self-Defense
Groups of Colombia or AUC |
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International organization participation:
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BCIE,
CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia
chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338
FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Boston,
Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San
Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 |
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy |
Colombia |
Top
of Page |
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Economy - overview:
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Colombia's
economy has been on a recovery trend during the past two years
despite a serious armed conflict. The economy continues to improve
thanks to austere government budgets, focused efforts to reduce
public debt levels, and an export-oriented growth focus. Ongoing
economic problems facing President URIBE range from reforming the
pension system to reducing high unemployment. New exploration is
needed to offset declining oil production. On the positive side,
several international financial institutions have praised the
economic reforms introduced by URIBE, which include measures
designed to reduce the public-sector deficit below 2.5% of GDP.
The government's economic policy and democratic security strategy
have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy,
particularly within the business sector. Coffee prices have
recovered from previous lows as the Colombian coffee industry
pursues greater market shares in developed countries such as the
United States. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $281.1 billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.6% (2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
13.4%
industry: 32.1%
services: 54.5% (2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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15.8% of GDP (2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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55%
(2001) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
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lowest
10%: 1%
highest 10%: 44% (1999) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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57.1
(1996) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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5.9% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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20.7 million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture
30%, industry 24%, services 46% (1990) |
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Unemployment rate:
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13.6% (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$15.33 billion
expenditures: $21.03 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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51.8% of GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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coffee,
cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans,
oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp |
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Industries:
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textiles,
food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals,
cement; gold, coal, emeralds |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4% (2004 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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44.87 billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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41.14 billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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618
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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23
million kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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531,100 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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252,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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1.7 billion bbl (2004 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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132 billion cu m (2004) |
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Current account balance:
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$-1.706 billion (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$15.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum,
coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers |
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Exports - partners:
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US
40.9%, Ecuador 5.8%, Venezuela 4.8% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$15.34 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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industrial
equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals,
paper products, fuels, electricity |
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Imports - partners:
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US
30.6%, Venezuela 5.8%, Brazil 5.2%, Japan 5.2%, Germany 5.1%,
Mexico 5%, China 4.2% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$11.94 billion (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$38.7 billion (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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NA |
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Currency:
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Colombian
peso (COP) |
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Currency code:
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COP |
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Exchange rates:
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Colombian
pesos per US dollar - 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24
(2002), 2,299.63 (2001), 2,087.9 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year
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Communications |
Colombia |
Top
of Page |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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8,768,100 (2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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6,186,200 (2003) |
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Telephone system:
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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 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM
454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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60
(includes seven low-power stations) (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.co |
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Internet hosts:
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115,158 (2003) |
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Internet users:
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2,732,200 (2003)
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Transportation |
Colombia |
Top
of Page |
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Railways:
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total: 3,304 km
standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2003) |
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Highways:
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total: 112,998 km
paved: 26,000 km
unpaved: 84,000 km (2000) |
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Waterways:
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9,187 km (2004) |
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Pipelines:
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gas
4,360 km; oil 6,134 km; refined products 3,140 km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Bahia
de Portete, Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia, Puerto
Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 35,427 GRT/46,301 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 11, liquefied gas 1,
petroleum tanker 2
registered in other countries: 7 (2005) |
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Airports:
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980 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
101
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 39
914 to 1,523 m: 39
under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
879
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 272
under 914 m: 572 (2004 est.) |
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Heliports:
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1
(2004 est.)
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Military |
Colombia |
Top
of Page |
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Military branches:
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Army
(Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval
Aviation, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
Colombiana) |
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Military manpower - military age and
obligation:
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18
years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 24 months (2004) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males
age 18-49: 10,212,456 (2005 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 6,986,228 (2005 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age
annually:
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males:
389,735 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$3.3 billion (FY01) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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3.4% (FY01)
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Transnational
Issues |
Colombia |
Top
of Page |
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Disputes - international:
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Nicaragua
filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in
2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary involving 50,000
sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the Archipelago de San
Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; dispute with Venezuela
over maritime boundary and Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of
Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and
paramilitary activities penetrate all of its neighbors' borders
and have created a serious refugee crisis with over 300,000
persons having fled the country, mostly into neighboring states |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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IDPs:
2,730,000 - 3,100,000 (conflict between government and FARC; drug
wars) (2004) |
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Illicit drugs:
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illicit
producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca
cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2002 was 144,450 hectares, a
15% decline since 2001); potential production of opium between
2001 and 2002 declined by 25% to 91 metric tons; potential
production of heroin declined to 11.3 metric tons; the world's
largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of
about 90% of the cocaine to the US market and the great majority
of cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier
of heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program; a
significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either
laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso
exchange
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Source: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/co.html
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