Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). 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. Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, has promoted a controversial policy of "democratic socialism," which purports to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking globalization and undermining regional stability. Current concerns include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized military, drug-related violence 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
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
Coastline
2,800 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
contiguous zone
15 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
continental shelf
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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
2.85%
permanent crops
0.88%
other
96.27% (2005)
Irrigated land
5,750 sq km (2003)
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
on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall
Population
26,023,528 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
31.6% (male 4,169,979/female 4,046,170)
15-64 years
63.4% (male 8,120,661/female 8,369,065)
65 years and over
5.1% (male 586,863/female 730,790) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
24.9 years
male
24.3 years
female
25.5 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
1.486% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
21.22 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
5.08 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
-1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.031 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.803 male(s)/female
total population
0.98 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
22.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male
26.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female
18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
73.28 years
male
70.24 years
female
76.48 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.55 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.7%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
110,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
4,100 (2003 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
93%
male
93.3%
female
92.7% (2001 census)
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
Capital
name
Caracas
geographic coordinates
10 30 N, 66 56 W
time difference
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district* (distrito capital), 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
open, adversarial court system
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jorge RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 3 January 2007); 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 Jorge RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 3 January 2007)
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections
president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2012)
note
in 1999, a National Constituent Assembly drafted a new constitution that increased the presidential term to six years; an election was subsequently held on 30 July 2000 under the terms of this constitution
election results
Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote - Hugo CHAVEZ Frias 62.9%, Manuel ROSALES 36.9%
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (167 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
elections: last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - pro-government 167 (MVR 114, PODEMOS 15, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other 25), opposition 0
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
A New Time or UNT [Manuel ROSALES]; Christian Democrats or COPEI [Cesar PEREZ Vivas]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fatherland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Fifth Republic Movement or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]; We Can or PODEMOS [Ismael GARCIA]
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)
Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD
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
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 eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band
Economy - overview
Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for roughly 90% of export earnings, more than 50% of the federal budget revenues, and around 30% of GDP. Tax collection - Venezuela's primary source of non-oil revenue - is expected to surpass $23 billion in 2006, exceeding the yearend collection goal by more than 20%. A nationwide strike between December 2002 and February 2003 had far-reaching economic consequences - real GDP declined by around 9% in 2002 and 8% in 2003 - but economic output since then has recovered strongly. Fueled by higher oil prices, record government spending helped to boost GDP growth in 2004 and 2005 to approximately 18% and 11%, respectively. Economic growth in 2006 reached about 9%. This spending, combined with recent minimum wage hikes and improved access to domestic credit, has fueled a consumption boom - car sales in 2006 increased by around 70% - but has come at the cost of higher inflation. Despite government attempts to withdraw liquidity from the economy, Venezuela's money supply set a record in June 2006, approximately 70% higher than the previous year. Imports have also jumped significantly.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$186.3 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$149.9 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
10.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$7,200 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
3.7%
industry
41%
services
55.3% (2006 est.)
Labor force
12.5 million (November 2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
13%
industry
23%
services
64% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate
8.9% (October 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
37.9% (end 2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
0.8%
highest 10%
36.5% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
49.1 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
15.8% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
19.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$52.24 billion
expenditures
$52.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.6 billion (2006 est.)
Public debt
28.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products
Industries
petroleum, construction materials, food processing, textiles; iron ore mining, steel, aluminum; motor vehicle assembly
Industrial production growth rate
7% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production
93.03 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
31.7%
hydro
68.3%
nuclear
0%
other
0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
86.52 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production
3.081 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption
560,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
2.1 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports
NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves
75.27 billion bbl (2006 est.)
Natural gas - production
27.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
27.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
4.276 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance
$31.82 billion (2006 est.)
Exports
$69.23 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures
Exports - partners
US 45.8%, Netherlands Antilles 7.5%, China 3.2% (2006)
Imports
$28.81 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials
Imports - partners
US 30.2%, Colombia 10%, Brazil 8.2%, Mexico 6.3%, China 5.7% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$35.95 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$35.63 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$74 million (2000)
Currency (code)
bolivar (VEB)
Currency code
VEB
Exchange rates
bolivares per US dollar - 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004), 1,607 (2003), 1,161 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
3.605 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
12.496 million (2005)
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
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
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 hosts
51,968 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
16 (2000)
Internet users
3.04 million (2005)
Airports
375 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
129
over 3,047 m
5
2,438 to 3,047 m
11
1,524 to 2,437 m
34
914 to 1,523 m
60
under 914 m
19 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
246
1,524 to 2,437 m
9
914 to 1,523 m
90
under 914 m
147 (2006)
Heliports
1 (2006)
Pipelines
extra heavy crude oil 992 km; gas 5,369 km; oil 7,607 km; refined products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2006)
Railways
total
682 km
standard gauge
682 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Roadways
total
96,155 km
paved
32,308 km
unpaved
63,847 km (1999)
Waterways
7,100 km
note: Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels (2005)
Merchant marine
total
56 ships (1000 GRT or over) 824,941 GRT/1,327,924 DWT
by type
bulk carrier 7, cargo 10, chemical tanker 2, container 1, liquefied gas 6, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 18
foreign-owned
13 (Denmark 3, Greece 3, India 1, Mexico 3, Panama 1, Russia 1, Spain 1)
registered in other countries
15 (Bahamas 1, Panama 14) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Amuay, La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon
Military branches
National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN): Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada; includes Marines, Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months; all citizens of military service age (between 18 and 50 years old) are obligated to register for military service (2007)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
6,236,012
females age 18-49
6,137,622 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
4,907,947
females age 18-49
5,151,843 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
252,396
females age 18-49
237,300 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.2% (2005 est.)
Disputes - international
claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region; in 2006, an estimated 139,000 Colombians sought protection in 150 communities along the border in Venezuela; US, France, and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's granting full effect to Aves Island, thereby claiming a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest Venezuela's full effect claim
Trafficking in persons
current situation
Venezuela is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; women and children from Colombia, China, Peru, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic are trafficked to and through Venezuela and subjected to commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor; Venezuelans are trafficked internally and to Western Europe, particularly Spain and the Netherlands, and to countries in the Caribbean region for commercial sexual exploitation; Venezuela is a transit country for illegal migrants from other countries in the region and for Asian nationals, some of whom are believed to be trafficking victims
tier rating
Tier 3 - Venezuela does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so
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
