Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). Colombia is the 26th largest nation in the world and the fourth-largest in South America, with an area more than twice that of France. Colombia's economy is fueled by abundant natural resources, a highly literate population and relatively high-valued currency. Ongoing economic problems facing current President Álvaro Uribe range from reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment, and to achieving congressional passage of a fiscal transfers reform; furthermore, new exploration is needed to offset declining oil production. However, the government's economic policy, democratic security strategy, and the signing of a free trade agreement with the US have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy, particularly within the business sector. On May 28, 2007, the American magazine BusinessWeek published an article naming Colombia the most Extreme Emerging Market on Earth.