World Facts Index > Venezuela > Caracas, Merida
 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 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.
Geography of Venezuela
|
Location:
|
Northern South America,
bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Colombia and Guyana |
|
Coordinates:
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8 00 N, 66 00 W |
|
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:
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total: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743
km |
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Coastline:
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2,800 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 15
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
|
Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid; more
moderate in highlands |
|
Terrain:
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Andes Mountains and
Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana
Highlands in southeast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas,
iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds |
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Natural hazards:
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subject to floods,
rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts |
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Environment current issues:
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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 |
|
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
|
More Geography
Population of Venezuela
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Population:
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26,414,816 (July 2008 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) |
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Median age:
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26 years |
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Growth rate:
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1.38% |
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Infant mortality:
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21.54 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 74.54 years
male: 71.49 years
female: 77.81 years |
|
Fertility rate:
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2.23 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan |
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Ethnic groups:
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Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German,
African, indigenous people |
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Religions:
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nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant
2%, other 2% |
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Languages:
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Spanish (official), numerous indigenous
dialects |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 93.4%
male: 93.8%
female: 93.1%
|
Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela
local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela |
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Government type:
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federal republic |
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Capital:
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Caracas |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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5 July 1811 (from Spain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 5 July (1811) |
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Constitution:
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30 December 1999 |
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Legal system:
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based on organic laws as of July 1999;
open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias;
Executive Vice President Ramon Alonzo CARRIZALEZ Rengifo; 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 (eligible for a
second term) |
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Legislative branch:
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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) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna
Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year
term) |
Economy
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. 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 high oil prices, record government spending helped to
boost GDP in 2006 by about 9% and in 2007 by about 8%. This spending, combined
with recent minimum wage hikes and improved access to domestic credit, has
created a consumption boom but has come at the cost of higher
inflation-roughly 20 percent in 2007. Imports also have jumped significantly.
Embolden by his December 2006 reelection, President Hugo CHAVEZ in 2007
nationalized firms in the petroleum, communications, and electricity sectors,
which reduced foreign influence in the economy. Although voters in December
2007 rejected CHAVEZ's proposed constitutional changes, CHAVEZ still has
significant control of the economy and has indicated he intends to continue to
consolidate and centralize authority over the economy by implementing
"21st Century Socialism."
|
GDP:
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$334.3 billion (2007 est.) |
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GDP growth rate:
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8.4% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$12,800 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 4%
industry: 41.9%
services: 54.1% |
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Inflation rate:
|
18.7% |
|
Labor force:
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12.31 million |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
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services 64%, industry 23%, agriculture 13% |
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Unemployment:
|
12.2% |
|
Budget:
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revenues: $39.63 billion
expenditures: $41.27 billion |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 31.7%
hydro: 68.3% |
|
Industries:
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petroleum, iron ore mining, construction
materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly |
|
Agriculture:
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corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas,
vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish |
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Exports:
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petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel,
chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures |
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Export partners:
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US 55.2%, Netherlands Antilles 4.4%, Canada 2.8% |
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Imports:
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raw materials, machinery and equipment,
transport equipment, construction materials |
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Import partners:
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US 28.9%, Colombia 8.4%, Brazil 6% |
|
Currency:
|
bolivar (VEB) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |