Official Name: Republic of Colombia.
Capital: Santafe de Bogotá, D.C.
NATURAL FEATURES
Highest Peak: Pico Cristóbal Colón, 19,020 feet (5,800 meters).
Major Rivers: Magdalena, Cauca, Meta, Guaviare, Caquetá, Putumayo, Atrato, Vaupés, Vichada.
Mountain Ranges: Occidental, Central, Oriental.
PEOPLE
Population (1996 estimate): 35,652,000; 81.0 persons per square mile (31.3 persons per square kilometer); 70.3 percent urban, 29.7 percent rural (1990 estimate).
Major Cities (1995 estimate): Santafe de Bogotá, D.C. (5,237,635), Cali (1,718,871), Medellín (1,621,356), Barranquilla (1,064,255), Cartagena (745,689).
Major Religion: Roman Catholicism.
Major Language: Spanish (official).
Literacy: 86.7 percent.
Leading Universities and Colleges: National University of Colombia, University of the Andes, Javeriana Pontifical University, all in Bogotá; Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia, Tunja; University of Valle, Cali; University of Antioquia, Medellín; Industrial University of Santander, Bucaramanga.
GOVERNMENT
Form of Government: Unitary republic.
Chief of State and Head of Government: President; elected to four-year nonconsecutive terms by direct national vote.
Legislature: Congress consists of 102-member Senate and 163-member House of Representatives; members elected to four-year terms.
Voting Qualification: Age 18.
Political Divisions: 32 departments, 1 capital district.
ECONOMY
Chief Agricultural Products: Crops--sugarcane, potatoes, plantains, rice, bananas, corn, coffee, sorghum. Livestock--cattle, sheep, pigs.
Chief Mined Products: Petroleum, natural gas, gold, coal, iron ore, gold, silver, emeralds.
Chief Manufactured Products: Foods, beverages, textiles and clothing, machinery, electrical apparatus, paper and paper products, transport equipment, basic steel.
Chief Exports: Coffee, petroleum and petroleum products, fruits, flowers, iron and steel, textile apparel.
Chief Imports: Machinery, chemicals, transport equipment.
Monetary Unit: 1 peso = 100 centavos.
