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Compare Colombia (2007) - Chile (2005)

Compare Colombia (2007) z Chile (2005)

 Colombia (2007)Chile (2005)
 ColombiaChile
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 13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso


note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Age structure 0-14 years: 29.8% (male 6,696,471/female 6,539,612)


15-64 years: 64.8% (male 14,012,140/female 14,732,874)


65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,042,645/female 1,355,856) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 25.2% (male 2,062,735/female 1,970,913)


15-64 years: 66.7% (male 5,320,870/female 5,342,771)


65 years and over: 8% (male 534,737/female 748,886) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans, beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber
Airports 934 (2007) 364 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 103


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 8


1,524 to 2,437 m: 39


914 to 1,523 m: 42


under 914 m: 12 (2007)
total: 71


over 3,047 m: 6


2,438 to 3,047 m: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 21


914 to 1,523 m: 23


under 914 m: 15 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 831


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 34


914 to 1,523 m: 216


under 914 m: 580 (2007)
total: 293


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 11


914 to 1,523 m: 60


under 914 m: 217 (2004 est.)
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: 756,950 sq km


land: 748,800 sq km


water: 8,150 sq km


note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Texas slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
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. More than 32,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had largely ceased to function. Still, some renegades continued to engage in criminal activities. 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. Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians inhabited central and southern Chile; the latter were not completely subjugated until the early 1880s. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-84), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern lands. A three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed to steady growth and have helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.
Birth rate 20.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 15.44 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $49.09 billion


expenditures: $49.75 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
revenues: $21.53 billion


expenditures: $19.95 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.33 billion (2004 est.)
Capital name: Bogota


geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W


time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Santiago
Climate tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south
Coastline 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km) 6,435 km
Constitution 5 July 1991; amended many times 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July 1989, 1993, and 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 Chile


conventional short form: Chile


local long form: Republica de Chile


local short form: Chile
Death rate 5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 5.76 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $38.47 billion (2006 est.) $44.6 billion (2004 est.)
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 Craig A. KELLY


embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago


mailing address: APO AA 34033


telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600


FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710
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 Andres BIANCHI


chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746


FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Disputes - international memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea - final public hearings are scheduled for 2007; dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all of its neighbors' borders and have caused over 300,000 persons to flee the country, mostly into neighboring states Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile to Bolivian gas and other commodities; Peru proposes changing its latitudinal maritime boundary with Chile to an equidistance line with a southwestern axis; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims
Economic aid - recipient $NA (2005) ODA, $0 (2002)
Economy - overview Colombia's economy has experienced positive growth over the past three years despite a serious armed conflict. The economy continues to improve in part because of austere government budgets, focused efforts to reduce public debt levels, an export-oriented growth strategy, an improved security situation in the country, and high commodity prices. Ongoing economic problems facing President URIBE range from reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment, and to achieving congressional passage of a fiscal transfers reform; furthermore, new exploration is needed to offset declining oil production. However, the government's economic policy, democratic security strategy, and the signing of a free trade agreement with the US have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy, particularly within the business sector. Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of 1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth rebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1% in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation of the Argentine peso. Chile's economy began a slow recovery in 2003, growing 3.2% and accelerated to 5.8% in 2004. GDP growth benefited from high copper prices, solid export earnings (particularly forestry, fishing, and mining), and stepped-up foreign direct investment. Unemployment, however, remains stubbornly high. Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004.
Electricity - consumption 38.91 billion kWh (2005) 41.8 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 1.758 billion kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 16 million kWh (2005) 1.813 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 50.47 billion kWh (2005) 48.6 billion kWh (2004)
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: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage
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: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1% white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%
Exchange rates Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,358.6 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002) Chilean pesos per US dollar - 609.37 (2004), 691.43 (2003), 688.94 (2002), 634.94 (2001), 539.59 (2000)
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 three largest parties that supported President URIBE's reelection - the PSUN, PC, and CR - 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 Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff election held 16 January 2000 (next to be held December 2005)


election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percent of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%
Exports NA bbl/day 0 bbl/day (2003)
Exports - commodities petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas, cut flowers copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
Exports - partners US 35.7%, Venezuela 11.4%, Ecuador 5.4% (2006) US 14%, Japan 11.4%, China 9.9%, South Korea 5.5%, Netherlands 5.1%, Brazil 4.3%, Italy 4.1%, Mexico 4% (2004)
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; there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the US flag
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 12%


industry: 35.6%


services: 52.4% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 6.3%


industry: 38.2%


services: 55.5% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $10,700 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.8% (2006 est.) 5.8% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 4 00 N, 72 00 W 30 00 S, 71 00 W
Geography - note only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions
Heliports 2 (2007) -
Highways - total: 79,605 km


paved: 16,080 km (including 407 km of expressways)


unpaved: 63,525 km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 7.9%


highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)
lowest 10%: 1.2%


highest 10%: 47% (2000)
Illicit drugs illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator with 144,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2005, a 26% increase over 2004, producing a potential of 545 mt of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to most of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets; in 2005, aerial eradication dispensed herbicide to treat over 130,000 hectares but aggressive replanting on the part of coca 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; 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; no poppy estimate was conducted in 2005 important transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and the US; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a new anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising
Imports NA bbl/day 221,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas
Imports - partners US 26.9%, Brazil 8.6%, Mexico 8.5%, China 6%, Venezuela 5.6%, Japan 4.1% (2006) Argentina 17%, US 14%, Brazil 11.2%, China 7.4% (2004)
Independence 20 July 1810 (from Spain) 18 September 1810 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate 5.8% (2006 est.) 7.8% (2004 est.)
Industries textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
Infant mortality rate total: 20.13 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 23.86 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.3% (2006 est.) 2.4% (2004 est.)
International organization participation BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO APEC, BIS, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land 9,000 sq km (2003) 18,000 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 or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is elected by the 21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal
Labor force 20.34 million (2006 est.) 6.2 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 22.7%


industry: 18.7%


services: 58.5% (2000 est.)
agriculture 13.6%, industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003)
Land boundaries total: 6,309 km


border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km
total: 6,171 km


border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
Land use arable land: 2.01%


permanent crops: 1.37%


other: 96.62% (2005)
arable land: 2.65%


permanent crops: 0.42%


other: 96.93% (2001)
Languages Spanish Spanish
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 based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction


note: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling its criminal justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system is being gradually implemented throughout the country with the final stage of implementation in the Santiago metropolitan region expected in June 2005
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 18, CR 15, PDI 10, other parties 21; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 35, PSUN 33, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 8, other parties 41
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (48 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9 designated members, and 1 former president who has served a full six-year term and is senator for life); elected members serve eight-year terms (one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held December 2005)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7), independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6), UDI 35, RN 22, independent 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.27 years


male: 68.44 years


female: 76.24 years (2007 est.)
total population: 76.58 years


male: 73.3 years


female: 80.03 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 92.8%


male: 92.9%


female: 92.7% (2004 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96.2%


male: 96.4%


female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
Location Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Map references South America South America
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200/350 nm
Merchant marine total: 15 ships (1000 GRT or over) 35,949 GRT/49,161 DWT


by type: cargo 11, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 3


registered in other countries: 5 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Panama 4) (2007)
total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 725,216 GRT/954,519 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, container 1, liquefied gas 3, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 4


registered in other countries: 21 (2005)
Military branches National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Naval Infantry (Infanteria de Marina, Colmar), and Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2007) Army of the Nation, National Navy (includes naval air, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps), Chilean Air Force, Chilean Carabineros (National Police)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $3.42 billion (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.4% (2005 est.) 3.8% (2004)
National holiday Independence Day, 20 July (1810) Independence Day, 18 September (1810)
Nationality noun: Colombian(s)


adjective: Colombian
noun: Chilean(s)


adjective: Chilean
Natural hazards highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
Net migration rate -0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines gas 4,360 km; oil 6,140 km; refined products 3,158 km (2006) gas 2,583 km; gas/lpg 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,003 km; refined products 757 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Julio MANZUR Abdala]; Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz]; Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo]; Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras]; Social National Unity Party or U Party [Carlos GARCIA Orjuela]


note: Colombia has 15 formally recognized political parties, and numerous unofficial parties that did not meet the vote threshold in the March 2006 legislative elections required for recognition
Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC (including National Renewal or RN [Sebastian PINERA] and Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Pablo LONGUEIRA]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adolfo ZALDIVAR], Socialist Party or PS [Gonzalo MARTNER], Party for Democracy or PPD [Victor BARRUETO], Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Orlando CANTUARIAS]); Communist Party or PC [Gladys MARIN]
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 revitalized university student federations at all major universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations
Population 44,379,598 (July 2007 est.) 15,980,912 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line 49.2% (2005) 20.6% (2000)
Population growth rate 1.433% (2007 est.) 0.97% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors - Antofagasta, Arica, Huasco, Iquique, Lirquen, San Antonio, San Vicente, Valparaiso
Radio broadcast stations AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999) AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)
Railways total: 3,304 km


standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
total: 6,585 km


broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
Religions Roman Catholic 90%, other 10% Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.024 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.769 male(s)/female


total population: 0.961 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: modern system in many respects; telecommunications sector liberalized during the 1990s; multiple providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular services; fixed-line connections stand at about 18 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage is approaching 70 per 100 persons


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


international: country code - 57; submarine cables provide links to the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching centers (2007)
general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities


domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations


international: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 7.865 million (2006) 3.467 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 29.763 million (2006) 6,445,700 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 60 (1997) 63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
Total fertility rate 2.51 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 11.1% (2006 est.) 8.5% (2004 est.)
Waterways 18,000 km (2006) -
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