Country Overview

Location: Colombia is located in Northern South America, bordering the Carribean Sea,and in between Panama and Venezuela. It also borders the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama.
Geography: It is less than twice the size of Texas! Its climate is tropical along the coastlines and eastern plains, but has a cooler climate in highlands. Its terrain consist of flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, and eastern lowland plains.
Population: In July 2011 there was reportedly 44,725,543 people.
Birth Rates: Are currently at 17.49/1,000.
Death Rates: Are currently at 5.26/1,000.
Life Expectancy: Are currently at a total of about 75 years, but for males it is about 71 years and for females about 78 years.
Ethnic Group(s): They are currently at mestizos,58%;white,20%;mulatto,14%; black,4%; Amerindian,1%; black-Amerindian,3%.
Education: It is free but only compulsory for five years.
Literacy Rates: (age 15 and over that can read and write). Its total is an estimate of 90.4%. For males it is 90.1% and for females 90.7%.
Languages: Their official language is spanish.
Religion: Their main religion is Roman Catholic with 90% and other religion just hold 10% of the population.
Current Government Type: It is currently a Republic.
Political State: The president, President Juan Manuel Santos Calderon, is both the chief of state and head of government. The president and vice president are elected by popular vote for a four-year term. Juan Manuel Santos Calderon obtained 69.09% of votes. Also, there are 7 political parties.
Legal System: It is based on Spanish law. In 2004, a new criminal code was modeled after US procedures and intacted. In 2008, the new law reached full implementation.
Suffrage: (voting rights) It is universal, 18 years of age.
Unempolyment Rate: it is currently at 11.8%.
Population below Poverty: It is currently at 45.5% of the population.
Industries: They include textiles, processing food, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement, gold, coal,emerlads. The industry growth is at 5.5%.
Communications: There are 7.5 million main line telephone users, 42.16 million mobile cellular users, and 22.54 million internet users. The brocasting media is a combination state-owned and privately-owned service. It contains more than 500 radio stations and a large number of national, regional, and local TV stations.
Military Service: The branches include the National Army, National Navy and Colombian Air Force. Compulsory and voluntary military service are between the ages of 18-24 and service obligation are 18 months.
Transnational Issues: Some international disputes are that in December 2007, the International Court of Justice gave the islands of San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina to Colmbia under the 1928 Treaty with Nicaragua. Another dispute is with Venezuela, and it is over a maritime boundary and Venezuelan-adminstered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venzuela. There are also Colombian-organized narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activites penetrating all neighboring borders have caused Colombians to flee to neighboring countries. A really big problem is illicit drugs like coca, opium poppy, and cannbis. It is the world leading and largest producer and cultivator of coca and most Colombian heroin is destined for the US market. 

LINKS:
CIA World Factbook
Colombia Education Information