sions: 23 departments (departamentos,
singular--departamento), 5 commissariats* (comisarias,
singular--comisaria), and 4 intendancies** (intendencias,
singular--intendencia);
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**, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes*,
Vichada*; note--there may be a new special district (distrito especial)
named Bogota; the Constitution of 5 July 1991 states that the
commissariats and intendancies are to become full departments and a
capital district (distrito capital) of Santa Fe de Bogota is to be
established by 1997

_#_Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)

_#_Constitution: 5 July 1991

_#_Legal system: based on Spanish law; judicial review of legislative
acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

_#_Executive branch: president, presidential designate, Cabinet

_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of a
nationally elected upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a regionally
elected lower chamber or Chamber of Representatives (Camara de
Representantes)

_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de
Justica)

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government--President Cesar
GAVIRIA Trujillo (since 7 August 1990)

_#_Political parties and leaders:
Liberal Party (PL), Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo, president, and
Alfonso LOPEZ Michelsen, party head;
Social Conservative Party (PCS), Misael PASTRANA Borrero;
National Salvation Movement (MSN), Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado;
Democratic Alliance (AD) is headed by 19th of April Movement (M-19)
leader Antonio NAVARRO Wolf, 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), Carlos ROMERO

_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18

_#_Elections:

President--last held 27 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994);
results--Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo (Liberal) 47%, Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado
(National Salvation Movement) 24%, Antonio NAVARRO Wolff (M-19) 13%,
Rodrigo LLOREDA (Conservative) 12%;

Senate--last held