Colombia

Country	Republic of Colombia
Capital	Bogota
Independence	20 July 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday	Independence Day, 20 July (1810)
Population	45,745,783 (July 2013 est.)
Sex ratio	1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
Nationality	Colombian
Religions	Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%
Languages	Spanish (official)
Literacy	Age 15 and over can read and write Total population: 93.6% Male: 93.5% Female: 93.7% (2011 est.)
Location	Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama
Geographic coordinates	4 00 N, 72 00 W
Map references	South America
Area	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
Area - comparative	slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries	total: 6,309 km border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km
Coastline	3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate	tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
Terrain	flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation
Natural resources	petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower
Exports - commodities	Petroleum, Coal, Emeralds, Coffee, Nickel, Cut flowers, Bananas, Apparel
Imports - commodities	Industrial equipment, Transportation equipment, Consumer goods, Chemicals, Paper products, Fuels, Electricity
Land use	Arable land: 2.01% Permanent crops: 1.37% Other: 96.62% (2005)
Irrigated land	9,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources	2,132 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)	total: 10.71 cu km/yr (50%/4%/46%) per capita: 235 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards	highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts volcanism: Galeras (elev. 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 (elev. 5,321 m), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985 producing lahars 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
Environment - current issues	deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions
Environment - international agreements	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
Geography - note	only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea