3. NATURAL FEATURES
Area: 440,831 square miles (1,141,748 square kilometres), includes
the San Andrés y Providencia archipelago.
Climate:Tropical. Varies according to the altitude.
Highest Peak: Pico Cristobal Colon, 19,020 feet (5,800 meters).
Major
Rivers: Magdalena, Cauca, Meta, Guaviare, Caqueta, Putumayo, Atrat
o, Vaupes, Vichada.
Mountain Ranges: Occidental, Central, Oriental
4. PEOPLE
Population: 39,309,422 (July 1999 est.); 89.2, people per square mile
(34.5 people per square kilometer); 73 percent urban, 27 percent rural.
Major
Cities: Bogotá, Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Cucuta, Bucar
amanga
5. PEOPLE
Religions: Roman Catholicism, 95.4%.
Language: Spanish (official).
Leading Universities: National University of Colombia, University
of the Andes, Javeriana Pontifical University, all in Bogota;
Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia, Tunja;
University of Valle, Cali; University of Antioquia, Medellin; Industrial
University of Santander, Bucaramanga
6. GOVERMENT
Form of Government: Unitary republic.
Chief of State and Head of Government: President; elected to four-
year nonconsecutive terms by direct national vote.
President:Alvaro Uribe Vélez
Legislature: Congress consists of Senate and House of Representatives;
members elected to four-year terms. Voting Qualification: Age 18.
Political Divisions: 32 departments since July 1991, 1 capital district.
7. ECONOMY
Main Agricultural Products: Crops;
sugarcane, potatoes, plantains, rice, bananas, cassavas, corn, coffee, flo
wers. Livestock; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens.
Main Mined Products: Petroleum, natural gas, gold, coal, iron ore.
Main Manufactured
Products: Foods, textiles, chemicals, machinery, electrical
apparatus, transport equipment, metal products.
8. ECONOMY
Main Exports: Coffee, petroleum and petroleum
products, fruits, flowers, iron and steel, textile and apparel.
Main Imports: Machinery, chemicals, transport equipment.
Monetary Unit: Peso.
