Colombia

Internet country code

.co

Internet hosts

1.554 million (2008)

Internet users

12.1 million (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Telephone system

general assessment: modern system in many respects; telecommunications sector liberalized during the 1990s; multiple providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular services; fixed-line connections stand at about 18 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage is about 75 per 100 persons; competition among cellular service providers is resulting in falling local and international calling rates and contributing to the steep decline in the market share of fixed line services domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities international: country code - 57; submarine cables provide links to the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 10 (6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully digitalized international switching centers) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

7.936 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

33.941 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

60 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $63.69 billion expenditures: $64.96 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

11.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15.38% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

Colombian peso (COP)

Current account balance

-$5.862 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$41.39 billion (30 June 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

53.8 (2005)

Economy - overview

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.

Electricity - consumption

39.58 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

876.7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

39.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

51.83 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Exchange rates

Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar - 2,013.8 (2007), 2,358.6 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003)

Exports

$30.58 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 35.4%, Venezuela 17.4%, Ecuador 4.3% (2007)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$171.6 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$327.7 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 11.5% industry: 36% services: 52.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$7,400 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

8.2% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 7.9% highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)

Imports

$31.17 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 26.2%, China 10.1%, Mexico 9.3%, Brazil 7.3%, Venezuela 4.2% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

9.8% (2007 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.5% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

22.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

20.5 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 22.7% industry: 18.7% services: 58.5% (2000 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$56.2 billion (2006)

Natural gas - consumption

7.22 billion cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

7.22 billion cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

122.9 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption

265,400 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

276,100 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

12,480 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

550,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

1.506 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Public debt

52.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$20.95 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$10.38 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$56.19 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$85.34 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$21.81 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$27.25 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

11.2% (2007 est.)

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

Climate

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Coastline

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

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

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 10.71 cu km/yr (50%/4%/46%) per capita: 235 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

4 00 N, 72 00 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

9,000 sq km (2003)

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

Land use

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

Location

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

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

2,132 cu km (2000)

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

Capital

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

Constitution

5 July 1991; amended many times

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD embassy: Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogota, D.C. mailing address: Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogota, D.C. telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

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

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) 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%

Flag description

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

Government type

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Independence

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

International organization participation

BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-3, 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, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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)

Legal system

based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and reached full implemention in January 2008; judicial review of executive and legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Political parties and leaders

Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Efrain Jose CEPEDA Sarabia]; 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

National Liberation Army or ELN; Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC note: two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 11,478,109 females age 16-49: 11,809,279 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 8,056,336 females age 16-49: 9,919,952 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 442,403 female: 433,192 (2008 est.)

Military branches

National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Naval Infantry (Infanteria de Marina, Colmar), and Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2008)

Military expenditures

3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.4% (male 6,688,530/female 6,531,768) 15-64 years: 65.1% (male 14,292,647/female 15,017,204) 65 years and over: 5.5% (male 1,072,644/female 1,410,881) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

19.86 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2006)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

190,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 19.51 deaths/1,000 live births male: 23.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

Spanish

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.54 years male: 68.71 years female: 76.5 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

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

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)

Median age

total: 26.8 years male: 25.9 years female: 27.8 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Colombian(s) adjective: Colombian

Net migration rate

-0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

45,013,672 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

1.405% (2008 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2006)

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: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.49 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Disputes - international

in December 2007, ICJ allocates San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but does not rule on 82�W meridian as maritime boundary with Nicaragua; managed 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 neighboring borders and have caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countries; Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator with 167,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2007, a 6% increase over 2006, producing a potential of 535 metric tons of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to most of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets; in 2007, aerial eradication dispensed herbicide to treat over 153,000 hectares with another 67,000 hectares manually eradicated, but aggressive replanting on the part of coca growers means Colombia remains a key producer; a significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange; important supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation is estimated to have fallen 25% between 2006 and 2007 with a corresponding estimated 27% decline in the yield of pure heroin to 1.9 metric tons; (2007)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 1.8-3.5 million (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers) (2007)

Airports

934 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 103 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 12 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 831 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 216 under 914 m: 580 (2007)

Heliports

2 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 17 by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 3, specialized tanker 1 registered in other countries: 6 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 4) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 4,329 km; oil 6,140 km; refined products 3,145 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Turbo

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: 164,257 km (2005)

Waterways

18,000 km (2006)