fever
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Colombian(s)
adjective: Colombian

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Languages:

Spanish

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8%
male: 92.9%
female: 92.7% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.7% of GDP (2006)

Government
Colombia

Country name:

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

Government type:

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Capital:

name: Bogota
geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
Time)

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; amended many times

Legal system:

based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US
procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and reached full
implemention in January 2008; judicial review of executive and
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002);
Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August
2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the three largest
parties that supported President URIBE's reelection - the PSUN, PC,
and CR - and independents
elections: