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Communications

Airports [time series]

1,165 total, 1,045 usable; 69 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 8 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 192 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

106 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

75,450 km total; 9,350 km paved, 66,100 km earth and gravel surfaces

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

14,300 km, navigable by river boats

Merchant marine [time series]

35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 330,316 GRT/484,351 DWT; includes 23 cargo, 1 chemical tanker, 3 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 8 bulk; note--2 naval tankers are sometimes used commercially

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil, 3,585 km; refined products, 1,350 km; natural gas, 830 km; natural gas liquids, 125 km

Ports [time series]

Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Covenas, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

3,386 km; 3,236 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track (2,611 km in use), 150 km 1.435-meter gauge

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

nationwide radio relay system; 1,890,000 telephones; stations--413 AM, no FM, 33 TV, 28 shortwave 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations with 2 antennas and 11 domestic satellite stations

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia), National Police (Policia Nacional)

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$892 million, 2.2% of GDP (1990)

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 8,998,759; 6,102,745 fit for military service; 353,122 reach military age (18) annually

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

growth rate 4.9% (1990); accounts for 22% of GDP; crops make up two-thirds and livestock one-third of agricultural output; climate and soils permit a wide variety of crops, such as coffee, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseeds, vegetables; forest products and shrimp farming are becoming more important

Budget [time series]

revenues $4.39 billion; current expenditures $3.93 billion, capital expenditures $1.03 billion (1989 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Colombian peso (plural--pesos); 1 Colombian peso (Col$) = 100 centavos

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.6 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.1 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $399 million

Electricity [time series]

9,435,000 kW capacity; 36,071 million kWh produced, 1,090 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

Colombian pesos (Col$) per US$1--574.09 (January 1991), 502.24 (1990), 382.57 (1989), 299.17 (1988), 242.61 (1987), 194.26 (1986), 142.31 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$6.9 billion (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--coffee 24%, petroleum, coal, bananas, fresh cut flowers; partners--US 36%, EC 21%, Japan 5%, Netherlands 4%, Sweden 3%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$16.7 billion (1990)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$43.0 billion, per capita $1,300; real growth rate 3.7% (1990 est.)

Illicit drugs [time series]

major illicit producer of cannabis and coca; key supplier of marijuana and cocaine to the US and other international drug markets; drug production and trafficking accounts for an estimated 4% of GDP and 28% of foreign exchange earnings

Imports [time series]

$5.0 billion (c.i.f., 1990); commodities--industrial equipment, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, paper products; partners--US 34%, EC 16%, Brazil 4%, Venezuela 3%, Japan 3%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 5.0% (1990 est.); accounts for 25% of GDP

Industries [time series]

textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, metal products, cement; mining--gold, coal, emeralds, iron, nickel, silver, salt

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

32.4% (1990)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Economic development has slowed gradually since 1986, but growth rates remain high by Latin American standards. Conservative economic policies have kept inflation and unemployment near 30% and 10%, respectively. The rapid development of oil, coal, and other nontraditional industries over the past four years has helped to offset the decline in coffee prices--Colombia's major export. The collapse of the International Coffee Agreement in the summer of 1989, a troublesome rural insurgency, and drug-related violence dampen prospects for future growth.

Unemployment rate [time series]

10.4% (urban areas 1990) (1990)

Geography

Climate [time series]

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Coastline [time series]

3,208 km total (1,448 km North Pacific Ocean; 1,760 Caribbean Sea) Continental shelf: not specified; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; deforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides; periodic droughts

Land boundaries [time series]

7,408 km total; Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 2,900, Venezuela 2,050 km

Land use [time series]

arable land 4%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 29%; forest and woodland 49%; other 16%; includes irrigated NEGL%

Natural resources [time series]

crude oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds

Note [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mixture of flat coastal lowlands, plains in east, central highlands, some high mountains

Area (Total area) [time series]

1,138,910 km2; land area: 1,038,700 km2; includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

23 departments (departamentos, singular--departamento), 5 commissariats* (comisarias, singular--comisaria), and 4 intendancies** (intendencias, singular--intendencia); 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**, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes*, Vichada*; note--there may be a new special district (distrito especial) named Bogota; the Constitution of 5 July 1991 states that the commissariats and intendancies are to become full departments and a capital district (distrito capital) of Santa Fe de Bogota is to be established by 1997

Capital [time series]

Bogota

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

18,000 members (est.), including Communist Party Youth Organization (JUCO)

Constitution [time series]

5 July 1991

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Jaime GARCIA Parra; Chancery at 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-8338; there are Colombian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Tampa; US--Ambassador-designate Morris D. BUSBY; Embassy at Calle 38, No.8-61, Bogota (mailing address is P. O. Box A. A. 3831, Bogota or APO Miami 34038); telephone [57] (1) 285-1300 or 1688; there is a US Consulate in Barranquilla

Executive branch [time series]

president, presidential designate, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo (since 7 August 1990) Liberal Party (PL), Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo, president, and Alfonso LOPEZ Michelsen, party head; Social Conservative Party (PCS), Misael PASTRANA Borrero; National Salvation Movement (MSN), Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado; Democratic Alliance (AD) is headed by 19th of April Movement (M-19) leader Antonio NAVARRO Wolf, coalition of small leftist parties and dissident liberals and conservatives; Patriotic Union (UP), is a legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Colombian Communist Party (PCC), Carlos ROMERO

Legal system [time series]

based on Spanish law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of a nationally elected upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a regionally elected lower chamber or Chamber of Representatives (Camara de Representantes)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of Colombia

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

AG, CDB, CG, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-11, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

three insurgent groups are active in Colombia--Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), led by Manuel MARULANDA and Alfonso CANO; National Liberation Army (ELN), led by Manuel PEREZ; and dissidents of the recently demobilized People's Liberation Army (EPL) led by Francisco CARABALLO

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18 President--last held 27 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results--Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo (Liberal) 47%, Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado (National Salvation Movement) 24%, Antonio NAVARRO Wolff (M-19) 13%, Rodrigo LLOREDA (Conservative) 12%; Senate--last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held 27 October 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(114 total) Liberal 72, Conservative 40, UP 1, vacant 1; Chamber of Representatives last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held 27 October 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(199 total) Liberal 122, Conservative 68, UP 3, M-19 1, other 5; note--on 5 July 1991 the new Constitution dissolved Congress and replaced it with a multiparty 36-member legislative commission until a new congress, to be elected on 27 October 1991, takes office on 1 December 1991

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

People

Birth rate [time series]

26 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

37 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

11,000,000 (1986); services 53%, agriculture 26%, industry 21% (1981)

Languages (Language) [time series]

Spanish

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

68 years male, 74 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

87% (male 88%, female 86%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Colombian(s); adjective--Colombian

Net migration rate [time series]

NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

1,400,000 members (1987), about 12% of labor force; the Communist-backed Unitary Workers Central or CUT is the largest labor organization, with about 725,000 members (including all affiliate unions)

Population [time series]

33,777,550 (July 1991), growth rate 2.1% (1991)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

Roman Catholic 95%

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.8 children born/woman (1991)