Map of Venezuela | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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 rampant violent crime 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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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 reference

Area
Rank: 33
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries

Coastline: 2,800 km

Maritime claims

Climate: tropical; hot humid; more moderate in highlands

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

Elevation

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas iron ore gold bauxite other minerals hydropower diamonds

Land use

Irrigated land: 5,800 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 1233.2 km³ (2000)

Natural hazards: subject to floods rockslides mudslides; periodic droughts

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


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Population: 28,047,938 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 45
Growth rate: 1.468% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 84
Below poverty line: 31.6% (2011 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups: Spanish Italian Portuguese Arab German African indigenous people

Languages: Spanish (official) numerous indigenous dialects

Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 96% Protestant 2% other 2%

Demographic profile:

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.468% (2012 est.)
Rank: 84

Birth rate: 19.88 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 89

Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 179

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 110

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 95

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 111

Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 93

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 1.94 physicians/1000 population (2001)

Hospital bed density: 1.3 beds/1000 population (2007)

Sanitation facility access:
Unimproved:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA; note - no country specific models provided
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.7% (2007)
Rank: 96

Education expenditures: 3.7% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 112

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: federal republic

Capital

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 5 July 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day 5 July (1811)

Constitution: 30 December 1999; amended 15 February 2009

Legal system: civil law system based on the Spanish civil code

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; state party to the ICCT

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165 seats; members elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve five-year terms; three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)

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 [Antonio LEDEZMA]; 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 [Rafael UZCATEGUI]; For Social Democracy or PODEMOS [Ismael GARCIA]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Nicolas SOSA]; Popular Will or VP [Leopoldo LOPEZ]; Progressive Wave or AP [Henri FALCON]; The Democratic Unity Table or MUD [Ramon Guillermo AVELEDO]; The Radical Cause [Daniel SANTOLO]; United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Venezuelan Progressive Movement or MPV [Simon CALZADILLA]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS ROMER]

International organization participation: Caricom (observer) CD CDB CELAC FAO G-15 G-24 G-77 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (NGOs) ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) LAES LAIA LAS (observer) Mercosur MIGA NAM OAS OPANAL OPCW OPEC PCA Petrocaribe UN UNASUR UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO Union Latina UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation

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; the flag retains the three equal horizontal bands and three main colors of the banner of Gran Colombia the South American republic that broke up in 1830; yellow is interpreted as standing for the riches of the land blue for the courage of its people and red for the blood shed in attaining independence; the seven stars on the original flag represented the seven provinces in Venezuela that united in the war of independence; in 2006 President Hugo CHAVEZ ordered an eighth star added to the star arc - a decision that sparked much controversy - to conform with the flag proclaimed by Simon Bolivar in 1827 and to represent the province of Guayana

National symbols: troupial (bird)

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues which account for roughly 95% of export earnings about 45% of federal budget revenues and around 12% of GDP. Fueled by high oil prices record government spending helped to boost GDP growth by 4.2% in 2011 after a sharp drop in oil prices caused an economic contraction in 2009-10. Government spending minimum wage hikes and improved access to domestic credit created an increase in consumption which combined with supply problems to cause higher inflation - roughly 26% in 2011 and 21% in 2012. President Hugo CHAVEZ's 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' 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. In 2012 Venezuela continued to wrestle with a housing crisis high inflation an electricity crisis and rolling food and goods shortages - all of which were fallout from the government's unorthodox economic policies. The budget deficit for the entire government reached 17% of GDP in 2012 and public debt as a percent of GDP climbed steeply to 49% despite record oil prices.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 34

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 47

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 96

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

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

Industries

Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (2011 est.)
Rank: 92

Labor force: 13.7 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 41

Unemployment rate: 8.2% (2011 est.)
Rank: 97

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 31.6% (2011 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index: 49.5 (1998)
Rank: 68

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -17.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 212

Taxes and other revenues: 34.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 73

Public debt: 29% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 64

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 26.1% (2011 est.)
Rank: 217

Central bank discount rate: 29.5% (31 December 2009)
Rank: 4

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 17.15% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 29

Stock of narrow money: $110.8 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 21

Stock of broad money: $115.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 44

Stock of domestic credit: $92.82 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 43

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 87

Current account balance: $27.21 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 19

Exports: $92.6 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 42
Commodities: petroleum bauxite and aluminum minerals chemicals agricultural products basic manufactures
Partners: US 40.2% China 10.5% India 5.5% Cuba 4% (2011)

Imports: $46.44 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 53
Commodities: agricultural products livestock raw materials machinery and equipment transport equipment construction materials medical equipment pharmaceuticals chemicals iron and steel products
Partners: US 28.6% China 15.1% Brazil 10.6% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $29.89 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 54

Debt external: $89.6 billion (30 September 2011 est.)
Rank: 54

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $45.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 57

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $19.81 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 43

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 123.1 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 29
Consumption: 85.85 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 35
Exports: 633 million kWh (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 61
Imports: 260 million kWh (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 84
Installed generating capacity: 24.85 million kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 31
Generation sources fossil fuels: 41.1% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 168
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 198
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 58.9% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 34
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 200

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 2.453 million bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 14
Crude oil exports: 1.691 million bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 10
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 137
Crude oil proven reserves: 209.4 billion bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 3

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 1.176 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 20
Products consumption: 755,400 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 27
Products exports: 627,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 12
Products imports: 116,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 45

Natural gas
Production: 31.2 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 27
Consumption: 33.1 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 29
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 74
Imports: 1.446 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 55
Proven reserves: 5.524 trillion m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 9

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 158.4 million Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 33

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 7.332 million (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 24
Mobile cellular: 28.782 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 35

Telephone system

Broadcast media: government supervises a mixture of state-run and private broadcast media; 1 state-run TV network 4 privately-owned TV networks a privately-owned news channel with limited national coverage and a government-backed pan-American channel; state-run radio network includes 65 news stations and roughly another 30 stations targeted at specific audiences; state-sponsored community broadcasters include 244 radio stations and 36 TV stations; the number of private broadcast radio stations has been declining but many still remain in operation (2010)

Internet
Country code: .ve
Hosts: 1.016 million (2012)
Hosts rank: 46
Users: 8.918 million (2009)
Users rank: 32

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 119

Military and security forces

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)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 492 (2012)
Rank: 15

Heliports: 3 (2012)

Pipelines: extra heavy crude 980 km; gas 5,347 km; oil 6,694 km; refined products 1620 km (2010)

Railways
Rank: 98

Roadways
Rank: 44

Waterways: 7,100 km (the Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo are navigable by oceangoing vessels) (2011)
Rank: 21

Merchant marine
Rank: 69

Ports and terminals: La Guaira Maracaibo Puerto Cabello Punta Cardon


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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 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 Economic Exclusion Zone/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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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