Background: Colombia gained its independence from Spain in 1819. Earlier than most countries in the area, it established traditions of civilian government with regular, free elections. In recent years, however, assassinations, widespread guerrilla activities, and drug trafficking have severely disrupted normal public and private activities.

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, Central America and the Caribbean

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, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank

Area—comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 7,408 km
border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 2,900 km, Venezuela 2,050 km

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

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

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: Nevado del Huila 5,750 m

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

Land use:
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 39%
forests and woodland: 48%
other: 8% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 5,300 sq km (1993 est.)

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

Environment—current issues: deforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

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

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

Population: 39,309,422 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 6,556,566; female 6,402,115)
15-64 years: 62% (male 11,966,306; female 12,593,685)
65 years and over: 5% (male 807,282; female 983,468) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.85% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 24.45 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.59 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 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: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.48 years
male: 66.54 years
female: 74.54 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.87 children born/woman (1999 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 95%

Languages: Spanish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.3%
male: 91.2%
female: 91.4% (1995 est.)

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

Data code: CO

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, 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, Distrito Capital de Santa Fe de Bogota*, 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 Andres PASTRANA (since 7 August 1998); Vice President Gustavo BELL (since 7 August 1998); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Andres PASTRANA (since 7 August 1998); Vice President Gustavo BELL (since 7 August 1998); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2002); vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term in a new procedure that replaces the traditional designation of vice presidents by newly elected presidents; election last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2002)
election results: no candidate received more than 50% of the total vote, therefore, a run-off election to select a president from the two leading candidates was held 21 June 1998; Andres PASTRANA elected president; percent of vote—NA; Gustavo BELL elected vice president; percent of vote—NA

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 (161 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate—last held NA March 1998 (next to be held NA March 2002); House of Representatives—last held NA March 1998 (next to be held NA March 2002)
election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—PL 50%, PC 24%, smaller parties (many aligned with conservatives) 26%; seats by party—PL 51, PC 24, smaller parties 27; House of Representatives—percent of vote by party—PL 52%, PC 17%, other 31%; seats by party—NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (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

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party or PL [Horaero SERPA]; Conservative Party or PC [Omar YEPES Alzate]; New Democratic Force or NDF [Andres PASTRANA Arango]; Democratic Alliance M-19 or AD/M-19 is a coalition of small leftist parties and dissident liberals and conservatives [leader NA]; Patriotic Union or UP is a legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and Colombian Communist Party or PCC [leader NA]

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), CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G- 3, G-11, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, 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
telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338
FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC
consulate(s): Atlanta and Tampa

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Curtis Warren KAMMAN
embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831
mailing address: 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—overview: Colombia ended 1998 in recession with 0.2% GDP growth due to a combination of low world oil prices, reduced export demand, guerrilla violence, and diminished investment flows. The Central Bank resorted to interest rate hikes and tight monetary policy to defend the peso against pressure from Colombia's worsening trade and fiscal deficits. President PASTRANA'S well-respected financial team is working to deal with the myriad economic problems the country faces, including the highest unemployment level in decades and a fiscal deficit of close to 5% of GDP in 1998. The government implemented austerity measures, declared emergency measures to guard against a potential banking crisis resulting from the country's economic slowdown, and is seeking international assistance to fund a peace plan with the guerrillas. Guerrilla violence and low world oil prices will likely continue to undermine the economy in 1999.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$254.7 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 0.2% (1998)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$6,600 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 19%
industry: 26%
services: 55% (1996)

Population below poverty line: 17.7% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 46.9% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 16.7% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 16.8 million (1997 est.)

Labor force—by occupation: services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 15.7% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $26 billion (1996 est.)
expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: -1.2% (1996)

Electricity—production: 53.725 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source:
fossil fuel: 19.26%
hydro: 80.74%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 53.857 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 132 million kWh (1996)

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

Exports: $11.3 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports—commodities: petroleum, coffee, coal, gold, bananas, cut flowers

Exports—partners: US 38%, EU 23%, Andean Community 18%, Japan 3% (1997)

Imports: $14.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

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

Imports—partners: US 42%, EU 23%, Andean Community 14%, Japan 4% (1997)

Debt—external: $18 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid—recipient: $40.7 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Colombian peso (Col$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: Colombian pesos (Col$) per US$1—1,562.0 (February 1999), 1,426.04 (1998), 1,140.96 (1997), 1,036.69 (1996), 912.83 (1995), 844.84 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Telephones: 1.89 million (1986 est.)

Telephone system: modern system in many respects
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 463, FM 35, shortwave 45 (1998 est.)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions: 5.5 million (1993 est.)

Railways:
total: 3,380 km
standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge (connects Cerrejon coal mines to maritime port at Bahia de Portete)
narrow gauge: 3,230 km 0.914-m gauge (1,830 km in use) (1995)

Highways:
total: 115,564 km
paved: 13,868 km
unpaved: 101,696 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 14,300 km, navigable by river boats

Pipelines: crude oil 3,585 km; petroleum products 1,350 km; natural gas 830 km; natural gas liquids 125 km

Ports and harbors: Bahia de Portete, Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia, Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo

Merchant marine:
total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 64,7575 GRT/84,518 DWT
ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 5, container 1, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oil tanker 2 (1998 est.)

Airports: 1,120 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways:
total: 89
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 35
under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 1,031
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 63
914 to 1,523 m: 339
under 914 m: 628 (1998 est.)

Military branches: Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana), National Police (Policia Nacional)

Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 10,418,211 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 6,980,700 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 360,820 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $4 billion (1998)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 4.2% (1998)

Disputes—international: maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela; territorial disputes with Nicaragua over Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of coca, opium poppies, and cannabis; cultivation of coca in 1997—79,500 hectares, an 18% increase over 1996; potential production of cocaine in 1997—125 metric tons, a 14% increase over 1996; cultivation of opium in 1997—6,600 hectares, a 5% increase over 1996; potential production of opium in 1997—66 metric tons, a 5% increase over 1996; the world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of cocaine to the US and other international drug markets; active aerial eradication program seeks to virtually eliminate coca and opium crops

Source: 1999 CIA World Factbook