Part 192

Ethnic groups: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%

Languages: Spanish

Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.3% male: 91.2% female: 91.4% (1995 est.)

@Colombia:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Colombia conventional short form: Colombia local long form: Republica de Colombia local short form : Colombia

Data code: CO

Government type: republic; executive branch dominates government structure

National capital: Bogota

Administrative divisions: 32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); 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, Santa Fe de Bogota*, 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 was enacted in 1992-93; judicial review of executive and legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state : President Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (since 7 August 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (since 7 August 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections : president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 May 1994 (next to be held May 1998); vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term in a new procedure that replaces the traditional designation of vice presidents by newly elected presidents election results : Ernesto SAMPER Pizano elected president; percent of vote - no candidate received more than 50% of the total vote, therefore, a run-off election to select a president from the two leading candidates was held 19 June 1994; percent of vote - Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (Liberal Party) 50.4%, Andres PASTRANA Arango (Conservative Party) 48.6%, blank votes 1%; Humberto de la CALLE Lombana elected vice president; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (161 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 13 March 1994 (next to be held March 1998); House of Representatives - last held 13 March 1994 (next to be held March 1998) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Party 59, conservatives (includes PC, MSN, and NDF) 31, other 12; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Party 89, conservatives (includes PC, MSN, and NDF) 53, AD/M-19 2, other 17

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justical), highest court of criminal law, judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms; Council of State, highest court of administrative law, judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms; Constitutional Court, guards integrity and supremacy of the constitution, rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and international treaties

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party or PL [Emilio LEBOLO Castellanos]; Conservative Party or PC [Fabio VALENCIA Cossio]; New Democratic Force or NDF [Andres PASTRANA Arango]; Democratic Alliance M-19 or AD/M-19 is a 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); National Salvation Movement or MSN [Dr. Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado]

Political pressure groups and leaders: two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC; and National Liberation Army or ELN

International organization participation: AG, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G- 3, G-11, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Juan Carlos ESGUERRA Portocarrero chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 387-8338 FAX: (202) 232-8643 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC consulate(s): Atlanta and Tampa

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Myles R. R. FRECHETTE embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, No. 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831 mailing address : APO AA 34038 telephone: (1) 315-0811 FAX: (1) 315-2197

Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Economy

Economy - overview: Boasting a diversified and stable economy, Colombia has enjoyed Latin America's most consistent record of growth over the last several decades. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has expanded every year for more than 25 years, and unlike many other Latin American countries, Colombia did not default on any of its official debts during the "lost decade" of the 1980s. Since 1990, when Bogota introduced a comprehensive reform program that opened the economy to foreign trade and investment, GDP growth has averaged more than 4% annually. Growth has been fueled in recent years by the rapid expansion of the oil sector, progress in the construction and financial service industries, and an influx of foreign capital. Direct foreign investment, especially in the oil industry, is rising at a rapid rate. In 1996, oil overtook coffee as Colombia's main export. Non-petroleum economic growth slowed, however, due mostly to high interest rates - the result of high government spending and a tight monetary policy - and a real appreciation of the exchange rate. Business confidence was also damaged by a political crisis stemming from allegations President SAMPER solicited contributions from drug traffickers during the 1994 campaign. The slowdown in the growth of labor-intensive industries such as manufacturing has caused unemployment to rise to 11.5% by the end of 1996 and interfered with President SAMPER'S plans to lower the country's poverty rate, which has remained at about 40% despite the expanding economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $201.4 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.1% (1996 est.)