Colombia

Republic of ColombiaRepublica de Colombia

republicIndependence 20 July 1810 (from Spain)

Colombia as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 101 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
Position4 00 N, 72 00 W
Area1,138,910 sq km
LocationNorthern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
1998

Every edition of Colombia

Populationas each edition published it
38.58 million July 1998 est. · 33.08m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.89% 1998 est. · 1.83% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 25.6 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
70.06 years 1998 est. · 71.72 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.9 children per woman 1998 est. · 2.9 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
25.44 deaths per 1,000 live births 1998 est. · 38 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$6,200 1997 est. · $1,500 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3.1% 1997 est. · 3.3% in 1993

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 1,138,910 sq km

arable land 4%permanent crops 1%permanent pastures 39%forests and woodland 48%other 8% (1993 est.)irrigated 5,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
1,138,910sq km
land: 1,038,700 sq kmwater: 100,210 sq kmnote: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bankslightly less than three times the size of Montana
Coastline
3,208km
(Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Highest point
5,750m
Nevado del Huilalowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries
7,408km
border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 2,900 km, Venezuela 2,050 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

4 00 N, 72 00 W

Map references

South America, Central America and the Caribbean

Climate

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Terrain

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

Natural resources

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

Natural hazards

  • highlands subject to volcanic eruptions;
  • occasional earthquakes;
  • periodic droughts

Environment-current issues

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

Environment-international agreements

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

Geography-note

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

People

15 fields
Population
38,580,949
(July 1998 est.)growth rate: 1.89% (1998 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1998 est.)

Birth
24.93Death
5.69Net migration
-0.34

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1998 est.)70.06
66.15 · 74.11
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)91.3%
91.2% · 91.4%
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Age structure

0-14 years:
33% (male 6,474,927; female 6,321,404)
15-64 years:
62% (male 11,725,078; female 12,333,982)
65 years and over:
5% (male 780,486; female 945,072) (July 1998 est.)

Sex ratio

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:
0.83 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate

25.44 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.9 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Colombian(s)
adjective:
Colombian

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%

Languages

Spanish

Government

Republic; President Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (since 7 August 1994); President Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (since 7 August 1994)

21 fields

Legislature, 161 seatsone dot, one seat

Liberal Party 89conservatives (includes PC and NDF) 53AD/M-19 2other 17

Country name

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

Government type

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Administrative divisions

  • 32 departments (departamentos, singular-departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital);
  • 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, Distrito Capital de Santa Fe de Bogota*, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

Independence

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Constitution

5 July 1991

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (since 7 August 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (since 7 August 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:
Cabinet
elections:
  • president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  • election last held 29 May 1994 (next to be held May 1998);
  • vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term in a new procedure that replaces the traditional designation of vice presidents by newly elected presidents
election results:
  • Ernesto SAMPER Pizano elected president;
  • percent of vote-no candidate received more than 50% of the total vote, therefore, a run-off election to select a president from the two leading candidates was held 19 June 1994;
  • percent of vote-Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (Liberal Party) 50.4%, Andres PASTRANA Arango (Conservative Party) 48.6%, blank votes 1%;
  • Humberto de la CALLE Lombana elected vice president;
  • percent of vote-NA

Legislative branch

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 (161 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
Senate-last held 13 March 1994 (next to be held March 1998); House of Representatives-last held 13 March 1994 (next to be held March 1998)
election results:
  • Senate-percent of vote by party-NA;
  • seats by party-Liberal Party 59, conservatives (includes PC and NDF) 31, other 12;
  • House of Representatives - percent of vote by party-NA;
  • seats by party-Liberal Party 89, conservatives (includes PC and NDF) 53, AD/M-19 2, other 17

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court of Justice (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

Political parties and leaders

  • Liberal Party or PL [Emilio LEBOLO Castellanos];
  • Conservative Party or PC [Hugo ESCOBAR Sierra];
  • New Democratic Force or NDF [Andres PASTRANA Arango];
  • Democratic Alliance M-19 or 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)

Political pressure groups and leaders

two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia-Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC; and National Liberation Army or ELN

International organization participation

AG, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G- 3, G-11, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, MINUGUA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Juan Carlos ESGUERRA Portocarrero
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 Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC
consulate(s):
Atlanta and Tampa

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Curtis Warren KAMMAN
embassy:
Calle 22D-BIS, No. 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831
mailing address:
APO AA 34038
telephone:
[57] (1) 315-0811

FAX

[57] (1) 315-2197

Flag description

  • 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

28 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
-$231.1billion
purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
-$6,200
purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)
Real growth rate
3.1%
(1997 est.)industrial production growth: -1.2% (1996)

GDP-composition by sector(1996)

agriculture 19%industry 26%services 55% (1996)

Budget(1996 est.)

Revenues
$26 billionExpenditures
$30 billion
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA
Fixed lines
1.89 million
(1986 est.)

Economy-overview

Columbia is recovering from a short recession that began in late 1996 - resulting from tight monetary policy to drive down inflation, declining business confidence related to President SAMPER's political difficulties, and a slowdown in exports stemming from an appreciation of the peso and a recession in neighboring Venezuela.

Although 1997's 3.1% GDP growth rate represented an improvement over 1996, it ranked among the lowest in Latin America and was substantially lower than the average annual growth rate exceeding 4% that Colombia posted for several decades prior to SAMPER's election. Colombia's next president will inherit a variety of economic problems.

Most notably, the unemployment rate is at its highest level this decade, risks for the export sector and foreign investors are rising as a result of increasing guerrilla violence and a volatile exchange rate, and the fiscal deficit has more than tripled since 1994.

Labor force

total:
16.8 million (1997 est.)
by occupation:
services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990)

Unemployment rate

12.2% (1997 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity-capacity

10.781 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production

47 billion kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products

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

Exports

total value:
$11.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities:
petroleum, coffee, coal, bananas, fresh cut flowers
partners:
US 39%, EC 25.7%, Japan 2.9%, Venezuela 8.5% (1992)

Imports

total value:
$13.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997 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)

Debt-external

$17.1 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $30 million (1993)

Currency

1 Colombian peso (Col$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

Colombian pesos (Col$) per US$1-1345.0 (February 1998), 1,140.96 (1997), 1,036.69 (1996), 912.83 (1995), 844.84 (1994), 863.06 (1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

Telephone system

modern system in many respects

domestic:
nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations
international:
satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 413 (licensed), FM 217 (licensed), shortwave 28

Televisions

5.5 million (1993 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Merchant marine, 19 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1997 est.)

bulk 5cargo 8container 1multi-function large load carrier 2oil tanker 3

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m
7
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 36 914 to 1,523 m: 31

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
636
total: 1,050 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 65 914 to 1,523 m: 348

Networkskm

Highways
107,000Railways
3,386Waterways
14,300
Highways: paved: 12,733 km · unpaved: 94,267 km (1996 est.) · Railways: standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge (connects Cerrejon coal mines to maritime port at Bahia Portete) · narrow gauge: 3,236 km 0.914-m gauge (1,830 km in use) (1995) · Waterways: , navigable by river boats

Railways

total:
3,386 km
standard gauge:
150 km 1.435-m gauge (connects Cerrejon coal mines to maritime port at Bahia Portete)
narrow gauge:
3,236 km 0.914-m gauge (1,830 km in use) (1995)

Highways

total:
107,000 km
paved:
12,733 km
unpaved:
94,267 km (1996 est.)

Waterways

14,300 km, navigable by river boats

Pipelines

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

Ports and harbors

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

Airports

1,136 (1997 est.)

Military

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

7 fields

Military branches

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

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 10,229,023 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service

males: 6,862,893 (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes-international

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

Illicit drugs

  • illicit producer of coca, opium poppies, and cannabis;
  • cultivation of coca in 1997-79,500 hectares, an 18% increase over 1996;
  • potential production of cocaine in 1997-125 metric tons, a 14% increase over 1996;
  • cultivation of opium in 1997-6,600 hectares, a 5% increase over 1996;
  • potential production of opium in 1997-66 metric tons, a 5% increase over 1996;
  • the world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine;
  • supplier of cocaine to the US and other international drug markets;
  • active aerial eradication program seeks to virtually eliminate coca and opium crops COMOROS

Introduction

1 field

Historical perspective

Comoros has had difficulty in achieving political stability, having endured 18 coups or attempted coups since receiving independence from France in 1975. Most recently, in August 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. An attempt in September 1997 by the government to reestablish control over the rebellious islands by force failed, and presently the Organization of African Unity is brokering negotiations to effect a reconciliation.

Central Intelligence Agency. “Colombia.” The World Factbook 1998. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/colombia/1998.

How to cite ← 1997 edition 1999 edition →