At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Colombia

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Andres Pastrana
• Head of Government: President Andres Pastrana
• Assembly: Colombia has a bicameral Congress (Congreso) consisting of the Senate (Senado) with 102 seats and the House of Representatives (Camara de Representantes) with 166 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 4-year term.
• In the Senate (Senado) 102 members are elected by popular vote. In the House of Representatives (Camara de Representantes) 166 members are elected by popular vote.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Alvaro URIDE Velez
  • Party: Conservative Party/Colombia First
• Horacio SERPA Uribe
  • Party: Liberal Party
• Luis Eduardo GARZON
  • Party: Social and Political Front
• Noemi SANIN
  • Party: Independent Movement of Si Colombia
• Other Candidates
  • Party: N/A

Last Presidential election:

• Presidential Elections were last held on June 21, 1998. Andres PASTRANA won 50.3%% of the vote.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 41,572,493 (2002)
• Registered Voters: 24,208,150 ( 2002 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 21,025,293 (2002)

·         Is Colombia a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Colombia ratified CEDAW: Yes (19 January 1982)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 20 (House of Representatives); 9 (Senate) (following 2002 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 97 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Colombia a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Colombia ratified CRPD: Yes (10 May 2011)

·         Population with a disability: 6,235,873 (est.)