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. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ...

History

In 1990, the administration of President César Gaviria Trujillo (1990-94) initiated economic liberalism policies or "apertura economica" 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. Term of office: August 7, 1990 – August 7, 1994 Preceded by: Virgilio Barco Vargas Succeeded by: Ernesto Samper Pizano Date of birth: March 31, 1947 Place of birth: Pereira, Colombia First Lady: Ana Milena Muñoz de Gaviria Political party: Liberal César Gaviria Trujillo (born March 31, 1947) is... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

The original idea of his then Minister of Finance, Rudolf Hommes, was that the country should import agricultural products in which it was not competitive, like maize, wheat, cotton and soybeans and export the ones in which it had an advantage, like fruits and flowers. In ten years, the sector lost 7,000 km² to imports, represented mostly in heavily subsidized agricultural products from the United States, as a result of this policy, with a critical impact on employment in rural areas. [1] Still, this policy makes food cheaper for the average Colombian than it would be if agricultural trade were more restricted. The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government. ... Rudolf Hommes Rodríguez is a Colombian politician and economist mostly knwon for serving a term as Colombian Minister of Finance under the government of President Cesar Gaviria and in which he introduced many liberalism policies in Colombias Economy. ... “Corn” redirects here. ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. compactum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 For the indie rock group see: Wheat (band). ... Cotton ready for harvest. ... Binomial name Glycine max Soybeans (US) or soya beans (UK) (Glycine max) are a high-protein legume (Family Fabaceae) grown as food for both humans and livestock. ... Popular Japanese fashion magazine throughout the 1990s; the photography of which has recently been reissued in two collections from Phaidon press. ... Wildflowers A flower is the reproductive organ of those plants classified as angiosperms ( flowering plants; Division Magnoliophyta). ... An agricultural subsidy is a governmental subsidy paid to farmers to supplement their income, help manage the supply of agricultural commodities, and bolster the market price of commodities. ... Look up policy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Until 1997, Colombia had enjoyed a fairly stable economy. The first 5 years of liberalization were characterized by high economic growth rates of between 4% and 5%. The Samper administration (1994-98) emphasized social welfare policies which targeted Colombia's lower income population. However, these reforms led to higher government spending which increased the fiscal deficit and public sector debt, the financing of which required higher interest rates. An over-valued peso inherited from the previous administration was maintained. Order: 41st President Vice President: Humberto de la Calle Term of office: August 7, 1994 – August 7, 1998 Preceded by: César Gaviria Succeeded by: Andrés Pastrana Date of birth: August 3, 1950 Place of birth: Bogotá First Lady: Jacquin Strouss de Samper Political party: Liberal Ernesto Samper...

The economy slowed, and by 1998 GDP growth was only 0.6%. In 1999, the country fell into its first recession since the Great Depression. The economy shrank by 4.5% with unemployment at over 20%. While unemployment remained at 20% in 2000, GDP growth recovered to 3.1%. The Great Depression was a dramatic, worldwide economic downturn beginning in some countries as early as 1928. ...

The administration of President Andrés Pastrana Arango, when it took office on August 7, 1998, faced an economy in crisis, with the difficult internal security situation and global economic turbulence additionally inhibiting confidence. As evidence of a serious recession became clear in 1999, the government took a number of steps. It engaged in a series of controlled devaluations of the peso, followed by a decision to let it float. Colombia also entered into an agreement with the International Monetary Fund which provided a $2.7 billion guarantee (extended funds facility), while committing the government to budget discipline and structural reforms. Order: 42nd President Vice President: Gustavo Bell Lemus Term of office: August 7, 1998 – August 7, 2002 Preceded by: Ernesto Samper Succeeded by: Álvaro Uribe Date of birth: August 17, 1954 Place of birth: Bogotá First Lady: Nohra Puyana de Pastrana Political party: Conservative Andrés Pastrana Arango (born August... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ...

By early 2000 there had been the beginning of an economic recovery, with the export sector leading the way, as it enjoyed the benefit of the more competitive exchange rate, as well as strong prices for petroleum, Colombia's leading export product. Prices of coffee, the other principal export product, have been more variable. Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Lubbock, Texas Ignacy Łukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... A cup of coffee. ...

Economic growth reached 3.1 % during 2000 and inflation was 9.0% although unemployment has yet to significantly improve. Colombia's international reserves have remained stable at around $8.35 billion, and Colombia has successfully remained in international capital markets. Colombia's total foreign debt at the end of 1999 was $34.5 billion with $14.7 billion in private sector and $19.8 billion in public sector debt. Major international credit rating organizations have dropped Colombian sovereign debt below investment grade, primarily as a result of large fiscal deficits, which current policies are seeking to close.

Several international financial institutions have praised the economic reforms introduced by current president Álvaro Uribe (elected August 7, 2002), which include measures designed to reduce the public-sector deficit below 2.5% of GDP in 2004. The government's economic policy and democratic security strategy have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy, particularly within the business sector, and GDP growth in 2003 was among the highest in Latin America, at over 4%. Álvaro Uribe Vélez (born July 4, 1952) is the 56th President of Colombia, whose first term ran from 2002-2006 and is currently serving his second term from 2006-2010. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Democratic security or Democratic security policy refers to a Colombian security policy implemented during the administration of President Álvaro Uribe (2002-2006). ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ...

Statistics

Economy - overview: Economy - overview: Colombia's economy has experienced positive growth over the past three years despite a serious armed conflict. The economy continues to improve in part because of austere government budgets, focused efforts to reduce public debt levels, an export-oriented growth strategy, an improved security situation in the country, and high commodity prices. Ongoing economic problems facing President Uribe range from reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment, and to achieving congressional passage of a fiscal transfers reform. New exploration is needed to offset declining oil production. International and domestic financial analysts note with concern the growing central government deficit, which hovers at 5% of GDP. However, the government's economic policy and democratic security strategy have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy, particularly within the business sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $374.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $106.8 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $8,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 35.2% services: 52.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 20.81 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 22.7% industry: 18.7% services: 58.5% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 11.1% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line: 49.2% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 7.9% highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 53.8 (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 22.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $50.7 billion

expenditures: $52.29 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

Public debt: 45.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Industrial production growth rate: 5.8% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production: 46.93 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - consumption: 42.01 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports: 1.682 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports: 48 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production: 578,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption: 269,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: NA bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports: NA bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves: 1.506 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production: 6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 114.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance: $-2.219 billion (2006 est.)

Exports: $24.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Exports - partners:US 41.8%, Venezuela 9.9%, Ecuador 6.3% (2005)

Imports: $24.33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities: industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Imports - partners: US 28.5%, Mexico 8.3%, China 7.6%, Brazil 6.5%, Venezuela 5.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $16.5 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external: $37.21 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency (code): Colombian peso (COP)

Exchange rates: Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,382.9 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Economic Growth

GDP growth and unemployment rate 2001I-2007I

Source: [2] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 584 pixelsFull resolution (3364 × 2457 pixel, file size: 495 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Author: cehc84 Information source: DANE Unemployment rate is not seasonally adjusted. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 584 pixelsFull resolution (3364 × 2457 pixel, file size: 495 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Author: cehc84 Information source: DANE Unemployment rate is not seasonally adjusted. ...

Mining and energy

Colombia is well-endowed with minerals and energy resources. It has the largest coal reserves in Latin America, and is second to Brazil in hydroelectric potential. Estimates of petroleum reserves in 1995 were 3.1 billion barrels (493,000 m³). It also possesses significant amounts of nickel, gold, silver, platinum, and emeralds. A mineral is a naturally occurring substance formed through geological processes that has a characteristic chemical composition, a highly ordered atomic structure and specific physical properties. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... Hydroelectric dam diagram The waters of Llyn Stwlan, the upper reservoir of the Ffestiniog Pumped-Storage Scheme in north Wales, can just be glimpsed on the right. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Lubbock, Texas Ignacy Łukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... General Name, Symbol, Number nickel, Ni, 28 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 10, 4, d Appearance lustrous, metallic and silvery with a gold tinge Standard atomic weight 58. ... General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Standard atomic weight 196. ... General Name, Symbol, Number silver, Ag, 47 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 5, d Appearance lustrous white metal Standard atomic weight 107. ... General Name, Symbol, Number platinum, Pt, 78 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 10, 6, d Appearance grayish white Standard atomic weight 195. ... For other things of this name, see Emerald (disambiguation). ...

The discovery of two billion barrels (0.3 km³) of high-quality oil at the Cusiana and Cupiagua fields, about 200 km (125 miles) east of Bogotá, has enabled Colombia to become a net oil exporter since 1986. Total crude oil production averages 620,000 barrel/day (99,000 m³/day); about 184,000 barrel/day (29,000 m³/day) is exported. The Pastrana government has significantly liberalized its petroleum investment policies, leading to an increase in exploration activity. Refining capacity cannot satisfy domestic demand, so some refined products, especially gasoline, must be imported. Plans for the construction of a new refinery are under development. Motto: Bogotá, 2600 metros más cerca de las estrellas Bogotá, 2600 meters closer to the stars Localities (localidades) of Bogotá Country Colombia Department Bogotá, D.C.* Foundation August 6, 1538 Government  - Mayor Luis Eduardo Garzón, PDA Area  - City 1,587 km²  (612. ... Order: 42nd President Vice President: Gustavo Bell Lemus Term of office: August 7, 1998 – August 7, 2002 Preceded by: Ernesto Samper Succeeded by: Álvaro Uribe Date of birth: August 17, 1954 Place of birth: Bogotá First Lady: Nohra Puyana de Pastrana Political party: Conservative Andrés Pastrana Arango (born August... Gasoline or petrol is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting mostly of hydrocarbons and enhanced with benzene or iso-octane to increase octane ratings, primarily used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ...

While Colombia has vast hydroelectric potential, a prolonged drought in 1992 forced severe electricity rationing throughout the country until mid-1993. The consequences of the drought on electricity-generating capacity caused the government to commission the construction or upgrading of 10 thermoelectric power plants. Half will be coal-fired, and half will be fired by natural gas. The government also has begun awarding bids for the construction of a natural gas pipeline system that will extend from the country's extensive gas fields to its major population centers. Plans call for this project to make natural gas available to millions of Colombian households by the middle of the next decade. Thermoelectricity is the conversion from heat differentials to electricity or vice versa. ... Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane but including significant quantities of ethane, butane, propane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, helium and hydrogen sulfide. ...

As of 2004, Colombia has become a net energy exporter, exporting electricity to Ecuador and developing connections to Peru, Venezuela and Panama to export to those markets as well. A pipeline connecting western Venezuela to Panama through Colombia is also under construction, thanks to cooperation between presidents Álvaro Uribe of Colombia, Martín Torrijos of Panama and Hugo Chávez of Venezuela. Álvaro Uribe Vélez (born July 4, 1952) is the 56th President of Colombia, whose first term ran from 2002-2006 and is currently serving his second term from 2006-2010. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (IPA: ) (born July 28, 1954) is the current President of Venezuela. ...

Human Rights Abuse in Mining Zones

The oil pipelines are a frequent target of extortion and bombing campaigns by the ELN and, more recently, the FARC. The bombings, which have occurred on average once every 5 days, have caused substantial environmental damage, often in fragile rainforests and jungles, as well as causing significant loss of life. In April 1999 in Cartagena de Indias, Clinton's Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson spoke before investors from the United States, Canada and other countries. He expressed his government's willingness to use military aid to support the investment that they and their allies were going to make in Colombia, especially in strategically important sectors like mining and energy. Ejército de Liberación Nacional (usually abbreviated to ELN), or National Liberation Army, is a revolutionary, Marxist, insurgent guerrilla group that has been operating in several regions of Colombia since 1964. ... The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia–Peoples Army, in Spanish Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia–Ejército del Pueblo, also known by the acronym of FARC or FARC-EP is a communist revolutionary and illegally armed terrorist organization in Colombia. ... A rainforest is a forested biome with high annual rainfall. ...

In 2002 there were 170 attacks on the 2nd largest pipeline, which travels 780 km from the Caño Limón to the Atlantic port of Coveñas. The pipeline was out of operation for 266 days of that year. The government estimates that these bombings reduced the GDP of Colombia by 0.5%. The government of the United States increased military aid, in 2003, to Colombia to assist in the effort to defend the pipeline. Occidental Petroleum privately contracted mercenaries who flew Skymaster planes, from AirScan International Inc., to patrol the Cano Limon-Covenas pipeline. Many of these operations used helicopters, equipment and weapons provided by the U.S. military and antinarcotics aid programs. Caño Limón is an oil field in Arauca, Colombia, on the border of Venezuela. ... Oxy headquarters in Westwood, CA Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Oxy) NYSE: OXY is an international petroleum exploration and development company headquartered in the Westwood district of Los Angeles. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Overview AirScan Inc. ...

On the morning of December 13, 1998, after two days of fierce combat between the army protecting Occidental Petroleum and the FARC in the region, a Colombian Air Force helicopter carried out an air attack against guerrillas, near the village of Santo Domingo, including the use of cluster-bombs. After the bombing was over, the bodies of seventeen civilians were found in Santo Domingo, including seven children. December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Oxy headquarters in Westwood, CA Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Oxy) NYSE: OXY is an international petroleum exploration and development company headquartered in the Westwood district of Los Angeles. ...

When questioned about the matter by civilian prosecutors in Colombia, the helicopter crew argued that an AirScan Skymaster surveillance plane had provided them with incorrect coordinates for a planned bombing attack on guerrilla positions. The case was subsequently handed over to a Colombian military court, as the crime occurred during official military duty. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

In September 2000, a non-binding informal tribunal was organized at Northwestern University in Chicago regarding this case. In December of the same year, the tribunal concluded that Occidental Petroleum, AirScan, the Colombian State, and Generals Fabio Velasco of the Air Force and Hernando Barbosa of the Army were mutually responsible for the attacks. Oxy headquarters in Westwood, CA Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Oxy) NYSE: OXY is an international petroleum exploration and development company headquartered in the Westwood district of Los Angeles. ...

The decision also called for the case to be judged in civil court, for comprehensive reparations to the victims, special aid for the children and the suspension of U.S. military support for the military unit involved, in accordance with U.S. law, and a suspension of the human rights certification required for the approval of U.S. aid through Plan Colombia. The case was later brought before a Federal Court in California in April 2003. Plan Colombia is a controversial initiative aimed at resolving the ongoing, fifty-year civil war in Colombia. ...

Recent conflict in areas of wealth, such as Magdalena Medio, have seen the current neo-liberal economic process (supported internationally by the World Bank) be accompanied with violentence. Many actors are involved in the internal conflict. 68% of forced displacement in the country occurs in mining zones (mostly in mining municipios of Rio Blanco-Ataco in Tolima, La Gabarra and surrounding areas in Norte de Santander, the municipios of the South of Bolivar, and Barrancabermeja in Santander). ...

In 1996 and 2001, after new mining codes were written, huge increases in human rights violations in the zones affected by the legislation were reported. In Bolivar there was a 1000% increase in homicides, forced disappearances, injuries, torture, and arbitrary detentions. Between 1997 and 1998, forced displacements in the south of Bolivar grew by 1500%, as the paramilitary operation was implemented. The departements that showed the highest increase in human rights violations were also those that with the greatest concentration of mining operations: Antioquia, Bolivar, Norte de Santander, and Cesar. Others with high levels of oil and gas production, like Arauca and Putumayo, show the same rates. Over the past fifteen years in Colombia, a union leader has been assassinated every other day. During the government of Álvaro Uribe Vélez the number has fallen slightly, to one every five days. The national union of mine workers Sintraminercol has been facing dissolution. Since Álvaro Uribe Vélez's government has come into office, an indigenous person has been assassinated every five days, most of these in areas of natural resource exploitation. A forced disappearance occurs when an organization forces a person to vanish from public view, either by murder or by simple sequestration. ... Torture, according to international law, is any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has...

Mining and Natural Exploitaton has had environmental consequences. The region of Guajira is undergoing an accelerated desertification with the disappearances of forests, land, and water sources, due to the increase in coal production.

Social Consequences or lack of development in resource rich areas is common. Eleven million Colombians survive on less than one dollar a day. Over 65% of these live in mining zones. There are 3.5 million children out of school, and the most critical situation is in the mining zone of Choco, Bolivar, and Sucre.

Economic consequences of privatization and liberal institutions have meant changes in taxation to attract foreign investment. Colombia will lose another $800 million over the next ninety years that Glencore International operates in El Cerrejon Zona Media, if the company continues to produce coal at a rate of 5 million tons/year, because of the reduction of the royalty tax from 10-15% to .04%. If the company, as is plausible, doubles or triples its production, the losses will be proportionally greater. The operational losses from the three large mining projects (El Cerrejon, La Loma, operated by Drummond, and Montelibano, which produces ferronickel) for Colombia to more than 12 billion. Just $10 billion would be enough to provide employment for Colombia's three million unemployed, to save the lives of the up to 160 children who die daily of hunger, malnutrition and curable diseases, and to have avoided the closing of over 20 hospitals around the country, which has created a humanitarian emergency in the poorest sectors of the population. Glencore International AG (formerly called Marc Rich & Co. ... Cerrejón is a coal mine located in the Guajira department in the north of Colombia. ... Municipality and town of Montelíbano in the Córdoba Department. ... Hunger is a feeling experienced when the glycogen level of the liver falls below a threshold, usually followed by a desire to eat. ... Percentage of population affected by malnutrition by country, according to United Nations statistics. ...

Coal production has grown rapidly, from 22.7 million tons in 1994 to 50.0 million tons in 2003.^[1] Over 90% of this amount was exported, making Colombia the world's sixth largest coal exporter, behind Australia, the People's Republic of China, Indonesia, South Africa and Russia.^[2] From the mid-1980s the center of coal production was the Cerrejón mines in the Guajira department. However, the growth in output at La Loma in neighboring Cesar mean that this department has been the leader in coal production since 2004. Production in other departments, including Boyacá, Cundinamarca and Norte de Santander, forms about 13% of the total. The coal industry is largely controlled by international mining companies, including a consortium of BHP Billiton, Anglo American and Glencore International at Cerrejón, and Drummond Company at La Loma, which is undergoing a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Alabama for union assassinations and alleged paramilitary links. Cerrejón is a coal mine located in the Guajira department in the north of Colombia. ... La Guajira is a department of Colombia. ... Motto: Capital Valledupar Governor Area 22,905 km² Population  - Total (2003)  - Density   1,050,303 46 people/km² Adjective Cesar is a department of Colombia. ... Motto: Capital Tunja Governor Jorge Eduardo Londoño Area 23,189 km² Population  - Total (2003)  - Density   1,411,239 61 people/km² Adjective Boyaca (Spanish: Boyacá) is a department of Colombia, one of the original nine states of the United States of Colombia. Boyacá is centrally located within Colombia, almost... Cundinamarca is a department of Colombia, one of the original nine states of the United States of Colombia. Most of Cundinamarca is in the Eastern Cordillera, just south of Boyacá, bordered by the Magdalena River on the west, reaching down into the Amazon River basin on the east, and bordering... Norte de Santander is a department of Colombia. ... BHP Billiton is the worlds largest mining company. ... Anglo-American may refer to: A term used to describe any White citizen of the United States. ... Glencore International AG (formerly called Marc Rich & Co. ... Drummond Company is a privately owned company based in Alabama, United States, involved in the mining and processing of coal and coal products. ...

Trade

Colombia's estimated balance of trade showed a surplus $910 million in 1999, up from a $3.8 billion deficit in 1998. Total 1999 imports were $10.6 billion, while exports were $11.5 billion. Estimated 2000 imports were $11.2 billion with $14.0 exports. 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 in 1999, taking 48.5% of exports and providing 42.1% of imports. The EU and Japan also are important trading partners, as are Andean Pact countries and Venezuela. Spanish: Comunidad Andina, abbreviated CAN) is a trade bloc that comprises the South American countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela. ...

Foreign Investment

In 1990, to attract foreign investors and promote trade, an experiment from the IMF known as "la apertura" was adopted by the government as an open trade strategy. Although the analysis of the results are not clear, the fact is that the agricultural sector was severely impacted by this policy. The flag of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the international organization entrusted with overseeing the global financial system by monitoring foreign exchange rates and balance of payments, as well as offering technical and financial assistance when asked. ...

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. Foreign investment flows for 1999 were $4.4 billion, down from $4.8 billion in 1998.

Major foreign investment projects underway include the $6 billion development of the Cusiana and Cupiagua oil fields, development of coal fields in the north of the country, and the recently concluded licensing for establishment of cellular telephone service. The United States accounted for 26.5% of the total $19.4 billion stock of nonpetroleum foreign direct investment in Colombia at the end of 1998.

On October 21, 1995, under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), President Clinton signed an Executive Order barring U.S. entities from any commercial or financial transactions with four Colombian drug kingpins and with individuals and companies associated with the traffic in narcotics, as designated by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General. The list of designated individuals and companies is amended periodically and is maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control at the Department of the Treasury, tel. (202) 622-0077 (ask for Document #1900). The document also is available at the Department of Treasury web site. is the 294th day of the year (295th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ...

Colombia is the United States' fifth-largest export market in Latin America--behind Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, and Argentina--and the 26th-largest market for U.S. products worldwide. The United States is Colombia's principal trading partner, with two-way trade from November 1999 through November 2000 exceeding $9.5 billion--$3.5 billion U.S. exports and $6.0 billion U.S. imports. Colombia benefits from duty-free entry--for a 10-year period, through 2001--for certain of its exports to the United States under the Andean Trade Preferences Act. Colombia improved protection of intellectual property rights through the adoption of three Andean Pact decisions in 1993 and 1994, but the U.S. remains concerned over deficiencies in licensing, patent regulations, and copyright protection.

The petroleum and natural gas coal mining, chemical, and manufacturing industries attract the greatest U.S. investment interest. U.S. investment accounted for 37.8% ($4.2 billion) of the total $11.2 billion in foreign direct investment at the end of 1997, excluding petroleum and portfolio investment. Worker rights and benefits in the U.S.-dominated sectors are more favorable than general working conditions. Examples include shorter-than-average working hours, higher wages, and compliance with health and safety standards above the national average.

Industry and Agriculture
The most industrially diverse member of the five-nation Andean Community, Colombia has four major industrial centers--Bogota, Medellin, Cali, and Barranquilla, each located in a distinct geographical region. Colombia's industries include textiles and clothing, particularly lingerie, leather products, processed foods and beverages, paper and paper products, chemicals and petrochemicals, cement, construction, iron and steel products, and metalworking. Its 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 hot country 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; certain flowers; maize and other vegetables; and fruits such as citrus, pears, pineapples, and tomatoes. The cooler elevations -- between 2,000 and 3,000 meter -- produce wheat, barley, potatoes, cold-climate vegetables, flowers, dairy cattle, and poultry. Binomial name L. Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is a small (4–8 m tall (15-26 ft)) evergreen tree in the family Sterculiaceae (alternatively Malvaceae), native to the deep tropical region of the Latin Americas. ... Species Saccharum arundinaceum Saccharum bengalense Saccharum edule Saccharum officinarum Saccharum procerum Saccharum ravennae Saccharum robustum Saccharum sinense Saccharum spontaneum Sugarcane or Sugar cane (Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation) of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae, tribe Andropogoneae), native to warm temperate to tropical... Binomial name L. For other uses, see Coconut (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Species Musa × paradisiaca A big load of plantains in Masaya, Nicaragua Cooking plantains (pronounced plan-TENZ or plan-TAINZ) are a kind of plantains that are generally used for cooking, as contrasted with the soft, sweet banana varieties (which are sometimes called dessert bananas). ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Cotton ready for harvest. ... Shredded tobacco leaf for pipe smoking Tobacco can also be pressed into plugs and sliced into flakes Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in genus Nicotiana. ... Binomial name Crantz The cassava, casava, yuca or manioc (Manihot esculenta) is a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) native to South America that is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. ... A cup of coffee. ... “Corn” redirects here. ... Species & major hybrids Species Citrus aurantifolia - Key lime Citrus maxima - Pomelo Citrus medica - Citron Citrus reticulata - Mandarin & Tangerine Major hybrids Citrus ×sinensis - Sweet Orange Citrus ×aurantium - Bitter Orange Citrus ×paradisi - Grapefruit Citrus ×limon - Lemon Citrus ×limonia - Rangpur lime Citrus ×latifolia - Persian lime See also main text for other hybrids Citrus... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Binomial name (L.) Merr. ... Binomial name L. Synonyms Lycopersicon lycopersicum Lycopersicon esculentum Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. compactum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 For the indie rock group see: Wheat (band). ... Binomial name L. Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an annual cereal grain, which serves as a major animal feed crop, with smaller amounts used for malting and in health food. ... For other uses, see Potato (disambiguation). ... A dairy farm near Oxford, New York in the United States. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Notes

1. ^ Unidad de Planeación Minero Energética - UPME (2004), Boletín Estadístico de Minas y Energía 1994 - 2004. PDF file in Spanish.
2. ^ World Coal Institute (2004), Coal Facts - 2004 Edition. PDF file.

See also

• Colombia
• List of Colombian companies
• Economy of South America

v • d • e Union of South American Nations  (Unasur · Unasul)
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v • d • e Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

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The economy of South America comprises about 500 million people living in 14 states and territories. ... Pro Tempore Secretariat Brasília Official languages 4 Spanish Portuguese English Dutch Member states 12 Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Guyana Paraguay Peru Suriname Uruguay Venezuela Leaders  -  President Rodrigo Borja  -  Tempore Secretary Jorge Taunay Filho Formation  -  Cuzco Declaration 8 December 2004  Area  -  Total 17,715,335 km² (1st2)  sq... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The World Trade Organization (WTO), (OMC - Spanish: , French: ), is an international organization designed to supervise and liberalize international trade. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 370 pixelsFull resolution (1357 × 628 pixel, file size: 19 KB, MIME type: image/png)World map of World Trade Organization (WTO) members/non-members, 2005; based on Image:BlankMap-World-v2. ... Economy - overview: Antigua and Barbudas economy is service-based, with tourism and government services representing the key sources of employment and income. ... The Asian financial crisis in 1997 and 1998, coupled with fluctuations in the price of oil have created uncertainty and instability in Bruneis economy. ... Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world with an average income per capita of €250 (US$300). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require rewriting and/or reformatting. ... The economy of the Peoples Republic of China is the third largest in the world when measured by nominal GDP. Its economic output for 2006 was $2. ... Sparsely populated in relation to its area, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to a vast potential of natural resources and mineral wealth, yet the economy of the DROC has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The economy of Costa Rica heavily depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. ... The Ivorian economy is largely market based and depends heavily on the agricultural sector. ... The Dominican Republic is a middle-income developing country primarily dependent on agriculture, trade, and services, especially tourism. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... If it considered as a single state, the economy of the European Unions twenty-seven member states is currently the worlds second largest economy. ... Economy - overview: The breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991 deprived F.Y.R.O.M. (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), then its poorest republic (only 5% of the total federal output of goods and services), of its key protected markets and large transfer payments from the center. ... Economy - overview: The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. ... The Economy of Hong Kong is widely believed to be the most economically free in the world. ... Currency 1 South Korean Won (W) = 100 Jeon(Chŏn) (theoretical) Fiscal year Calendar year Trade organizations APEC, WTO and OECD Statistics [1] GDP ranking 10th by volume (at nominal) (2006); 11th by volume (at PPP) (2006); GDP (Nominal) $897. ... The Economy of New Zealand is a small but prosperous free market economy, which is greatly dependent on international trade, mainly with Australia, the United States of America and Japan. ... Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by the rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. ... Saint Kitts and Nevis was the last sugar monoculture in the Eastern Caribbean. ... Saint Lucias economy depends primarily on revenue from banana production and tourism with some input from small-scale manufacturing. ... The St. ... Economy - overview: Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require rewriting and/or reformatting. ... A per capita GDP of $340 ranks Solomon Islands as a lesser developed nation. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require rewriting and/or reformatting. ... With an economy of $80. ... Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by the government. ... Trinidad and Tobago experienced a real growth rate of 3. ... // The United Arab Emirates has a highly industrialized economy that makes the country one the most developed in the world, based on various socioeconomic indicators such as GDP per capita, energy consumption per capita, and the HDI. At $168 billion in 2006, the GDP of the UAE ranks second in... The United States has the worlds largest gross domestic product (GDP), $13. ... All twenty-seven member states of the European Union are also members of the WTO in their own right: Austria • Belgium • Bulgaria • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Ireland • Italy • Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Malta • Netherlands and Netherlands Antilles • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • United Kingdom. Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Designated name for the Republic of China.

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