Gained independence from Spain in 1819. President Andr s Pastrana Arango. Spanish is the official language. Local Indian dialects and some English, French, German and Italian are also spoken. GMT - 5.
Cybercafes exist in the main cities.
Facilities are available through national ENDT telecommunications offices. Post offices are marked Correos . Letters and packets sent by airmail normally take five to seven days to reach their destination. The Colombian Post is the only English newspaper. Spanish dailies include El Espacio, El Espectador, El Nuevo Siglo and El Tiempo .