 The IDEAM also serves as the Colombian institute of meteorology and studies the climate of Colombia.The IDEAM is charged with obtaining, analyzing, processing and divulging information pertaining to hydrology, hydrogeology, meteorology, and geography of biophysical, geomorphological aspects, and the vegetation and land area to improve the use and care of the biophysical resources or the country.It was created on December 22, 1993, when Congress passed "Law 99 of 1993", replacing the Colombian Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology, and Land Management ("Instituto Colombiano de Hidrología, Meteorología y Adecuación de Tierras" - HIMAT), and it officially started functioning on March 1, 1995.