Nearshore Americas
Colombia peso colombia's

Colombia’s Economy Accelerates Despite Headwinds

Colombia’s GDP grew 7% year-over-year in the third quarter of 2022, beating the analysts’ estimation of 6.7%, according to data released by the country’s national statistics agency, known as DANE.

With a growth of 12.6% in the previous quarter, Latin America’s fourth largest economy has managed to grow 9.4% this year.

Colombia’s growth was largely driven by increased household spending and renewed activity in the ICT and entertainment industries. Mining grew by 2.5%, while agriculture shrunk by 1.4%. Analysts blame climate change for the sharp decline in agriculture output.

Colombia is a major exporter of oil and coal, but mining activity slowed down significantly in recent months largely due to the government’s refusal to issue new licenses.

Economists warn that GDP growth might slow down in the months to come, pointing to inflation and the rising cost of imports.

Sign up for our Nearshore Americas newsletter:


Under a complicated economic climate, recently elected leftist President Gustavo Petro is gearing up to raise taxes to generate US$4.16 billion in government revenue annually for the next four years, aiming to use the money to fund social programs.

Analysts expect that the rising interest rates resulting from the sky-high inflation will inevitably dampen consumer spending.

Narayan Ammachchi

News Editor for Nearshore Americas, Narayan Ammachchi is a career journalist with a decade of experience in politics and international business. He works out of his base in the Indian Silicon City of Bangalore.

Add comment