Introduction: Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A four-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, and violence has been decreasing since about 2002. However, insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security...

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Narcotics: Colombia is major global supplier of cocaine, marijuana and heroin. The illicit narcotics trade is estimated to be worth around 5-10 per cent of GDP. The activities of the drug cartels continue to have a negative impact on security, the formal economy and the environment. Cartels challenge Government control seeking to secure significant areas for cultivation and trafficking. The uncontrolled use of fragile tropical and jungle ecosystems to grow coca has caused considerable environmental harm, as has the indiscriminate use of chemicals and ...

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