_#_Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)
_#_Constitution: 5 July 1991
_#_Legal system: based on Spanish law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)
_#_Executive branch: president, presidential designate, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of a nationally elected upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a regionally elected lower chamber or Chamber of Representatives (Camara de Representantes)
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica)
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Cesar
GAVIRIA Trujillo (since 7 August 1990)
_#_Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party (PL), Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo, president, and Alfonso LOPEZ Michelsen, party head; Social Conservative Party (PCS), Misael PASTRANA Borrero; National Salvation Movement (MSN), Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado; Democratic Alliance (AD) is headed by 19th of April Movement (M-19) leader Antonio NAVARRO Wolf, coalition of small leftist parties and dissident liberals and conservatives; Patriotic Union (UP), is a legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Colombian Communist Party (PCC), Carlos ROMERO