Venezuela Population: 27,635,743
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| 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. Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, seeks to implement his "21st Century Socialism," which purports to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking capitalist globalization and existing democratic institutions. Current concerns include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized military, drug-related violence along the Colombian border, 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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| Geography | |
| On major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall | |
| 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 |
| Area: | total: 912,050 sq km land: 882,050 sq km water: 30,000 sq km Size comparison: 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 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: | 5,800 sq km (2008) |
| Natural hazards: | subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts |
| Current Environment 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 |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People | |
| Population: | 27,635,743 (July 2011 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 29.5% (male 4,149,781/female 4,002,931) 15-64 years: 65.1% (male 8,846,945/female 9,130,561) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 665,436/female 840,089) (2011 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 26.1 years male: 25.4 years female: 26.8 years (2011 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.493% (2011 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 20.1 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Death rate: | 5.17 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 20.62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 73.93 years male: 70.84 years female: 77.17 years (2011 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.42 children born/woman (2011 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA; NA note - no country specific models provided |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| 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) |
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| 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: | name: Caracas geographic coordinates: 10 30 N, 66 56 W time difference: UTC-4.5 (half an 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 (Federal Dependencies)**, Distrito Capital (Capital District)*, 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: | civil law system based on the Spanish civil code |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 2 February 1999); Executive Vice President Elias JAUA Milano (since 26 January 2010); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 2 February 1999); Executive Vice President Elias JAUA Milano (since 26 January 2010) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for unlimited reelection); election last held on 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; in 2009, a national referendum approved the elimination of term limits on all elected officials, including the presidency election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote - Hugo CHAVEZ Frias 62.9%, Manuel ROSALES 36.9%, other 0.2% |
| 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 on 26 September 2010 (next to be held in 2015) election results: percent of vote by party - pro-government 48.9%, opposition coalition 47.9%, other 3.2%; seats by party - pro-government 98, opposition 65, other 2 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia (32 magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term) |
| Political parties and leaders: | A New Time or UNT [Omar BARBOZA]; Brave People's Alliance or ABP [Oscar PEREZ, currently in exile]; Christian Democrats or COPEI [Roberto ENRIQUEZ]; Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV [Oscar FIGUERA]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fatherland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; For Social Democracy or PODEMOS [Ismael GARCIA]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Nicolas SOSA]; The Radical Cause [Daniel SANTOLO]; United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV [Hugo CHAVEZ]; 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); various civil society groups and human rights organizations |
| International organization participation: | Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, PetroCaribe, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Angelo RIVERO Santos 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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires John CAULFIELD 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) 975-6411, 907-8400 (after hours) FAX: [58] (212) 907-8199 |
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| Economy | |
| Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for roughly 95% of export earnings, about 55% of the federal budget revenues, and around 30% of GDP. 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 recovered strongly through 2008. Fueled by high oil prices, record government spending helped to boost GDP by about 10% in 2006, 8% in 2007, and nearly 5% in 2008, before a sharp drop in oil prices caused a contraction in 2009-10. This spending, combined with recent minimum wage hikes and improved access to domestic credit, created a consumption boom which came at the cost of higher inflation - roughly 32% in 2008, and slowing only slightly to 30% in 2010, despite the lengthy downturn. Imports also jumped significantly before the recession of 2009. President Hugo CHAVEZ's continued efforts to increase the government's control of the economy by nationalizing firms in the agribusiness, financial, construction, oil, and steel sectors have hurt the private investment environment, reduced productive capacity, and slowed non-petroleum exports. In the first half of 2010 Venezuela faced the prospect of lengthy nationwide blackouts when its main hydroelectric power plant - which provides more than 35% of the country's electricity - nearly shut down. In May, 2010, CHAVEZ closed the unofficial foreign exchange market - the "parallel" market - in an effort to stem inflation and slow the currency's depreciation. In June 2010, the government created the "Transaction System for Foreign Currency Denominated Securities" (SITME) to replace the "parallel" market. In December 2010, CHAVEZ eliminated the dual exchange rate system and unified the exchange rate at 4.3 bolivars per dollar. In January 2011, CHAVEZ announced the second devaluation of the bolivar within twelve months. In December 2010, the National Assembly passed a package of five organic laws designed to complete the transformation of the Venezuelan economy in line with CHAVEZ's vision of 21st century socialism. These laws likely will be implemented in 2011. Venezuela began 2011 wrestling with macroeconomic imbalances resulting from the government's unorthodox economic policies, a housing crisis, and a continuing electricity crisis. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $345.2 billion (2010 est.) $351.9 billion (2009 est.) $363.9 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $290.7 billion (2010 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | -1.9% (2010 est.) -3.3% (2009 est.) 4.8% (2008 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $12,700 (2010 est.) $13,100 (2009 est.) $13,800 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 4% industry: 36% services: 60% (2010 est.) |
| Labor force: | 13.11 million (2010 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 13% industry: 23% services: 64% (1997 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 8.5% (2010 est.) 7.9% (2009 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 37.9% (2005 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 32.7% (2006) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 41 (2009) 49.5 (1998) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 28.2% (2010 est.) 27.1% (2009 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 17.6% of GDP (2010 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $63.02 billion expenditures: $79.62 billion (2010 est.) |
| Public debt: | 26.9% of GDP (2010 est.) 17.6% of GDP (2009 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: | -3.3% (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 123.4 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 84.72 billion kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 633 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 373 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 2.375 million bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 746,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 1.871 million bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - imports: | 0 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 211.2 billion bbl (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 22.9 billion cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 25.08 billion cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 2.18 billion cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 5.065 trillion cu m (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $14.38 billion (2010 est.) $8.561 billion (2009 est.) |
| Exports: | $65.79 billion (2010 est.) $57.6 billion (2009 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, minerals, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures |
| Exports - partners: | US 38.7%, China 7.7%, India 4.8%, Cuba 4.1% (2010) |
| Imports: | $38.61 billion (2010 est.) $38.44 billion (2009 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | agricultural products, raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials |
| Imports - partners: | US 26.6%, Colombia 11.4%, Brazil 9.6%, China 9.1% (2010) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $29.62 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $35 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $70.14 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $54.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $39.81 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $41.21 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $20.06 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $17.67 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA (31 December 2010) $NA (#REF!) |
| Exchange rates: | bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - 4.3039 (2010) 2.147 (2009) 2.147 (2008) 2,147 (2007) 2,147 (2006) |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 6.867 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 28 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 28.124 million (2009) |
| 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; combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership 130 per 100 persons international: country code - 58; submarine cable systems provide connectivity to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and US; 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; constructing submarine cable to provide connectivity to Cuba with an estimated date of completion in late 2011 (2010) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .ve |
| Internet hosts: | 238,665 (2010) |
| Internet users: | 8.918 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 409 (2010) country comparison to the world: 20 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 129 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 63 under 914 m: 17 (2010) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 280 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 91 under 914 m: 172 (2010) |
| Heliports: | 4 (2010) |
| Pipelines: | extra heavy crude 980 km; gas 5,347 km; oil 6,694 km; refined products 1,620 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 806 km standard gauge: 806 km 1.435-m gauge (41 km electrified) (2010) |
| Roadways: | total: 96,155 km paved: 32,308 km unpaved: 63,847 km (2002) |
| Waterways: | 7,100 km (the Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo are navigable by oceangoing vessels) (2010) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 59 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 15, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas 5, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 16 foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 1, Estonia 1, Germany 1, Greece 4, Mexico 1, Norway 1, Spain 1) registered in other countries: 9 (Panama 8, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon oil terminals: Jose terminal |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, FANB): Bolivarian Army (Ejercito Bolivariano, EB), Bolivarian Navy (Armada Bolivariana, AB; includes Naval Infantry, Coast Guard, Naval Aviation), Bolivarian Military Aviation (Aviacion Militar Bolivariana, AMB), Bolivarian National Guard (Guardia Nacional Bolivaria, GNB), Bolivarian Militia (Milicia Bolivariana, MB) (2011) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 30-month conscript service obligation; Navy requires 6th-grade education for enlisted personnel; all citizens of military service age (18-60 years old) are obligated to register for military service (2011) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 7,013,854 females age 16-49: 7,165,661 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 5,614,743 females age 16-49: 6,074,834 (2010 est.) |
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