Capital

Kolumbien

name: Bogota

geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W

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

etymology: originally referred to as "Bacata," meaning "enclosure outside of the farm fields," by the indigenous Muisca

Citizenship

Kolumbien

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

Legal system

Kolumbien

civil law system influenced by the Spanish and French civil codes

Suffrage

Kolumbien

18 years of age; universal

Area

Kolumbien

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

Land use

Kolumbien

agricultural land: 37.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 1.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1.6% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 34.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 54.4% (2018 est.)

other: 8.1% (2018 est.)

Location

Kolumbien

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

Age structure

Kolumbien

0-14 years: 22.45% (male 5,663,590/female 5,413,209)

15-64 years: 66.66% (male 16,066,724/female 16,820,068)

65 years and over: 10.89% (2023 est.) (male 2,367,369/female 3,005,494)

Birth rate

Kolumbien

15.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Kolumbien

7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Kolumbien

Spanish (official) and 65 Amerindian languages

major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Kolumbien

total population: 74.9 years (2023 est.)

male: 71.3 years

female: 78.7 years

Major urban areas - population

Kolumbien

11.508 million BOGOTA (capital), 4.102 million Medellin, 2.864 million Cali, 2.349 million Barranquilla, 1.381 million Bucaramanga, 1.088 million Cartagena (2023)

Median age

Kolumbien

total: 32.4 years (2023 est.)

male: 31.2 years

female: 33.6 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Kolumbien

21.7 years (2015 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Net migration rate

Kolumbien

-1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Kolumbien

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

Population growth rate

Kolumbien

0.54% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Kolumbien

1.94 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Kolumbien

urban population: 82.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Kolumbien

4.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Kolumbien

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2020)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Kolumbien

-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Kolumbien

9.65% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Kolumbien

26.137 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Kolumbien

35.7% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate

Kolumbien

14.34% (2021 est.)

15.04% (2020 est.)

9.96% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Kolumbien

90.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

72.7% of GDP (2019 est.)

71.65% of GDP (2018 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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Kolumbien

3.5% (2021 est.)

2.53% (2020 est.)

3.52% (2019 est.)

Exports

Kolumbien

$50.793 billion (2021 est.)

$38.224 billion (2020 est.)

$51.324 billion (2019 est.)

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - partners

Kolumbien

United States 31%, China 11%, Panama 6%, Ecuador 5% (2019)

Imports

Kolumbien

$70.84 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$51.312 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$65.47 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

Kolumbien

United States 27%, China 20%, Mexico 7%, Brazil 6% (2019)

Airports

Kolumbien

836 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Kolumbien

total: 7,764,772 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Kolumbien

total: 37.96 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 73% (2021 est.)

Railways

Kolumbien

total: 2,141 km (2019)

standard gauge: 150 km (2019) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,991 km (2019) 0.914-m gauge

Roadways

Kolumbien

total: 205,379 km (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

Kolumbien

total subscriptions: 7.6 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Kolumbien

total subscriptions: 75 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 150 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Kolumbien

24,725 km (2019) (18,225 km navigable; the most important waterway, the River Magdalena, of which 1,092 km is navigable, is dredged regularly to ensure safe passage of cargo vessels and container barges)

Disputes - international

Kolumbien

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