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2 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
Colombia
n : a republic in northwestern South America; the major legal
crop is coffee but cocaine is also a major export [syn: {Republic
of Colombia}]
From CIA World Factbook 2002 [world02]:
Colombia
Introduction Colombia
---------------------
Background: 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 illicit industries such as the
drug trade and the government's
ability to exert its dominion over
rural areas. While Bogota continues
to try to negotiate a settlement,
neighboring countries worry about
the violence spilling over their
borders.
Geography Colombia
------------------
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
Area: total: 1,138,910 sq km
land: 1,038,700 sq km
note: includes Isla de Malpelo,
Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and
Serranilla Bank
water: 100,210 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the
size of Montana
Land boundaries: 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
Coastline: 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km,
North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to
the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate: tropical along coast and eastern
plains; cooler in highlands
Terrain: flat coastal lowlands, central
highlands, high Andes Mountains,
eastern lowland plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon
5,775 m
note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also
has the same elevation
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron
ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds,
hydropower
Land use: arable land: 1.9%
other: 96.14% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 1.96%
Irrigated land: 8,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: highlands subject to volcanic
eruptions; occasional earthquakes;
periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil and water
quality damage from overuse of
pesticides; air pollution,
especially in Bogota, from vehicle
emissions
Environment - international party to: Antarctic Treaty,
agreements: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-
Environmental Protocol, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography - note: only South American country with
coastlines on both North Pacific
Ocean and Caribbean Sea
People Colombia
---------------
Population: 41,008,227 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 6,552,961;
female 6,399,666)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 12,694,293;
female 13,375,425)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male
886,921; female 1,098,961) (2002
est.)
Population growth rate: 1.6% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 21.99 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 5.66 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 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: 0.81 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 23.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.85 years
female: 74.83 years (2002 est.)
male: 67 years
Total fertility rate: 2.64 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.31% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 71,000 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,700 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Colombian(s)
adjective: Colombian
Ethnic groups: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%,
black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%,
Amerindian 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%
Languages: Spanish
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 91.3%
male: 91.2%
female: 91.4% (1995 est.)
Government Colombia
-------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Colombia
conventional short form: Colombia
local short form: Colombia
local long form: Republica de
Colombia
Government type: republic; executive branch dominates
government structure
Capital: Bogota
Administrative divisions: 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
Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)
Constitution: 5 July 1991
Legal system: 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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Andres
PASTRANA (since 7 August 1998); Vice
President Gustavo BELL Lemus (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 Lemus (since
7 August 1998); 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: on 26 May 2002,
President-elect Alvaro URIBE Velez
received 53% of the vote; Vice
President-elect Francisco SANTOS was
elected on the same ticket; they
will take office in August 2002
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 (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
Judicial branch: four, coequal, supreme judicial
organs; Supreme Court of Justice or
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); Higher
Council of Justice (administers and
disciplines the civilian judiciary;
members of the disciplinary chamber
resolve jurisdictional conflicts
arising between other courts;
members are elected by three sister
courts and Congress for eight-year
terms)
Political parties and leaders: Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos
HOLGUIN Sardi]; Liberal Party or PL
[Horatio SERPA Uribe]; Patriotic
Union or UP is a legal political
party formed by Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia or FARC and
Colombian Communist Party or PCC
[Jaime CAICEDO]; 19 of April
Movement or M-19 [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 pressure groups and two largest insurgent groups active
leaders: 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
International organization BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CCC,
participation: CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN
Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: 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
FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W.
US: PATTERSON
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
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 Colombia
----------------
Economy - overview: Colombia's economy suffered from
weak domestic demand, austere
government budgets, and a difficult
security situation. A new president
takes office in 2002 and will face
economic challenges ranging from
pension reform to reduction of
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. Problems in public
security are a concern for Colombian
business leaders, who are calling
for progress in the government's
peace negotiations with insurgent
groups. Colombia is looking for
continued support from the
international community to boost
economic and peace prospects.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $255
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,300
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19%
industry: 26%
services: 55% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 55% (2001)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 1%
percentage share: highest 10%: 44% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini 57.1 (1996)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.6% (2001)
Labor force: 18.3 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 46%, agriculture 30%,
industry 24% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 17% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $24 billion
expenditures: $25.6 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (2001 est.)
Industries: textiles, food processing, oil,
clothing and footwear, beverages,
chemicals, cement; gold, coal,
emeralds
Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 43.342 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 25.93%
hydro: 73.09%
other: 0.98% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 40.348 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 37 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 77 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice,
tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa
beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest
products; shrimp
Exports: $12.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel,
bananas, cut flowers
Exports - partners: US 43%, Andean Community of Nations
22%, EU 14%, (2001 est.)
Imports: $12.7 billion (c.i.f., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: industrial equipment, transportation
equipment, consumer goods,
chemicals, paper products, fuels,
electricity
Imports - partners: US 35%, EU 16%, Andean Community of
Nations 15%, Japan 5% (2001 est.)
Debt - external: $39 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: Colombian peso (COP)
Currency code: COP
Exchange rates: Colombian pesos per US dollar -
2,275.89 (January 2002), 2,299.63
(2001), 2,087.90 (2000), 1,756.23
(1999), 1,426.04 (1998), 1,140.96
(1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Colombia
-----------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 5,433,565 (December 1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,800,229 (December 1998)
Telephone system: 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: satellite earth
stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3
fully digitalized international
switching centers; 8 submarine
cables
Radio broadcast stations: AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)
Radios: 21 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 60 (includes seven low-power
stations) (1997)
Televisions: 4.59 million (1997)
Internet country code: .co
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 18 (2000)
Internet users: 878,000 (2001)
Transportation Colombia
-----------------------
Railways: total: 3,304 km
standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
(connects Cerrejon coal mines to
maritime port at Bahia de Portete)
narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge
(major sections not in use) (2000
est.)
Highways: total: 110,000 km
paved: 26,000 km
unpaved: 84,000 km (2000)
Waterways: 18,140 km (navigable by river boats)
(April 1996)
Pipelines: crude oil 3,585 km; petroleum
products 1,350 km; natural gas 830
km; natural gas liquids 125 km
Ports and harbors: Bahia de Portete, Barranquilla,
Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia,
Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa
Marta, Tumaco, Turbo
Merchant marine: total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 32,438 GRT/43,126 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 3,
container 1, petroleum tanker 2
note: includes a foreign-owned ship
registered here as a flag of
convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 1,066 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 93
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 36
under 914 m: 9 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 37
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 973
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 58
under 914 m: 602 (2001)
914 to 1,523 m: 312
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Colombia
-----------------
Military branches: Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy
(Armada Nacional, including Marines
and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza
Aerea Colombiana), National Police
(Policia Nacional)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 10,946,932 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 7,308,703 (2002
service: est.)
Military manpower - reaching military males: 379,295 (2002 est.)
age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $3.3 billion (FY01)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 3.4% (FY01)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Colombia
-----------------------------
Disputes - international: 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
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of coca, opium
poppies, and cannabis; world's
leading coca cultivator (cultivation
of coca in 2000 - 136,200 hectares,
an 11% increase over 1999);
potential production of opium since
1995 has remained relatively stable
at 66 metric tons; potential
production of heroin has averaged
6.5 metric tons; the world's largest
processor of coca derivatives into
cocaine; supplier of about 90% of
the cocaine to the US and the great
majority of cocaine to other
international drug markets, and an
important supplier of heroin to the
US market; active aerial eradication
program
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