301 lines
24 KiB
Plaintext
301 lines
24 KiB
Plaintext
COLOMBIA
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GEOGRAPHY
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Total area: 1,138,910 km2; land area: 1,038,700 km2; includes Isla
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de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank
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Comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of
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Montana
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Land boundaries: 7,408 km total; Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km,
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Panama 225 km, Peru 2,900, Venezuela 2,050 km
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Coastline: 3,208 km total (1,448 km North Pacific Ocean;
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1,760 Caribbean Sea)
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Maritime claims:
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Continental shelf: not specified;
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Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
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Territorial sea: 12 nm
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Disputes: maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the
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Gulf of Venezuela; territorial dispute with Nicaragua over Archipelago
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de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank
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Climate: tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in
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highlands
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Terrain: mixture of flat coastal lowlands, plains in east, central
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highlands, some high mountains
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Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel,
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gold, copper, emeralds
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Land use: arable land 4%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures
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29%; forest and woodland 49%; other 16%; includes irrigated NEGL%
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Environment: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions;
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deforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides; periodic droughts
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Note: only South American country with coastlines on both
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North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
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PEOPLE
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Population: 33,777,550 (July 1991), growth rate 2.1% (1991)
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Birth rate: 26 births/1,000 population (1991)
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Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
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Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1991)
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Infant mortality rate: 37 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
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Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 74 years female (1991)
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Total fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman (1991)
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Nationality: noun--Colombian(s); adjective--Colombian
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Ethnic divisions: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%,
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mixed black-Indian 3%, Indian 1%
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Religion: Roman Catholic 95%
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Language: Spanish
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Literacy: 87% (male 88%, female 86%) age 15 and over can
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read and write (1990 est.)
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Labor force: 11,000,000 (1986); services 53%, agriculture 26%,
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industry 21% (1981)
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Organized labor: 1,400,000 members (1987), about 12% of labor
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force; the Communist-backed Unitary Workers Central or CUT is the largest
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labor organization, with about 725,000 members (including all affiliate
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unions)
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GOVERNMENT
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Long-form name: Republic of Colombia
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Type: republic; executive branch dominates government structure
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Capital: Bogota
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Administrative divisions: 23 departments (departamentos,
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singular--departamento), 5 commissariats* (comisarias,
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singular--comisaria), and 4 intendancies** (intendencias,
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singular--intendencia);
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Amazonas*, Antioquia, Arauca**, Atlantico, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas,
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Caqueta, Casanare**, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca,
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Guainia*, Guaviare*, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino,
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Norte de Santander, Putumayo**, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y
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Providencia**, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes*,
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Vichada*; note--there may be a new special district (distrito especial)
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named Bogota; the Constitution of 5 July 1991 states that the
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commissariats and intendancies are to become full departments and a
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capital district (distrito capital) of Santa Fe de Bogota is to be
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established by 1997
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Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)
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Constitution: 5 July 1991
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Legal system: based on Spanish law; judicial review of legislative
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acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
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reservations
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National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)
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Executive branch: president, presidential designate, Cabinet
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Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of a
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nationally elected upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a regionally
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elected lower chamber or Chamber of Representatives (Camara de
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Representantes)
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Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de
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Justica)
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Leaders:
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Chief of State and Head of Government--President Cesar
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GAVIRIA Trujillo (since 7 August 1990)
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Political parties and leaders:
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Liberal Party (PL), Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo, president, and
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Alfonso LOPEZ Michelsen, party head;
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Social Conservative Party (PCS), Misael PASTRANA Borrero;
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National Salvation Movement (MSN), Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado;
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Democratic Alliance (AD) is headed by 19th of April Movement (M-19)
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leader Antonio NAVARRO Wolf, coalition of small leftist parties and
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dissident liberals and conservatives;
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Patriotic Union (UP), is a legal political party formed by
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Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Colombian
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Communist Party (PCC), Carlos ROMERO
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Suffrage: universal at age 18
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Elections:
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President--last held 27 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994);
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results--Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo (Liberal) 47%, Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado
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(National Salvation Movement) 24%, Antonio NAVARRO Wolff (M-19) 13%,
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Rodrigo LLOREDA (Conservative) 12%;
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Senate--last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held 27 October
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1991);
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results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(114 total) Liberal 72, Conservative 40, UP 1, vacant 1;
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Chamber of Representatives last held 11 March 1990 (next to be
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held 27 October 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(199 total) Liberal 122, Conservative 68, UP 3, M-19 1, other 5;
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note--on 5 July 1991 the new Constitution dissolved Congress and
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replaced it with a multiparty 36-member legislative commission until
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a new congress, to be elected on 27 October 1991, takes office on 1
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December 1991
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Communists: 18,000 members (est.), including Communist Party Youth
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Organization (JUCO)
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Other political or pressure groups: three insurgent groups are
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active in Colombia--Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC),
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led by Manuel MARULANDA and Alfonso CANO; National Liberation Army (ELN),
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led by Manuel PEREZ; and dissidents of the recently demobilized People's
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Liberation Army (EPL) led by Francisco CARABALLO
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Member of: AG, CDB, CG, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-11, G-24, G-77, GATT,
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IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
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INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS,
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NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
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UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jaime GARCIA Parra; Chancery
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at 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-8338;
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there are Colombian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Miami, New
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Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico), and
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Consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles,
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San Diego, and Tampa;
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US--Ambassador-designate Morris D. BUSBY; Embassy at Calle 38,
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No.8-61, Bogota (mailing address is P. O. Box A. A. 3831, Bogota or
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APO Miami 34038); telephone 57 (1) 285-1300 or 1688; there is a US
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Consulate in Barranquilla
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Flag: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue,
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and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador which is longer and bears the
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Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center
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ECONOMY
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Overview: Economic development has slowed gradually since 1986, but
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growth rates remain high by Latin American standards. Conservative
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economic policies have kept inflation and unemployment near 30% and 10%,
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respectively. The rapid development of oil, coal, and other
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nontraditional industries over the past four years has helped to offset
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the decline in coffee prices--Colombia's major export. The collapse of
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the International Coffee Agreement in the summer of 1989, a troublesome
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rural insurgency, and drug-related violence dampen prospects for future
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growth.
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GDP: $43.0 billion, per capita $1,300; real growth rate 3.7% (1990
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est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 32.4% (1990)
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Unemployment rate: 10.4% (urban areas 1990) (1990)
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Budget: revenues $4.39 billion; current expenditures $3.93
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billion, capital expenditures $1.03 billion (1989 est.)
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Exports: $6.9 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
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commodities--coffee 24%, petroleum, coal, bananas, fresh cut
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flowers;
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partners--US 36%, EC 21%, Japan 5%, Netherlands 4%, Sweden 3%
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Imports: $5.0 billion (c.i.f., 1990);
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commodities--industrial equipment, transportation equipment,
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foodstuffs, chemicals, paper products;
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partners--US 34%, EC 16%, Brazil 4%, Venezuela 3%, Japan 3%
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External debt: $16.7 billion (1990)
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Industrial production: growth rate 5.0% (1990 est.); accounts
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for 25% of GDP
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Electricity: 9,435,000 kW capacity; 36,071 million kWh produced,
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1,090 kWh per capita (1990)
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Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear,
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beverages, chemicals, metal products, cement; mining--gold, coal,
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emeralds, iron, nickel, silver, salt
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Agriculture: growth rate 4.9% (1990); accounts for 22% of GDP;
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crops make up two-thirds and livestock one-third of agricultural output;
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climate and soils permit a wide variety of crops, such as coffee,
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rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseeds, vegetables;
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forest products and shrimp farming are becoming more important
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Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of cannabis and coca; key
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supplier of marijuana and cocaine to the US and other international drug
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markets; drug production and trafficking accounts for an estimated 4%
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of GDP and 28% of foreign exchange earnings
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Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.6
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billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
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(1970-88), $3.1 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $399 million
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Currency: Colombian peso (plural--pesos);
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1 Colombian peso (Col$) = 100 centavos
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Exchange rates: Colombian pesos (Col$) per US$1--574.09 (January
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1991), 502.24 (1990), 382.57 (1989), 299.17 (1988), 242.61 (1987), 194.26
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(1986), 142.31 (1985)
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Fiscal year: calendar year
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COMMUNICATIONS
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Railroads: 3,386 km; 3,236 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track
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(2,611 km in use), 150 km 1.435-meter gauge
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Highways: 75,450 km total; 9,350 km paved, 66,100 km earth and
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gravel surfaces
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Inland waterways: 14,300 km, navigable by river boats
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Pipelines: crude oil, 3,585 km; refined products, 1,350 km;
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natural gas, 830 km; natural gas liquids, 125 km
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Ports: Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Covenas, San Andres,
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Santa Marta, Tumaco
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Merchant marine: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 330,316
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GRT/484,351 DWT; includes 23 cargo, 1 chemical tanker, 3 petroleum, oils,
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and lubricants (POL) tanker, 8 bulk; note--2 naval tankers are
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sometimes used commercially
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Civil air: 106 major transport aircraft
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Airports: 1,165 total, 1,045 usable; 69 with permanent-surface
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runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 8 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
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192 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
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Telecommunications: nationwide radio relay system; 1,890,000
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telephones; stations--413 AM, no FM, 33 TV, 28 shortwave 2 Atlantic Ocean
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INTELSAT earth stations with 2 antennas and 11 domestic satellite
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stations
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DEFENSE FORCES
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Branches: Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional),
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Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia), National Police (Policia Nacional)
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Manpower availability: males 15-49, 8,998,759; 6,102,745 fit for
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military service; 353,122 reach military age (18) annually
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Defense expenditures: $892 million, 2.2% of GDP (1990)
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