20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
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
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
conventional short form: Colombia
local long form: Republica de Colombia
local short form: Colombia
Data code: CO
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, 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, Distrito Capital de Santa Fe de Bogota*, 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 (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 (since 7 August 1998); note—the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2002); vice
president elected by popular vote for a four-year term in a new
procedure that replaces the traditional designation of vice
presidents by newly elected presidents; election last held 31 May
1998 (next to be held NA May 2002)
election results: no candidate received more than 50% of the total
vote, therefore, a run-off election to select a president from the
two leading candidates was held 21 June 1998; Andres PASTRANA
elected president; percent of vote—NA; Gustavo BELL elected vice
president; percent of vote—NA
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 (161 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate—last held NA March 1998 (next to be held NA March
2002); House of Representatives—last held NA March 1998 (next to be
held NA March 2002)
election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—PL 50%, PC 24%,
smaller parties (many aligned with conservatives) 26%; seats by
party—PL 51, PC 24, smaller parties 27; House of
Representatives—percent of vote by party—PL 52%, PC 17%, other 31%;
seats by party—NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (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
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party or PL [Horaero
AD/M-19 is a coalition of small leftist parties and dissident
legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Political pressure groups and leaders: two largest insurgent
groups active in Colombia—Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or
FARC; and National Liberation Army or ELN
International organization participation: BCIE, CAN, Caricom
(observer), CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G- 3, G-11, G-24, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO
(pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
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 and Tampa
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Curtis Warren KAMMAN
embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47–51, Apartado Aereo 3831
mailing address: APO AA 34038
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
Economy—overview: Colombia ended 1998 in recession with 0.2% GDP growth due to a combination of low world oil prices, reduced export demand, guerrilla violence, and diminished investment flows. The Central Bank resorted to interest rate hikes and tight monetary policy to defend the peso against pressure from Colombia's worsening trade and fiscal deficits. President PASTRANA'S well-respected financial team is working to deal with the myriad economic problems the country faces, including the highest unemployment level in decades and a fiscal deficit of close to 5% of GDP in 1998. The government implemented austerity measures, declared emergency measures to guard against a potential banking crisis resulting from the country's economic slowdown, and