The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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: 2.42% other: 95.91% (2001) permanent crops: 1.67%

      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 agreements:

       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

      Geography - note:

       only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific

       Ocean and Caribbean Sea

      People Colombia

      Population:

       42,310,775 (July 2004 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 31% (male 6,644,080; female 6,489,677)

       15–64 years: 63.9% (male 13,171,416; female 13,879,115)

       65 years and over: 5% (male 940,762; female 1,185,725) (2004 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 25.8 years

       male: 24.9 years

       female: 26.7 years (2004 est.)

      Population growth rate:

       1.53% (2004 est.)

      Birth rate:

       21.19 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Death rate:

       5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       −0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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: 0.79 male(s)/female

       total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 21.72 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 17.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

       male: 25.69 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 71.43 years

       male: 67.58 years

       female: 75.41 years (2004 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       2.59 children born/woman (2004 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       0.7% (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       190,000 (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       3,600 (2003 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: 92.5%

       male: 92.4%

       female: 92.6% (2003 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 Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002);

       Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note - the

       president is both the chief of state and head of government

       head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August

       2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); 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;