Colombia

total:

10.71 cu km/yr (50%/4%/46%)

per capita:

235 cu m/yr (2000)

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

volcanism:

• Galeras (elev. 4,276 m, 14,029 ft) is one of Colombia's most active volcanoes, having erupted in 2009 and 2010 causing major evacuations;
• it has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations;
• Nevado del Ruiz (elev. 5,321 m, 17,453 ft), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985 producing lahars that killed 23,000 people;
• the volcano last erupted in 1991;
• additionally, after 500 years of dormancy, Nevado del Huila reawakened in 2007 and has experienced frequent eruptions since then;
• other historically active volcanoes include
  • Cumbal,
  • Dona Juana,
  • Nevado del Tolima,
  • and Purace

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

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

at birth:

1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.74 male(s)/female

total population:

0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

degree of risk:

high

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases:

dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever

water contact disease:

leptospirosis (2009)

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

name:

Bogota

geographic coordinates:

4 36 N, 74 05 W

time difference:

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

• 32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital);
• Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, 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

• based on Spanish law;
• a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and reached full implementation in January 2008;
• judicial review of executive and legislative acts;
• has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

chief of state:

• President Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2010);
• Vice President Angelino GARZON (since 7 August 2010);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:

President Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2010); Vice President Angelino GARZON (since 7 August 2010)

cabinet:

Cabinet; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)

elections:

• president and vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term);
• election last held on 30 May 2010 with a runoff election 20 June 2010 (next to be held in May 2014)

election results:

Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon 69.06%, Antanas MOCKUS 27.52%

• 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)

• Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Clara LOPEZ];
• Conservative Party or PC [Fernando ARAUJO];
• Green Party [Luis GARZON];
• Liberal Party or PL [Rafael PARDO];
• National Integration Party or PIN [Angel ALIRIO Moreno];
• Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras];
• Social National Unity Party or U Party [Juan Francisco LOZANO Ramirez]

note: Colombia has seven major political parties, and numerous smaller movements

chief of mission:

Ambassador Gabriel SILVA Lujan

chancery:

2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 387-8338

FAX:

[1] (202) 232-8643

consulate(s) general:

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC

chief of mission:

Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD

embassy:

Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogota, D.C.

mailing address:

Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogota, D.C.

telephone:

[57] (1) 315-0811

FAX:

[57] (1) 315-2197

• three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red;
• the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Columbia, the short-lived South American republic that broke up in 1830;
• various interpretations of the colors exist and include: yellow for the gold in Colombia's land, blue for the seas on its shores, and red for the blood spilled in attaining freedom;
• alternatively, the colors have been described as representing more elemental concepts such as sovereignty and justice (yellow), loyalty and vigilance (blue), and valour and generosity (red);
• or simply the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity

note: similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

name:

"Himno Nacional de la Republica de Colombia" (National Anthem of the Republic of Colombia)

lyrics/music:

Rafael NUNEZ/Oreste SINDICI

note: adopted 1920; the anthem was created from an inspirational poem written by President Rafael NUNEZ

agriculture:

18%

industry:

18.9%

services:

63.1% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%:

0.8%

highest 10%:

45% (2008)

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

general assessment:

• modern system in many respects with a nationwide microwave radio relay system, a domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations, and a fiber-optic network linking 50 cities;
• telecommunications sector liberalized during the 1990s;
• multiple providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular services

domestic:

• fixed-line connections stand at about 15 per 100 persons;
• mobile cellular telephone subscribership is about 90 per 100 persons;
• competition among cellular service providers is resulting in falling local and international calling rates and contributing to the steep decline in the market share of fixed line services

international:

• country code - 57;
• landing points for the ARCOS, Colombia-Florida Subsea Fiber (CFX-1), Maya-1, Pan American, and the South America-1 submarine cables providing links to the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America;
• satellite earth stations - 10 (6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully digitalized international switching centers) (2009)

• combination of state-owned and privately-owned broadcast media provide service;
• more than 500 radio stations and large number of national, regional, and local TV stations (2007)

total:

3,802 km

country comparison to the world: 45

standard gauge:

150 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge:

3,652 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)

total:

13

country comparison to the world: 105

by type:

cargo 11, petroleum tanker 1, specialized tanker 1

registered in other countries:

3 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Panama 2) (2010)

males age 16-49:

11,556,939

females age 16-49:

11,609,122 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49:

8,957,960

females age 16-49:

9,763,655 (2010 est.)

male:

432,280

female:

416,051 (2010 est.)

• in December 2007, ICJ allocates San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but does not rule on 82 degrees W meridian as maritime boundary with Nicaragua;
• managed dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela;
• Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all neighboring borders and have caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countries;
• Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank

• illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis;
• world's leading coca cultivator with 167,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2007, a 6% increase over 2006, producing a potential of 535 mt of pure cocaine;
• the world's largest producer of coca derivatives;
• supplies cocaine to nearly all of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets;
• in 2005, aerial eradication dispensed herbicide to treat over 130,000 hectares but aggressive replanting on the part of coca growers means Colombia remains a key producer;
• a significant portion of narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange;
• important supplier of heroin to the US market;
• opium poppy cultivation is estimated to have fallen 25% between 2006 and 2007;
• most Colombian heroin is destined for the US market (2008)