Amazon in Colombia – Realities and Perspectives

In 2023, the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) reported a total population of 52,215,503 inhabitants. According to the monetary poverty indicator, in 2022, 36.6% of the population was living in poverty, while 13.85% were experiencing extreme poverty. Furthermore, in September 2023, the unemployment rate reached 9.3%, and life expectancy at birth was 77.23 years.

The Amazon region in South America spans across Bolivia (6%), Brazil (66%), Colombia (6%), Ecuador (1%), French Guiana (1%), Guyana (3%), Peru (9%), Suriname (2%), and Venezuela (6%). It represents 44% of South America’s territory and covers an area of 7.8 million km².

Descripción

The Amazon faces significant risks, including mining wealth (contested by both legal and illegal actors), coca crop cultivation, infrastructure projects, hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation, as well as agricultural, livestock, and logging activities. These actions are partly responsible for the increasing deforestation process affecting the region.

Armed conflict, inequality, and poverty have shaped the dynamics of a country historically governed by political and economic elites that concentrate wealth and are responsible for numerous human rights violations. In this regard, the Unit for Victims reported that, as of September 2023, these violations have resulted in 9,572,044 victims of the armed conflict, with 8,530,870 of them being victims of forced displacement.

Publication date: September 18th, 2024