Demographic features of indigenous communities in three regions of Colombia.

Objective. To obtain demographic indicators for some indigenous communities in Colombia situated in three different regions of the country: the Caribbean, the Amazonic basin and the Andes. Material and methods. Demographic variables gathered in a KAP (knowledge, attitude and practices) survey among the indigenous population in 1993 and 1994 were analyzed. The survey included 11 522 Indians. Results. 45% of the population is under age 15; overall rate of fertility is 6.5 children per woman, and death rate in 1990 was 63.3 children per 1 000 live births. Life expectancy at birth was 57.8 years for women and 55.4 years for men. Conclusions. The indicators differ substantially from the national ciphers. Although the indigenous population seems to be undergoing a process of demographic transition, there are marked differences between regions, with significantly higher fertility and infant mortality rates for the Caribbean region.