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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 1,369 usable: 1,156 with permanent-surface runways: 73 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-2,659 m: 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 205

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 128,717 km (1989) paved: 10,330 km unpaved: gravel/earth 118,387 km

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

14,300 km, navigable by river boats

Merchant marine [time series]

27 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 211,777 GRT/335,763 DWT, bulk 7, cargo 11, container 6, oil tanker 3

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 3,585 km; petroleum 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; broadcast stations - 413 AM, no FM, 33 TV, 28 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations and 11 domestic satellite earth stations

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, including Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana), National Police (Policia Nacional)

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $1.2 billion (1992 est.)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 9,639,080; fit for military service 6,507,935; reach military age (18) annually 354,944 (1994 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

growth rate 2.7% (1993 est.) accounts for 21% 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: $11 billion expenditures: $12 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2 billion (1993 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Colombian peso (Col$) = 100 centavos

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.6 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $3.3 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $399 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 10,193,000 kW production: 36 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,050 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Colombian pesos (Col$) per US$1 - 921.20 (January 1994), 863.06 (1993), 759.28 (1992), 633.05 (1991), 502.26 (1990), 382.57 (1989)

Exports [time series]

$6.9 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: petroleum, coffee, coal, bananas, fresh cut flowers partners: US 39%, EC 25.7%, Japan 2.9%, Venezuela 8.5% (1992)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$17 billion (1992)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of coca, opium, and cannabis; about 37,100 hectares of coca under cultivation; the world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine in 1992; supplier of cocaine to the US and other international drug markets

Imports [time series]

$6.7 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products partners: US 36%, EC 18%, Brazil 4%, Venezuela 6.5%, Japan 8.7% (1992)

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

growth rate 2% (1993 est.); accounts for 21% 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]

22.6% (1993 est.)

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

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $192 billion (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$5,500 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

5.1% (1993 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Colombia's economic growth has recovered steadily since 1991 as President GAVIRIA'S sweeping economic reform measures have taken hold. Market reforms have included trade and investment liberalization, labor and tax overhauls and bureaucratic streamlining, among other things. Furthermore, conservative fiscal and monetary policies have helped to steadily reduce inflation to 23% and unemployment to about 7% in 1993. The rapid development of oil, coal, and other nontraditional industries has helped offset the decline in coffee prices. A major oil find in 1993 in eastern Colombia may provide an extra $3 billion annually to the economy by 1997. Increased foreign investment and even greater domestic activity have been hampered, however, by a troublesome rural insurgency, a decrepit energy and transportation infrastructure, and drug-related violence. Agriculture also has encountered problems in adjusting to fewer subsidies, greater competition, and the collapse of the international coffee agreement, which has kept world coffee prices at near-record lows in 1991-93. Business construction was a leading sector in 1993. The substantial trade deficit in 1993 was the result of a strong peso that inhibited exports and a liberalized government policy that spurred imports.

Unemployment rate [time series]

7.9% (1993 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 1,138,910 sq km land area: 1,038,700 sq km comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Montana note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank

Climate [time series]

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Coastline [time series]

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

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: deforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides natural hazards: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; periodic droughts international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Disputes - international (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

Irrigated land [time series]

5,150 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 4% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 29% forest and woodland: 49% other: 16%

Location [time series]

Northern South America, between Panama and Venezuela

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, 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]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Bogota

Constitution [time series]

5 July 1991

Digraph [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Gabriel SILVA chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 387-8338

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: President Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo (since 7 August 1990); President-designate Juan Manuel SANTOS (since NA 1993); election last held 27 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results - Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo (Liberal Party) 47%, Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado (National Salvation Movement) 24%, Antonio NAVARRO Wolff (AD/M-19) 13%, Rodrigo LLOREDA (Conservative Party) 12% note: a new government will be inaugurated on 7 August 1994; the presidential election of 29 May 1994 resulted in no candidate receiving more than 50% of the total vote and a run-off election to select a president from the two leading candidates was held on 19 June 1994; results - Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (Liberal Party) 50.4%, Andres PASTRANA Arango (Conservative Party) 48.6%, blank votes 1%; Humberto de la CALLE was elected vice president; electing a vice president is a new proceedure that replaces the traditional appointment of president-designates by newly elected presidents cabinet: Cabinet

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

(202) 232-8643 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington consulate(s): Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Tampa

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

[57] (1) 288-5687 consulate(s): Barranquilla

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

Legislative branch (House of Representatives (Camara de Representantes)) [time series]

elections last held 13 March 1994 (next to be held NA March 1998); preliminary results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (161 total) Liberal Party 89, conservatives (includes PC, MSN, and NDF) 53, AD/M-19 2, other 17

Independence [time series]

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justical), Constitutional Court, Council of State

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Congress (Congreso)

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, ONUSAL, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

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), Manuel MARULANDA and Alfonso CANO; National Liberation Army (ELN), Manuel PEREZ; and dissidents of the recently demobilized People's Liberation Army (EPL), Francisco CARABALLO; Francisco CARABALLO was captured by the government in June 1994

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Liberal Party (PL), Ernesto SAMPER Pizano, president; Conservative Party (PC), Misael PASTRANA Borrero; National Salvation Movement (MSN), Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado; New Democratic Force (NDF), Andres PASTRANA Arango; Democratic Alliance M-19 (AD/M-19) is a 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

Legislative branch (Senate (Senado)) [time series]

elections last held 13 March 1994 (next to be held NA March 1998); preliminary results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (102 total) Liberal Party 59, conservatives (includes PC, MSN, and NDF) 31, other 12

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Morris D. BUSBY embassy: Calle 38, No. 8-61, Bogota mailing address: Apartado Aereo 3831, Bogota or APO AA 34038 telephone: [57] (1) 320-1300

People

Birth rate [time series]

22.64 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.75 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

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]

28.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

12 million (1990) by occupation: services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990)

Languages [time series]

Spanish

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 72.1 years male: 69.33 years female: 74.95 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Colombian(s) adjective: Colombian

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

35,577,556 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.77% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 95%

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.47 children born/woman (1994 est.)