| Background: |
Venezuela was one
of the 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: 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. |
| Location: |
Northern South
America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
8 00 N, 66 00 W |
| Map
references: |
South America,
Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area: |
total:
912,050 sq km
land: 882,050 sq km
water: 30,000 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly more
than twice the size of California |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia
2,050 km, Guyana 743 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous
zone: 15 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth
of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
tropical; hot,
humid; more moderate in highlands |
| Terrain: |
Andes Mountains
and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains
(llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007
m |
| Natural
resources: |
petroleum,
natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals,
hydropower, diamonds |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
4%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 34%
other: 41% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
1,900 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
subject to
floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts |
| Environment
- current issues: |
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 |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping |
| Geography
- note: |
on major sea and
air routes linking North and South America |
| Population: |
23,916,810 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
32.11% (male 3,962,517; female 3,716,880)
15-64 years: 63.17% (male 7,581,589; female
7,526,467)
65 years and over: 4.72% (male 515,687; female
613,670) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.56% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
20.65
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
4.92 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.15 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
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: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
25.37
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 73.31 years
male: 70.29 years
female: 76.56 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
2.46 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.49% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
62,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
2,000 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Spanish, Italian,
Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people |
| Religions: |
nominally Roman
Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2% |
| Languages: |
Spanish
(official), numerous indigenous dialects |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.1%
male: 91.8%
female: 90.3% (1995 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
conventional short form: Venezuela
local long form: Republica Bolivariana de
Venezuela
local short form: Venezuela |
| Government
type: |
federal republic |
| Administrative
divisions: |
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 |
| Independence: |
5 July 1811 (from
Spain) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day,
5 July (1811) |
| Constitution: |
30 December 1999 |
| Legal
system: |
based on organic
laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court system; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3
February 1999); Vice President Adina BASTIDAS Castillo; 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 Adina BASTIDAS
Castillo; note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by popular vote
for a six-year term; election last held 30 July 2000 (next
to be held NA 2006)
election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias elected
president; percent of vote - 60%
note: government coalition - Patriotic Pole or
Polo Patriotico consists of MVR, MAS, and PPT |
| Legislative
branch: |
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
elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be
held NA 2005)
election results: Pro-government: percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MVR 92, MAS 6,
indigenous 3, other parties 7; Opposition: percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice
First 5, other parties 13 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Tribunal
of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are
elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Brave Peoples
Alliance or ABP [leader NA]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry
RAMOS Allup]; Fifth Republic Movement or MVR [leader Luis
MIQUILENA]; Homeland for All or PPT [Pablo MEDINA]; Justice
First [leader NA]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Felipe
MUJICA]; National Convergence or Convergencia [Dr. Rafael
CALDERA Rodriguez]; Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres
VELASQUEZ]; Social Christian Party or COPEI [Jose CURIEL];
Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Ronier] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
FEDECAMARAS, a
conservative business group; VECINOS groups; Venezuelan
Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization
dominated by the Democratic Action) |
| International
organization participation: |
CAN, Caricom
(observer), CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G- 3, G-11, G-15, G-19,
G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA,
RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Alfredo TORO Hardy
chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC
20007
telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214
FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston,
Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan
(Puerto Rico) |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Donna J. HRINAK
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] (2) 975-6411
FAX: [58] (2) 975-6710 |
| Flag
description: |
three equal
horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the
coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc
of seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band |
| Economy
- overview: |
The petroleum
sector dominates the economy, accounting for roughly a third
of GDP, around 80% of export earnings, and more than half of
government operating revenues. Venezuelan officials estimate
that GDP grew by 3.2% in 2000. A strong rebound in
international oil prices fueled the recovery from the steep
recession in 1999. Nevertheless, a weak nonoil sector and
capital flight undercut the recovery. The bolivar is widely
believed to be overvalued by as much as 50%. The government
is still rebuilding after massive flooding and landslides in
December 1999 caused an estimated $15 billion to $20 billion
in damage. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $146.2 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3.2% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $6,200 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
5%
industry: 24%
services: 71% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
67% (1997 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
1.5%
highest 10%: 35.6% (1995) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
13% (2000) |
| Labor
force: |
9.9 million
(1999) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
services 64%,
industry 23%, agriculture 13% (1997 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
14% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$26.4 billion
expenditures: $27 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
petroleum, iron
ore mining, construction materials, food processing,
textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA |
| Electricity
- production: |
81.215 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
32.16%
hydro: 67.84%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
75.53 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
corn, sorghum,
sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork,
milk, eggs; fish |
| Exports: |
$32.8 billion
(f.o.b., 2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
petroleum,
bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural
products, basic manufactures |
| Exports
- partners: |
US and Puerto
Rico 57%, Colombia, Brazil, Japan, Germany, Netherlands,
Italy (1999) |
| Imports: |
$14.7 billion
(f.o.b., 2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
raw materials,
machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction
materials |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 53%, Japan,
Colombia, Italy, Germany, France, Brazil, Canada (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$34 billion
(2000) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$35 million with
more assistance likely as a result of flooding (1999) |
| Exchange
rates: |
bolivares per US
dollar - 699.700 (January 2001), 679.960 (2000), 605.717
(1999), 547.556 (1998), 488.635 (1997), 417.333 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
2,600,000.00;
however, 3,500,000 were installed (1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
2 million (1998) |
| Telephone
system: |
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: 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 |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 201, FM NA (20
in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998) |
| Radios: |
10.75 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
66 (plus 45
repeaters) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
4.1 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ve |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
16 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
400,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
584 km (248 km privately owned)
standard gauge: 584 km 1.435-m gauge |
| Highways: |
total:
96,155 km
paved: 32,308 km
unpaved: 63,847 km (1997 est.) |
| Waterways: |
7,100 km
note: Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept
oceangoing vessels |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 6,370
km; petroleum products 480 km; natural gas 4,010 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Amuay, Bajo
Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina, Maracaibo,
Matanzas, Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto
Ordaz, Puerto Sucre, Punta Cardon |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
36 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 490,160 GRT/897,694
DWT
ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 10, liquefied gas
2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off
8, short-sea passenger 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
371 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
124
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
914 to 1,523 m: 59
under 914 m: 17 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
247
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 97
under 914 m: 140 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
National Armed
Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN) includes Ground
Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval
Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada), Air Force (Fuerzas
Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or National
Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional) |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 6,524,809 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 4,701,062 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
246,185 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$934 million
(FY99) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
0.9% (FY99) |
| Disputes
- international: |
claims all of
Guyana west of the Essequibo (river); maritime boundary
dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela |
| Illicit
drugs: |
illicit producer
of opium for the international drug trade on a small scale;
however, large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana
transit the country from Colombia bound for US and Europe;
important money-laundering center; active eradication
program primarily targeting opium; increasing signs of
drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on border |
|
