Colombia

republicIndependence 20 July 1810 (from Spain)

Colombia as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBogota

Area1,138,910 km2

Populationas each edition published it

33.78 million July 1991 · 33.08m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.83% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 25.6 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 71.72 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.8 children per woman 1991 · 2.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

37 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 38 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $1,500 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 3.3% in 1993

Geography

11 fields

Total area

1,138,910km2

land area: 1,038,700 km2; includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla BankComparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Coastline

3,208km total

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

Land boundaries

7,408km total

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

Disputes

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

Climate

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Terrain

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

Natural resources

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

Land use

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

Environment

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

Note

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

People

14 fields

Population

33,777,550

(July 1991), growth rate 2.1% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

26Death

Ethnic divisions

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

Labor force

11,000,000

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

Literacy

87%

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

Nationality

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

Organized labor

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)

Government

Republic

17 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

47%

Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo (Liberal) 47%Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado (National Salvation Movement) 24%Antonio NAVARRO Wolff (M-19) 13%Rodrigo LLOREDA (Conservative) 12%27 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994)

Senate, 114 seats, elected 11 March 1990one dot, one seat

Liberal 72Conservative 40UP 1vacant 1

Type

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Administrative divisions

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

Legal system

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

Executive branch

president, presidential designate, Cabinet

Legislative branch

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)

Judicial branch

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

Suffrage

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

Communists

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

Other political or pressure groups

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

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

Diplomatic representation

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

Flag

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

Economy

Economic development has slowed gradually since 1986, but growth rates remain high by Latin American standards.

17 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$43.0billion

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

Inflation, consumer prices

32.4%

(1990)

Unemployment rate

10.4%

(urban areas 1990) (1990)

External debt

$16.7billion

(1990)

Overview

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.

Budget

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

Exports

$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%

Imports

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

Electricity

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

Industries

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

Agriculture

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

Illicit drugs

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

Economic aid

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

Currency

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

Exchange rates

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 35 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 23chemical tanker 1petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 3bulk; note--2 naval tankers are sometimes used commercially 835 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 330,316 GRT/484,351 DWT

Airports, 1,165 total, 1,045 usable

permanent-surface runways

69runways over 3,659 m

1runways 2,440-3,659 m

8runways 1,220-2,439 m

192

Networkskm

Highways

75,450Railroads

3,386Inland waterways

14,300

Highways: ; 9,350 km paved, 66,100 km earth and gravel surfaces · Railroads: ; 3,236 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track (2,611 km in use), 150 km 1.435-meter gauge · Inland waterways: , navigable by river boats

Railroads

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

Highways

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

Inland waterways

14,300 km, navigable by river boats

Pipelines

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

Ports

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

Civil air

106 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

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