Government (Colombia)
=====================


     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 nationally elected lower chamber or House 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; Social Conservative
         Party (PCS), Misael PASTRANA Borrero; National Salvation Movement (MSN),
         Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado; Democratic Alliance M-19 (AD/M-19) 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 27 October 1991 (next to be held March 1994); results - percent of
         vote by party NA; seats - (102 total) Liberal 58, Conservative 22, AD/M-19
         9, MSN 5, UP 1, others 7