NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Republic of Colombia
Republica de Colombia
former: Gran Colombia
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries has grown to be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging the insurgents for control of territory and illicit industries such as the drug trade and the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas. While Bogota continues to try to negotiate a settlement, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama |
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Geographic coordinates:
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4 00 N, 72 00 W |
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Map references:
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South America |
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Area:
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total: 1,138,910 sq km
land: 1,038,700 sq km note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank water: 100,210 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less than three times the size of Montana |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 6,004 km
border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km |
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Coastline:
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3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km) |
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Maritime claims:
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continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands |
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Terrain:
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flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 1.9%
other: 96.14% (1998 est.) permanent crops: 1.96% |
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Irrigated land:
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8,500 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping |
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Geography - note:
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only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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41,008,227 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 31.6% (male 6,552,961; female 6,399,666)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 12,694,293; female 13,375,425) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 886,921; female 1,098,961) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.6% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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21.99 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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5.66 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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23.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 70.85 years
female: 74.83 years (2002 est.) male: 67 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.64 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.31% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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71,000 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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1,700 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Colombian(s)
adjective: Colombian |
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Ethnic groups:
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mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 90% |
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Languages:
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Spanish |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.3% male: 91.2% female: 91.4% (1995 est.) |