World Facts Index > Colombia > Bogota, Cartagena
 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 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 administrative departments. However, neighboring countries
worry about the violence spilling over their borders.
Geography of Colombia
|
Location:
|
Northern South America,
bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering
the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama |
|
Coordinates:
|
4 00 N, 72 00 W |
|
Area:
|
total: 1,138,910 sq
km
land: 1,038,700 sq km
note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and
Serranilla Bank
water: 100,210 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
slightly less than three
times the size of Montana |
|
Land boundaries:
|
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 |
|
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
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 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 |
|
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 |
|
Geography - note:
|
only South American country
with coastlines on both North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
|
More Geography
Population of Colombia
|
Population:
|
45,013,672 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 30.3% (male 6,683,079/female 6,528,563)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 13,689,384/female 14,416,439)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 996,022/female 1,279,548) |
|
Median age:
|
26.3 years |
|
Growth rate:
|
1.46% |
|
Infant mortality:
|
20.35 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 71.99 years
male: 68.15 years
female: 75.96 years |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
2.54 children born/woman |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Colombian(s)
adjective: Colombian |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black
4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1% |
|
Religions:
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Roman Catholic 90% |
|
Languages:
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Spanish |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 92.4%
female: 92.6%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Republic of
Colombia
local long form: Republica de Colombia |
|
Government type:
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republic; executive branch dominates
government structure |
|
Capital:
|
Bogota |
|
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 |
|
Independence:
|
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 |
|
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:
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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 URIBE's 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) |
|
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) |
|
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). |
Economy
Colombia's economy has experienced positive growth over the past five years
despite a serious armed conflict. In fact, 2007 is regarded by policy makers
and the private sector as one of the best economic years in recent history,
after 2005. The economy continues to improve in part because of austere
government budgets, focused efforts to reduce public debt levels, an
export-oriented growth strategy, improved domestic security, and high
commodity prices. Ongoing economic problems facing President URIBE include
reforming the pension system, reducing high unemployment, and funding new
exploration to offset declining oil production. The government's economic
reforms and democratic security strategy, coupled with increased investment,
have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy. However, the
business sector continues to be concerned about failure of the US Congress to
approve the signed FTA.
|
GDP:
|
$327.7 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
5.1% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$7,400 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 12.5%
industry: 34.2%
services: 53.3% |
|
Inflation rate:
|
5% |
|
Labor force:
|
20.52 million |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture: 22.7%
industry: 18.7%
services: 58.5% |
|
Unemployment:
|
11.8% |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $46.82 billion
expenditures: $48.77 billion |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 26%
hydro: 72.7%
other: 1.3%
nuclear: 0% |
|
Industries:
|
textiles, food processing, oil, clothing
and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds |
|
Agriculture:
|
coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice,
tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp |
|
Exports:
|
petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas,
cut flowers |
|
Export partners:
|
US 39.4%, Venezuela 8.9%, Ecuador 5.6% |
|
Imports:
|
industrial equipment, transportation
equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity |
|
Import partners:
|
US 29%, Venezuela 6.6%, Mexico 6%, Brazil 5.6%, China 5%,
Germany 4.6%, Japan 4.3% |
|
Currency:
|
Colombian peso (COP) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
History of Colombia
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