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Background:
|
 Venezuela
was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of
Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador).
For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was
ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted
the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms.
Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959.
Current concerns include: an embattled president who may face
a recall vote, a divided military, drug-related conflicts
along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug
consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its
price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that
are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples. |
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Location:
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Northern South
America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana |
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Geographic coordinates:
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8 00 N, 66 00 W |
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Map references:
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South
America |
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Area:
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total:
912,050 sq km
water: 30,000 sq km
land: 882,050 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more
than twice the size of California |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km,
Guyana 743 km |
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Coastline:
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2,800 km |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot,
humid; more moderate in highlands |
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Terrain:
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Andes Mountains
and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos);
Guiana Highlands in southeast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum,
natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals,
hydropower, diamonds |
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Land use:
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arable land:
2.99%
other: 96.05% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 0.96% |
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Irrigated land:
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540 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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subject to
floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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sewage pollution
of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de
Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and
industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast;
threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining
operations |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands |
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Geography - note:
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on major sea and
air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the
Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall |
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Population:
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25,017,387 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
30.5% (male 3,930,413; female 3,687,744)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 8,107,382; female 8,034,905)
65 years and over: 5% (male 571,289; female 685,654)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
25.2 years
male: 24.6 years
female: 25.8 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.44% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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19.34
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.9 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.04 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
22.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 26.18 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 74.06 years
male: 71.02 years
female: 77.32 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.5% - note: no
country specific models provided (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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62,000 (1999
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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2,000 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan |
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Ethnic groups:
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Spanish, Italian,
Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people |
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Religions:
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nominally
Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2% |
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Languages:
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Spanish
(official), numerous indigenous dialects |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.4%
male: 93.8%
female: 93.1% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
conventional short form: Venezuela
local short form: Venezuela
local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela |
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Government type:
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federal republic |
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Capital:
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Caracas |
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Administrative divisions:
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23 states (estados,
singular - estado), 1 federal district* (distrito federal),
and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas,
Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes,
Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito Federal*,
Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta,
Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia
note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally
controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands |
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Independence:
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5 July 1811 (from
Spain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
5 July (1811) |
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Constitution:
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30 December 1999 |
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Legal system:
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based on organic
laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court system; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April
2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since
3 February 1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28
April 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected
president; percent of vote - 60%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
six-year term; election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be
held NA 2006) |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three seats
reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3,
other 7), opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5,
other 13)
elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA
2005) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Tribunal
of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are
elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Democratic Action
or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fifth Republic Movement or MVR
[Hugo CHAVEZ]; Homeland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ];
Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS
[Hector MUJICA]; National Convergence or Convergencia [Juan
Jose CALDERA]; Radical Cause or La Causa R [Antonio HERRERA];
Social Christian Party or COPEI [Eduardo FERNANDEZ]; Venezuela
Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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FEDECAMARAS, a
conservative business group; VECINOS groups; Venezuelan
Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization dominated
by the Democratic Action) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ
chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami,
New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto
Rico)
FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820
telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Charles S. SHAPIRO
embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion
Colinas de Valle Arriba, Caracas 1080
mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO
AA 34037
telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411
FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991 |
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Economy - overview:
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Venezuela
continues to be highly dependent on the petroleum sector,
which accounts for roughly one-third of GDP, around 80% of
export earnings, and more than half of government operating
revenues. Despite higher oil prices at the end of 2002 and
into 2003, domestic political instability, culminating in a
disastrous two-month national oil strike from December 2002 to
February 2003, temporarily halted economic activity. The
economy remained in depression in 2003, declining by 9.2%
after an 8.9% fall in 2002. In late 2003, President CHAVEZ
committed himself to $1 billion in new social programs, money
the government does not have. |
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GDP:
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purchasing
power parity - $117.9 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-9.2%
(2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing
power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
5%
industry: 50%
services: 45% (2001) |
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Population below poverty line:
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47%
(1998 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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31.1%
(2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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9.9
million (1999) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services
64%, industry 23%, agriculture 13% (1997 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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18%
(2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$20.1 billion
expenditures: $23.3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $2.6 billion (2002) |
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Industries:
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petroleum,
iron ore mining, construction materials, food processing,
textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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-5.4%
(2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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87.6
billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 31.7%
hydro: 68.3%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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81.47
billion kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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3.08
million bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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505,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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31.71
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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31.71
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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corn,
sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef,
pork, milk, eggs; fish |
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Exports:
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$25.86
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum,
bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products,
basic manufactures |
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Exports - partners:
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US
45.1%, Netherlands Antilles 12.8%, Dominican Republic 2.8%
(2002) |
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Imports:
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$10.71
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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raw
materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment,
construction materials |
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Imports - partners:
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US
32.1%, Colombia 8%, Brazil 6.2%, Germany 4.6%, Mexico 4.4%,
Italy 4.1% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$20.8
billion (2003) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$74
million (2000) |
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Currency:
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bolivar
(VEB) |
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Currency code:
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VEB |
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Exchange rates:
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bolivares
per US dollar - 1,607.79 (2003), 1,160.95 (2002), 723.67
(2001), 679.96 (2000), 605.72 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
|
calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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2,841,800 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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6,463,600 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: modern and expanding
domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth
stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone service
in rural areas; substantial increase in digitalization of
exchanges and trunk lines; installation of a national
interurban fiber-optic network capable of digital multimedia
services
international: country code - 58; 3 submarine coaxial
cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
and 1 PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru,
and Bolivia in the construction of an international
fiber-optic network |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 201, FM NA (20
in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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66 (plus 45
repeaters) (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.ve |
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Internet hosts:
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24,138 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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1,274,400 (2002) |
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Railways:
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total: 682
km
standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
96,155 km
paved: 32,308 km
unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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7,100 km
note: Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept
oceangoing vessels |
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Pipelines:
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extra heavy crude
992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,484 km; refined products 1,681 km;
unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Amuay, Bajo
Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina, Maracaibo, Matanzas,
Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Ordaz, Puerto
Sucre, Punta Cardon |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 48
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 740,919 GRT/1,191,483 DWT
registered in other countries: 4 (2003 est.)
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Denmark 2, Greece 2, Spain 1,
United States 2
by type: bulk 6, cargo 7, container 2, liquefied gas 5,
multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 1,
passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 16, roll on/roll off 8,
short-sea/passenger 1 |
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Airports:
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368 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 128
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 31
914 to 1,523 m: 63
under 914 m: 18 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 240
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 89
under 914 m: 139 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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National Armed
Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN) includes Ground
Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces
(Fuerzas Navales or Armada - including marines and Coast
Guard), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces
of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de
Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional) |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 6,886,775 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 4,953,803 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
250,730 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$1,125.6 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
1.3% (2003) |
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Disputes - international:
|
claims all of the
area west of the Essequibo River, preventing any discussion of
a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to
join Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that the
Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends
into their waters; maritime boundary dispute with Colombia in
the Gulf of Venezuela and the Caribbean Sea; US, France and
the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's claim to give full
effect to Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental
shelf extending over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea;
Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines protest Venezuela's claim that Aves
Island sustains human habitation and other states' recognition
of it |
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Illicit drugs:
|
small-scale
illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing of
opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of
cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from
Colombia bound for US and Europe; significant
narcotics-related money-laundering activity, especially along
the border with Colombia and on Margarita Island; active
eradication program primarily targeting opium; increasing
signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on
border |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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