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Colombia Country Guide

Explore Colombia in South America

Colombia with the capital city Bogotá is located in South America (Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea). It covers some 1,138,910 square kilometres (slightly less than twice the size of Texas) with 45,013,000 citizens.

Interactive map of Colombia

The terrain features flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains. The average density of population is approximately 40 per km². The notable climate conditions in Colombia can be described as tropical along coast and eastern plains with cooler in highlands. Potential natural disasters are highlands subject to volcanic eruptions or occasional earthquakes or periodic droughts.

To reach someone in Colombia dial +57 prior to a number. There are 7,500,000 installed telephones. And there are 42,160,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 850/1900 MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".co". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 110V - 60Hz.

About the flag and history of Colombia

Colombia Flag Icon

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 note: similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center.


Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A nearly five-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 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.



Geography Quick-Facts

SummaryContinent: South America
Neighbours: Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Brazil, Venezuela
Capital: Bogotá
Size1,138,910 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 439,735 square miles (mi² or sqmi)
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Population45,013,000
CurrencyName Peso, Currency Code:COP
Country Top Level Domain (cTLD).co
Telephone Country Prefix+57
Mobile Phone Connections42,160,000
Landline Phone Connections7,500,000

Country Position in World Rankings

Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).

Geography

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Area1,138,910 (sq km)26

People and Society

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Population45,745,783 29
Population growth rate1.10 (%)107
Birth rate16.98 (births/1,000 population)117
Death rate5.33 (deaths/1,000 population)176
Net migration rate-0.66 (migrant(s)/1,000 population)141
Maternal mortality rate92.00 (deaths/100,000 live births)80
Infant mortality rate15.46 (deaths/1,000 live births)106
Life expectancy at birth75.02 (years)99
Total fertility rate2.10 (children born/woman)111
Health expenditures7.60 (% of GDP)71
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate0.50 (%)67
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS160,000 32
HIV/AIDS - deaths14,000 20
Obesity - adult prevalence rate17.30 (%)112
Children under the age of 5 years underweight3.40 (%)106
Education expenditures4.50 (% of GDP)93
Unemployment, youth ages 15-2423.00 (%)43

Economy

Value nameValueWorld Rank
GDP (purchasing power parity)511,100,000,000 29
GDP - real growth rate4.00 (%)79
GDP - per capita (PPP)11,000 110
Labor force23,080,000 29
Unemployment rate10.30 (%)111
Distribution of family income - Gini index58.50 8
Investment (gross fixed)24.10 (% of GDP)58
Taxes and other revenues28.50 (% of GDP)103
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)-0.50 (% of GDP)53
Public debt40.20 (% of GDP)91
Inflation rate (consumer prices)3.20 (%)83
Central bank discount rate5.00 (%)72
Commercial bank prime lending rate11.22 (%)72
Stock of narrow money41,900,000,000 49
Stock of broad money151,200,000,000 48
Stock of domestic credit165,500,000,000 44
Market value of publicly traded shares208,500,000,000 34
Current account balance-13,290,000,000 177
Exports59,960,000,000 55
Imports55,490,000,000 54
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold34,740,000,000 47
Debt - external78,640,000,000 52
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home111,500,000,000 37
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad32,560,000,000 42

Energy

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Electricity - production56,280,000,000 (kWh)47
Electricity - consumption46,870,000,000 (kWh)48
Electricity - exports1,294,000,000 (kWh)51
Electricity - imports8,220,000,000 (kWh)29
Electricity - installed generating capacity13,540,000 (kW)47
Electricity - from fossil fuels32.90 (% of total installed capacity)178
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants66.60 (% of total installed capacity)25
Electricity - from other renewable sources0.40 (% of total installed capacity)77
Crude oil - production944,000 (bbl/day)22
Crude oil - exports777,900 (bbl/day)18
Crude oil - imports10 (bbl/day)85
Crude oil - proved reserves2,417,000,000 (bbl)34
Refined petroleum products - production316,500 (bbl/day)42
Refined petroleum products - consumption287,000 (bbl/day)45
Refined petroleum products - exports52,680 (bbl/day)57
Refined petroleum products - imports6,045 (bbl/day)148
Natural gas - production11,260,000,000 (cu m)43
Natural gas - consumption9,080,000,000 (cu m)51
Natural gas - exports2,180,000,000 (cu m)39
Natural gas - imports40,290 (cu m)75
Natural gas - proved reserves134,100,000,000 (cu m)51
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy72,310,000 (Mt)46

Communications

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Telephones - main lines in use7,127,000 26
Telephones - mobile cellular46,200,000 29
Internet hosts4,410,000 24
Internet users22,538,000 18

Transportation

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Airports862 8
Railways874 (km)95
Roadways141,374 (km)33
Waterways24,725 (km)5
Merchant marine12 105

Military

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Military expenditures3.80 (% of GDP)26

Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases

List of current world heritage sites

NameSince
Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia
An exceptional example of a sustainable and productive cultural landscape that is unique and representative of a tradition that is a strong symbol for coffee growing areas worldwide - encompasses six farming landscapes, which include 18 urban centres ...
2011
Historic Centre of Santa Cruz de Mompox
Founded in 1540 on the banks of the River Magdalena, Mompox played a key role in the Spanish colonization of northern South America. From the 16th to the 19th century the city developed parallel to the river, with the main street acting as a dyke. Th ...
1995
Los Katíos National Park
Extending over 72,000 ha in north-western Colombia, Los Katios National Park comprises low hills, forests and humid plains. An exceptional biological diversity is found in the park, which is home to many threatened animal species, as well as many end ...
1994
Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary
Located some 506 km off the coast of Colombia, the site includes Malpelo island (350 ha) and the surrounding marine environment (857,150 ha). This vast marine park, the largest no-fishing zone in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, provides a critical habi ...
2006
National Archeological Park of Tierradentro
Several monumental statues of human figures can be seen in the park, which also contains many hypogea dating from the 6th to the 10th century. These huge underground tombs (some burial chambers are up to 12 m wide) are decorated with motifs that repr ...
1995
Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena
Situated in a bay in the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena has the most extensive fortifications in South America. A system of zones divides the city into three neighbourhoods: San Pedro, with the cathedral and many Andalusian-style palaces; San Diego, where ...
1984
San Agustín Archaeological Park
The largest group of religious monuments and megalithic sculptures in South America stands in a wild, spectacular landscape. Gods and mythical animals are skilfully represented in styles ranging from abstract to realist. These works of art display th ...
1995