Colombia

Colombia gained its independence from Spain in 1819. Earlier than most countries in the area, it established traditions of civilian government with regular, free elections. In recent years, however, assassinations, widespread guerrilla activities, and drug trafficking have severely disrupted normal public and private activities.

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

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

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

0-14 years:

33% (male 6,556,566; female 6,402,115)

15-64 years:

62% (male 11,966,306; female 12,593,685)

65 years and over:

5% (male 807,282; female 983,468) (1999 est.)

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:

0.82 male(s)/female

total population:

0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

noun:

Colombian(s)

adjective:

Colombian

conventional long form:

Republic of Colombia

conventional short form:

Colombia

local long form:

Republica de Colombia

local short form:

Colombia

• 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

• 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

chief of state:

• President Andres PASTRANA (since 7 August 1998);
• Vice President Gustavo BELL (since 7 August 1998);
• note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:

• President Andres PASTRANA (since 7 August 1998);
• Vice President Gustavo BELL (since 7 August 1998);
• 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 31 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2002);
• 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 last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2002)

election results:

• 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 21 June 1998;
• Andres PASTRANA elected president;
• percent of vote--NA;
• Gustavo BELL elected vice president;
• percent of vote--NA

• 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

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 and Tampa

chief of mission:

Ambassador Curtis Warren KAMMAN

embassy:

Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831

mailing address:

APO AA 34038

• 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

lowest 10%:

1%

highest 10%:

46.9% (1995)

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

total:

3,380 km

standard gauge:

150 km 1.435-m gauge (connects Cerrejon coal mines to maritime port at Bahia de Portete)

narrow gauge:

3,230 km 0.914-m gauge (1,830 km in use) (1995)

total:

115,564 km

paved:

13,868 km

unpaved:

101,696 km (1997 est.)

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

• 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 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