Long-form name: Republic of Colombia

Type: republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Capital: Bogota

Administrative divisions: 23 departments (departamentos, singular--departamento), 5 commissariats* (comisarias, singular--comisaria), and 4 intendancies** (intendencias, singular--intendencia); Amazonas*, Antioquia, Arauca**, Atlantico, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare**, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia*, Guaviare*, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo**, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia**, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes*, Vichada*; note--there may be a new special district (distrito especial) named Bogota; the Constitution of 5 July 1991 states that the commissariats and intendancies are to become full departments and a capital district (distrito capital) of Santa Fe de Bogota is to be established by 1997

Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)

Constitution: 5 July 1991

Legal system: based on Spanish law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Executive branch: president, presidential designate, Cabinet

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of a nationally elected upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a regionally elected lower chamber or Chamber of Representatives (Camara de Representantes)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica)

Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government--President Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo (since 7 August 1990)

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party (PL), Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo, president, and Alfonso LOPEZ Michelsen, party head; Social Conservative Party (PCS), Misael PASTRANA Borrero; National Salvation Movement (MSN), Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado; Democratic Alliance (AD) is headed by 19th of April Movement (M-19) leader Antonio NAVARRO Wolf, coalition of small leftist parties and dissident liberals and conservatives; Patriotic Union (UP), is a legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Colombian Communist Party (PCC), Carlos ROMERO

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections: President--last held 27 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results--Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo (Liberal) 47%, Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado (National Salvation Movement) 24%, Antonio NAVARRO Wolff (M-19) 13%, Rodrigo LLOREDA (Conservative) 12%; Senate--last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held 27 October 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(114 total) Liberal 72, Conservative 40, UP 1, vacant 1; Chamber of Representatives last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held 27 October 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(199 total) Liberal 122, Conservative 68, UP 3, M-19 1, other 5; note--on 5 July 1991 the new Constitution dissolved Congress and replaced it with a multiparty 36-member legislative commission until a new congress, to be elected on 27 October 1991, takes office on 1 December 1991

Communists: 18,000 members (est.), including Communist Party Youth Organization (JUCO)

Other political or pressure groups: three insurgent groups are active in Colombia--Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), led by Manuel MARULANDA and Alfonso CANO; National Liberation Army (ELN), led by Manuel PEREZ; and dissidents of the recently demobilized People's Liberation Army (EPL) led by Francisco CARABALLO

Member of: AG, CDB, CG, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-11, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jaime GARCIA Parra; Chancery at 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-8338; there are Colombian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Tampa; US--Ambassador-designate Morris D. BUSBY; Embassy at Calle 38, No.8-61, Bogota (mailing address is P. O. Box A. A. 3831, Bogota or APO Miami 34038); telephone [57] (1) 285-1300 or 1688; there is a US Consulate in Barranquilla

Flag: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

NOTE: The information regarding Colombia on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Colombia Government 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Colombia Government 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.