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Compare Colombia (2006) - Poland (2002)

Compare Colombia (2006) z Poland (2002)

 Colombia (2006)Poland (2002)
 ColombiaPoland
Administrative divisions 32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, 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 16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie
Age structure 0-14 years: 30.3% (male 6,683,079/female 6,528,563)


15-64 years: 64.5% (male 13,689,384/female 14,416,439)


65 years and over: 5.2% (male 996,022/female 1,279,548) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 17.9% (male 3,535,701; female 3,361,515)


15-64 years: 69.5% (male 13,358,128; female 13,500,443)


65 years and over: 12.6% (male 1,860,274; female 3,009,417) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork
Airports 984 (2006) 122 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 101


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 38


914 to 1,523 m: 40


under 914 m: 12 (2006)
total: 83


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 29


1,524 to 2,437 m: 42


914 to 1,523 m: 6


under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 883


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 35


914 to 1,523 m: 275


under 914 m: 572 (2006)
total: 39


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 13


under 914 m: 21 (2002)
Area total: 1,138,910 sq km


land: 1,038,700 sq km


water: 100,210 sq km


note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank
total: 312,685 sq km


land: 304,465 sq km


water: 8,220 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Texas slightly smaller than New Mexico
Background Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups and illegal paramilitary groups - both heavily funded by the drug trade - escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, and violence has been decreasing since about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence. Paramilitary groups challenge the insurgents for control of territory and the drug trade. Most paramilitary members have demobilized since 2002 in an ongoing peace process, although their commitment to ceasing illicit activity is unclear. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its municipalities. However, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders. Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived around the middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century. During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation, until an agreement in 1772 between Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite country following the war, but one that was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, boosting hopes for acceptance to the EU. Poland joined the NATO alliance in 1999.
Birth rate 20.48 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 10.29 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $46.82 billion


expenditures: $48.77 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
revenues: $49.6 billion


expenditures: $52.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)
Capital name: Bogota


geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W


time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Warsaw
Climate tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Coastline 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km) 491 km
Constitution 5 July 1991 16 October 1997; adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 23 May 1997
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Colombia


conventional short form: Colombia


local long form: Republica de Colombia


local short form: Colombia
conventional long form: Republic of Poland


conventional short form: Poland


local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska


local short form: Polska
Currency - zloty (PLN)
Death rate 5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 9.97 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $32.35 billion (2005 est.) $64 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD


embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831


mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038


telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811


FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL


embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw P1


mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)


telephone: [48] (22) 628-30-41


FAX: [48] (22) 628-82-98


consulate(s) general: Krakow
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Carolina BARCO Isakson


chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338


FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC
chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI


chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802


FAX: [1] (202) 328-6271


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all of its neighbors' borders and have created a serious refugee crisis with over 300,000 persons having fled the country, mostly into neighboring states none
Economic aid - recipient $NA $NA
Economy - overview Colombia's economy has been on a recovery trend during the past two years despite a serious armed conflict. The economy continues to improve thanks to austere government budgets, focused efforts to reduce public debt levels, an export-oriented growth strategy, and an improved security situation in the country. Ongoing economic problems facing President URIBE range from reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment. New exploration is needed to offset declining oil production. On the positive side, several international financial institutions have praised the economic reforms introduced by URIBE, which succeeded in reducing the public-sector deficit below 1.5% of GDP. The government's economic policy and democratic security strategy have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy, particularly within the business sector. Coffee prices have recovered from previous lows as the Colombian coffee industry pursues greater market shares in developed countries such as the United States. Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of liberalizing the economy and today stands out as one of the most successful and open transition economies. GDP growth had been strong and steady in 1993-2000 but fell back in 2001-02 with slowdowns in domestic investment and consumption and the persistent weakness in the European economy. The privatization of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms have allowed for the vibrant development of a private business sector. In contrast, Poland's large agricultural sector remains handicapped by structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy) have begun. Structural reforms in health care, education, the pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger than expected fiscal pressures. Further progress in public finance depends mainly on privatization of Poland's remaining state sector. The government's determination to enter the EU as soon as possible affects most aspects of its economic policies. Improving Poland's outsized foreign trade deficit and containing the internal budget deficit are top priorities. Warsaw leads the region in foreign investment and needs a continued large inflow.
Electricity - consumption 48.83 billion kWh (2003) 119.33 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 1.082 billion kWh (2003) 9.663 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 48.4 million kWh (2003) 3.29 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 50.43 billion kWh (2003) 135.16 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 98%


hydro: 2%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
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
lowest point: Raczki Elblaskie -2 m


highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by postcommunist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes
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
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1% Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%, Belarusian 0.5% (1990 est.)
Exchange rates Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002), 2,299.63 (2001) zlotych per US dollar - 4.0144 (December 2001), 4.0939 (2001), 4.3461 (2000), 3.9671 (1999), 3.4754 (1998), 3.2793 (1997)


note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty
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)


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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010)


election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez reelected president; percent of vote - Alvaro URIBE Velez 62%, Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz 22%, Horacio SERPA Uribe 12%, other 4%
chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995)


head of government: Prime Minister Leszek MILLER (SLD) (since 19 October 2001), Deputy Prime Ministers Marek POL (since 19 October 2001), Jaroslaw KALINOWSKI (since 19 October 2001), Grzegorz KOLODKO (since 8 July 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm


election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president; percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzj OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%
Exports NA bbl/day $32.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers machinery and transport equipment 30.2%, intermediate manufactured goods 25.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 20.9%, food and live animals 8.5% (1999)
Exports - partners US 41.8%, Venezuela 9.9%, Ecuador 6.3% (2005) Germany 34.3%, Italy 5.4%, France 5.4%, UK 5.0% (2001)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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 two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white
GDP - purchasing power parity - $368.1 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 12.5%


industry: 34.2%


services: 53.3% (2005 est.)
agriculture: 4%


industry: 35%


services: 61% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $9,500 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.2% (2005 est.) 1.2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 4 00 N, 72 00 W 52 00 N, 20 00 E
Geography - note only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
Heliports 2 (2006) 3 (2002)
Highways - total: 381,046 km


paved: 249,966 km (including 268 km of expressways)


unpaved: 131,080 km (1998)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 7.9%


highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)
lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 25% (1998)
Illicit drugs illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2004 was 114,100 hectares, virtually unchanged from 2003, but down one-third from its peak of 169,800 ha); producing a potential of 430 mt of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplying most of the US market and the great majority of cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation fell 50% between 2003 and 2004 to 2,100 hectares yielding a potential 3.8 metric tons of pure heroin, mostly for the US market; in 2004, aerial eradication treated over 130,000 hectares of coca but aggressive replanting on the part of growers means Colombia remains a key producer; a significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange major illicit producer of amphetamine for the international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe
Imports NA bbl/day $43.4 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Imports - commodities industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, intermediate manufactured goods 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999)
Imports - partners US 28.5%, Mexico 8.3%, China 7.6%, Brazil 6.5%, Venezuela 5.7% (2005) Germany 23.9%, Russia 8.8%, Italy 8.2%, France 6.8% (2001)
Independence 20 July 1810 (from Spain) 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)
Industrial production growth rate 3.7% (2005 est.) 4.3% (1999)
Industries textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Infant mortality rate total: 20.35 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 24.25 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 16.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
9.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5% (2005 est.) 2.5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation BCIE, CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 19 (2000)
Irrigated land 9,000 sq km (2003) 1,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council 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); Superior Judicial Council (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms) Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms)
Labor force 20.52 million (2005) 17.6 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 22.7%


industry: 18.7%


services: 58.5% (2000 est.)
industry 22%, agriculture 28%, services 50% (1999)
Land boundaries total: 6,004 km


border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km
total: 2,788 km


border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 526 km
Land use arable land: 2.01%


permanent crops: 1.37%


other: 96.62% (2005)
arable land: 45.81%


permanent crops: 1.23%


other: 52.96% (1998 est.)
Languages Spanish Polish
Legal system based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and is gradually being implemented; judicial review of executive and legislative acts mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts although under the new constitution, the Constitutional Tribunal ruling will become final as of October 1999; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg
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 (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010); House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSUN 20, PC 18, PL 17, CR 15, PDI 11, other parties 21; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 36, PSUN 30, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 42, other parties 42
bicameral National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe consists of the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) and the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms)


elections: Sejm elections last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held by September 2005); Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held by September 2005)


election results: Sejm - percent of vote by party - SLD-UP 41%, PO 12.7%, Samoobrona 10.2%, PiS 9.5%, PSL 9%, LPR 7.9%, AWSP 5.6% UW 3.1%, other 1%; seats by party - SLD-UP 216, PO 65, Samoobrona 53, PiS 44, PSL 42, LPR 38, German minorities 2; note - SLD-UP has split: SLD has 200 deputies and UP has 16; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SLD-UP 75, AWSP (an electoral alliance of some 36 parties) 15, PSL 4, Samoobrona 2, LPR 2, independents 2


note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.99 years


male: 68.15 years


female: 75.96 years (2006 est.)
total population: 73.66 years


male: 69.52 years


female: 78.05 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 92.5%


male: 92.4%


female: 92.6% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 98% (1978 est.)
Location Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama Central Europe, east of Germany
Map references South America Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 42,413 GRT/58,737 DWT


by type: cargo 13, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 3


registered in other countries: 7 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 5) (2006)
total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 382,518 GRT/641,657 DWT


ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes naval aviation, marines, and coast guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana) (2006) Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $3.3 billion (FY01) $3.5 billion (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.4% (FY01) 1.71% (2002)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 10,415,598 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 8,120,098 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 19 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 344,781 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 20 July (1810) Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Nationality noun: Colombian(s)


adjective: Colombian
noun: Pole(s)


adjective: Polish
Natural hazards highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts flooding
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, arable land
Net migration rate -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 4,360 km; oil 6,140 km; refined products 3,158 km (2006) crude oil and petroleum products 2,280 km; natural gas 17,000 km (1996)
Political parties and leaders Clandestine Communist Party of Colombia or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Samuel MORENO Rojas]; Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA]; Social National Unity Party or PSUN [Juan Manuel SANTOS]


note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political parties, most of which do not have a presence in either house of Congress
Citizens Platform or PO [Maciej PLAZYNSKI]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD (Social Democracy of Poland) [Leszek MILLER]; Freedom Union or UW [Wladyslaw FRASYNIUK]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Lech KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR [Marek KOTLINOWSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Jaroslaw KALINOWSKI]; Samoobrona [Andrzej LEPPER]; Solidarity Electoral Action of the Right or AWSP [Marian KRZAKLEWSKI]; Social Movement-Solidarity Electoral Action or RS-AWS [Jerzy BUZEK]; Union of Labor or UP [Marek POL]
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; largest illegal paramilitary group, a roughly organized umbrella group of disparate paramilitary forces, is United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union); Roman Catholic Church; Solidarity (trade union)
Population 43,593,035 (July 2006 est.) 38,625,478 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 49.2% (2005) 18% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 1.46% (2006 est.) -0.02% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wroclaw
Radio broadcast stations AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999) AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios - 20.2 million (1997)
Railways total: 3,304 km


standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)
total: 23,420 km


broad gauge: 646 km 1.524-m gauge


standard gauge: 21,639 km 1.435-m gauge (11,626 km electrified; 8,978 km double-tracked)


narrow gauge: 1,135 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m, 0.750-m, and 0.600-m (2001)
Religions Roman Catholic 90%, other 10% Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5%
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: 0.78 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: modern system in many respects


domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities


international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables
general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system; government aimed to have 10 million telephones in service by 2000; the process of partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly has begun; in 1998 there were over 2 million applicants on the waiting list for telephone service


domestic: cable, open wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 7,678,800 (2005) 8.07 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 21.85 million (2005) 1.78 million (1998)
Television broadcast stations 60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997) 179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)
Terrain flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Total fertility rate 2.54 children born/woman (2006 est.) 1.37 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 11.8% (2005 est.) 17% (2002 est.)
Waterways 18,000 km (2005) 3,812 km (navigable rivers and canals) (1996)
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