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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.co

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

115,158 (2003)

Internet users [time series]

2,732,200 (2003)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

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: country code - 57; 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]

8,768,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

6,186,200 (2003)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

60 (includes seven low-power stations) (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 (2004 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Colombian peso (COP)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

COP

Current account balance [time series]

$-1.417 billion (2003)

Debt - external [time series]

$38.26 billion (2003 est.)

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

57.1 (1996)

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

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Colombia's economy suffers from weak domestic and foreign demand, austere government budgets, and serious internal armed conflict, but seems poised for recovery. Other economic problems facing President URIBE range from reforming the pension system to reducing high 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. On the positive side, several international financial institutions have praised the economic reforms introduced by URIBE, which includes measures designed to reduce the public-sector deficit below 2.5% of GDP in 2004. The government's economic policy and democratic security strategy have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy, particularly within the business sector, and GDP growth in 2003 was among the highest in Latin America.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

39.81 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports [time series]

210 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports [time series]

40 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production [time series]

42.99 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates [time series]

Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002), 2,299.63 (2001), 2,087.9 (2000), 1,756.23 (1999)

Exports [time series]

$12.96 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

US 47.1%, Ecuador 6%, Venezuela 5.3% (2003)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $263.2 billion (2003 est.)

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

agriculture: 13.7% industry: 32.1% services: 54.2% (2003 est.)

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

purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2003 est.)

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

3.7% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$13.06 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

US 29.6%, Brazil 5.5%, Mexico 5.4%, Venezuela 5.2%, China 5%, Japan 4.6%, Germany 4.4% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

3.5% (2003 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

15.9% of GDP (2003)

Labor force [time series]

20.34 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

132 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption [time series]

252,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

614,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

1.8 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line [time series]

55% (2001)

Public debt [time series]

51.9% of GDP (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold (Reserves of foreign exchange & gold) [time series]

$10.92 billion (2003)

Unemployment rate [time series]

14.2% (2003 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 1,138,910 sq km land: 1,038,700 sq km water: 100,210 sq km note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank

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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

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: 2.42% permanent crops: 1.67% other: 95.91% (2001)

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]

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

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 long form: Republica de Colombia local short form: Colombia

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD 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 telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338 FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC consulate(s): Atlanta

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, CDB, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

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 [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 [Camilo SANCHEZ]; Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; Democratic Pole or PDI [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 the drug trade, and also the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas. While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, 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 Naval Aviation, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana)

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: 11,252,027 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 7,495,462 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation [time series]

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

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 392,656 (2004 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 31% (male 6,644,080; female 6,489,677) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 13,171,416; female 13,879,115) 65 years and over: 5% (male 940,762; female 1,185,725) (2004 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

21.19 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 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]

0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

3,600 (2003 est.)

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

190,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 21.72 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages [time series]

Spanish

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.43 years male: 67.58 years female: 75.41 years (2004 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 92.4% female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 25.8 years male: 24.9 years female: 26.7 years (2004 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Colombian(s) adjective: Colombian

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population [time series]

42,310,775 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.53% (2004 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: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.59 children born/woman (2004 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; the continuing civil disorder in Colombia has created a serious refugee crisis in neighboring states, especially Ecuador

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2002 was 144,450 hectares, a 15% decline since 2001); potential production of opium between 2001 and 2002 declined by 25% to 91 metric tons; potential production of heroin declined to 11.3 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 Colombia through the black market peso exchange

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

IDPs: 2,730,000 - 3,100,000 (conflict between government and FARC; drug wars) (2004)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

980 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 101 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 879 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 272 under 914 m: 572 (2004 est.)

Heliports [time series]

1 (2003 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 35,427 GRT/46,301 DWT by type: bulk 4, cargo 5, container 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 2 registered in other countries: 16 (2004 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

gas 4,360 km; oil 6,134 km; refined products 3,140 km (2004)

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 narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Waterways [time series]

9,187 km (2004)