OFFICIAL NAME:
Republic of Colombia

Geography
Area: 1.14 million sq. km. (440,000 sq. mi.); about three times the size of Montana; fourth-largest country in South America.
Cities: Capital--Bogotá (pop. 2004 projected: 7 million). Other major cities include Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, and Cartagena.
Terrain:
Flat coastal areas, with extensive coastlines on the Pacific Ocean and
Caribbean Sea, three rugged parallel mountain chains, central
highlands, and flat eastern grasslands.
Climate: Tropical on coast and eastern plains, cooler in highlands.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Colombian(s).
Population (2004 projected): 45 million
Annual population growth: 1.8%
Religion: Roman Catholic 90%.
Language: Spanish.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Attendance--80% of children enter school. Only 5 years of primary school are offered in many rural areas. Literacy--93% in urban areas, 67% in rural areas.
Health: Infant mortality rate--25/1,000. Life expectancy--men 65 yrs., women 76 yrs.
Ethnic groups: Mestizo (58%), white (20%), mulatto (14%), black (4%), mixed black-Amerindian (3%), and Amerindian (1%)

Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: July 20, 1810.
Constitution: July 1991.
Branches: Executive--President (chief of state and head of government). Legislative--Bicameral Congress.
Judicial--Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, Council of State, Superior Judicial Council.
Administrative divisions: 32 departments; Bogotá, capital district.
Major
political parties: Conservative Party of Colombia, Liberal Party, and
numerous small political movements (most of them allied with one or the
other major party).
Suffrage: Universal, age 18 and over.

Economy
GDP (2004 projected): $83.01 billion
Annual growth rate (2004 projected): 4%.
Per capita GDP (2003 projected): $1,844.
Government Expenditures (2005 projected): 22.2% of GDP.
Natural resources: Coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nickel, gold, silver, copper, platinum, emeralds.
Manufacturing (14.3 of GDP): Types--textiles
and garments, chemicals, metal products, cement, cardboard containers,
plastic resins and manufactures, beverages, wood products,
pharmaceuticals, machinery, electrical equipment.
Agriculture (13.8% of GDP): Products--coffee,
bananas, cut flowers, cotton, sugarcane, livestock, rice, corn,
tobacco, potatoes, soybeans, sorghum. Cultivated land: 8.2% of total
area.
Other sectors (by percentage of GDP): Financial services--17.6%; commerce--10.8%; transportation and communications services--8.2%; mining and quarrying--4.6%; construction and public works--4.8%; electricity, gas, and water--3.1%
Trade: Exports

(2004 projected)--$15.1 billion: petroleum, coal, coffee, flowers,
textiles and garments, ferronickel, bananas, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, gold, sugar, cardboard containers, printed material,
cement, plastic resins and manufactures, emeralds. Major markets--U.S., Venezuela, Germany, Netherlands, Japan, . Imports
(2004 projected)--$14.8 billion: machinery/equipment, grains,
chemicals, transportation equipment, mineral products, consumer
products, metals/metal products, plastic/rubber, paper products,
aircraft, oil and gas industry equipment, and supplies. Major suppliers--U.S., Germany, Japan, Panama, Venezuela.

PEOPLE
Colombia
is the third-most populous country in Latin America, after Brazil and
Mexico. Migration from rural to urban areas has been prevalent. The
urban population increased from 57% of the total population in 1951 to
approximately 74% by 1994 (when the last census was held). Thirty
cities have a population of 100,000 or more. The nine eastern lowlands
departments, constituting about 54% of Colombia's area, have less than
3% of the population and a density of less than one person per square
kilometer (two persons per sq. mi.). Ethnic diversity in Colombia is a
result of the intermingling of indigenous peoples, European immigrants,
and Africans. Today, only about 1% of the people can be identified as
fully indigenous on the basis of language and customs.

HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
During
the pre-Columbian period, the area now known as Colombia was inhabited
by indigenous peoples who were hunters or nomadic farmers. The
Chibchas, as they were called, were divided into two major groups: The
Muisca of the Bogotá region and the Tairona of the northern Sierra
Nevada de Santa Marta region. Social organization of both groups
revolved around the cultivation of corn and potatoes, and had a
matrilineal hereditary tradition.

The Spanish sailed along
the north coast of Colombia as early as 1500, but their first permanent
settlement, at Santa Marta, was not established until 1525. In 1549,
the area was a Spanish colony with the capital at Santa Fe de Bogotá.
In 1717, Bogotá became the capital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada,
which included what are now Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama. The city
became one of the principal administrative centers of the Spanish
possessions in the New World, along with Lima and Mexico City. On July
20, 1810, the citizens of Bogotá created the first representative
council to defy Spanish authority. Full independence was proclaimed in
1813, and in 1819 the Republic of Greater Colombia was formed.

The new Republic of Greater Colombia
included all the territory of the former Viceroyalty. Simon Bolivar was
elected its first president with Francisco de Paula Santander as vice
president. Conflicts between the followers of Bolivar and Santander led
to the formation of two political parties that have since dominated
Colombian politics. Bolivar's supporters, who later formed the nucleus
of the Conservative Party, sought strong centralized government,
alliance with the Roman Catholic Church, and a limited franchise.
Santander's followers, forerunners of the Liberals, wanted a
decentralized government, state rather than church control over
education and other civil matters, and a broadened suffrage.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th
centuries, each party held the presidency for roughly equal periods of
time, during which three notable statesmen stand out: Tomás Cipriano de
Mosquera, Rafael Nuñez, and Rafael Reyes. Colombia maintained a
tradition of civilian government and regular, free elections.
Notwithstanding the country's commitment to democratic institutions,
Colombia's history also has been characterized by widespread, violent
conflict. Two civil wars resulted from bitter rivalry between the
Conservative and Liberal parties: The War of a Thousand Days
(1899-1902) claimed an estimated 100,000 lives, and La Violencia (1946-1957) cost another 300,000 Colombian lives.

La Violencia (The Violence)
The
assassination of Liberal leader, Jorge Eliecer Gaitan, in 1948
intensified the period of bloody conflict between liberals and
conservatives known as La Violencia (The Violence). An
archconservative dictator, Laureano Gomez, came to power in 1950, when
the disjointed Liberal Party failed to put forward a presidential
candidate. Most historians label Gomez as the belligerent driving force
behind La Violencia in his quest against the spreading "basilisk" of
Communism in Colombia. It was also during this period in Colombian
history that the two major present day insurgent groups were born.

In 1953, Gomez fled into
exile when ousted by a military coup led by General Gustavo Rojas
Pinilla. The new president was a lead actor in reducing the conflict
during La Violencia. When he failed to restore democratic rule
after four years and became implicated in corrupt schemes, however, he
was overthrown by the military with the backing of the Liberal and
Conservative Parties. It was out of this alliance between the two
parties that the National Front emerged.

The National Front
In
July 1957, former Conservative President Laureano Gomez (1950-53) and
former Liberal President Alberto Lleras Camargo (1945-46) proclaimed
the "Declaration of Sitges," in which they proposed a "National Front"
whereby the Liberal and Conservative parties would govern jointly. The
presidency would be determined by regular elections every 4 years; the
two parties would have parity in all other elective and appointive
offices.
The National Front ended "La Violencia," and National
Front administrations instituted social and economic reforms in
cooperation with the United States’ Alliance for Progress. Although the
system established by the Sitges agreement was phased out by 1978, the
1886 Colombian Constitution--in effect until 1991--required that the
losing political party be given adequate and equitable participation in
the government. The 1991 Constitution does not have that requirement,
but subsequent administrations have included members of opposition
parties.

Post-National Front Years
Between
1978 and 1982, the government focused on ending the limited, but
persistent, Cuban-backed insurgencies that sought to undermine
Colombia's traditional democratic system. In 1984, President Belisario
Betancur, a Conservative who won 47% of the popular vote, negotiated a
cease-fire that included the release of many guerrillas imprisoned
during the effort to overpower the insurgents. The cease-fire ended
when Democratic Alliance/M-19 (AD/M-19) guerrillas resumed fighting in
1985.

An attack on the Palace of Justice in
Bogotá by the AD/M-19 on November 6-7, 1985, and its violent
suppression by the army, shocked Colombians. Of the 115 people killed,
11 were Supreme Court justices. Although the government and the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) renewed their truce in
March 1986, peace with other revolutionary movements, in particular the
AD/M-19--then the largest insurgent group--and the National Liberation
Army (ELN) was remote as Betancur left office.

The AD/M-19 and several smaller guerilla
groups were successfully incorporated into a peace process during the
late 1980s, which culminated in a national assembly to write a new
constitution, which took effect in 1991. The FARC had declared a
unilateral cease-fire under Betancur, which led to the establishment of
the Union Patriotica (UP), a legal and non-clandestine political
organization. After growing violence against its UP members, when an
estimated 1,000-3,000 members were killed, the truce with the FARC
again ended in 1990. Following administrations had to contend with the
guerrillas, paramilitaries, and narcotics traffickers. Narco-terrorists
assassinated three presidential candidates before Cesar Gaviria
Trujillo was elected in 1990. Since the death of Medellín cartel leader
Pablo Escobar in a police shootout in December 1993, indiscriminate
acts of violence associated with his organization have abated as the
"cartels" now are broken up into multiple, smaller and often-competing
trafficking organizations. Nevertheless, violence continues as these
drug organizations resort to violence as part of their operations, as
well as to protest against government policies, especially extradition.

President Ernesto Samper
assumed office in August 1994. However, a political crisis relating to
large-scale contributions from drug traffickers to Samper's
presidential campaign diverted attention from governance programs, thus
slowing, and in many cases, halting progress on the nation's domestic
reform agenda.

The Pastrana Administration and Peace Process
On
August 7, 1998, Andres Pastrana became President of Colombia. A member
of the Conservative Party, Pastrana defeated Liberal Party candidate
Horacio Serpa in a run-off election marked by high voter turnout and
little political unrest. During his administration, high unemployment,
increased countrywide guerrilla attacks by the FARC and ELN, widespread
drug production and the expansion of paramilitary groups all hindered
the Pastrana administration's ability to solve the country's problems.

No single explanation fully
addresses the deep roots of Colombia's present-day troubles, but they
include limited government presence in large areas of the interior, the
expansion of illicit drug cultivation, endemic violence, and social
inequities. In order to confront these challenges, the Pastrana
administration unveiled its "Plan Colombia" in late 1999, a
comprehensive strategy to deal with these longstanding, mutually
reinforcing problems. The main objectives of Plan Colombia are to
promote peace, combat the narcotics industry, revive the Colombian
economy, improve respect for human rights, and strengthen the
democratic and social institutions of the country.

In November 1998, Pastrana
ceded an area the size of Switzerland in south- central Colombia to the
FARC's control as a goodwill gesture, but the rebels negotiated with
the government only fitfully while continuing to mount attacks and
expand their coca production, essentially establishing a parallel
government in the region under their control. Negotiations with the
rebels in 2000 and 2001 were marred by rebel attacks, kidnappings, and
fighting between rebels and paramilitaries for control of coca-growing
areas in Colombia. As a result, popular disenchantment with Pastrana
increased.

In February 2002, after the
FARC hijacked an airplane and kidnapped a senator, Pastrana ordered the
military to attack rebel positions and reassert control over the rebel
zone. FARC withdrew into the jungle and began attacks against the power
grid, telecommunications facilities, and other aspects of Colombia's
infrastructure in an attempt to disrupt the lives of the largely urban
population while avoiding a direct conflict with the military.

The Uribe Administration
President
Alvaro Uribe, a Harvard and Oxford-educated lawyer, was elected
President of Colombia in May 2002 on a line platform to restore
security to the country. An independent, he was elected with more than
50% of the vote, giving him a strong mandate. Among his promises was to
continue to pursue the broad goals of the Pastrana administration's
Plan Colombia, but within the framework of a long-term security
strategy.

His inauguration on August
7, 2002 brought about violent attacks. Though Uribe was spared, the
rockets launched at the presidential palace by FARC terrorists killed
19 people and injured many more. Uribe declared a state of limited
emergency as a first step toward strengthening the country's law
enforcement and military capabilities.

In the fall of 2002, the
administration released the much-awaited Colombian national security
strategy, entitled Democratic Security and Defense Policy. The Plan fit
within the broader social, economic, and political goals of Plan
Colombia. Though much attention has been focused on the security and
military aspects of Colombia's situation, the administration also is
spending significant time on issues such as expanding international
trade, supporting alternate means of development, and reforming
Colombia's judicial system.

Halfway through his
four-year term, President Uribe enjoys record high popularity ratings
around 70% as a result of improvements in public security. Between May
2002 and September 2004 Colombia saw a decrease in homicide by 17.6%,
massacres by 55.4%, kidnappings by 35.1%, and acts of terrorism by
18.4%. The economy is projected to grow by over 4% in 2004, compared to
3% in 2003. Coca and poppy cultivation has decreased by 33% since 2001.

Constitutional Reforms
Colombia's
Constitution, enacted in July 1991, strengthened the administration of
justice with the provision for introduction of an accusatory system
that will ultimately replace the existing Napoleonic Code. Other
significant reforms under the new Constitution provide for civil
divorce, dual nationality, the election of a vice president, and the
election of departmental governors. The Constitution expanded citizens'
basic rights, including that of "tutela," under which an immediate
court action can be requested by an individual, if he/she feels that
his/her constitutional rights are being violated, and there is no other
legal recourse. The national government has executive, legislative, and
judicial branches, as well as an independent Attorney General (fiscal)
elected for a 4-year term by the Congress. The president is elected for
a 4-year term and cannot be re-elected. The 1991 Constitution
reestablished the position of vice president, who is elected on the
same ticket as the president. By law, the vice president will succeed
in the event of the president's resignation, illness, or death.

Colombia's bicameral
Congress consists of a 102-member Senate and a 161-member House of
Representatives. Senators are elected on the basis of a nationwide
ballot, while representatives are elected in multimember districts
co-located within the 32 national departments.

The country's capital is a
separate district and elects its own representatives. Members may be
re-elected indefinitely. Congress meets twice a year, and the president
has the power to call it into special session, if required. Colombia's
legal system has recently begun to incorporate some elements of an
oral, adversarial system. The judicial branch's general structure is
composed of four distinct jurisdictions (civilian, administrative,
constitutional, and special). Colombia's highest judicial bodies
include the co-equal Supreme Court, the Council of State, the
Constitutional Court, and the Superior Judicial Council. This sometimes
leads to conflicting opinions since there is no court that has clear
authority over the decisions of the other three.

Principal Government Officials
President--Álvaro URIBE Vélez
Vice President--Francisco SANTOS Calderón
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Carolina BARCO Isakson
Minister of Defense--Jorge Alberto URIBE Echavarría
Ambassador to the United States--Luis Alberto MORENO
Ambassador to the Organization of American States--Álvaro Tirado Mejía
Ambassador to the United Nations--María Angela HOLGUĺN

Colombia maintains an embassy
in the United States at 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel.
202-387-8338). Consulates are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan, and
Washington.

DEFENSE
Colombia's
Ministry of Defense, charged with the country's internal and external
defense and security, has an army, navy--including marines and coast
guard--air force, and national police under the leadership of a
civilian Minister of Defense. In 2000, Colombia assigned 3.2% of its
GDP to defense, according to the National Planning Department. Real
spending on defense has increased every year since 2000, but
specifically so under Uribe. According to the most recent Ministry of
Finance figures, Colombian spending on defense has grown over 30% from
6 trillion pesos in 2001 to more than 8 trillion in 2004. The security
forces number about 350,000 uniformed personnel: 190,000 military and
160,000 police. President Uribe instituted a one-time wealth tax in
2002, which raised over USD 800 million (1.8 trillion pesos), with 70%
used to increase 2002-2003 defense spending. Actual Ministry of Defense
spending in 2004 has increased to 16.3% of the overall national budget,
up from 12.9% in 2002, and is the third largest expenditure after
social protection programs and education.

Many Colombian military
personnel have received training in the United States or in Colombia.
The United States has provided equipment to the Colombian military and
police through the military assistance program, foreign military sales,
and the international narcotics control program.

Narcoterrorism
The
US Drug Enforcement Agency estimates that more than 80% of the
worldwide powder cocaine supply and approximately 90% of the powder
cocaine smuggled into the United States is produced in Colombia. It is
also a significant source of over 70% of the heroin consumed east of
the Mississippi.

Terrorism in Colombia both
supports and draws resources from the narcotics industry, kidnapping,
and extortion, threatening U.S. citizens and economic interests.
Colombia’s terrorists have kidnapped over 50 American citizens since
1992, and killed at least 10. Three American citizens, who had been
working on counternarcotics programs, are still being held hostage in
Colombia, captured by the FARC in February 2003.

The Colombian government,
with United States Government’s support, is making progress to
guarantee the rule of law throughout the country. Its citizens are
safer than ever before, and the country enjoys effective guarantees for
the exercise of political pluralism. Between May 2002 and September
2004 Colombia has seen a decrease in homicide by 17.6%, massacres by
55.4%, kidnappings by 35.1%, and acts of terrorism by 18.4%.

The government has also
committed itself to the eradication of all illicit crops, interdiction
of drug shipments, and financial controls to prevent money laundering.
Also between May 2002 and September 2004, Colombian security forces
have interdicted 558 metric tons of cocaine, coca base, and heroin.
Coca and poppy cultivation has decreased by 33% since 2001.

There has been some
progress towards peace negotiations with illegal armed groups. Formal
peace talks between the government and the Colombian Self-Defense
Forces (AUC) paramilitary group began in July of 2004 in Santa Fe de
Ralito, in the northern department of Cordoba. The government and the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrilla group (FARC) have also
been negotiating a humanitarian agreement that would include the
release of American hostages.

ECONOMY
Colombia
is a free market economy with major commercial and investment ties to
the United States. Transition from a highly regulated economy has been
underway for more than a decade. In 1990, the administration of
President Cesar Gaviria (1990-94) initiated economic liberalization or
"apertura," and this has continued since then, with tariff reductions,
financial deregulation, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and
adoption of a more liberal foreign exchange rate. Almost all sectors
became open to foreign investment although agricultural products
remained protected. Colombia, with its Andean neighbors Peru and
Ecuador, is currently negotiating a free trade agreement with the
United States.

Unlike many of its
neighboring countries, Colombia has not suffered any dramatic economic
collapses. The Uribe administration seeks to maintain prudent fiscal
policies, and has pursued tough economic reforms include tax, pension
and budget reforms. The administration has chosen to finance much of
its increased spending on security through a one-time tax on the
nation's wealthiest citizens. The administration also has pledged to
invest heavily in the country's infrastructure. GDP growth for 2004 is
projected to be 4% and as of July 2004, unemployment has declined to
12.9%.

In addition to the domestic
goals of keeping inflation low and maintaining a stable currency (the
Colombian peso), the administration has put a heavy emphasis on
increasing trade liberalization. The administration's strong fiscal
management helped it to be ranked by the World Bank in 2004 as having
made the largest strides in Latin America in simplifying the
requirements to start a business. The Colombia economy, which has
stagnated since 1999, has started to rebound, as indicated by a 2004
second quarter GDP growth of 4.5%. Much of this impressive growth can
be attributed to the Andean Trade Preference and Drug Eradication Act
(ATPDEA), which will expire in 2006. The ATPDEA-benefited exports to
the U.S. fueled industrial production during the first quarter ($700
million in exports in the first quarter of 2003 vs. $700 million
annually since the late 1990s). The GOC along with other Andean Nations
and the US are currently engaged in Free Trade Negotiations, which are
expected to be finished in 2005.

Trade
Colombia's
balance of trade between January and July of 2004 showed a $333.4
million surplus. Total projected 2004 imports were $14.8 billion, while
exports were $15.1 billion. Colombia's major exports continue to be
petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, gold, and nontraditional exports
(e.g., cut flowers, semiprecious stones, sugar, and tropical fruits).
The United States remained Colombia's major trading partner, with 42%
of exports heading there. Exports to the U.S. have increased over 1.5
billion dollars since the inception of ATPDEA benefits. US exports to
Colombia have also increased over 25% since that time. The EU, Japan,
and the Andean Pact countries also are important trading partners.

Mining, manufacturing
industries and oil have attracted the greatest U.S. investment interest
in 2004. U.S. investment accounted 14.5% of the total $1.7 billion in
foreign direct investment at the end of 2003.
Colombia has improved
protection of intellectual property rights through the adoption of
three Andean Pact decisions in 1993 and 1994, but the United States
remains concerned over deficiencies in licensing, patent regulations,
and copyright protection.

Mining and Energy
Colombia
continues to have vast amounts of mineral resources and sufficient
amounts of energy resources, specifically natural gas reserves.
Although Colombia maintains its position as a net exporter of
petroleum, Colombia’s oil reserves have diminished dramatically, from
3.1 billion barrels in 1995 to less than 1.4 billion by the end of
2004. Total crude oil production has fallen to 541,000 b/d in 2003 from
a high of 816,000 b/d in 1999. If a major oil discovery is not found in
the next couple of years, Colombia will become a net oil importer by
2009.

The Pastrana and the Uribe
administration have significantly liberalized Colombia’s petroleum
sector, leading to an increase in exploration and production contracts
from both large and small hydrocarbon industries. In 2002, royalties
were linked to the size of the discovery as opposed to a flat rate. In
2003, a new oil policy created the National Agency for Hydrocarbons,
which as of 2004 administers all exploration and production contracts
instead of Ecopetrol, the state owned hydrocarbon company. Ecopetrol
must now compete along side other hydrocarbon companies for exploration
and production contracts, separating state roles as investor and
resource administrator. State association contracts have dropped from
30% to 0%, allowing private companies 100% ownership upon exploration
success. Refining capacity can satisfy domestic demand for gasoline,
but as of October 2004, Colombia’s domestic demand for diesel outpaced
its refining capacity. Colombia is in the process of renovating and
expanding their Cartagena refinery in order to meet its domestic
demands and eventually export more refined products.

The country's oil industry
has continuously been a target of extortion and bombing campaigns by
the ELN and the FARC; however, strong security polices and an offensive
military posture have recently reduced attacks on pipelines. In the
first eight months of 2004, there have been 66 attacks on oil
pipelines, which is a decrease of 16% from 2003. Comparing the first
eight months of 2003 and 2004, attacks against the Caño Limón-Coveñas
pipeline significantly dropped from 24 to 15 attacks due to increased
military presence and quicker military reaction to pipeline attacks.

Colombia has the largest
coal reserves in Latin America. It also possesses significant amounts
of ferronickel, gold, silver, platinum, and emeralds. For 2003,
Colombia’s production levels increased for carbon, gold, platinum,
silver, emeralds, and nickel. Carbon production reached 49.4 million
tons, a 25% increase from 2002. Gold production also experienced a
major increase of 124% from 2002 to 2003, primarily due to the increase
in the price of gold.

Foreign Investment
Foreign
Direct Investment in the first semester of 2004 was USD 1.4 billion, a
73% increase over 2003. The bulk of the new investment, 77%, is in the
mining and petroleum sectors. In 1991 and 1992, the government passed
laws to stimulate foreign investment in nearly all sectors of the
economy. The only activities closed to foreign direct investment are
defense and national security, disposal of hazardous wastes, and real
estate--the last of these restrictions is intended to hinder money
laundering. Colombia established a special entity-CoInvertir--to assist
foreigners in making investments in the country.

Industry and Agriculture
The
most industrially diverse member of the five-nation Andean Community,
Colombia has four major industrial centers--Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and
Barranquilla--each located in a distinct geographical region.
Colombia's industries include textiles and clothing, leather products,
processed foods and beverages, paper and paper products, chemicals and
petrochemicals, cement, construction, iron and steel products, and
metalworking.

Colombia's diverse climate
and topography permit the cultivation of a wide variety of crops. In
addition, all regions yield forest products, ranging from tropical
hardwoods in the lowlands to pine and eucalyptus in the colder areas.
Cacao, sugarcane, coconuts, bananas, plantains, rice, cotton, tobacco,
cassava, and most of the nation's beef cattle are produced in the hot
regions from sea level to 1,000 meters elevation. The temperate
regions--between 1,000 and 2,000 meters--are better suited for coffee;
flowers; corn and other vegetables; and fruits such as citrus, pears,
pineapples, and tomatoes. The cooler elevations--between 2,000 and
3,000 meters--produce wheat, barley, potatoes, cold-climate vegetables,
flowers, dairy cattle, and poultry.

FOREIGN RELATIONS
In
1969, Colombia, along with Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru, formed
what is now the Andean Community. (Venezuela joined in 1973 and Chile
left in 1976.) In the 1980s, Colombia broadened its bilateral and
multilateral relations, joining the Contadora Group, the Group of Eight
(now the Rio Group), and the Non-Aligned Movement, which it chaired
from 1994 until September 1998. In addition, it has signed free trade
agreements with Chile, Mexico, and Venezuela.

Colombia has traditionally
played an active role in the United Nations and the Organization of
American States and in their subsidiary agencies. Former President
Gaviria became Secretary General of the OAS in September 1994 and was
re-elected in 1999. Colombia was a participant in the December 1994 and
April 1998 Summits of the Americas and followed up on initiatives
developed at the summit by hosting two post-summit, ministerial-level
meetings on trade and science and technology.

U.S.-COLOMBIAN RELATIONS
In
1822, the United States became one of the first countries to recognize
the new republic and to establish a resident diplomatic mission. Today,
about 25,000 U.S. citizens are registered with the U.S. embassy as
living in Colombia, most of them dual nationals.

Currently, there are about
250 American businesses conducting operations in Colombia. In 1995-96,
the United States and Colombia signed important agreements on
environmental protection and civil aviation. The two countries have
signed agreements on asset sharing and chemical control. In 1997, the
United States and Colombia signed an important maritime ship-boarding
agreement to allow for search of suspected drug-running vessels.

During the period 1988-96,
the United States provided about $765 million in assistance to
Colombia. In 1999, U.S. assistance exceeded $200 million. This funding
supported Colombia's counter-narcotics efforts, such as arresting drug
traffickers, seizing drugs and illegal processing facilities, and
eradicating coca and opium poppy.

During the Pastrana
administration, relations with the United States improved
significantly. The United States responded to the Colombian
Government's request for international support for Plan Colombia

by approving a $1.3 billion aid package in July 2000, in addition to
previously programmed assistance of nearly $300 million for FY 2000.
U.S. programs consisted of a combination of military and police
assistance designed to increase counter-narcotics capabilities and
included a package of nearly $230 million for human rights,
humanitarian assistance, alternative development, and economic and
judicial reforms. These programs were an integral component of U.S.
support for Plan Colombia's overall goals.

U.S. support for Colombia
continues to evolve under the Uribe administration. Recognizing that
terrorism and the illicit narcotics trade in Colombia are inextricably
linked, the U.S. Congress granted new expanded statutory authorities in
2002 making U.S. assistance to Colombia more flexible in order to
better support President Uribe's unified campaign against narcotics and
terrorism.

Close cooperation continues
with passage by the United States of legislation providing about $560
million in additional funding for these programs. Moreover, since the
end of the FARC safe haven, the United States has responded to the
Colombian Government's request for increased intelligence support,
expedited delivery of spare parts paid for by Colombia, and support for
counter-narcotics operations in the former demilitarized zone.

The results thus far have
been impressive, but there is still a lot of work remaining. U.S.
policy toward Colombia supports the Colombian Government's efforts to
strengthen its democratic institutions, promote respect for human
rights and the rule of law, intensify counter-narcotics efforts, foster
socioeconomic development, address immediate humanitarian needs, and
end the threats to democracy posed by narcotics trafficking and
terrorism. Promoting security, stability, and prosperity in Colombia
will continue as long-term American interests in the region.

Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--William Braucher Wood
Deputy Chief of Mission--Milton K. Drucker
Political Counselor--Jeffrey A. Delaurentis
Economic Counselor--Francisco Fernandez
Consul General-- Raymond G. McGrath
Commercial Counselor--Larry Farris
Management Counselor--Paul Rowe
Military Group Commander—Col. Simeon Trombitas
Narcotics Affairs Section Director—Phyllis M. Powers
Defense Attaché--Col. William Graves
Public Affairs Officer--Anne T. Callaghan
Regional Security Office--Mark Hunter
USAID Director--Michael Deal

U.S. Embassy
Calle 22D Bis, No. 47-51
Bogotá, Colombia
(tel: (571) 315-0811; fax: (571) 315-2197).
The mailing address is APO AA 34038.

U.S. Consular Agency in Baranquilla
Calle 77, No. 68-15
Baranquilla, Colombia
(tel: (575) 353-0970 or 0974; fax: (575) 353-5216).

Other Contact Information
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Main Switchboard: 202-647-4000 (http://www.state.gov)

U.S. Department of Commerce, Trade Information Center, International Trade Administration
1401 Constitution Avenue
Washington, DC 20230
(tel: 800-USA-TRADE, Internet: http://www.ita.doc.gov)

Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce
Calle 98, @2264, Oficina 1209
Apartado Aereo 8008
Bogotá, Colombia
(tel: (571) 621-5042/7925/6838, fax: (571) 612-6838, email: 73050.3127@compuserve.com) Chapters in Cali, Cartagena, Medellín.

TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION
The
U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides
Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public Announcements.
Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include
information on entry requirements, currency regulations, health
conditions, areas of instability, crime and security, political
disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. posts in the country. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Public Announcements

are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about
terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas
that pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Free
copies of this information are available by calling the Bureau of
Consular Affairs at 202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system:
202-647-3000. Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings also are
available on the Consular Affairs Internet home page: http://travel.state.gov.
Consular Affairs Tips for Travelers publication series, which contain
information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad, are
on the Internet and hard copies can be purchased from the
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,
telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250.

Emergency information concerning
Americans traveling abroad may be obtained from the Office of Overseas
Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. For after-hours emergencies,
Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000.

The National Passport Information Center
(NPIC) is the U.S. Department of State's single, centralized public
contact center for U.S. passport information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT
(1-877-487-2778). Customer service representatives and operators for
TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern
Time, excluding federal holidays.

Travelers can check the latest health
information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in
Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web
site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm
give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or
requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions
and countries. A booklet entitled Health Information for International
Travel (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.

Information on travel conditions, visa
requirements, currency and customs regulations, legal holidays, and
other items of interest to travelers also may be obtained before your
departure from a country's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S. (for
this country, see "Principal Government Officials" listing in this
publication).

U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in dangerous areas are encouraged to register their travel via the State Department’s travel registration web site at https://travelregistration.state.gov

or at the Consular section of the U.S. embassy upon arrival in a
country by filling out a short form and sending in a copy of their
passports. This may help family members contact you in case of an
emergency.


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