Because of you…
Youth for Christ ministry in Colombia is undergoing a revival period headed up by a passionate and organised board comprised mostly of young professionals whose lives were deeply impacted by Youth for Christ.
Some of the ministries of Youth for Christ in Colombia include:
- conferences in schools
- theatre in parks
- movie evangelism
- seminars for training of young leaders
Prayer Needs
- Funding to hire a director and secretary, and to rent an office
- Instruments and sound system for the music outreach, which has always been the hallmark of Youth for Christ ministry in Colombia
- Recruitment of staff and volunteers, specifically that desire to work in the schools in conferences and gatherings
About Colombia
Colombia
Introduction
Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A four-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government and violence has been decreasing since about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. However, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.
Geography
Location
Location: Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama
Geographic Coordinates: 4 00 N, 72 00 W
Area
Total Area: 1,138,914 sq km Rank: 26
Land Area: 1,109,104 sq km
Water Area: 100,210 sq km
Note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank
Comparison: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land Boundaries: 6,309 km
Bordering Countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km
Coastline: 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)
Climate
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
Terrain
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains
Elevations
Lowest Point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Highest Point:Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
Note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation
Natural Resources
petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower
Land Use
Arable land: 2.01%
Permanent Crops: 1.37%
Other: 96.62% (2005)
Irrigated Land: 9,000 sq km (2003)
Renewable Water Resources: 2,132 cu km (2000)
Total Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): 10.71 cu km/yr (50%/4%/46%)
Freshwater Withdrawal Per Capita: 235 cu m/yr (2000)
Environment
Natural Hazards: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environmental Issues: deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions
Environmental Agreements: Party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
Geography Notes
only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
People
Population: 43,677,372 (July 2010 est.) Rank: 28
Age Structure
0-14 years: 27.7% (male 6,192,707/female 5,919,959)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 14,292,342/female 14,717,249)
65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,093,432/female 1,461,683) (2010 est.)
Median Age: 26.7 years
Population Growth
Growth Rate: 1.219% (2010 est.) Rank: 109
Birth Rate: 18.09 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 113
Death Rate: 5.22 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Rank: 180
Net Migration Rate: -0.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 110
Urbanization
Urban Population: 74% of total population (2008)
Rate of Urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Life and Death
Infant Mortality Rate: 17.37 deaths/1,000 live births Rank: 116
Life Expectancy at Birth: 74.07 years Rank: 94
Fertility Rate: 2.18 children born/woman (2010 est.) Rank: 116
Health and Disease
HIV/AIDS - Adult Prevalence Rate: 0.6% (2007 est.) Rank: 71
People living with HIV/AIDS: 170,000 (2007 est.) Rank: 34
HIV/AIDS Deaths: 9,800 (2007 est.) Rank: 33
Degree of Risk for Major Infectious Diseases: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vectorborne Diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever
Water Contact Diseases: leptospirosis (2009)
Nationality and Culture
Noun: Colombian(s)
Adjective: Colombian
Ethnic Groups: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%
Religion: Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%
Languages: Spanish
Education
Literacy (Meaning, age 15 and over can read and write): 90.4% Male: 90.1% Female: 90.7% (2005 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): 12 years Male: 12 years Female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures: 4.7% of GDP (2006) Rank: 79
Government
Country Name
Conventional Long Form: Republic of Colombia
Conventional Short Form: Colombia
Local Long Form: Republica de Colombia
Local Short Form: Colombia
Government Type: republic; executive branch dominates government structure
Capital: Bogota Geographic Coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W
Administrative divisions
32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Bogota*, 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
Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)
Constitution: 5 July 1991; amended many times
Legal system: based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and reached full implementation in January 2008; judicial review of executive and legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive Branch
Chief of State: President Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2010); Vice President Angelino GARZON (since 7 August 2010); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of Government: President Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2010); Vice President Angelino GARZON (since 7 August 2010)
Cabinet: Cabinet
Elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 30 May 2010 with a runoff election 20 June 2010 (next to be held in May 2014)
Election Results: Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon 69.06%, Antanas MOCKUS 27.52%
Legislative Branch
bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado (102 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (166 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held on 14 March 2010 (next to be held in March 2014); House of Representatives - last held on 14 March 2010 (next to be held in March 2014)
Election Results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - U Party 28, PC 22, PL 17, PIN 9, CR 8, PDA 8, other parties 10; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - U Party 47, PC 38, PL 37, CR 15, PIN 12, PDA 4, other parties 11
Judicial branch
four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)
Politics
Political parties and leaders: Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Jaime DUSSAN]; Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Fernando ARAUJO]; Liberal Party or PL [Rafael PARDO]; National Integration Party or PIN [leader NA]; Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras]; Social National Unity Party or U Party [Juan Manuel SANTOS]
Note: Colombia has five major political parties, and numerous smaller movements
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Liberation Army or ELN; Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC
Note: two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia
International Organization Participation: BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Flag Description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Columbia, the short-lived South American republic that broke up in 1830; various interpretations of the colors exist and include: yellow for the gold in Colombia's land, blue for the seas on its shores, and red for the blood spilled in attaining freedom; alternatively, the colors have been described as representing more elemental concepts such as sovereignty and justice (yellow), loyalty and vigilance (blue), and valour and generosity (red); or simply the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity
Note: similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center
Economy
Economy Overview: Colombia experienced accelerating growth between 2002 and 2007, chiefly due to improvements in domestic security, rising commodity prices, and to President URIBE's promarket economic policies. Foreign direct investment reached a record $10 billion in 2008. A series of policies enhanced Colombia's investment climate: President URIBE's pro-market measures; pro-business reforms in the oil and gas sectors; and export-led growth fueled mainly by the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act. Inequality, underemployment, and narcotrafficking remain significant challenges, and Colombia's infrastructure requires major improvements to sustain economic expansion. Because of the global financial crisis and weakening demand for Colombia's exports, Colombia's economy grew only 2.6% in 2008, and contracted slightly in 2009. In response, the URIBE administration cut capital controls, arranged for emergency credit lines from multilateral institutions, and promoted investment incentives, such as Colombia's modernized free trade zone mechanism, legal stability contracts, and new bilateral investment treaties and trade agreements. The government also encouraged exporters to diversify their customer base beyond the United States and Venezuela, traditionally Colombia's largest trading partners. The government is pursuing free trade agreements with European and Asian partners and awaits the approval of a Canadian trade accord by Canada's parliament. In 2009, China replaced Venezuela as Colombia's number two trading partner, largely because of Venezuela's decision to limit the entry of Colombian products. The business sector remains concerned about the impact of the global recession on Colombia's economy, Venezuela's trade restrictions on Colombian exports, an appreciating domestic currency, and the pending US Congressional approval of the US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement.
Gross Domestic Product
GDP (purchasing power parity): $401.5 billion (2009 est.) Rank: 29
GDP - real growth rate: 0.1% (2009 est.) Rank: 111
GDP - per capita (PPP): $9,200 (2009 est.) Rank: 111
GDP - Composition by Sector: Agriculture: 9.7% Industry: 37.4% Services: 52.9% (2009 est.)
Labor Force
Labor Force: 21.53 million (2009 est.) Rank: 29
Labor force - by occupation: Agriculture: 18% Industry: 18.9% Services: 63.1% (2009 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 12% (2009 est.) Rank: 130
Poverty
Population below poverty line: 46.8% (2008)
Transnational Issues
International Disputes: in December 2007, ICJ allocates San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but does not rule on 82 degrees W meridian as maritime boundary with Nicaragua; managed dispute with Venezuela 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 and have caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countries; Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank
