2005 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.9% (male 3,909,876/female 3,667,958) 15-64 years: 65% (male 8,287,255/female 8,209,599) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 590,236/female 710,357) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Airports

369 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

127 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

242 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 88 under 914 m: 144 (2004 est.) Military Venezuela

Area

land

882,050 sq km

total

912,050 sq km

water

30,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than twice the size of California

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: a polarized political environment, 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. Geography Venezuela

Birth rate

18.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$30.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6 billion (2004 est.)

revenues

$26.91 billion

Capital

Caracas

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Coastline

2,800 km

Constitution

30 December 1999

Country name

conventional long form

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

conventional short form

Venezuela

local long form

Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela

local short form

Venezuela

Currency (code)

bolivar (VEB)

Currency code

VEB

Current account balance

$14.59 billion (2004 est.)

Death rate

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$33.29 billion (2004 est.)

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

FAX

[58] (212) 975-8991

mailing address

P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037

telephone

[58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera

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

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 UNCLOS that the Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over Los Monjes islands and maritime boundary near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region resulting in several thousand residents migrating away from the border; 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

Distribution of family income - Gini index

49.5 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$74 million (2000)

Economy - overview

Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the petroleum sector, accounting for roughly one-third of GDP, around 80% of export earnings, and over half of government operating revenues. 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. Despite continued domestic instability, output recovered strongly in 2004, aided by high oil prices. Both inflation and unemployment remain fundamental problems.

Electricity - consumption

89.3 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports

450 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports

30 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production

89.7 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

31.7%

hydro

68.3%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed but not ratified

: none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people

Exchange rates

bolivares per US dollar - 1,891.3 (2004), 1,607 (2003), 1,161 (2002), 723.7 (2001), 680 (2000)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL Vale (since 28 April 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote - 60% note: a special presidential recall vote on 15 August 2004 resulted in a victory for CHAVEZ; percent of vote - 58% in favor of CHAVEZ fulfilling the remaining two years of his term, 42% in favor of terminating his presidency immediately

elections

president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)

head of government

President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL Vale (since 28 April 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Exports

$35.84 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures

Exports - partners

US 55.6%, Netherlands Antilles 4.7%, Dominican Republic 2.8% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Venezuela

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 Venezuela

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

0.1%

industry

46.5%

services

53.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

16.8% (2004 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$145.2 billion (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 66 00 W

Geography - note

on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall People Venezuela

Government type

federal republic

Highways

paved

32,308 km

total

96,155 km

unpaved

63,847 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.7% - note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

4,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

110,000 (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)

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 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Imports

$14.98 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials

Imports - partners

US 28.8%, Colombia 9.9%, Brazil 7%, Mexico 4.1% (2004)

Independence

5 July 1811 (from Spain)

Industrial production growth rate

12.3% (2004 est.)

Industries

petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly

Infant mortality rate

female

18.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

male

25.31 deaths/1,000 live births

total

22.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

22.4% (2004 est.)

International organization participation

CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Internet country code

.ve

Internet hosts

35,301 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

16 (2000)

Internet users

1,274,400 (2002) Transportation Venezuela

Investment (gross fixed)

12.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Irrigated land

540 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term)

Labor force

12.25 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 13%, industry 23%, services 64% (1997 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

total

4,993 km

Land use

arable land

2.95%

other

96.13% (2001)

permanent crops

0.92%

Languages

Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Legal system

open, adversarial court system

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)

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 July 2005)

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.58 years (2005 est.)

male

71.27 years

total population

74.31 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

93.1% (2003 est.) Government Venezuela

male

93.8%

total population

93.4%

Location

Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 6,236,012 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 4,907,947 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males

252,396 (2005 est.)

Map references

South America

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

Median age

female

26.24 years (2005 est.)

male

24.98 years

total

25.6 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 4, cargo 16, chemical tanker 1, container 1, liquefied gas 5, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 19, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned

9 (Denmark 2, Greece 1, Hong Kong 2, Mexico 1, Russia 2, Spain 1)

registered in other countries

20 (2005)

total

56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 740,919 GRT/1,191,483 DWT

Military branches

National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales, 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 expenditures - dollar figure

$1.687 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.5% (2004) Transnational Issues Venezuela

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Nationality

adjective

Venezuelan

noun

Venezuelan(s)

Natural gas - consumption

29.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

29.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

4.19 trillion cu m (2004)

Natural hazards

subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

500,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

2.1 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

2.6 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

78 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Pipelines

extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,360 km; refined products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2004)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Action or AD [Jesus MENDEZ Quijada]; 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 [Andres VELASQUEZ]; Social Christian Party or COPEI [Eduardo FERNANDEZ]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]

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)

Population

25,375,281 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

47% (1998 est.)

Population growth rate

1.4% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Amuay, La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon

Public debt

43.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios

10.75 million (1997)

Railways

standard gauge

682 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

total

682 km

Religions

nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$25.75 billion (2004 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.07 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 (2005 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

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

general assessment

modern and expanding

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

Telephones - main lines in use

2,841,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

6,463,600 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

4.1 million (1997)

Terrain

Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Total fertility rate

2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

17.1% (2004 est.)

Waterways

7,100 km note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels, Orinoco for 400 km (2004)