Colombia Stock Market

In the 1990s, the 40-year-old conflict between the Colombian government, the paramilitary, and the opposition spiraled. The insurgents do not have the necessary military to bring down the government yet they continue to attack civilians. Attempts have been made by the Colombian government to regain control of the country, and they now influence every municipality. Re-elected for a second term in 2006, President Alvaro Uribe has allocated more money to the military and the police, and has held discussions with far-right warlords.
Capital City: Bogota (-5 GMT)
Chief of State: President Alvaro URIBE Velez
Head of Govt.: President Alvaro URIBE Velez
Currency: Colombian peso
Main Cities: Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla
Major Languages: Spanish
Calling Code: 57
Voltage: 110V
Primary Religions: Roman Catholic
Main Airports
Barranquilla (Ernesto Cortissoz) (BAQ), Bogotá (El Dorado International Airport) (BOG), Cali (Alfonso Bonilla Aragón) (CLO)
U.S. Embassy
Calle 22D Bis, No. 47-51 Bogota, Colombia tel: (571) 315-0811
Statistics
GDP: purchasing power parity:
$337.5 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity:
7,900 (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
20.52 million (2005)
Exports:
$19.3 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - partners:
US 39.1%, Venezuela 11%, Ecuador 5.3% (2005)
Imports:
$18 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - partners:
US 29.1%, Venezuela 7.2%, Mexico 5.8%, Brazil 5.4%, China 5%, Germany 4.6%, Japan 4.3% (2005)
Population:
43,593,035 (July 2006 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.46% (2006 est.)
Population Below Poverty Line:
49.2% (2005)
Major Industries:
textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds
Employing Workers: 77*
Registering Property: 56*
Enforcing Contracts: 141*
Closing a Business: 26*
*2006 World Bank rank out of 175 countries