Colombia is a formal constitutional democracy and one of the oldest democracies in Latin America. Nonetheless, its democracy has often been dysfunctional in character. Even in the early twenty-first century, it struggled to provide effective guarantees of civil rights and liberties to its citizens amidst a long-standing civil conflict involving left-wing guerrilla movements, state security forces, and right-wing paramilitary forces. This conflict was further aggravated by the existence of a flourishing trade in illegal drugs.

Geography

Colombia is located in the northwest corner of South America, adjoining the Panamanian isthmus. It is the fourth largest country in South America, comprising 1.14 million square kilometers (439,735 square miles). Colombia is dominated by the Andes Mountains, which enter the country at its southern border with Ecuador. Most of Colombia's people live in cities and towns located in the intermountain basins and plateaus of the Andes. The country also has extensive low-lying areas...