E4 · cycle-003.e4-col

Colombia, scripted, 30 years from 1996

30 simulations of 30 rounds from the 1996 position. Colombia decides by the scripted method; scripted events: Global funding seizure in year 3, Core disaster in year 3, Global funding seizure in year 12, Core disaster in year 14, Market access opening in year 16, Severe pandemic in year 24.

Model 0.2.0 · graph 0.2.0 · parameters 0.1.1 · seeds 1–30 · elasticity sampled within each bracket

The same configuration in other cycles: cycle 2.

Every simulation · Compare with another experiment · More experiments like this

Not a forecast
Simulations of a structural model with seed parameter values, to compare methods and test the model. Other nations stay at their 2026 ratings throughout.

Outcome across simulations

The median at 2026, with the 10th to the 90th percentile of the 30 simulations under it.

Capability index
8.99 (−0.86)
From 9.85; 8.97 to 9.01
Rank by index
56
From 49; 56 to 57
Domains at Tier 1
0
From 0; 0 to 0
Tier rank
25
From 52; 21 to 28

Capability index by round

Rank by index, by round

Every objective at the position and at the horizon
Objective199610th percentileMedian90th percentileBetter
Capability indexprimary9.858.978.999.01higher
Rank by index49565657lower
Tier rank52212528lower
Domains at Tier 10000higher
Score sum710.2654.2656.0657.1higher
Goal-weighted score710.2654.2656.0657.1higher
Resilient score710.2655.7 (mean score sum over the simulations)higher

The capability index is the mean of the three dimensions, each the mean of its domains, each the mean of its groups. Tiers are Pareto layers within each domain; the tier rank orders nations by domains held at Tier 1, then Tier 2, and so on. The goal-weighted score is the score sum unless the experiment sets a goal. The primary objective is the one the experiment is judged on; every other objective is reported beside it.

Credits

What each round’s credits went on in the median simulation. Across all simulations, build took 26 per cent, buy took 28 per cent, partner took 46 per cent of the 863 credits a simulation spent on actions.

Against history

Started from a reconstructed 1996 position and played along the pathway and shocks Colombia actually had, then scored against the 2026 ratings. The position is an estimate, so part of any error is the reconstruction's. The calibration summary across all fifty nations is on the cycle's page under Loop.

Index 1996
9.85
reconstructed
Observed 2026
9.11
the Index's rating
Simulated 2026
8.99
8.93 to 9.04
Skill against persistence
−0.43
group error 1.93 against 1.35 if nothing changed
Domain1996ObservedSimulatedBiasDirection
Critical Technology6.143.555.64 5.6–5.7+2.09right
Strategic Infrastructure10.9710.359.98 9.9–10.1−0.36right
National Security9.667.1210.68 10.6–10.7+3.57wrong
Human Capital10.3610.449.40 9.3–9.4−1.05wrong
Information & Influence10.549.4310.11 10.1–10.1+0.67right
Governance & Integrity9.7110.8110.10 10.0–10.2−0.71right
Financial Strength10.5610.858.18 8.1–8.2−2.67wrong
Production & Innovation10.199.438.35 8.3–8.4−1.08right
Trade & Investment10.5010.058.48 8.4–8.5−1.57right

The history it was played under: shocks and events

  • 1999 · S02 × 0.7 A sudden stop and banking crisis after the 1998 external shock forced mortgage debt restructuring and IMF support, with GDP contracting by 4.2 per cent in 1999.
  • 1999 · S07 × 0.4 The Armenia earthquake in January 1999 devastated a regional capital and exposed weak disaster response, though it did not disable the national economic core.
  • 2008 · S02 × 0.4 The global financial crisis tightened external financing and slowed the economy, but Colombia avoided a severe banking collapse.
  • 2010 · S07 × 0.4 La Niña floods in 2010-2011 affected millions and major infrastructure, but the national core continued to function.
  • 2012 · S12 × 0.4 Implementation of the US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement opened and stabilised access for key exports and redirected some investment.
  • 2020 · S10 × 0.8 COVID-19 strained the health system, caused a sharp economic contraction and revealed deep inequalities in access to care and social protection.

The pathway: what it prioritised, period by period

  • 1997–2002 · partner · 5% each Plan Colombia and the build-up against drug trafficking and insurgency, funded heavily with United States assistance, dominated the national agenda. (Internal Security & Order, Force Generation & Mobilisation, Land Power, Intelligence & Assessment, Alliances & Security Cooperation)
  • 2002–2010 · buy · 5% each Democratic Security policy expanded and modernised the armed forces to regain territorial control from FARC and ELN. (Internal Security & Order, Force Generation & Mobilisation, Land Power, Intelligence & Assessment, Joint Command, Projection & Sustainment)
  • 2002–2010 · partner · 2% each Uribe pursued investor confidence, the US trade agreement and security-linked investment, alongside fiscal consolidation and business climate reforms. (Trade Policy & Market Access, Investment Attraction & Projection, Export Capability & Sophistication, Business Dynamism & Entrepreneurship, Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance)
  • 2010–2018 · build · 5% each Santos prioritised 4G highway concessions, peace negotiation institutions, science and education funding, and post-conflict reincorporation. (Transport Infrastructure, Political Institutions & Civic Participation, Justice System & Fundamental Rights, Innovation & Commercialisation, Advanced Education)
  • 2018–2022 · build · 2% each Duque faced mass Venezuelan migration and COVID-19, strengthening health, digital connectivity and crisis response. (National Resilience & Crisis Management, Population Health, Health System Capability, Technology Adoption & Diffusion, Regulatory Governance & Strategic Controls)
  • 2022–2026 · build · 2% each Petro's 'total peace', energy transition and agrarian reform sought to address conflict, climate and rural inequality. (Energy Technologies, Energy Infrastructure, Agriculture & Food Infrastructure, Internal Security & Order, Political Institutions & Civic Participation)

Reconstruction notes (deepseek-v4-pro): The 1996 starting position is reconstructed from often fragmented national accounts, conflict-era service data and contemporaneous institutional assessments; scores for frontier technologies are especially uncertain because Colombia had little visible presence. The policy periods simplify overlapping security, economic and social agendas, and the event magnitudes are judgements relative to the severe-case scenario, not precise econometric estimates.

Report

Written from the simulation record by the loop's narrator. Every figure names the query it came from, in square brackets.

Batch cycle-003. Model 0.2.0, graph 0.2.0, parameters 0.1.1. 30 simulations, seeds 1 to 30; probes on 10. Every figure is a distribution over simulations of a structural model with seed parameter values; it shows what the model implies under these settings, not what will happen. Other nations are frozen at their 2026 ratings. No reconstructed historical data is used in this experiment.

Headline

Colombia played 30 rounds from 1996 under the scripted method, with scripted events, 30 times. Its capability index moved from 9.85 to a median of 8.99 (−0.86), with 90 per cent of simulations between 8.97 and 9.01 [experiment_objectives].

Starting position

In 1996 the nation ranks 49 on the index against the frozen field, holds 0 of nine domains at Tier 1 and has a tier rank of 52. Its base income is 311 credits a year, calibrated so that its 2026 position is affordable with headroom for investment.

What was decided

A simulation spent a median of 872 credits on moves. The five groups that took most were Internal Security & Order (buy, 107 credits, 12.4 per cent); Land Power (partner, 91 credits, 10.5 per cent); Internal Security & Order (partner, 91 credits, 10.5 per cent); Force Generation & Mobilisation (partner, 91 credits, 10.5 per cent); Transport Infrastructure (build, 89 credits, 10.4 per cent) [experiment_decisions_by_group]. By mode: partner 46 per cent, buy 28 per cent, build 26 per cent [experiment_decisions_by_group]. Concentration of spending (HHI) had a median of 0.149, and the most repeated action appeared in 27 per cent of rounds.

The leading domain by period: rounds 1 to 5, National Security; rounds 6 to 10, National Security; rounds 11 to 15, Governance & Integrity; rounds 16 to 20, Strategic Infrastructure; rounds 21 to 25, Strategic Infrastructure; rounds 26 to 30, Strategic Infrastructure [experiment_spend_by_period].

What the world did

A median simulation saw 5 shocks and 1 upside events. The most damaging per firing were S10 (30 firings in 30 simulations, −29.8 points each); S07 (60 firings in 30 simulations, −16.0 points each); S02 (60 firings in 30 simulations, −13.1 points each) [experiment_shocks]. Upside events fired 30 times across all simulations [experiment_shocks].

The groups that lost most to shocks, per simulation: Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance −3.01; Trade Facilitation & Logistics −2.96; Financial System Depth & Access −2.69; Investment Attraction & Projection −2.40 [experiment_shock_damage_by_group].

The edges that carried most change through the graph, per simulation: Force Generation & Mobilisation to Land Power (+0.67 points); Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance to Social Infrastructure (−0.58 points); Transport Infrastructure to Trade Facilitation & Logistics (+0.25 points) [experiment_propagation_by_edge].

Where it ended

At 2026 the median rank is 56 (5th to 95th percentile 56 to 57), the median count of Tier 1 domains 0 (0 to 0) and the median tier rank 25; the resilient score, the mean score sum over simulations, is 656 [experiment_objectives].

Why

Without shocks the index ends +1.454 higher on average, so the shocks cost about 1.454 index points [experiment_probe_attribution].

Holding instead of following this method changes the index by −0.516: that is the method's worth against doing nothing [experiment_probe_attribution].

Removing any single one of the five largest actions changes the index by between −0.017 and +0.024, for example 1997 partner Internal Security & Order (16 credits) [experiment_probe_attribution]. The largest actions by credits come late, when income is highest, and are rarely the most valuable.

Removing the largest shock of a simulation raises the index by +0.462 on average [experiment_probe_attribution].

The replay probe reproduces the simulations exactly (index change 0.000000), so the attributions are clean [experiment_probe_attribution].

Surprises

tier_jump (warn): largest gain in one domain within five years: 7 tiers (30 simulations above 2); tiers are reported, not an objective.

retired_words (warn): e4-col/report.md: 'simulations' 1 time(s), first near line 38; use 'simulations'.

The simulation furthest from the median (seed 10) ends −0.03 from it, with 5 shocks and 1 upside events [experiment_outlier_simulations].

Comparison

This is the baseline (hold) experiment, or there is none for this nation in the batch.

Against history: from a reconstructed index of 9.85 the model ends at 8.99, where the 2026 ratings put it at 9.11. Group scores miss by 1.93 points on average, against 1.35 for assuming nothing changed (skill −0.43); the change in each domain has the right sign in 67 per cent of domains. Furthest below history: financial strength (−2.67); furthest above: national security (+3.57) [experiment_against_history]. The starting position is reconstructed, so part of the error is the reconstruction's.

What each decision and shock was worth

Counterfactual probes on the first 10 seeds: the same simulations with one thing changed, paired seed by seed. A removed decision or shock is taken out and the other decisions replayed unchanged, so the difference is that item's worth.

ProbeIndexScore sumTier 1For example
Hold instead of the method−0.516−40.10.00
No shocks+1.454+99.2+0.50
Replay of the recorded actions (must change nothing)0.0000.00.00
Without the 1st largest decision+0.003+0.20.001997 partner Internal Security & Order (16 credits)
Without the 2nd largest decision+0.021+1.50.001997 partner Force Generation & Mobilisation (16 credits)
Without the 3rd largest decision+0.024+1.80.001997 partner Land Power (16 credits)
Without the 4th largest decision+0.003+0.10.001997 partner Intelligence & Assessment (16 credits)
Without the 5th largest decision−0.017−0.70.001997 partner Alliances & Security Cooperation (16 credits)
Without the 1st largest shock+0.462+32.00.002020 S10 (-29.8 points)
Without the 2nd largest shock+0.304+20.50.001999 S02 (-16.5 points)
Without the 3rd largest shock+0.235+16.30.002010 S07 (-16.3 points)

Simulations

Three simulations told round by round, each on its own page: the one nearest the median index at the horizon, and those nearest the 10th and the 90th percentile. Every one of the 30 is listed with its outcome on the simulations page.

All 30 simulations

Events

How often each shock and upside event began across the simulations. Shocks come from the ten downside scenarios and upside events from the ten upside ones, at their yearly likelihood.

Event
Kind
Simulations
Mean round
Points
Global funding seizure S02Shock100 per cent7.5−13.1
Core disaster S07Shock100 per cent8.5−16.0
Severe pandemic S10Shock100 per cent24.0−29.8
Market access opening S12Upside100 per cent16.0+6.9

Groups across simulations

Every capability group: its position, and its median and spread at the horizon across the simulations, with what the method spent on it.

73 of 73 groups

Capability group
Domain
1996
2026
Change
Levels invested
Credits
Internal Security & OrderGovernance & Integrity8.5516.79 16.58 to 16.91+8.249.17206
Land PowerNational Security13.0717.85 17.74 to 17.95+4.784.74142
Force Generation & MobilisationNational Security12.4617.22 17.11 to 17.33+4.765.93171
Intelligence & AssessmentNational Security11.5915.64 15.60 to 15.69+4.054.5488
Alliances & Security CooperationInformation & Influence11.9515.32 15.29 to 15.35+3.374.5644
Transport InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure10.6012.45 11.87 to 12.84+1.853.4789
Energy TechnologiesCritical Technology6.366.46 6.44 to 6.47+0.100.8420
Nuclear DeterrenceNational Security1.491.38 1.37 to 1.38−0.110.000
Semiconductors & Advanced ComputingCritical Technology3.072.83 2.82 to 2.83−0.240.000
Population HealthHuman Capital9.889.63 9.41 to 9.76−0.251.0719
Political Institutions & Civic ParticipationGovernance & Integrity10.159.84 9.56 to 10.02−0.310.479
National Resilience & Crisis ManagementGovernance & Integrity10.6410.27 10.22 to 10.33−0.371.1221
Space TechnologiesCritical Technology4.694.30 4.29 to 4.31−0.390.000
Quantum TechnologiesCritical Technology4.343.94 3.93 to 3.97−0.400.000
Maritime PowerNational Security10.409.99 9.94 to 10.05−0.410.000
Air PowerNational Security11.3010.82 10.72 to 10.86−0.480.000
Advanced Materials & ManufacturingCritical Technology5.975.47 5.45 to 5.49−0.500.000
Strategic Strike & Missile DefenceNational Security7.496.97 6.94 to 6.98−0.520.000
Sensing, Timing & NavigationCritical Technology6.586.03 6.01 to 6.04−0.550.000
Space OperationsNational Security6.976.42 6.40 to 6.44−0.550.000
Connectivity, Cyber & Trust TechnologiesCritical Technology7.396.81 6.80 to 6.83−0.580.000
Robotics & Autonomous SystemsCritical Technology6.776.17 6.16 to 6.19−0.600.000
Justice System & Fundamental RightsGovernance & Integrity8.447.80 7.77 to 7.81−0.640.000
Joint Command, Projection & SustainmentNational Security10.7710.12 10.07 to 10.16−0.650.000
Regulatory Governance & Strategic ControlsGovernance & Integrity10.249.59 9.57 to 9.59−0.650.000
Artificial IntelligenceCritical Technology7.346.67 6.64 to 6.69−0.670.000
Cyber & Electromagnetic OperationsNational Security11.0910.42 10.39 to 10.44−0.670.000
Transparency, Oversight & AccountabilityGovernance & Integrity9.288.58 8.56 to 8.59−0.700.000
Agriculture & Food InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure11.9611.25 11.19 to 11.31−0.710.4720
Technical & Vocational SkillsHuman Capital9.989.21 9.20 to 9.24−0.770.000
Public Integrity & Anti-CorruptionGovernance & Integrity9.408.57 8.55 to 8.60−0.830.000
Lifelong Learning & ReskillingHuman Capital9.939.08 9.06 to 9.11−0.850.000
Digital & AI CompetenceHuman Capital9.858.94 8.92 to 8.96−0.910.000
Research Talent & Knowledge CreationHuman Capital9.688.72 8.71 to 8.76−0.960.000
Energy InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure10.219.23 9.18 to 9.27−0.980.5320
Advanced EducationHuman Capital11.1510.16 10.13 to 10.21−0.990.000
Communications & Digital InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure12.1111.11 11.08 to 11.15−1.000.000
Diaspora & Global CommunitiesInformation & Influence10.759.71 9.70 to 9.71−1.040.000
Development Cooperation & Global AssistanceInformation & Influence7.616.57 6.50 to 6.61−1.040.000
Early Childhood DevelopmentHuman Capital11.2110.17 10.11 to 10.22−1.040.000
Resource InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure10.018.93 8.87 to 9.00−1.080.000
Space, Aerospace & Defence InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure8.897.78 7.69 to 7.87−1.110.000
Culture, Language & Education DiplomacyInformation & Influence11.7110.59 10.56 to 10.63−1.120.000
Diplomatic Statecraft & Global NetworksInformation & Influence10.789.60 9.55 to 9.65−1.180.000
Advanced ManufacturingStrategic Infrastructure10.969.77 9.72 to 9.82−1.190.000
Biotechnology & Health TechnologiesCritical Technology8.917.69 7.66 to 7.72−1.220.000
Foundational EducationHuman Capital10.258.87 8.80 to 8.92−1.380.000
Sovereign Capital & External Financial PowerFinancial Strength8.426.96 6.92 to 6.99−1.460.000
Technology Adoption & DiffusionProduction & Innovation10.809.34 9.17 to 9.48−1.460.172
Financial InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure12.9611.46 11.34 to 11.53−1.500.000
Health System CapabilityHuman Capital11.359.78 9.68 to 9.89−1.570.4911
Innovation & CommercialisationProduction & Innovation9.878.28 8.25 to 8.31−1.590.000
Information Environment & Strategic CommunicationInformation & Influence10.458.84 8.82 to 8.86−1.610.000
Government Effectiveness & Public AdministrationGovernance & Integrity11.029.38 9.35 to 9.41−1.640.000
Structural Transformation & ComplexityProduction & Innovation10.318.66 8.63 to 8.71−1.650.000
Business Dynamism & EntrepreneurshipProduction & Innovation10.899.14 9.07 to 9.22−1.750.000
Digital & Services TradeTrade & Investment11.449.64 9.62 to 9.68−1.800.000
Water, Sanitation & Waste InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure10.809.00 8.90 to 9.11−1.800.000
Trade Policy & Market AccessTrade & Investment11.349.50 9.46 to 9.54−1.840.000
Economic Leverage & DependenceTrade & Investment9.898.00 7.95 to 8.05−1.890.000
Export Capability & SophisticationTrade & Investment9.507.57 7.54 to 7.63−1.930.000
Global Value Chain PositionTrade & Investment10.728.72 8.69 to 8.78−2.000.000
Economic Output & ProductivityProduction & Innovation9.747.70 7.66 to 7.73−2.040.000
Investment Attraction & ProjectionTrade & Investment10.198.07 8.00 to 8.15−2.120.000
Industrial & Sectoral BaseProduction & Innovation10.738.55 8.51 to 8.60−2.180.000
Financial Regulation & IntegrityFinancial Strength10.978.77 8.76 to 8.79−2.200.000
Financial Stability & Crisis ManagementFinancial Strength10.708.48 8.42 to 8.54−2.220.000
Labour & EmploymentProduction & Innovation9.026.74 6.70 to 6.78−2.280.000
Social InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure11.168.80 8.72 to 8.98−2.360.000
Monetary & Currency CapabilityFinancial Strength11.989.57 9.47 to 9.67−2.410.000
Trade Facilitation & LogisticsTrade & Investment10.407.86 7.78 to 7.95−2.540.000
Financial System Depth & AccessFinancial Strength10.988.29 8.28 to 8.30−2.690.000
Fiscal Capacity & Public FinanceFinancial Strength10.326.99 6.94 to 7.08−3.330.000

Checks

The automated checks run on this experiment before anything was written about it. A warning is a candidate finding for the improvement loop.

  • passcredits_conservedlargest gap between credits in and credits accounted for: 7.1e-15
  • passscores_in_boundsscores range 1.367 to 18.358
  • passno_nans0 missing values in the trajectory and objectives
  • passprobe_replay_reproducesthe recorded moves played back reproduce the simulation to within 0.0e+00 points (10 simulations)
  • passledger_balancesthe edge ledger sums to the propagated change to within 9.9e-07 points
  • passmove_without_shocklargest one-year move in a group with no shock landing: 1.66 points; 0% of simulations have one above 3
  • warntier_jumplargest gain in one domain within five years: 7 tiers (30 simulations above 2); tiers are reported, not an objective
  • passall_tier1_from_outside_top10starting rank 49; 0 simulations reach Tier 1 in all nine domains
  • passsaturation_high0% of simulations end with a group at 20 that did not start there (median 0 groups)
  • passsaturation_low0% of simulations end with a group at 0 that did not start there (median 0 groups)
  • passspend_concentrationmedian concentration of spending across groups (HHI) 0.149; most funded group soft.governance_and_integrity.internal_security_and_order
  • passsame_actionthe most repeated move (group and mode) appears in a median 27% of rounds
  • passregression_index_p50index_p50 moved 2.7% since cycle-002 (8.75 to 8.99); versions changed (0.1.0 to 0.1.1, graph 0.2.0 to 0.2.0)
  • passregression_score_sum_p50score_sum_p50 moved 2.9% since cycle-002 (637.50 to 655.97); versions changed (0.1.0 to 0.1.1, graph 0.2.0 to 0.2.0)

Settings and versions

Experiment cycle-003.e4-col. Every simulation records the model, graph and parameter versions, the scenario, the method and its seed, so it can be reproduced exactly.

Nation
Colombia (COL)
Position
A reconstructed 1996 position, aligned to the Index's scale
Method
Scripted. Actions fixed in advance by the experiment: for a backcast, the nation's historical pathway.
Scenario
Scripted events: Global funding seizure in year 3, Core disaster in year 3, Global funding seizure in year 12, Core disaster in year 14, Market access opening in year 16, Severe pandemic in year 24
Objective
Capability index, the primary objective the experiment is judged on; every other objective is reported beside it
Horizon
30 rounds, 1996 to 2026
Simulations
30 seeds, 1 to 30. Every method in the batch faces the same draws for the same seed.
Graph elasticities
Drawn for each simulation, uniformly within each edge’s bracket
Income
Base credits 310.6 a round, moving with the economic groups
Versions
Model 0.2.0, Capability Dependency Graph 0.2.0, parameters 0.1.1
Batch
Backcast 1996-2026 (cycle-003), cycle 3 of the improvement loop
Runtime
7.0 seconds in all; 1511 microseconds a round
Not a forecast
Every figure is a distribution over the simulations of a structural model, reported to compare methods and test the model. None is a prediction of what a nation will do or become.
Structural parameters
Costs, decay, vulnerability and credits are structural seed values with low or medium confidence, set by domain with single-group exceptions. Five groups have no defensible value in a single-nation model and are flagged in the parameter tables.
Other nations are frozen
One nation is simulated at a time. Every other nation stays at its 2026 rating, so rank and tiers are measured against a still field; where the simulated nation rises past others their own tiers are not re-sorted.
Starting depth and mode are defaults
The position is the National Capability Index ratings. How institutionalised each capability is, and how much was built, bought or partnered, have no data behind them yet and start from structural defaults.
Credits are calibrated, not measured
Each nation’s income is set so that its position is affordable with headroom that rises with its fiscal capacity. It is not yet fiscal capacity as a share of GDP.