Capital: Bogota.
Official Language: Spanish.
Area: 439,737 sq. mi. (1,138,914 sq. km). Greatest
distances--northwest-southeast, 1,170 mi. (1,883 km);
northeast-southwest, 850 mi. (1,368 km). Coastline--580 mi. (933
km) along the Pacific Ocean; 710 mi. (1,143 km) along the Caribbean
Sea.
Elevation: Highest--Cristobal Colon, 18,947 ft. (5,775 m) above sea
level. Lowest--sea level, along the coasts.
Population: Estimated 1996 population--35,624,000; density, 81
persons per sq. mi. (31 per sq. km); distribution, 73 percent
urban, 27 percent rural. 1985 census--27,837,932. Estimated 2001
population--38,329,000.
Chief Products: Agriculture--bananas, beef cattle, cassava, coffee,
corn, cotton, milk, potatoes, rice, sugar cane.
Manufacturing--cement, chemicals, metal products, processed foods
and beverages, textiles and clothing. Mining--coal, emeralds,
gold, iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, salt.
Money: Basic unit--peso. For the price of the peso in U.S. dollars,
see MONEY (Table: Exchange Rates).
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