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| Introduction | Colombia |
| Background: | Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being 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 be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging the insurgents for control of territory and illicit industries such as the drug trade and 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. |
| People | Colombia |
| Population: | 42,310,775 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 31% (male 6,644,080; female 6,489,677) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 13,171,416; female 13,879,115) 65 years and over: 5% (male 940,762; female 1,185,725) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 25.8 years male: 24.9 years female: 26.7 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.53% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 21.19 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | 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 (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 21.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 25.69 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 71.43 years male: 67.58 years female: 75.41 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.59 children born/woman (2004 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% |
| Languages: | Spanish |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 92.4% female: 92.6% (2003 est.) |
| Government | Colombia |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Colombia conventional short form: Colombia local short form: Colombia local long form: Republica de Colombia |
| Government type: | republic; executive branch dominates government structure |
| Capital: | Bogota |
| Administrative divisions: | 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 |
| Independence: | 20 July 1810 (from Spain) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 20 July (1810) |
| Constitution: | 5 July 1991 |
| Legal system: | based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted in 1992-93; judicial review of executive and legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
| 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); 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 NA May 2006) election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the vote; Vice President Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket |
| 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 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA 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 |
| Judicial branch: | four coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justical (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law, judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice 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); Higher Council of Justice (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; members of the disciplinary chamber resolve jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Liberal Party or PL [Camilo SANCHEZ]; Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; Democratic Pole or PDI [Antonio NAVARRO Wolff] note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political parties, most of which do not have a presence in either house of Congress |
| 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; largest anti-insurgent paramilitary group is United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC |
| International organization participation: | BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, 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, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC consulate(s): Atlanta FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643 telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338 |
| 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 |
| Communications | Colombia |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 8,768,100 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 6,186,200 (2003) |
| 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) |
| Radios: | 21 million (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997) |
| Televisions: | 4.59 million (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .co |
| Internet hosts: | 115,158 (2003) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 18 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 2,732,200 (2003) |
| Transportation | Colombia |
| Railways: | total: 3,304 km standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 110,000 km paved: 26,000 km unpaved: 84,000 km (2000) |
| Waterways: | 9,187 km (2004) |
| Pipelines: | gas 4,360 km; oil 6,134 km; refined products 3,140 km (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Bahia de Portete, Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia, Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo |
| Merchant marine: | total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 35,427 GRT/46,301 DWT by type: bulk 4, cargo 5, container 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 2 registered in other countries: 16 (2003 est.) |
| Airports: | 980 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 101 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39 |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 879 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 under 914 m: 572 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 272 |
| Heliports: | 1 (2003 est.) |
| Military | Colombia |
| Military branches: | Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, including Naval Aviation, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana) |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 24 months (2004) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 11,252,027 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 7,495,462 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 392,656 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $3.3 billion (FY01) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 3.4% (FY01) |
| Transnational Issues | Colombia |
| Disputes - international: | 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; maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian drug activities penetrate Peruvian border area; the continuing civil disorder in Colombia has created a serious refugee crisis in neighboring states, especially Ecuador |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons: | IDPs: 2,730,000 - 3,100,000 (conflict between government and FARC; drug wars) (2004) |
| Illicit drugs: | 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 |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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