Country Summary: Colombia
Country Name: Colombia
Capital: Bogota
Official Visa & Travel Information: Government of Colombia Immigration Services (Visa Services)
Government Type: presidential republic
Background: Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged after the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A decades-long conflict between government forces, paramilitaries, and antigovernment insurgent groups heavily funded by the drug trade, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), escalated during the 1990s. More than 31,000 former United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) paramilitaries demobilized by the end of 2006, and the AUC as a formal organization ceased to operate. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, new criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. After four years of formal peace negotiations, the Colombian Government signed a final peace accord with the FARC in November 2016, which was subsequently ratified by the Colombian Congress. The accord calls for members of the FARC to demobilize, disarm, and reincorporate into society and politics. The accord also committed the Colombian Government to create three new institutions to form a 'comprehensive system for truth, justice, reparation, and non-repetition,' to include a truth commission, a special unit to coordinate the search for those who disappeared during the conflict, and a 'Special Jurisdiction for Peace' to administer justice for conflict-related crimes. Despite decades of internal conflict and drug-related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong and independent democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
Continent: South America
Population: 49,336,454 (2023 est.)
Ethnic Groups: Mestizo and White 87.6%, Afro-Colombian (includes Mulatto, Raizal, and Palenquero) 6.8%, Indigenous 4.3%, unspecified 1.4% (2018 est.)
Languages: Spanish (official) and 65 Indigenous language
Religions: Christian 92.3% (predominantly Roman Catholic), other 1%, unspecified 6.7% (2020 est.)
Economic Overview: prior to COVID-19, one of the most consistent growth economies; declining poverty; large stimulus package has mitigated economic fallout, but delayed key infrastructure investments; successful inflation management; sound flexible exchange rate regime; domestic economy suffers from lack of trade integration and infrastructure
Currency: Colombian Peso (COP)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $56.704 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $810.104 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars
Real GDP Growth Rate: 7.26% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per Capita: $15,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars
Exports:
$73.112 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Comparison Ranking: 56
Export Commodities: crude petroleum, coal, coffee, gold, refined petroleum (2021)
Export Partners: United States 31%, China 11%, Panama 6%, Ecuador 5% (2019)
Imports:
$89.54 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Comparison Ranking: 51
Import Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicines, corn (2019)
Import Partners: United States 27%, China 20%, Mexico 7%, Brazil 6% (2019)
Natural Resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower
Agricultural Products: sugar cane, milk, oil palm fruit, potatoes, rice, bananas, cassava leaves, plantains, poultry, maize
Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds
Industrial Production Growth Rate:
7.04% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Comparison Ranking: 38
Labor Force: 25.771 million (2022 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 10.55% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Natural Hazards: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts
Volcanism: Galeras (4,276 m) is one of Colombia's most active volcanoes, having erupted in 2009 and 2010 causing major evacuations; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Nevado del Ruiz (5,321 m), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985 producing lahars (mudflows) that killed 23,000 people; the volcano last erupted in 1991; additionally, after 500 years of dormancy, Nevado del Huila reawakened in 2007 and has experienced frequent eruptions since then; other historically active volcanoes include Cumbal, Dona Juana, Nevado del Tolima, and Purace
Geography:
Total: 1,138,910 sq km
Land: 1,038,700 sq km
Water: 100,210 sq km
(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)
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