| Government | |
| Type: Republic. Independence: July 20, 1810. Constitution: July 1991. Branches: Executive--President (chief of state and head of government). Legislative--Bicameral Congress. Judicial--Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, Council of State, Superior Judicial Council. Administrative divisions: 32 departments; Bogota, capital district. Major political parties: Conservative Party of Colombia, Liberal, National Unity, Radical Change, Alternative Democratic Pole, and numerous small political movements. Suffrage: Universal, age 18 and over. Principal Government Officials President--Alvaro URIBE Velez Vice President--Francisco SANTOS Calderon Minister of Foreign Affairs--Fernando ARAUJO Perdomo Minister of Defense--Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon Minister of Mines and Energy -- Hernan Martinez Torres Ambassador to the United Nations -- Claudia BLUM de Barbe | |