Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper,
emeralds, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 2.01% permanent crops: 1.37% other: 96.62% (2005)
Irrigated land:
9,000 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes;
periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions
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
Geography - note:
only South American country with coastlines on both the North
Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
People Colombia
Population:
43,593,035 (July 2006 est.)
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.)