Colombia
The Republic of Colombia is a country in northwestern South America.
It is bordered to the north and north-west by the Caribbean Sea, to
the east by Venezuela and Brazil, to the south by Ecuador and Peru,
and to the west by Panama and the Pacific Ocean.
History of Colombia
Around 1450 BC there was cultural activity near Bogotá, in
"El Abra". In 1000 BC, groups of amerindians developed the
political system of "cacicazgos" (answering to a figure
known as the Cacique) with a pyramidal structure of power, especially
in the cases of the Muisca or Chibcha people. They have been considered
to have one of the most developed political systems in South America,
after the Incas. Spanish explorers made the first exploration of the
Caribbean littoral in 1500 led by Rodrigo de Bastidas. Christopher
Columbus navigated near the coasts of Choco in 1502. In 1508 Vasco
Nuñez de Balboa started the conquest of the territory through
the region of Urabá. In 1513, he also discovered the Pacific
Ocean which he called "The Sea of the South" and which in
fact would bring the Spaniards to Peru and Chile. In 1525, the first
European city in the American Continent was founded, Santa María
la Antigua del Darién in what is today the Chocó Department.
The territory's main population was made up of hundreds of tribes
of the Chibchan and "Karib", currently known as the Caribbean
people, whom the Spaniards conquered through warfare, while resulting
disease, exploitation, and the conquest itself caused a tremendous
demographic reduction among the indigenous. In the 16th century, Europeans
began to bring slaves from Africa.
Since the beginning of the periods of Conquest and Colonization,
there were several rebel movements under Spanish rule, most of them
either being crushed or remaining too weak to change the overall situation.
The last one, which sought outright independence from Spain, sprang
up around 1810. Eventually being led by Simón Bolívar
and Francisco de Paula Santander, the rebellion finally succeeded
in 1819, when the territory of the Viceroyalty of New Granada became
the Republic of Gran Colombia, as a Confederation with Ecuador and
Venezuela. Modern day Panama, which subsequently remained a Colombian
department until 1903, was also included in this union.
Internal political and territorial divisions led to the secession
of Venezuela and Quito (today's Ecuador) in 1830. At this time, the
so-called "Department of Cundinamarca" adopted then the
name "Nueva Granada", which it kept until 1856 when it became
the "Confederación Granadina" (Grenadine Confederation).
In 1863 the "United States of Colombia" was created, lasting
until 1886, when the country finally became known as the Republic
of Colombia. Internal divisions remained, occasionally igniting very
bloody civil wars and, eventually, contributing to setting the stage
for the U.S.-sponsored secession of Panama in 1903. Afterwards, the
country achieved a relative degree of political stability, which was
interrupted by a bloody conflict which took place between the late
1940s and the early 1950s, known as La Violencia ("The Violence").
Its cause was mainly due to mounting tensions between partisan groups,
reignited by the murder of Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, and
it claimed the lives of at least 180,000 to more than 200,000 Colombians.
To replace the previous 1886 document, a new constitution was made
in 1991, after being drafted by the Constituent Assembly of Colombia.
The constitution included key provisions on political, ethnic, human
and gender rights, which have been gradually put in practice, though
uneven developments, surrounding controversies, and setbacks have
persisted.
In recent decades the country has been plagued by the effects of
the influential drug trade and by guerrilla insurgents such as FARC
and illegal counter-insurgency paramilitary groups such as AUC, which
along with other minor factions have been
engaged in a bloody internal armed conflict. The different irregular
groups often resort to kidnapping and drug smuggling to fund their
causes, tend to operate in large areas of the remote rural countryside
and can sometimes disrupt communications and travel between different
regions. Since the early 1980s, attempts at reaching a negotiated
settlement between the government and the different rebel groups have
been made, either failing or only achieving the partial demobilization
of some of the parties involved. One of the last such attempts was
made during the administration of President Andrés Pastrana
Arango, which negotiated with the FARC between 1998 and 2002.In the
late 1990s, President Andrés Pastrana implemented an initiative
named Plan Colombia, with the dual goal of ending the armed conflict
and promoting a strong anti-narcotic strategy. The most controversial
element of the Plan, which also included a smaller number of funds
for institutional and alternative development, was considered to be
its anti-narcotic strategy, consisting on an increase in aerial fumigations
to eradicate coca. This activity came under fire from several sectors,
which claimed that migation also damages legal crops and has adverse
health effects upon population exposed to the herbicides. Critics
of the initiative also claim that the plan represents a military approach
to problems that have additional roots in the social inequalities
of the country.
During the presidency of Alvaro Uribe, who was elected on the promise
to apply military pressure on the FARC and other criminal groups,
some security indicators have improved, showing a decrease in reported
kidnappings (from 3700 in the year 2000 to 1441 in 2004) and of more
than 48% in homicides between July 2002 and May 2005. It is argued
that these improvements have favored economic growth.
Analysts and critics inside Colombia agree that there has been a
degree of pratical improvement in several of the mentioned fields,
but the exact reasons for the figures themselves have sometimes been
disputed, as well as their specific accuracy. Some opposition sectors
have criticized the government's security strategy, claiming that
it is not enough to solve Colombia's complex problems and that it
has contributed to creating a favorable environment for the continuation
of some human rights abuses.
Politics of Colombia
Colombia is a republic where the executive branch dominates government
structure. Up until recently, the president was elected together with
the vice-president by popular vote for a single four-year term, which
functioned as both head of government and head of state. However,
on October 19, 2005 the Colombian Congress amended the constitution,
which now allows Colombian presidents to serve up to two consecutive
four-year terms.
Colombia's bicameral parliament is the Congress of Colombia or Congreso,
which consists of the 166-seat House of Representatives of Colombia
and the 102-seat Senate of Colombia. Members of both houses are elected
by popular vote to erve four-year terms. Colombia is also a member
of the South American Community of Nations.
In the 1990s, the Colombian judicial system underwent significant
reforms and is undergoing a process of migration from a inquisitorial
system to an adversary system. parts of the coffee growing region
of Colombia and Bogotá have already adopted the adversary system,
with the rest of the country following suit starting on January 1,
2006.
Geography of Colombia
Located in the North of South America (4 00 N, 72 00 W) and part
of Caribbean South America. The only South American country with coast
in both oceans (Atlantic or Caribbean Sea with 1,760 km and Pacific
Ocean with 1,448 km. Borders: North with the Caribbean Sea (sea borders
with Jamaica, Haiti and Dominican Republic). West with Panama (225
km) and sea borders with Costa Rica both in the Pacific and Atlantic
Ocean and Guatemala. South with Ecuador (590 km), Peru (1,496 km)
and Brazil (1,643 km). East with Brazil and Venezuela (2,050 km).
Colombia has a total area of 1,138,910 km² being the fourth
biggest country in South America after Brazil, Argentina and Peru
and the seventh one in the American Continent. From this area, the
land has 1,038,700 km² and the water area has 100,210 km².
It has also an archipelago in the Caribbean sea (San Andres, Providencia
and Santa Catalina) that forms the territory of the department San
Andrés y Providencia.
Mainland territory divided into four major geographic regions: Andean
highlands (composed of three mountain ranges and intervening valley
lowlands); Caribbean lowlands; Pacific lowlands; and Ilanos and tropical
rainforest of eastern Colombia. Colombia also possesses small islands
in both Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
Striking variety in temperature resulting principally from differences
in elevation; little seasonal variation. Habitable areas consist of
hot (below 900 meters in elevation), temperate (between 900 and 1,980
meters), and cold (from 1,980 meters to about 3,500 meters) climatic
zones. Precipitation generally moderate to heavy, with highest levels
in Pacific lowlands and in parts of eastern Colombia; considerable
year-to-year variations recorded.
The Andes range is located in Colombia from Southwest (Ecuador boarder)
toward Northeast (Venezuela boarder) and is divided in the Colombian
Massif (Macizo Colombiano) in three ranges (East Range, Centre Range
and West Range) that form two long valleys, Magdalena and Cauca follow
by the rivers of the same name. The highest mountain in Colombia is
not in the Andes but in the Caribbean plain: Sierra Nevada de Santa
Marta with its highest points named Pico Cristobal Colon (5,775 m)
and Pico Simon Bolivar (same elevation).
Cerros de Mavecuri
The eastern part of Colombia, comprising more than half its territory,
is plain and composed by savanna and rainforest, crossed by rivers
belonging to the Amazon and Orinoco basins. The northern part, called
"Los Llanos" is a savanna region, mostly in the Orinoco
basin (therefore called also Orinoquía). The southern part,
usually called Amazonía, is covered by the Amazon rain forest
and belongs mostly to the Amazon basin.
At the north and west of the Andes there are coastal plains, the
Caribbean plains to the north and the Pacific plains to the west.Colombian
Pacific plains are among the most rainy parts in the world, especially
at the north (Chocó).
The five traditional natural regions are therefore: the Andean Region,
the Caribbean Region, the Pacific Region, the Orinoquia Region and
the Amazonia Region. Some people also include an Insular Region, separated
from the coastal regions.
Economy of Colombia
After experiencing decades of steady growth (average GDP growth exceeded
4% in the 1970-1998 period), Colombia entered into a recession in
1999, and the recovery from that recession was long and painful. Colombia's
economy suffers from weak domestic and foreign demand, austere government
budgets, and serious internal armed conflicts. The IMF Economic Indicators
published on September 21, 2005, forecast the Colombian GDP to reach
US$112,300,000,000 in 2005. Inflation has been below 6% for 2004 and
2005, and is expected to remain below 5% during 2006. Colombia's main
exports include manufactures (41.62 of exports), petroleum (26.52%),
coal (12.11%), and coffee (6.10%). New oil exploration is needed to
offset declining oil production. All imports, exports, and the general
trade balance are in record levels, and the inflow of export dollars
has resulted in substantial revaluation of the Colombian peso, trading
slightly below 2300 pesos for US$1 by September 2005.
The problems facing the country range from reforming the pension
system to reducing high unemployment. Several international financial
institutions have praised the economic reforms introduced by Uribe,
which include measures designed to reduce the public-sector deficit
below 2.5% of Gross domestic product (GDP) in 2004. The government's
economic policy and its controversial democratic security strategy
have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy, usually
within the business sector, and GDP growth in 2003 which was among
the highest in Latin America. In 2005, the value of Colombia's exports
are expected to total US$25 billion.
Demographics of Colombia
Colombia has a diverse population that reflects its colourful history
and the peoples that have populated her from ancient, to colonial
and modern times. The historic amalgam of three main groups: Amerindians,
Spanish colonist/European immigrants, and imported African slaves,
are the basis of Colombia's current demographics. This miscegenation
has created a racial and ethnic continuum; an order characterized
by fluidity and ambiguity in which any claims of inclusion within
the categories of Amerindian, Afro-Colombian, mestizo, mulatto, zambo
or white is far from being evident.
Recently, there has been small immigration flows from Europe and
the Middle East, particularly Turks and Arabs.
Colombia is the third most populous country in Latin America, after
Brazil and Mexico.
Religion
The predominant religion in Colombia is a generally conservative
form of Roman Catholicism, although American-based cults, religions
and sects are making inroads. There has been a degree of passive discrimination
conducted against non-Catholic Christians in some circles, but outright
persecution is rare. It is believed that some Evangelical forms of
Protestantism would be on the rise and, unofficially estimated as
of yet, could number some 4.3 million people, or 10% of the population.
A
Abkhazia - Republic of Abkhazia (de
facto independent state inside Georgia)
Afghanistan - Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan
Akrotiri - Akrotiri Sovereign Base
Area (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
Åland - Åland Islands
(autonomous province of Finland recognized by international treaty)
Albania - Republic of Albania
Algeria - People's Democratic Republic
of Algeria
American Samoa - Territory
of American Samoa (unincorporated unorganized territory of the United States)
Andorra - Principality of Andorra (co-principality
with the President of the French Republic and the Bishop of Urgell, Spain as ex
officio heads of state)
Angola - Republic of Angola
Anguilla (overseas territory of the
United Kingdom)
Antigua and Barbuda (Commonwealth
Realm)
Argentina - Argentine Republic (federal
state, also named Argentine Nation for purposes of legislation)
Armenia - Republic of Armenia
Aruba (overseas country in the Kingdom
of the Netherlands)
Ascension Island (dependency
of Saint Helena, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
Australia - Commonwealth of Australia
(federal state, Commonwealth Realm)
Austria - Republic of Austria (federal
state)
Azerbaijan - Republic of Azerbaijan
(see also Nagorno-Karabakh)
B
Bahamas, The - Commonwealth of The Bahamas
(Commonwealth Realm)
Bahrain - Kingdom of Bahrain
Bangladesh - People's Republic of
Bangladesh
Barbados (Commonwealth Realm)
Belarus - Republic of Belarus
Belgium - Kingdom of Belgium (federal
state)
Belize (Commonwealth Realm)
Benin - Republic of Benin
Bermuda (overseas territory of the United
Kingdom)
Bhutan - Kingdom of Bhutan
Bolivia - Republic of Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina (federal
state)
Botswana - Republic of Botswana
Brazil - Federative Republic of Brazil
(federal state)
Brunei - Negara Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria - Republic of Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
See Myanmar for Burma
Burundi - Republic of Burundi
C
Cambodia - Kingdom of Cambodia
Cameroon - Republic of Cameroon
Canada (federal state, Commonwealth Realm,
officially also (but infrequently) referred to as Dominion of Canada)
Cape Verde - Republic of Cape Verde
Cayman Islands (overseas territory
of the United Kingdom)
Central African Republic (sometimes
also rendered as Central Africa)
Chad - Republic of Chad
Chile - Republic of Chile
China (PRC) - People's Republic of China
See Taiwan (ROC) for the Republic of China (see also One-China policy and dispute
over UN representation between PRC and ROC)
Christmas Island - Territory
of Christmas Island (overseas territory of Australia)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (overseas territory of Australia)
Colombia - Republic of Colombia
Comoros - Union of the Comoros (federal
state)
Congo (Brazzaville) - Republic
of the Congo
Congo (Kinshasa) - Democratic
Republic of the Congo (formerly and popularly known as Zaire)
Cook Islands (self-governing state
in free association with New Zealand)
Costa Rica - Republic of Costa
Rica
Côte d'Ivoire - Republic of
Côte d'Ivoire (formerly and popularly known as Ivory Coast)
Croatia - Republic of Croatia
Cuba - Republic of Cuba
Cyprus - Republic of Cyprus (see also
Northern Cyprus)
Czech Republic (sometimes also
rendered as Czechia)
D
Denmark - Kingdom of Denmark
Dhekelia - Dhekelia Sovereign Base
Area (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
Djibouti - Republic of Djibouti
Dominica - Commonwealth of Dominica
Dominican Republic (sometimes
also rendered as The Dominican)
E
See Timor -Leste for East Timor
Ecuador - Republic of Ecuador
Egypt - Arab Republic of Egypt
El Salvador - Republic of El
Salvador
Equatorial Guinea - Republic
of Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea - State of Eritrea
Estonia - Republic of Estonia
Ethiopia - Federal Democratic Republic
of Ethiopia (federal state)
F
Falkland Islands (overseas
territory of the United Kingdom, also claimed by, and a former possession of
Argentina named Islas Malvinas)
Faroe Islands (self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Fiji - Republic of the Fiji Islands
Finland - Republic of Finland
France - French Republic
French Polynesia (overseas
country of France)
G
Gabon - Gabonese Republic
Gambia, The - Republic of The Gambia
Georgia (see also Abkhazia and
South Ossetia)
Germany - Federal Republic of Germany
(federal state)
Ghana - Republic of Ghana
Gibraltar (overseas territory of
the United Kingdom)
Greece - Hellenic Republic
Greenland (self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark)
Grenada (Commonwealth Realm)
Guam - Territory of Guam (unincorporated
organized territory of the United States)
Guatemala - Republic of Guatemala
Guernsey - Bailiwick of Guernsey
(British Crown dependency, including its self-governing dependencies Alderney,
Herm and Sark)
Guinea - Republic of Guinea
Guinea-Bissau - Republic of
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana - Co-operative Republic of Guyana
H
Haiti - Republic of Haiti
Honduras - Republic of Honduras
Hong Kong - Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (diplomatically known
as Hong Kong, China)
Hungary - Republic of Hungary
I
Iceland - Republic of Iceland
India - Republic of India (federal state)
Indonesia - Republic of Indonesia
Iran - Islamic Republic of Iran
Iraq - Republic of Iraq
Ireland (also commonly referred to
as the Republic of Ireland as the official "description" of the state
in order to distinguish it from the island of Ireland as a whole)
Israel - State of Israel
Italy - Italian Republic
See Côte d'Ivoire for Ivory Coast
J
Jamaica (Commonwealth Realm)
Japan
Jersey - Bailiwick of Jersey (British
Crown dependency)
Jordan - Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
K
Kazakhstan - Republic of Kazakhstan
Kenya - Republic of Kenya
Kiribati - Republic of Kiribati
Korea (North) - Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (popularly known as North Korea)
Korea (South) - Republic of
Korea (popularly known as South Korea)
Kosovo - Autonomous Province of Kosovo
and Metohia (autonomous province of Serbia and Montenegro under UN interim civilian
administration)
Kuwait - State of Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan - Kyrgyz Republic (sometimes
also rendered as Kirghizia)
L
Laos - Lao People's Democratic Republic
Latvia - Republic of Latvia
Lebanon - Republic of Lebanon
Lesotho - Kingdom of Lesotho
Liberia - Republic of Liberia
Libya - Great Socialist People's
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Liechtenstein - Principality
of Liechtenstein
Lithuania - Republic of Lithuania
Luxembourg - Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
M
Macau - Macau Special Administrative
Region of the People's Republic of China (diplomatically known as Macau, China)
Macedonia - Republic of Macedonia
(referred to by UN and a number of countries and international organizations
as The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)
Madagascar - Republic of Madagascar
Malawi - Republic of Malawi
Malaysia (federal state)
Maldives - Republic of Maldives
Mali - Republic of Mali
Malta - Republic of Malta
Mann, Isle of - Isle of Man (British
Crown dependency, also known as Mann)
Marshall Islands - Republic
of the Marshall Islands (US associated state)
Mauritania - Islamic Republic of
Mauritania
Mauritius - Republic of Mauritius
Mayotte (overseas collectivity of
France)
Mexico - United Mexican States (federal
state)
Micronesia - Federated States of
Micronesia (federal state, US associated state)
Moldova - Republic of Moldova (see
also Pridnestrovie)
Monaco - Principality of Monaco
Mongolia (sometimes also rendered
as Outer Mongolia (together with Tuva) in order to distinguish it from Inner
Mongolia of the People's Republic of China)
Montserrat (overseas territory
of the United Kingdom)
Morocco - Kingdom of Morocco (see
also Western Sahara)
Mozambique - Republic of Mozambique
Myanmar - Union of Myanmar (formerly
and popularly known as Burma)
N
Nagorno-Karabakh
- Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (de facto independent state inside Azerbaijan)
Namibia - Republic of Namibia
Nauru - Republic of Nauru
Nepal - Kingdom of Nepal
Netherlands, the - Kingdom of
the Netherlands (legally the Netherlands refers to the mainland European part
of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with the latter consisting of the Netherlands
and two overseas countries, namely Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles)
Netherlands Antilles
(overseas country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
New Caledonia (sui generis
collectivity of France)
New Zealand (Commonwealth Realm)
Nicaragua - Republic of Nicaragua
Niger - Republic of Niger
Nigeria - Federal Republic of Nigeria
(federal state)
Niue (self-governing state in free association
with New Zealand)
Norfolk Island - Territory
of Norfolk Island (overseas territory of Australia)
Northern Cyprus - Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (de facto independent state inside Cyprus, recognized
only by Turkey)
Northern Mariana Islands
- Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (unincorporated organized territory
(commonwealth) in political union with the United States)
Norway - Kingdom of Norway
O
Oman - Sultanate of Oman
P
Pakistan - Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Palau - Republic of Palau (US associated
state)
Palestine - State of Palestine (currently
recognized by over 90 countries and further supported by other countries according
the Palestinian National Authority a pivotal role in the process that may involve
their eventually recognizing the State as sovereign)
Panama - Republic of Panama
Papua New Guinea - Independent
State of Papua New Guinea (Commonwealth Realm)
Paraguay - Republic of Paraguay
Peru - Republic of Peru
Philippines, the - Republic of
the Philippines
Pitcairn Islands - Pitcairn,
Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
See Transnistria for Pridnestrovie
Poland - Republic of Poland
Portuguese - Republic
Puerto Rico - Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico (unincorporated organized territory (commonwealth) associated with
the United States)
Q
Qatar - State of Qatar
R
Romania
Russia - Russian Federation (federal
state)
Rwanda - Republic of Rwanda
S
Saint Helena (overseas territory
of the United Kingdom)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (federal state, Commonwealth Realm)
Saint Lucia (Commonwealth Realm)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
(overseas collectivity of France)
Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines (Commonwealth Realm)
Samoa - Independent State of Samoa
San Marino - Most Serene Republic
of San Marino
São Tomé
and Príncipe - Democratic Republic of São Tomé and
Príncipe
Saudi Arabia - Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia
Senegal - Republic of Senegal
Serbia and Montenegro
- State Union of Serbia and Montenegro (federal state, its province of Kosovo
is under UN interim civilian administration)
Seychelles - Republic of Seychelles
Sierra Leone - Republic of Sierra
Leone
Singapore - Republic of Singapore
Slovakia - Slovak Republic
Slovenia - Republic of Slovenia
Solomon Islands (Commonwealth
Realm)
Somalia (the whole country is presently
fragmented with its Transitional National Government in exile, see also Somaliland)
Somaliland - Republic of Somaliland
(de facto independent state inside Somalia)
South Africa - Republic of South
Africa
South Ossetia - Republic of
South Ossetia (de facto independent state inside Georgia)
Spain - Kingdom of Spain
Sri Lanka - Democratic Socialist
Republic of Sri Lanka
Sudan - Republic of the Sudan
Suriname - Republic of Suriname
Svalbard (overseas territory of Norway
recognized by international treaty)
Swaziland - Kingdom of Swaziland
Sweden - Kingdom of Sweden
Switzerland - Swiss Confederation
(federal state)
Syria - Syrian Arab Republic
T
Taiwan (ROC) - Republic of China (diplomatically
sometimes known as Chinese Taipei (or other names), regarded by UN as "Taiwan,
Province of China", the political status of the ROC and the legal status
of the Taiwan Island (and its outlying islands) are in dispute)
Tajikistan - Republic of Tajikistan
Tanzania - United Republic of Tanzania
(federal state)
Thailand - Kingdom of Thailand
Timor-Leste - Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (popularly known as East Timor)
Togo - Togolese Republic
Tokelau (overseas territory of New
Zealand)
Tonga - Kingdom of Tonga
Transnistria - Transnistrian
or Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic (the Transnistrian government uses as translation
Pridnestrovie, de facto independent state inside Moldova)
Trinidad and Tobago -
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Tristan da Cunha (dependency
of Saint Helena, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
Tunisia - Tunisian Republic
Turkey - Republic of Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
(overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
Tuvalu (Commonwealth Realm)
U
Uganda - Republic of Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
(federal state)
United Kingdom - United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Commonwealth Realm)
United States - United States
of America (federal state)
Uruguay - Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Uzbekistan - Republic of Uzbekistan
V
Vanuatu - Republic of Vanuatu
Vatican City - State of the Vatican
City (administered by a Pontifical Commission appointed by the Pope who is concurrently
the head of the Holy See and that of the Vatican City)
Venezuela - Bolivarian Republic
of Venezuela (federal state)
Vietnam - Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Virgin Islands (British) -
British Virgin Islands (overseas territory of the United Kingdom)
Virgin Islands
(U.S.) - United States Virgin Islands (unincorporated organized territory of
the United States, popularly known in its abbreviated terms as U.S. Virgin Islands)
W
Wallis and Futuna (overseas
collectivity of France)
Western Sahara - Saharawi Arab
Democratic Republic (currently recognized by over 40 countries, the SADR only
exercises effective control over the territory east of Moroccan Wall, whereas
large portion of the territory is occupied by and integrated in Morocco)
Y
Yemen - Republic of Yemen
Z
Zambia - Republic of Zambia
Zimbabwe - Republic of Zimbabwe
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