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Communications

Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

18 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.co

Internet users [time series]

1.15 million (2002)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Radios [time series]

21 million (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: modern system in many respects domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities international: satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

5,433,565 (December 1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

1,800,229 (December 1998)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

4.59 million (1997)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $24 billion expenditures: $25.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Colombian peso (COP)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

COP

Debt - external [time series]

$39 billion (2001 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

57 (1996)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$NA

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Colombia's economy suffered from weak domestic demand, austere government budgets, and a difficult security situation. A new president takes office in 2002 and will face economic challenges ranging from pension reform to reduction of unemployment. Two of Colombia's leading exports, oil and coffee, face an uncertain future; new exploration is needed to offset declining oil production, while coffee harvests and prices are depressed. Problems in public security are a concern for Colombian business leaders, who are calling for progress in the government's peace negotiations with insurgent groups. Colombia is looking for continued support from the international community to boost economic and peace prospects.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

40.348 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports [time series]

37 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports [time series]

77 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production [time series]

43.342 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 26% hydro: 73% other: 1% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates [time series]

Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,275.89 (January 2002), 2,299.63 (2001), 2,087.90 (2000), 1,756.23 (1999), 1,426.04 (1998), 1,140.96 (1997)

Exports [time series]

$12.3 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

US 43%, Andean Community of Nations 22%, EU 14%, (2001 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $255 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 19% industry: 26% services: 55% (2001 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2001 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

1.5% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 44% (1999) (1999)

Imports [time series]

$12.7 billion c.i.f. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

US 35%, EU 16%, Andean Community of Nations 15%, Japan 5% (2001 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4% (2001 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7.6% (2001) (2001)

Labor force [time series]

18.3 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990) (1990)

Population below poverty line [time series]

55% (2001) (2001)

Unemployment rate [time series]

17% (2001 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

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 [time series]

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

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)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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 [time series]

deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

4 00 N, 72 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

8,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 1.9% other: 96.14% (1998 est.) permanent crops: 1.96%

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

South America

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts

Natural resources [time series]

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

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, 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

Capital [time series]

Bogota

Constitution [time series]

5 July 1991

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831 mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038 telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 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 FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643 telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338

Executive branch [time series]

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); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two dominant parties - the PL and PSC - and independents elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006) election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the vote; Vice President Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Independence [time series]

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

International organization participation [time series]

BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

four, coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or 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); Higher Council of Justice (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; members of the disciplinary chamber resolve jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

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 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 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PL 28, PSC 13, independents and smaller parties (many aligned with conservatives) 61; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 54, PSC 21, independents and other parties 91

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

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

Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Liberal Party or PL [Horatio SERPA Uribe]; Patriotic Union or UP is a legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; 19 of April Movement or M-19 [Antonio NAVARRO Wolff] note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political parties, most of which do not have a presence in either house of Congress

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

two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or ELN; largest anti-insurgent paramilitary group is United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries has grown to be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging the insurgents for control of territory and illicit industries such as the drug trade and the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas. While Bogota continues to try to negotiate a settlement, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$3.3 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

3.4% (FY01)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 10,946,932 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 7,308,703 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 379,295 (2002 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 31.6% (male 6,552,961; female 6,399,666) 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 12,694,293; female 13,375,425) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 886,921; female 1,098,961) (2002 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

21.99 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.66 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.31% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

1,700 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

71,000 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

23.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages [time series]

Spanish

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 70.85 years female: 74.83 years (2002 est.) male: 67 years

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Colombian(s) adjective: Colombian

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population [time series]

41,008,227 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.6% (2002 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 90%

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.64 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian drug activities penetrate Peruvian border area

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2001 was 169,800 hectares, a 25% increase over 2000); potential production of opium between 2000 and 2001 increased by 33% to 40 metric tons; potential production of heroin increased to 4.3 metric tons; the world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of about 90% of the cocaine to the US market and the great majority of cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier of heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program; a significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Columbia through the black market peso exchange

Transportation

Airports [time series]

1,066 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 96 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 11 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 38

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 954 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 under 914 m: 587 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 315

Heliports [time series]

1 (2002)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 110,000 km paved: 26,000 km unpaved: 84,000 km (2000)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,438 GRT/43,126 DWT ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 3, container 1, petroleum tanker 2 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

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

Railways [time series]

total: 3,304 km standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge (connects Cerrejon coal mines to maritime port at Bahia de Portete) narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (major sections not in use) (2000 est.)

Waterways [time series]

18,140 km (navigable by river boats) (April 1996)