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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.
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
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.
National administrative regions of Colombia
- Amazonas
- Antioquia
- Arauca
- Archipielago de San Andres, Providencia y Santa Catalina
- Atlantico
- Bogota D.C.
- Bolivar
- Boyaca
- Caldas
- Caqueta
- Casanare
- Cauca
- Cesar
- Choco
- Colombia (general)
- Cordoba
- Cundinamarca
- Guainia
- Guaviare
- Huila
- La Guajira
- Magdalena
- Meta
- Narino
- Norte de Santander
- Putumayo
- Quindio
- Risaralda
- Santander
- Sucre
- Tolima
- Valle del Cauca
- Vaupes
- Vichada
Geography Quick-Facts
| Summary | Continent: South America Neighbours: Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Brazil, Venezuela Capital: Bogotá |
| Size | 1,138,910 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 439,735 square miles (mi² or sqmi) slightly less than twice the size of Texas |
| Population | 45,013,000 |
| Currency | Name Peso, Currency Code:COP |
| Country Top Level Domain (cTLD) | .co |
| Telephone Country Prefix | +57 |
| Mobile Phone Connections | 42,160,000 |
| Landline Phone Connections | 7,500,000 |
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 name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 1,138,910 (sq km) | 26 |
People and Society
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,745,783 | 29 |
| Population growth rate | 1.10 (%) | 107 |
| Birth rate | 16.98 (births/1,000 population) | 117 |
| Death rate | 5.33 (deaths/1,000 population) | 176 |
| Net migration rate | -0.66 (migrant(s)/1,000 population) | 141 |
| Maternal mortality rate | 92.00 (deaths/100,000 live births) | 80 |
| Infant mortality rate | 15.46 (deaths/1,000 live births) | 106 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 75.02 (years) | 99 |
| Total fertility rate | 2.10 (children born/woman) | 111 |
| Health expenditures | 7.60 (% of GDP) | 71 |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.50 (%) | 67 |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 160,000 | 32 |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 14,000 | 20 |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 17.30 (%) | 112 |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 3.40 (%) | 106 |
| Education expenditures | 4.50 (% of GDP) | 93 |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | 23.00 (%) | 43 |
Economy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | 511,100,000,000 | 29 |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.00 (%) | 79 |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | 11,000 | 110 |
| Labor force | 23,080,000 | 29 |
| Unemployment rate | 10.30 (%) | 111 |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 58.50 | 8 |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 24.10 (% of GDP) | 58 |
| Taxes and other revenues | 28.50 (% of GDP) | 103 |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -0.50 (% of GDP) | 53 |
| Public debt | 40.20 (% of GDP) | 91 |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.20 (%) | 83 |
| Central bank discount rate | 5.00 (%) | 72 |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 11.22 (%) | 72 |
| Stock of narrow money | 41,900,000,000 | 49 |
| Stock of broad money | 151,200,000,000 | 48 |
| Stock of domestic credit | 165,500,000,000 | 44 |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | 208,500,000,000 | 34 |
| Current account balance | -13,290,000,000 | 177 |
| Exports | 59,960,000,000 | 55 |
| Imports | 55,490,000,000 | 54 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 34,740,000,000 | 47 |
| Debt - external | 78,640,000,000 | 52 |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | 111,500,000,000 | 37 |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad | 32,560,000,000 | 42 |
Energy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 56,280,000,000 (kWh) | 47 |
| Electricity - consumption | 46,870,000,000 (kWh) | 48 |
| Electricity - exports | 1,294,000,000 (kWh) | 51 |
| Electricity - imports | 8,220,000,000 (kWh) | 29 |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 13,540,000 (kW) | 47 |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 32.90 (% of total installed capacity) | 178 |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 66.60 (% of total installed capacity) | 25 |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 0.40 (% of total installed capacity) | 77 |
| Crude oil - production | 944,000 (bbl/day) | 22 |
| Crude oil - exports | 777,900 (bbl/day) | 18 |
| Crude oil - imports | 10 (bbl/day) | 85 |
| Crude oil - proved reserves | 2,417,000,000 (bbl) | 34 |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 316,500 (bbl/day) | 42 |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 287,000 (bbl/day) | 45 |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 52,680 (bbl/day) | 57 |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 6,045 (bbl/day) | 148 |
| Natural gas - production | 11,260,000,000 (cu m) | 43 |
| Natural gas - consumption | 9,080,000,000 (cu m) | 51 |
| Natural gas - exports | 2,180,000,000 (cu m) | 39 |
| Natural gas - imports | 40,290 (cu m) | 75 |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 134,100,000,000 (cu m) | 51 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 72,310,000 (Mt) | 46 |
Communications
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | 7,127,000 | 26 |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 46,200,000 | 29 |
| Internet hosts | 4,410,000 | 24 |
| Internet users | 22,538,000 | 18 |
Transportation
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Airports | 862 | 8 |
| Railways | 874 (km) | 95 |
| Roadways | 141,374 (km) | 33 |
| Waterways | 24,725 (km) | 5 |
| Merchant marine | 12 | 105 |
Military
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Military expenditures | 3.80 (% 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
| Name | Since |
|---|---|
| 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 |