Venezuela

§1. Venezuela Introduction

Background:
  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. 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.

§2. Venezuela Geography

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 km²
  land: 882,050 km²
  water: 30,000 km²

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:
  540 km² (1998 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, 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

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

§3. Venezuela People

Population:
  25,730,435 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.1% (male 3,860,116/female 3,620,440)
  15-64 years: 65.7% (male 8,494,944/female 8,410,874)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 609,101/female 734,960) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26 years
  male: 25.4 years
  female: 26.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.38% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  4.92 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.54 years
  male: 71.49 years
  female: 77.81 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.23 children born/woman (2006 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: 93.4%
  male: 93.8%
  female: 93.1% (2003 est.)

§4. Venezuela Government

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:
  Caracas

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 Jose Vicente RANGEL Vale (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 Vale (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
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election
    last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held 3 December 2006)
  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 new
    constitution
  election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote -
    Hugo CHAVEZ Frias 59.5%, Francisco ARIAS 37.5%, Claudio FERMIN 3%
  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

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:
  Christian Democrats or COPEI [Eduardo FERNANDEZ]; 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]; 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)

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, IPU, 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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera
  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, 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 seven white
  five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

§5. Venezuela Economy

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. Government revenue also has
  been bolstered by increased tax collection, which has surpassed its 2005
  collection goal by almost 50%. Tax revenue is the primary source of non-oil
  revenue, which accounts for 53% of the 2006 budget. 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. Output recovered strongly in
  2004-2005, aided by high oil prices and strong consumption growth.
  Venezuela continues to be an important source of crude oil for the US
  market. Both inflation and unemployment remain fundamental problems.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $164.1 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $116.2 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  9.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $6,500 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 4.6%
  industry: 48.2%
  services: 47.2% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  12.31 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 13%, industry 23%, services 64% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12.3% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  47% (1998 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):
  15.7% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  23.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $39.63 billion
  expenditures: $41.27 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.6
    billion (2005 est.)

Public debt:
  32% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork,
  milk, eggs; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.4% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  87.44 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  81.32 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  3.081 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  530,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  2.1 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
  75.59 billion bbl (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  29.7 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  29.7 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 m³ (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  4.191 trillion m³ (2005)

Current account balance:
  $20.3 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $52.73 billion f.o.b. (2005 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)

Imports:
  $24.63 billion f.o.b. (2005 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)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $30.74 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $39.79 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $74 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  bolivar (VEB)

Exchange rates:
  bolivares per US dollar - 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004), 1,607 (2003),
  1,161 (2002), 723.7 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Venezuela Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3,346,500 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  8.421 million (2004)

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)

Television broadcast stations:
  66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ve

Internet hosts:
  57,875 (2005)

Internet users:
  3.04 million (2005)

§7. Venezuela Transportation

Airports:
  370 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 128
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 33
  914 to 1,523 m: 60
  under 914 m: 19 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 242
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 89
  under 914 m: 144 (2005)

Heliports:
  1 (2005)

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)

Railways:
  total: 682 km
  standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 96,155 km
  paved: 32,308 km
  unpaved: 63,847 km (1999)

Waterways:
  7,100 km
  note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels,
    Orinoco for 400 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
  total: 57 ships (1000 GRT or over) 800,040 GRT/1,285,206 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
    liquefied gas 5, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 19, roll on/roll off
    1
  foreign-owned: 11 (Denmark 2, Greece 2, Hong Kong 1, India 1, Mexico 1,
    Russia 1, Singapore 1, Spain 1, US 1)
  registered in other countries: 14 (Panama 14) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Amuay, La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon

§8. Venezuela Military

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; 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 (2004)

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.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.61 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.2% (2005 est.)

§9. Venezuela Transnational Issues

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 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

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


<Factbook 2006>
