Colombia: the population, its ethnic composition, characteristics, numbers, employment and interesting facts

In Colombia there are snow-capped mountain peaks, hot beaches and tropical forests. But less brightly everything is in the social sphere, demography, security and living standards of citizens. The population is multifaceted, but the majority of citizens live below the poverty line and in constant fear. Natural wealth allows the state to provide a high standard of living, but financial resources are concentrated in the hands of a few endowed with power. So what is it - Colombia, if you digress from tourist guides?

Topical demographic data

The population of Colombia according to the latest official data is 47.8 million people. According to forecasts, by 2050 the number of Colombians will increase to 72.6 million, but then a demographic crisis will follow, and in the next 50 years the number will again decrease to 41.7 million in 2100.

At the moment the state is in the process of demographic shift. In addition, today it is Colombia that is the largest source of refugees in Latin America. The high rates of population reproduction are likely to lead to a steady increase in the number in the near future, but a tangle of social problems in the long term will cause a decrease in the number of citizens.

Population density

The density of the population of Colombia is 42.9 people per square kilometer. With this indicator, the state takes 138th place in the list of countries in the world in terms of population density. The most densely populated coasts of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, plateaus and valleys of the Andes, ie, the western and northwestern parts of Colombia. This is where the largest cities are located. The least of all the population lives historically in the interior of the state - on the Orinok lowland, which, by the way, is quite livable.

Settlement by cities and urbanization

The cities of Colombia by population are as follows:

• Bogota is the capital of Colombia, home to 7.3 million people, and the population density in the city is 6 thousand people per square kilometer.
• Medellin is the capital of the Department of Antioquia, the second most important city, with a population of 2.5 million, where most of the immigrants from the Middle East live.
• Kalye is a city located on the Pacific coast, with a population of 2.3 million.
• Barranquilla is the largest port and a developed industrial city in the north of Colombia, with a population of 1.7 million people and a density of 6.7 thousand people per square kilometer.
• Bucaramanga is the "city of parks", which is considered the most beautiful in Colombia, the agglomeration has a million citizens.

In total, the state has 32 departments and one metropolitan district.

Colombia, whose population is predominantly urban, is highly urbanized. 70% of the country's population settled in the urban jungle. Most of them (93%) are literate, whereas in rural areas the literacy rate is only 67%.

Age and population structure of Colombia

In the age structure of the population of Colombia, as of 2017, people of working age predominate. This group includes citizens aged 15 to 65 years. The number of able-bodied population in absolute figures is 32.9 million people, which in percentage terms corresponds to 67.2% of citizens.

There are 16.3 million men among the able-bodied population, and 16.6 million women. This division according to sex corresponds to the global indicators: on average, there are 100 representatives of the strong sex for 105 women, ie, the coefficient is 1.05. For the working-age population of Colombia, the same figure is 1.01.

For Colombia, as for most developing countries, there is a progressive or growing type of sex-age pyramid:

• The number of children under the age of 14 inclusive is 13.1 million (in percentage terms - 26.7%), including 6.7 million boys and 6.4 million girls;
• Citizens of retirement age there are only 3 million (6.1%), of which men - 1.2 million, women - 1.8 million.

Such demographic data are due to the high mortality and fertility rates in Colombia, which, in turn, are predetermined, among other factors, by poor quality of education and medical care.

Life Expectancy

Life expectancy at birth is calculated on the condition that the demographic indicators of fertility and mortality remain unchanged. In Colombia, the figure is 74.6 years for both sexes. This is a rather high indicator: the global life expectancy is at the level of about 71 years.

The average life expectancy in Colombia varies considerably depending on gender. Thus, for women the figure is 79 years, for men - 71.3 years.

Origin and national composition of the population

Colombia, whose population consists of three main ethnic groups and descendants of their mixed marriages, is diverse in terms of the ethnic composition of the population. Here, the Spanish colonialists, immigrants from Europe and the Middle East, arrived in the twentieth century (white), slaves from Africa (blacks) and Indians mixed up.

The indigenous population of Colombia - the people of the Carib, Arabavax and chibchas - practically ceased to exist in the process of colonization or as a result of diseases introduced by Europeans. The population of the modern state is dominated by the Mestizo - the descendants of mixed marriages of Europeans with representatives of the local population are 58% of citizens. Only about 1% of the inhabitants of Colombia are Indigenous.

Extremely insignificant proportion of Colombians - descendants of Europeans-colonizers without admixture of Indian blood. Another 14% are in mulattoes, about 4% are black Africans, and 3% are descendants of mixed marriages of Africans and Indians.

The population of European descent and descendants of marriages between Spaniards and local Indians live, as a rule, in regional centers and fast-growing cities in the mountains. Mestizo-campesinos live predominantly in rural areas in the Andes, in cities they represent artisans and small traders.

Situation of the Indian population in Colombia

In 1821, the Indians were recognized as free citizens and legislatively enshrined the division of land among the community members. Already in the XIX century, some representatives of indigenous peoples managed to reach high military ranks and take public office.

Legislative acts from 1890 provided that the aborigines would be governed not by general orders, but by special laws. In 1961 there were about 80 reservations in the country (resguardo), located mainly in the south-west of the country. The struggle of the latter for the rights led to the recognition of several dozen more reservations. The Constitution also recognized for the aborigines the right to self-government and disposal of natural resources.

As of 2005, 567 resurgo were registered in Colombia, with a total of just over 800,000 people. The country has a Department of Aboriginal Problems (under the Ministry of Internal Affairs), as well as the National Human Rights Commission for Aboriginal Peoples who deal with the affairs of the Indian population.

Christianity and other religions in Colombia

Colombia, whose population is predominantly the descendants of mixed marriages of Europeans with representatives of local tribes, today is a secular state. The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits any discrimination on religious grounds, but the Catholic Church takes a more privileged position.

The majority of citizens (95.7%) profess Christianity, which penetrated into the territory of Colombia together with the Spanish colonizers. The number of Catholics is 79% (whereas in the 1970s the adherents of the Catholic Church were about 95%), the number of Protestants is estimated at between 10% and 17%. There are also a small number of Orthodox, Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons.

Represented in Colombia is Islam and Judaism. Today's Colombian Muslims are predominantly descendants of immigrants from Syria, Palestine and Lebanon who migrated to Colombia in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The number of Muslims is estimated at 14 thousand people, and the Jewish communities number 4,6 thousand people.

Preserved in the state of local beliefs and spiritual views, which are prevalent in remote areas of the country. The number of their adherents is about 305 thousand people. From time to time in the media there are also reports about the emergence of a large number of new religions, which are conditionally divided into Asian and European. In addition, in Colombia there are Satanists, occult and esoteric movements.

In all, about 1.1% of Colombia's population is not religious.

Colombia's economy and employment structure

The main occupation of the population of Colombia predetermines the structure of the economy of the state. Lands suitable for agriculture occupy a fifth of the territory of Colombia, so that in the agricultural sector employs 22% of the able-bodied population. The country fully meets its own food needs, and one of the main export items is coffee - Colombia is third in the world in its production.

The economic activity of the population is also directed to the industrial sector, where 18.7% of citizens of working age are employed. Natural resources are represented by diamonds (90% of the world's diamonds are mined in Colombia), oil, coal, gold, copper and iron ore. Processing factories produce textiles, chemicals, equipment and consumer goods.

What does the population of Colombia do in addition to industry and agriculture? The country has developed trade and transport, so that a significant proportion of citizens are engaged in these areas of the economy. The average salary in Colombia (according to official figures) is $ 692.

Demographic load factor

Demographic index, closely related to the population size , sex and age structure and the economy of the state, is the coefficient of demographic load. This term indicates the burden on society and the economy on the part of the population of retirement age, as well as minors.

For Colombia, the total load factor is 48.9%. This means that the population of the able-bodied age is almost twice the number of citizens of pension and child age. This ratio creates a relatively low burden on society.

Social issues in Colombia

Colombia, whose population since 1980 actually lives in a confrontation between the government and the rebels, has an ambiguous standard of living. Many live below the poverty line, the other part of the population - in wealth, acquired, obviously, not quite honest work. Civilized in private business in Colombia is almost impossible, and inequality reaches incredible heights. The cult of violence flourishes in the country, in areas controlled by gangs, the population is intimidated to the limit.