Ports:
none; lagoon anchorage only
Airports:
1 airfield with permanent-surface runway, 1,220-2,439 m; airport on West
Island is a link in service between Australia and South Africa
Telecommunications:
250 radios (1985); linked by telephone, telex, and facsimile communications
via satellite with Australia; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV
:Cocos Islands Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
:Colombia Geography
Total area:
1,138,910 km2
Land area:
1,038,700 km2; includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and
Serranilla Bank
Comparative area:
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Land boundaries:
7,408 km; Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 2,900,
Venezuela 2,050 km
Coastline:
3,208 km; Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
not specified
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela;
territorial dispute with Nicaragua over Archipelago de San Andres y
Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank
Climate:
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
Terrain:
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes mountains, eastern
lowland plains
Natural resources:
crude oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds
Land use:
arable land 4%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 29%; forest and
woodland 49%; other 16%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Environment:
highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; deforestation; soil damage from
overuse of pesticides; periodic droughts
Note:
only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific Ocean and
Caribbean Sea
:Colombia People
Population:
34,296,941 (July 1992), growth rate 1.9% (1992)
Birth rate:
24 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
31 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
69 years male, 74 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.6 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Colombian(s); adjective - Colombian
Ethnic divisions:
mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Indian 3%, Indian
1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%
Languages:
Spanish
Literacy:
87% (male 88%, female 86%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
12,000,000 (1990); services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990)
Organized labor:
984,000 members (1989), about 8.2% of labor force; the Communist-backed
Unitary Workers Central or CUT is the largest labor organization, with about
725,000 members (including all affiliate unions)
:Colombia Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Colombia
Type:
republic; executive branch dominates government structure
Capital:
Bogota
Administrative divisions:
23 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento), 5 commissariats*
(comisarias, singular - comisaria), and 4 intendancies** (intendencias,
singular - intendencia); Amazonas*, Antioquia, Arauca**, Atlantico, 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*;
note - there may be a new special district (distrito especial) named Bogota;
the Constitution of 5 July 1991 states that the commissariats and
intendancies are to become full departments and a capital district (distrito
capital) of Santa Fe de Bogota is to be established by 1997
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 nationally elected lower chamber or House 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; Social Conservative
Party (PCS), Misael PASTRANA Borrero; National Salvation Movement (MSN),
Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado; Democratic Alliance M-19 (AD/M-19) 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
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
President:
last held 27 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results - Cesar GAVIRIA
Trujillo (Liberal) 47%, Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado (National Salvation Movement)
24%, Antonio NAVARRO Wolff (M-19) 13%, Rodrigo LLOREDA (Conservative) 12%
Senate:
last held 27 October 1991 (next to be held March 1994); results - percent of
vote by party NA; seats - (102 total) Liberal 58, Conservative 22, AD/M-19
9, MSN 5, UP 1, others 7
:Colombia Government