Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zonesof the World
Area:
total area:
1,138,910 sq km
land area:
1,038,700 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
note:
includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla
Bank
Land boundaries:
total 7,408 km, Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru
2,900 km, 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
International 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:
petroleum, 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%
Irrigated land:
5,150 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides
natural hazards:
highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; periodic droughts
international agreements:
party to - Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber; signed, but not ratified -
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Note:
only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific
Ocean and Caribbean Sea
@Colombia, People
Population: 35,577,556 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.77% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 22.64 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 4.75 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: −0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 28.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.1 years male: 69.33 years female: 74.95 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.47 children born/woman (1994 est.) 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: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 87% male: 88% female: 86% Labor force: 12 million (1990) by occupation: services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990)
@Colombia, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Colombia
conventional short form:
Colombia
local long form:
Republica de Colombia
local short form:
Colombia
Digraph:
CO
Type:
republic; executive branch dominates government structure
Capital:
Bogota
Administrative divisions:
32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital
district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico,
Bogota*, 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
Independence:
20 July 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 20 July (1810)
Constitution:
5 July 1991
Legal system:
based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures
