Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A four-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, but continue attacks against civilians. Large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. In October 2012, the Colombian Government started formal peace negotiations with the FARC aimed at reaching a definitive bilateral ceasefire and incorporating demobilized FARC members into mainstream society and politics. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections, and the protection of civil liberties.

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

4 00 N, 72 00 W

South America

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

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

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

9,000 sq km (2003)

2,132 cu km (2000)

highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts

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

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

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

Spanish (official)

Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Colombia is in the midst of a demographic transition resulting from steady declines in its fertility, mortality, and population growth rates. The birth rate has fallen from more than 6 children per woman in the 1960s to just above replacement level today as a result of increased literacy, family planning services, and urbanization. However, income inequality is among the worst in the world, and more than a third of the population lives below the poverty line.

Colombia experiences significant legal and illegal economic emigration and refugee flows. Large-scale labor emigration dates to the 1960s; Venezuela and the United States continue to be the main host countries. Colombia is the largest source of Latin American refugees in Latin America, nearly 400,000 of whom live primarily in Venezuela and Ecuador. Forced displacement remains prevalent because of violence among guerrillas, paramilitary groups, and Colombian security forces. Afro-Colombian and indigenous populations are disproportionately affected. A leading NGO estimates that 5.2 million people have been displaced since 1985, while the Colombian government estimates 3.6 million since 2000. These estimates undercount actual numbers because many internally displaced persons are not registered. Columbia also has one of the world's highest levels of forced disappearances. About 30,000 cases have been recorded over the last four decades - although the number is likely to be much higher - including human rights activists, trade unionists, Afro-Colombians, indigenous people, and farmers in rural conflict zones.

45,239,079 (July 2012 est.)

1.128% (2012 est.)

17.23 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

5.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

-0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

BOGOTA (capital) 8.262 million; Medellin 3.497 million; Cali 2.352 million; Barranquilla 1.836 million; Bucaramanga 1.065 million (2009)

92 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

2.12 children born/woman (2012 est.)

6.4% of GDP (2009)

1.35 physicians/1,000 population (2002)

1 beds/1,000 population (2007)

urban: 81% of population

rural: 55% of population

total: 74% of population

urban: 19% of population

rural: 45% of population

total: 26% of population

0.5% (2009 est.)

160,000 (2009 est.)

14,000 (2009 est.)

13.7% (2007)

5.1% (2005)

4.8% of GDP (2009)

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

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, Archipielago de San Andres, Providencia y Santa Catalina (colloquially San Andres y Providencia), Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

5 July 1991; amended many times

civil law system influenced by the Spanish and French civil codes

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado (102 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (166 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

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 [Efrain CEPEDA Sarabia]; Green Party [Jorge LONDONO Ulloa; Enrique PENALOSA]; Liberal Party or PL [Simon GAVIRIA Munoz]; National Integration Party or PIN [Angel ALIRIO Moreno]; Radical Change or CR [Antonio GUERRA de la Espriella]; Social National Unity Party or U Party [Juan Francisco LOZANO Ramirez]

Central Union of Workers or CUT; Colombian Confederation of Workers or CTC; General Confederation of Workers or CGT; National Liberation Army or ELN; Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC

BCIE, BIS, CAN, Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Colombia, 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 valor and generosity (red); or simply the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity

Andean condor

Colombia's consistently sound economic policies and aggressive promotion of free trade agreements in recent years have bolstered its ability to face external shocks. Real GDP has grown more than 4% per year for the past three years, continuing almost a decade of strong economic performance. All three major ratings agencies have upgraded Colombia's government debt to investment grade. Nevertheless, Colombia depends heavily on oil exports, making it vulnerable to a drop in oil prices. Economic development is stymied by inadequate infrastructure, weakened further by recent flooding. Moreover, the unemployment rate of 10.3% in 2012 is still one of Latin America's highest. The SANTOS Administration's foreign policy has focused on bolstering Colombia's commercial ties and boosting investment at home. The US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was ratified by the US Congress in October 2011 and implemented in 2012. Columbia has signed or is negotiating FTAs with a number of other countries, including Canada, Chile, Mexico, Switzerland, the EU, Venezuela, South Korea, Turkey, Japan, and Israel. Foreign direct investment - notably in the oil sector - reached a record $10 billion in 2008 but dropped to $7.2 billion in 2009, before beginning to recover in 2010, and reached a record high of nearly $16 billion in 2012. Colombia is the third largest Latin American exporter of oil to the US. Inequality, underemployment, and narcotrafficking remain significant challenges, and Colombia's infrastructure requires major improvements to sustain economic expansion.

$500 billion (2012 est.)

$479.6 billion (2011 est.)

$452.8 billion (2010 est.)

$365.4 billion (2012 est.)

4.3% (2012 est.)

5.9% (2011 est.)

4% (2010 est.)

$10,700 (2012 est.)

$10,400 (2011 est.)

$9,900 (2010 est.)

23.08 million (2012 est.)

10.3% (2012 est.)

10.8% (2011 est.)

37.2% (2010 est.)

56 (2010)

53.8 (1996)

24.1% of GDP (2012 est.)

28.5% of GDP (2012 est.)

-0.5% of GDP (2012 est.)

40.2% of GDP (2012 est.)

43.4% of GDP (2011 est.)

3.2% (2012 est.)

3.4% (2011 est.)

4.75% (31 December 2011)

5% (31 December 2010)

12.7% (31 December 2012 est.)

11.22% (31 December 2011 est.)

$41.9 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$35.45 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$151.2 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$119.8 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$165.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$131.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$201.3 billion (31 December 2011)

$208.5 billion (31 December 2010)

$133.3 billion (31 December 2009)

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

4.8% (2011 est.)

-$13.29 billion (2012 est.)

-$9.978 billion (2011 est.)

$59.96 billion (2012 est.)

$56.22 billion (2011 est.)

petroleum, coal, emeralds, coffee, nickel, cut flowers, bananas, apparel

US 42%, Netherlands 4.7%, China 4.2% (2011)

$55.49 billion (2012 est.)

$50.73 billion (2011 est.)

industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

US 29.2%, China 11.9%, Mexico 11.5%, Brazil 5.3% (2011)

$34.74 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$31.91 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$73.41 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$70.04 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$111.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$95.67 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$32.56 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$31.12 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar -

1,800.4 (2012 est.)

1,848 (2011 est.)

1,898.6 (2010 est.)

2,157.6 (2009)

2,243.6 (2008)

calendar year

56.28 billion kWh (2010 est.)

46.39 billion kWh (2009 est.)

1.294 billion kWh (2011 est.)

8.22 billion kWh (2011 est.)

13.54 million kW (2009 est.)

32.9% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

66.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

932,100 bbl/day (2011 est.)

361,700 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0.11 bbl/day (2009 est.)

2.417 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.)

316,500 bbl/day (2008 est.)

287,000 bbl/day (2011 est.)

52,680 bbl/day (2008 est.)

6,045 bbl/day (2008 est.)

11.26 billion cu m (2010 est.)

9.08 billion cu m (2010 est.)

2.18 billion cu m (2010 est.)

0 cu m (2010 est.)

134.1 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

72.31 million Mt (2010 est.)

7.127 million (2011)

46.2 million (2011)

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

.co

4.41 million (2012)

22.538 million (2009)

862 (2012)

2 (2012)

gas 4,801 km; oil 6,334 km; refined products 3,309 km (2010)

24,725 km (18,300 km navigable; the most important waterway, the River Magdalena, of which 1,488 km is navigable, is dredged regularly to ensure the safe passage of cargo vessels and container barges) (2012)

Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Puerto Bolivar, Santa Marta, Turbo

National Army (Ejercito Nacional), Republic of Colombia Navy (Armada Republica de Colombia, ARC, includes Naval Aviation, Naval Infantry (Infanteria de Marina, IM), and Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2011)

18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation - 18 months (2004)

3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

in December 2007, ICJ allocated San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but did 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 116,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2009, a 3% decrease over 2008, producing a potential of 270 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 2010, aerial eradication dispensed herbicide to treat over 101,000 hectares combined with manual eradication of 61,000 hectares; 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 to 1,100 hectares in 2009 while pure heroin production declined to 2.1 mt; most Colombian heroin is destined for the US market (2008)