Colombia Issues - 2024

Disputes - international

Colombia-Nicaragua: in December 2007, the ICJ allocated San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under a 1928 Treaty but did not rule on 82 degrees W meridian as the maritime boundary

Colombia-Venezuela: managed dispute over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela

Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all neighboring borders; Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 1,842,390 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2022)

IDPs: 6,863,334 (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers since 1985) (2023)

stateless persons: 11 (2022)

Illicit drugs

Colombia is the world’s top cocaine producer and exporter; is a source of heroin and marijuana; coca cultivation estimated at 234,000 hectares (ha) in 2021; pure cocaine production decreased to 972 metric tons in 2021; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics