COP to USD Live Rate

Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama

North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

4 00 N, 72 00 W

38 00 N, 97 00 W

South America

North America

total: 1,138,910 sq km

land: 1,038,700 sq km

water: 100,210 sq km

note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank

country comparison to the world: 27

total: 9,833,517 sq km

land: 9,147,593 sq km

water: 685,924 sq km

note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia, no overseas territories (2010)

country comparison to the world: 4

total: 6,672 km

border countries (5): Brazil 1,790 km, Ecuador 708 km, Panama 339 km, Peru 1,494 km, Venezuela 2,341 km

total: 12,048 km

border countries (2): Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,155 km

note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28.5 km

3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)

19,924 km

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: not specified

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains

flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains (Llanos)

vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

mean elevation: 593 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,730 m

note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

mean elevation: 760 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Death Valley -86 m (lowest point in North America)

highest point: Denali (Mount McKinley) 6,190 m (highest point in North America)

note: the peak of Mauna Kea (4,205 m above sea level) on the island of Hawaii rises about 10,200 m above the Pacific Ocean floor; by this measurement, it is the world's tallest mountain - higher than Mount Everest (8,850 m), which is recognized as the tallest mountain above sea level

petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower

coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber, arable land

note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total

agricultural land: 37.5%

arable land 1.4%; permanent crops 1.6%; permanent pasture 34.5%

forest: 54.4%

other: 8.1% (2011 est.)

agricultural land: 44.5%

arable land 16.8%; permanent crops 0.3%; permanent pasture 27.4%

forest: 33.3%

other: 22.2% (2011 est.)

10,900 sq km (2012)

264,000 sq km (2012)

the majority of people live in the north and west where agricultural opportunities and natural resources are found; the vast grasslands of the llanos to the south and east, which make up approximately 60% of the country, are sparsely populated

large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western tier states; mountainous areas, principally the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian chain, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prairie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast - with particular emphasis on the city of Anchorage - and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu

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

tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development

volcanism: volcanic activity in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northern Mariana Islands; both Mauna Loa (4,170 m) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier (4,392 m) in Washington have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pavlof (2,519 m) is the most active volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses a significant threat to air travel since the area constitutes a major flight path between North America and East Asia; St. Helens (2,549 m), famous for the devastating 1980 eruption, remains active today; numerous other historically active volcanoes exist, mostly concentrated in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii; they include: in Alaska: Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked, Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt, Spurr, Wrangell, Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars, Veniaminof; in Hawaii: Haleakala, Kilauea, Loihi; in the Northern Mariana Islands: Anatahan; and in the Pacific Northwest: Mount Baker, Mount Hood

deforestation resulting from timber exploitation in the jungles of the Amazon and the region of Choc?; illicit drug crops grown by peasants in the national parks; soil erosion; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

large emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural freshwater resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Denali (Mt. McKinley) is the highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union

47,698,524 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

326,625,791 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

noun: Colombian(s)

adjective: Colombian

noun: American(s)

adjective: American

mestizo and white 84.2%, Afro-Colombian (includes mulatto, Raizal, and Palenquero) 10.4%, Amerindian 3.4%, Romani <.01, unspecified 2.1% (2005 est.)

white 72.4%, black 12.6%, Asian 4.8%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.9%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2%, other 6.2%, two or more races 2.9% (2010 est.)

note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.); an estimated 16.3% of the total US population is Hispanic as of 2010

Spanish (official)

English 79%, Spanish 13%, other Indo-European 3.7%, Asian and Pacific island 3.4%, other 1% (2015 est.)

note: data represent the language spoken at home; the US has no official national language, but English has acquired official status in 32 of the 50 states; Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii, and 20 indigenous languages are official in Alaska

Roman Catholic 79%, Protestant 14% (includes Pentecostal 6%, mainline Protestant 2%, other 6%), other 2%, unspecified 5% (2014 est.)

Protestant 46.5%, Roman Catholic 20.8%, Jewish 1.9%, Mormon 1.6%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 0.9%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, Buddhist 0.7%, Hindu 0.7%, other 1.8%, unaffiliated 22.8%, don't know/refused 0.6% (2014 est.)

Colombia is in the midst of a demographic transition resulting from steady declines in its fertility, mortality, and population growth rates. The birth rate has fallen from more than 6 children per woman in the 1960s to just above replacement level today as a result of increased literacy, family planning services, and urbanization. However, income inequality is among the worst in the world, and more than a third of the population lives below the poverty line.

Colombia experiences significant legal and illegal economic emigration and refugee outflows. Large-scale labor emigration dates to the 1960s; the United States and, until recently, Venezuela have been the main host countries. Emigration to Spain picked up in the 1990s because of its economic growth, but this flow has since diminished because of Spain’s ailing economy and high unemployment. Colombia has been the largest source of Latin American refugees in Latin America, nearly 400,000 of whom live primarily in Venezuela and Ecuador. Venezuela’s political and economic crisis since 2015, however, has created a reverse flow, consisting largely of Colombians returning home.

Forced displacement continues to be prevalent because of violence among guerrillas, paramilitary groups, and Colombian security forces. Afro-Colombian and indigenous populations are disproportionately affected. Even with the Colombian Government’s December 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the risk of displacement remains as other rebel groups fill the void left by the FARC. Between 1985 and September 2017, nearly 7.6 million persons have been internally displaced, the highest total in the world. These estimates may undercount actual numbers because many internally displaced persons are not registered. Historically, Colombia also has one of the world’s highest levels of forced disappearances. About 30,000 cases have been recorded over the last four decades—although the number is likely to be much higher—including human rights activists, trade unionists, Afro-Colombians, indigenous people, and farmers in rural conflict zones.

Because of political violence and economic problems, Colombia received limited numbers of immigrants during the 19th and 20th centuries, mostly from the Middle East, Europe, and Japan. More recently, growth in the oil, mining, and manufacturing sectors has attracted increased labor migration; the primary source countries are Venezuela, the US, Mexico, and Argentina. Colombia has also become a transit area for illegal migrants from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean -- especially Haiti and Cuba -- who are en route to the US or Canada.

total dependency ratio: 45.6

youth dependency ratio: 35.4

elderly dependency ratio: 10.2

potential support ratio: 9.8 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio: 51.2

youth dependency ratio: 29

elderly dependency ratio: 22.1

potential support ratio: 4.5 (2015 est.)

total: 30 years

male: 29 years

female: 31 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 118

total: 38.1 years

male: 36.8 years

female: 39.4 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 60

0.99% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 115

0.81% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

16.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 114

12.5 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 158

5.5 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 177

8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 85

-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

the majority of people live in the north and west where agricultural opportunities and natural resources are found; the vast grasslands of the llanos to the south and east, which make up approximately 60% of the country, are sparsely populated

large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western tier states; mountainous areas, principally the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian chain, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prarie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast - with particular emphasis on the city of Anchorage - and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu

urban population: 77% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 1.47% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population: 82% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 0.99% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

BOGOTA (capital) 9.765 million; Medellin 3.911 million; Cali 2.646 million; Barranquilla 1.991 million; Bucaramanga 1.215 million; Cartagena 1.092 million (2015)

New York-Newark 18.593 million; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana 12.31 million; Chicago 8.745 million; Miami 5.817 million; Dallas-Fort Worth 5.703 million; WASHINGTON, D.C. (capital) 4.955 million (2015)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth: NA

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

21.7 years

note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2015 est.)

26.4 years (2015 est.)

64 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 87

14 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 138

total: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 16.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 106

total: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 170

total population: 75.9 years

male: 72.8 years

female: 79.3 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 96

total population: 80 years

male: 77.7 years

female: 82.2 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

2 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 122

1.87 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 143

79.1% (2009/10)

74.1%

note: percent of women aged 15-44 (2011/13)

7.2% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 76

17.1% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 1

1.82 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

2.57 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

1.5 beds/1,000 population (2014)

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2013)

improved:

urban: 96.8% of population

rural: 73.8% of population

total: 91.4% of population

unimproved:

urban: 3.2% of population

rural: 26.2% of population

total: 8.6% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 99.4% of population

rural: 98.2% of population

total: 99.2% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0.6% of population

rural: 1.8% of population

total: 0.8% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 85.2% of population

rural: 67.9% of population

total: 81.1% of population

unimproved:

urban: 14.8% of population

rural: 32.1% of population

total: 18.9% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

0.4% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 73

NA

120,000 (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 37

NA

2,800 (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 44

NA

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever

note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)

22.3% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 78

36.2% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 12

3.4% (2010)

country comparison to the world: 108

0.5% (2012)

country comparison to the world: 136

4.5% of GDP (2016)

country comparison to the world: 95

5% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 63

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.2%

male: 94.1%

female: 94.4% (2015 est.)

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2015)

total: 17 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2014)

total: 16.6%

male: 12.6%

female: 22.2% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 78

total: 10.4%

male: 11.4%

female: 9.3% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 127

conventional long form: Republic of Colombia

conventional short form: Colombia

local long form: Republica de Colombia

local short form: Colombia

etymology: the country is named after explorer Christopher COLUMBUS

conventional long form: United States of America

conventional short form: United States

abbreviation: US or USA

etymology: the name America is derived from that of Amerigo VESPUCCI (1454-1512) - Italian explorer, navigator, and cartographer - using the Latin form of his name, Americus, feminized to America

presidential republic

constitutional federal republic

name: Bogota

geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

name: Washington, DC

geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W

time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

note: the 50 United States cover six time zones

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, Archipielago de San Andres, Providencia y Santa Catalina (colloquially San Andres y Providencia), Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

4 July 1776 (declared independence from Great Britain); 3 September 1783 (recognized by Great Britain)

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

several previous; latest promulgated 5 July 1991; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)

previous 1781 (Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union); latest drafted July - September 1787, submitted to the Congress of the Confederation 20 September 1787, submitted for states' ratification 28 September 1787, ratification completed by nine states 21 June 1788, effective 4 March 1789; amended many times, last in 1992 (2016)

civil law system influenced by the Spanish and French civil codes

common law system based on English common law at the federal level; state legal systems based on common law except Louisiana, which is based on Napoleonic civil code; judicial review of legislative acts

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

withdrew acceptance of compulsory ICJ jurisdiction in 2005; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2002

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Colombia

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent: yes

dual citizenship recognized: no, but the US government acknowledges such situtations exist; US citizens are not encouraged to seek dual citizenship since it limits protection by the US

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

18 years of age; universal

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: President Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2010); Vice President Ret. Gen. Oscar Adolfo NARANJO Trujillo (since 30 March 2017); note - Vice President German VARGAS Lleras' resignation on 15 March 2017 became effective on 21 March 2017; the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2010); Vice President Ret. Gen. Oscar Adolfo NARANJO Trujillo (since 30 March 2017)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term (beginning in 2018); election last held on 25 May 2014 with a runoff held on 15 June 2014 (next to be held on 27 May 2018); note - political reform in 2015 eliminated presidential reelection; beginning in 2018, presidents can serve only one 4-year term

election results: Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (U Party) 51.0%, Oscar Ivan ZULUAGA (CD) 45.0%, other 4.0%

chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, approved by the Senate

elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by the Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 10 November 2020)

election results: Donald J. TRUMP elected president; electoral vote - Donald J. TRUMP (Republican Party) 304, Hillary D. CLINTON (Democratic Party) 227, other 7; percent of direct popular vote - Hillary D. CLINTON 48.2%, Donald J. TRUMP 46.1%, other 5.7%

description: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado (102 seats; 100 members elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation popular vote and 2 members elected in a special nationwide for indigenous communities to serve 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (166 seats; members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation constituency popular vote to serve 4-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held on 11 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2022); Chamber of Representatives - last held on 11 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2022)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CD 19, CR 16, PC 15, PL 14, U Party 14, Green Alliance 10, PDA 5, other 7; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 35, CD 32, CR 30, U Party 25, PC 21, Green Alliance 9, other 6

description: bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats; 2 members directly elected in each of the 50 state constituencies by simple majority vote except in Georgia and Louisiana which require an absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 2 years) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote except in Georgia which requires an absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 2-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 6 November 2018); House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 6 November 2018)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 24, Democratic Party 10; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 241, Democratic Party 194,

note: in addition to the regular members of the House of Representatives there are 6 non-voting delegates elected from the District of Columbia and the US territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands; these are single seat constituencies directly elected by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term (except for the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico who serves a 4-year term); the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote; election of delegates last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 6 November 2018)

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of the Civil-Agrarian and Labor Chambers each with 7 judges, and the Penal Chamber with 9 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 magistrates); Council of State (consists of 31 members); Superior Judiciary Council (consists of 13 magistrates)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the Supreme Court members from candidates submitted by the Superior Judiciary Council; judges elected for individual 8-year terms; Constitutional Court magistrates - nominated by the president, by the Supreme Court, and elected by the Senate; judges elected for individual 8-year terms; Council of State members appointed by the State Council plenary from lists nominated by the Superior Judiciary Council

subordinate courts: Superior Tribunals (appellate courts for each of the judicial districts); regional courts; civil municipal courts; Superior Military Tribunal; first instance administrative courts

highest court(s): US Supreme Court (consists of 9 justices - the chief justice and 8 associate justices)

judge selection and term of office: president nominates and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints Supreme Court justices; justices appointed for life

subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (includes the US Court of Appeal for the Federal District and 12 regional appeals courts); 94 federal district courts in 50 states and territories

note: the US court system consists of the federal court system and the state court systems; although each court system is responsible for hearing certain types of cases, neither is completely independent of the other, and the systems often interact

Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Clara LOPEZ]

Citizens Option (Opcion Ciudadana) or OC [Angel ALIRIO Moreno] (formerly known as the National Integration Party or PIN)

Conservative Party or PC [David BARGUIL]

Democratic Center Party or CD [Alvaro URIBE Velez, Oscar Ivan ZULUAGA, Carlos HOLMES TRUJILLO, Ivan DUQUE]

Green Alliance [Jorge LONDONO, Antonio SANGUINO, Luis AVELLANEDA, Camilo ROMERO]

Liberal Party or PL [Horacio SERPA]

People's Alternative Revolutionary Force or FARC [Timoleon JIMENEZ]

Radical Change or CR [Carlos Fernando GALAN]

Social National Unity Party or U Party [Roy BARRERAS, Jose David NAME]

note: Colombia has numerous smaller movements

Democratic Party [Tom PEREZ]

Green Party [collective leadership]

Libertarian Party [Nicholas SARWARK]

Republican Party [Ronna Romney MCDANIEL]

Central Union of Workers or CUT

Colombian Confederation of Workers or CTC

General Confederation of Workers or CGT

National Liberation Army or ELN

environmentalists; business groups; labor unions; churches; ethnic groups; political action committees or PACs; health groups; education groups; civic groups; youth groups; transportation groups; agricultural groups; veterans groups; women's groups; reform lobbies

BCIE, BIS, CAN, Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNSC (permanent), UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

chief of mission: Ambassador Camilo REYES Rodriguez (since 21 July 2017)

chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338

FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark (NJ), Orlando, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s): Boston, Chicago, San Francisco

chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin WHITAKER (since 11 June 2014)

embassy: Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogota, D.C.

mailing address: Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogota, D.C.

telephone: [57] (1) 275-2000

FAX: [57] (1) 275-4600

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Colombia, the short-lived South American republic that broke up in 1830; various interpretations of the colors exist and include: yellow for the gold in Colombia's land, blue for the seas on its shores, and red for the blood spilled in attaining freedom; alternatively, the colors have been described as representing more elemental concepts such as sovereignty and justice (yellow), loyalty and vigilance (blue), and valor and generosity (red); or simply the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity

note: similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; the blue stands for loyalty, devotion, truth, justice, and friendship; red symbolizes courage, zeal, and fervency, while white denotes purity and rectitude of conduct; commonly referred to by its nickname of Old Glory

note: the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

Andean condor; national colors: yellow, blue, red

bald eagle; national colors: red, white, blue

name: "Himno Nacional de la Republica de Colombia" (National Anthem of the Republic of Colombia)

lyrics/music: Rafael NUNEZ/Oreste SINDICI

note: adopted 1920; the anthem was created from an inspirational poem written by President Rafael NUNEZ

name: "The Star-Spangled Banner"

lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH

note: adopted 1931; during the War of 1812, after witnessing the successful American defense of Fort McHenry in Baltimore following British naval bombardment, Francis Scott KEY wrote the lyrics to what would become the national anthem; the lyrics were set to the tune of "The Anacreontic Song"; only the first verse is sung

American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island

note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political entities: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994)

Colombia heavily depends on energy and mining exports, making it vulnerable to fluctuations in commodity prices. Colombia is Latin America’s fourth largest oil producer and the world’s fourth largest coal producer, third largest coffee exporter, and second largest cut flowers exporter. Colombia’s economic development is hampered by inadequate infrastructure, poverty, narcotrafficking, and an uncertain security situation, in addition to dependence on primary commodities.

Colombia’s economy slowed in 2017 because of falling global oil prices and lower oil production due to insurgent attacks on pipeline infrastructure. Although real GDP growth averaged 4.7% during the past decade, it fell to an estimated 1.8% in 2017. Declining oil prices also have contributed to reduced government revenues. In 2016, oil revenue dropped below 4% of the federal budget and likely remained below 4% in 2017. A Western credit rating agency in December 2017 downgraded Colombia’s sovereign credit rating to BBB-, because of weaker-than-expected growth and increasing external debt. Colombia has struggled to address local referendums against foreign investment, which have slowed its expansion, especially in the oil and mining sectors. Colombia’s FDI declined by 3% to $10.2 billion between January and September 2017.

Colombia has signed or is negotiating Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with more than a dozen countries; the US-Colombia FTA went into effect in May 2012. Colombia is a founding member of the Pacific Alliance—a regional trade block formed in 2012 by Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru to promote regional trade and economic integration. The Colombian government took steps in 2017 to address several bilateral trade irritants with the US, including those on truck scrappage, distilled spirits, pharmaceuticals, ethanol imports, and labor rights. Colombia hopes to accede to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The US has the most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $59,500. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers, pharmaceuticals, and medical, aerospace, and military equipment; however, their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. Based on a comparison of GDP measured at purchasing power parity conversion rates, the US economy in 2014, having stood as the largest in the world for more than a century, slipped into second place behind China, which has more than tripled the US growth rate for each year of the past four decades.

In the US, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, businesses face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets.

Long-term problems for the US include stagnation of wages for lower-income families, inadequate investment in deteriorating infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, energy shortages, and sizable current account and budget deficits.

The onrush of technology has been a driving factor in the gradual development of a "two-tier" labor market in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. But the globalization of trade, and especially the rise of low-wage producers such as China, has put additional downward pressure on wages and upward pressure on the return to capital. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. Since 1996, dividends and capital gains have grown faster than wages or any other category of after-tax income.

Imported oil accounts for more than 50% of US consumption and oil has a major impact on the overall health of the economy. Crude oil prices doubled between 2001 and 2006, the year home prices peaked; higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets and many individuals fell behind in their mortgage payments. Oil prices climbed another 50% between 2006 and 2008, and bank foreclosures more than doubled in the same period. Besides dampening the housing market, soaring oil prices caused a drop in the value of the dollar and a deterioration in the US merchandise trade deficit, which peaked at $840 billion in 2008. Because the US economy is energy-intensive, falling oil prices since 2013 have alleviated many of the problems the earlier increases had created.

The sub-prime mortgage crisis, falling home prices, investment bank failures, tight credit, and the global economic downturn pushed the US into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in October 2008. The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011. In January 2009, Congress passed and former President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover. In 2010 and 2011, the federal budget deficit reached nearly 9% of GDP. In 2012, the Federal Government reduced the growth of spending and the deficit shrank to 7.6% of GDP. US revenues from taxes and other sources are lower, as a percentage of GDP, than those of most other countries.

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan required major shifts in national resources from civilian to military purposes and contributed to the growth of the budget deficit and public debt. Through FY 2018, the direct costs of the wars will have totaled more than $1.9 trillion, according to US Government figures.

In March 2010, former President OBAMA signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), a health insurance reform that was designed to extend coverage to an additional 32 million Americans by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished. Total spending on healthcare - public plus private - rose from 9.0% of GDP in 1980 to 17.9% in 2010.

In July 2010, the former president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a law designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are "too big to fail," and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system - in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight.

In December 2012, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) announced plans to purchase $85 billion per month of mortgage-backed and Treasury securities in an effort to hold down long-term interest rates, and to keep short-term rates near zero until unemployment dropped below 6.5% or inflation rose above 2.5%. The Fed ended its purchases during the summer of 2014, after the unemployment rate dropped to 6.2%, inflation stood at 1.7%, and public debt fell below 74% of GDP. In December 2015, the Fed raised its target for the benchmark federal funds rate by 0.25%, the first increase since the recession began. With continued low growth, the Fed opted to raise rates several times since then, and in December 2017, the target rate stood at 1.5%.

In December 2017, Congress passed and President Donald TRUMP signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which, among its various provisions, reduces the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%; lowers the individual tax rate for those with the highest incomes from 39.6% to 37%, and by lesser percentages for those at lower income levels; changes many deductions and credits used to calculate taxable income; and eliminates in 2019 the penalty imposed on taxpayers who do not obtain the minimum amount of health insurance required under the ACA. The new taxes took effect on 1 January 2018; the tax cut for corporations are permanent, but those for individuals are scheduled to expire after 2025. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) under the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the new law will reduce tax revenues and increase the federal deficit by about $1.45 trillion over the 2018-2027 period. This amount would decline if economic growth were to exceed the JCT’s estimate.

$712.5 billion (2017 est.)

$700.6 billion (2016 est.)

$687.2 billion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 32

$19.36 trillion (2017 est.)

$18.95 trillion (2016 est.)

$18.67 trillion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 3

$307.5 billion (2017 est.)

$19.36 trillion (2017 est.)

1.7% (2017 est.)

2% (2016 est.)

3.1% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 164

2.2% (2017 est.)

1.5% (2016 est.)

2.9% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

$14,500 (2017 est.)

$14,400 (2016 est.)

$14,300 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 112

$59,500 (2017 est.)

$58,600 (2016 est.)

$58,200 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 20

21.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

21% of GDP (2016 est.)

20.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 78

17.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

18% of GDP (2016 est.)

19.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 105

household consumption: 62.1%

government consumption: 18.2%

investment in fixed capital: 24.8%

investment in inventories: 0.2%

exports of goods and services: 14.2%

imports of goods and services: -19.4% (2017 est.)

household consumption: 69.1%

government consumption: 17.2%

investment in fixed capital: 16.3%

investment in inventories: 0.3%

exports of goods and services: 12.2%

imports of goods and services: -15.1% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 7.4%

industry: 31.3%

services: 61.4% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 0.9%

industry: 18.9%

services: 80.2%

(2017 est.)

coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; shrimp; forest products

wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products

textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

highly diversified, world leading, high-technology innovator, second-largest industrial output in the world; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

-2.5% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 197

1.8% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

24.67 million (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 27

160.4 million

note: includes unemployed (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

agriculture: 17%

industry: 21%

services: 62% (2011 est.)

farming, forestry, and fishing: 0.7%

manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts: 20.3%

managerial, professional, and technical: 37.3%

sales and office: 24.2%

other services: 17.6%

note: figures exclude the unemployed

(2009 est.)

9.3% (2017 est.)

9.2% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

4.4% (2017 est.)

4.9% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 60

27.8% (2017 est.)

15.1% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%: 1.1%

highest 10%: 42.2% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 30% (2007 est.)

53.5 (2015 est.)

56.9 (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 10

45 (2007 est.)

40.8 (1997 est.)

country comparison to the world: 41

revenues: $85.14 billion

expenditures: $95.28 billion (2017 est.)

revenues: $3.336 trillion

expenditures: $3.991 trillion

note: for the US, revenues exclude social contributions of approximately $1.0 trillion; expenditures exclude social benefits of approximately $2.3 trillion (2017 est.)

27.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 99

17.2% of GDP

note: excludes contributions for social security and other programs; if social contributions were added, taxes and other revenues would amount to approximately 22% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 176

-3.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 126

-3.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 128

53% of GDP (2017 est.)

52% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities

country comparison to the world: 91

77.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

76.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover only what the United States Treasury denotes as "Debt Held by the Public," which includes all debt instruments issued by the Treasury that are owned by non-US Government entities; the data include Treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by individual US states, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of Treasury borrowings from surpluses in the trusts for Federal Social Security, Federal Employees, Hospital and Supplemental Medical Insurance (Medicare), Disability and Unemployment, and several other smaller trusts; if data for intra-government debt were added, "gross debt" would increase by about one-third of GDP

country comparison to the world: 43

calendar year

1 October - 30 September

4.3% (2017 est.)

7.5% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 163

2.1% (2017 est.)

1.3% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 97

7.5% (12 December 2017 est.)

6.5% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 44

0.5% (31 December 2010 est.)

0.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 134

13.8% (31 December 2017 est.)

14.65% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

4.3% (31 December 2017 est.)

3.51% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 156

$36.63 billion (12 December 2017 est.)

$34.01 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 58

$3.627 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.25 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

$167.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$136 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 47

$14 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$12.84 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

$162.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$153.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 50

$21.59 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$20.24 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

$85.96 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$146.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$202.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

$25.07 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$26.33 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$24.03 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

$-11.7 billion (2017 est.)

$-12.24 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 187

$-462 billion (2017 est.)

$-451.7 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 201

$36.79 billion (2017 est.)

$33.38 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 57

$1.576 trillion (2017 est.)

$1.456 trillion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

petroleum, coal, emeralds, coffee, nickel, cut flowers, bananas, apparel

agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0% (2008 est.)

US 33.5%, Panama 6.3% (2016)

Canada 18.3%, Mexico 15.9%, China 8%, Japan 4.4% (2016)

$44.68 billion (2017 est.)

$43.24 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 53

$2.352 trillion (2017 est.)

$2.208 trillion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys) (2008 est.)

US 26.4%, China 19.1%, Mexico 7.5%, Brazil 4.7% (2016)

China 21.1%, Mexico 13.4%, Canada 12.7%, Japan 6%, Germany 5.2% (2016)

$46.4 billion (30 October 2017 est.)

$46.18 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

$117.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$117.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

$120.4 billion (30 August 2017 est.)

$115 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 47

$17.91 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)

$17.85 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)

note: approximately 4/5ths of US external debt is denominated in US dollars; foreign lenders have been willing to hold US dollar denominated debt instruments because they view the dollar as the world's reserve currency

country comparison to the world: 1

$178.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$164.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 32

$4.084 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.614 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

$55.32 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$51.82 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

$5.644 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$5.352 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar -

2,957 (2017 est.)

3,055.3 (2016 est.)

3,055.3 (2015 est.)

2,001 (2014 est.)

2,001.1 (2013 est.)

British pounds per US dollar: 0.7836 (2017 est.), 0.738 (2016 est.), 0.738 (2015 est.), 0.607 (2014 est), 0.6391 (2013 est.)

Canadian dollars per US dollar: 1, 1.308 (2017 est.), 1.3256 (2016 est.), 1.3256 (2015 est.), 1.2788 (2014 est.), 1.0298 (2013 est.)

Chinese yuan per US dollar: 1, 6.7588 (2017 est.), 6.6445 (2016 est.), 6.2275 (2015 est.), 6.1434 (2014 est.), 6.1958 (2013 est.)

euros per US dollar: 0.885 (2017 est.), 0.903 (2016 est.), 0.9214(2015 est.), 0.885 (2014 est.), 0.7634 (2013 est.)

Japanese yen per US dollar: 111.10 (2017 est.), 108.76 (2016 est.), 108.76 (2015 est.), 121.02 (2014 est.), 97.44 (2013 est.)

population without electricity: 1,200,000

electrification - total population: 97%

electrification - urban areas: 100%

electrification - rural areas: 88% (2013)

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

67.26 billion kWh (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 41

4.088 trillion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

57.6 billion kWh (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 45

3.911 trillion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

460 million kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 70

9.695 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

45 million kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 105

80.66 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

16.66 million kW (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 49

1.074 billion kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

29.4% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 186

70.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 103

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 70

9.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

69% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 19

7.4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 124

1.6% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 130

10.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

886,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

8.853 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

681,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 19

590,900 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 21

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 111

7.85 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

2.002 billion bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 37

36.52 billion bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 11

362,100 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 39

20.08 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

345,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 40

19.69 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

83,920 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 44

4.67 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

95,790 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 59

2.205 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

11.91 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 39

766.2 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

18.82 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 44

773.2 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

400 million cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 45

50.52 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 7

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 110

76.96 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

123.5 billion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 51

8.714 trillion cu m (1 January 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

74 million Mt (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 49

5.402 billion Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

total subscriptions: 7,115,984

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

total subscriptions: 121.53 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

total: 58,684,924

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 26

total: 395.881 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

general assessment: modern system in many respects with a nationwide microwave radio relay system, a domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations, and a fiber-optic network linking 50 cities; multiple providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular services, but infrastructure remains poor in small urban centers and rural areas

domestic: fixed-line connections stand at about 15 per 100 persons; mobile cellular telephone subscribership is about 120 per 100 persons; competition among cellular service providers is resulting in falling local and international calling rates and contributing to the steep decline in the market share of fixed-line services

international: country code - 57; multiple submarine cable systems provide links to the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 10 (6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully digitalized international switching centers) (2016)

general assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system

domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country

international: country code - 1; multiple ocean cable systems provide international connectivity; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2016)

combination of state-owned and privately owned broadcast media provide service; more than 500 radio stations and many national, regional, and local TV stations (2007)

4 major terrestrial TV networks with affiliate stations throughout the country, plus cable and satellite networks, independent stations, and a limited public broadcasting sector that is largely supported by private grants; overall, thousands of TV stations broadcasting; multiple national radio networks with many affiliate stations; while most stations are commercial, National Public Radio (NPR) has a network of some 600 member stations; satellite radio available; overall, nearly 15,000 radio stations operating (2008)

.co

.us

total: 27,452,550

percent of population: 58.1% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

total: 246,809,221

percent of population: 76.2% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

number of registered air carriers: 12

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 157

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 30,742,928

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,317,562,271 mt-km (2015)

number of registered air carriers: 92

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6,817

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 798.23 million

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 37.219 billion mt-km (2015)

HJ, HK (2016)

N (2016)

836 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 8

13,513 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 1

total: 121

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 39

914 to 1,523 m: 53

under 914 m: 18 (2017)

total: 5,054

over 3,047 m: 189

2,438 to 3,047 m: 235

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,478

914 to 1,523 m: 2,249

under 914 m: 903 (2013)

total: 715

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 25

914 to 1,523 m: 201

under 914 m: 488 (2013)

total: 8,459

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 140

914 to 1,523 m: 1,552

under 914 m: 6,760 (2013)

3 (2013)

5,287 (2013)

gas 4,991 km; oil 6,796 km; refined products 3,429 km (2013)

natural gas 1,984,321 km; petroleum products 240,711 km (2013)

total: 2,141 km

standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,991 km 0.914-m gauge (2015)

country comparison to the world: 73

total: 293,564.2 km

standard gauge: 293,564.2 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

country comparison to the world: 1

total: 206,500 km (2016)

country comparison to the world: 25

total: 6,586,610 km

paved: 4,304,715 km (includes 76,334 km of expressways)

unpaved: 2,281,895 km (2012)

country comparison to the world: 1

24,725 km (18,300 km navigable; the most important waterway, the River Magdalena, of which 1,488 km is navigable, is dredged regularly to ensure safe passage of cargo vessels and container barges) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 6

41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce; Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, is shared with Canada) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 5

total: 103

by type: general cargo 17, oil tanker 9, other 77 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 84

total: 3,611

by type: bulk carrier 5, container ship 61, general cargo 114, oil tanker 66, other 3,365 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 5

major seaport(s): Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean) - Cartagena, Santa Marta, Turbo; Pacific Ocean - Buenaventura

river port(s): Barranquilla (Rio Magdalena)

oil terminal(s): Covenas offshore terminal

dry bulk cargo port(s): Puerto Bolivar (coal)

container port(s) (TEUs): Cartagena (1,853,342)

cargo ports: Baton Rouge, Corpus Christi, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Plaquemines (LA), Tampa, Texas City

container port(s) (TEUs): Hampton Roads (2,549,000), Houston (2,131,000), Long Beach (7,192,000), Los Angeles (8,160,000), New York/New Jersey (6,372,000), Oakland (2,278,000), Savannah (3,737,000), Seattle (3,531,000) (2015)

cruise departure ports (passengers): Miami (2,032,000), Port Everglades (1,277,000), Port Canaveral (1,189,000), Seattle (430,000), Long Beach (415,000) (2009)

oil terminal(s): LOOP terminal, Haymark terminal

LNG terminal(s) (import): Cove Point (MD), Elba Island (GA), Everett (MA), Freeport (TX), Golden Pass (TX), Hackberry (LA), Lake Charles (LA), Neptune (offshore), Northeast Gateway (offshore), Pascagoula (MS), Sabine Pass (TX)

LNG terminal(s) (export): Kenai (AK)

3.5% of GDP (2018 est.)

3.39% of GDP (2016)

3.13% of GDP (2015)

3.13% of GDP (2014)

3.29% of GDP (2013)

country comparison to the world: 22

3.29% of GDP (2016)

3.3% of GDP (2015)

3.51% of GDP (2014)

3.83% of GDP (2013)

4.24% of GDP (2012)

country comparison to the world: 25

National Army (Ejercito Nacional), Republic of Colombia Navy (Armada Republica de Colombia, ARC, includes Naval Aviation, Naval Infantry (Infanteria de Marina, IM), and Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2012)

United States Armed Forces: US Army, US Navy (includes Marine Corps), US Air Force, US Coast Guard; note - Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy (2017)

18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation is 18 months (2012)

18 years of age (17 years of age with parental consent) for male and female voluntary service; no conscription; maximum enlistment age 42 (Army), 27 (Air Force), 34 (Navy), 28 (Marines); 8-year service obligation, including 2-5 years active duty (Army), 2 years active (Navy), 4 years active (Air Force, Marines); all military occupations and positions open to women (2016)

in December 2007, ICJ allocated San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but did not rule on 82 degrees W meridian as maritime boundary with Nicaragua; managed dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all neighboring borders and have caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countries; Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank

the US has intensified domestic security measures and is collaborating closely with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across the international borders; abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian Duma ratification; Canada and the United States dispute how to divide the Beaufort Sea and the status of the Northwest Passage but continue to work cooperatively to survey the Arctic continental shelf; The Bahamas and US have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other states; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island; Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island among the islands listed in its 2006 draft constitution

refugees (country of origin): 177,131 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2018)

IDPs: 7,708,465 (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers since 1985; about 300,000 new IDPs each year since 2000) (2018)

stateless persons: 11 (2016)

refugees (country of origin): the US admitted 53,716 refugees during FY2017 including: 9,377 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 6,886 (Iraq); 6,557 (Syria); 6,130 (Somalia); 5,078 (Burma); 3,550 (Bhutan); 2,577 (Iran)

note: more than 46,000 Venezuelans have claimed asylum since 2014 because of the economic and political crisis (2017)

illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator with 188,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2016, a 18% increase over 2015, producing a potential of 710 mt of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to nearly all of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets; in 2016, the Colombian government reported manual eradication of 17,642 hectares; Colombia suspended aerial eradication in October 2015 making 2016 the first full year without aerial eradication; a significant portion of narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange; Colombia probably remains the second largest supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation was estimated to be 1,100 hectares in 2015, sufficient to potentially produce three metric tons of pure heroin

world's largest consumer of cocaine (shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean), Colombian heroin, and Mexican heroin and marijuana; major consumer of ecstasy and Mexican methamphetamine; minor consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering center