Venezuela

§1. Venezuela Introduction

Background:
  Venezuela was one of the 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: drug-related conflicts 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, Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 912,050 kmē
  land: 882,050 kmē
  water: 30,000 kmē

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:
  contiguous zone: 15 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
    exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

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: 4%
  permanent crops: 1%
  permanent pastures: 20%
  forests and woodland: 34%
  other: 41% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:
  1,900 kmē (1993 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, Desertification,
    Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
    Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
    Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Geography - note:
  on major sea and air routes linking North and South America

§3. Venezuela People

Population:
  23,916,810 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 32.11% (male 3,962,517; female 3,716,880)
  15-64 years: 63.17% (male 7,581,589; female 7,526,467)
  65 years and over: 4.72% (male 515,687; female 613,670) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.56% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.65 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:
  4.92 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  25.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.31 years male: 70.29 years
  female: 76.56 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.46 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.49% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  62,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  2,000 (1999 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: 91.1%
  male: 91.8%
  female: 90.3% (1995 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 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

Independence:
  5 July 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Constitution:
  30 December 1999

Legal system:
  based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court system; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice
    President Adina BASTIDAS Castillo; 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 Adina BASTIDAS Castillo; 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 NA 2006)
  election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias elected president; percent of vote -
    60%
  note: government coalition - Patriotic Pole or Polo Patriotico consists of
    MVR, MAS, and PPT

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 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: Pro-government: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
    party - MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other parties 7; Opposition: percent
    of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5,
    other parties 13

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:
  Brave Peoples Alliance or ABP [leader NA]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry
  RAMOS Allup]; Fifth Republic Movement or MVR [leader Luis MIQUILENA];
  Homeland for All or PPT [Pablo MEDINA]; Justice First [leader NA]; Movement
  Toward Socialism or MAS [Felipe MUJICA]; National Convergence or
  Convergencia [Dr. Rafael CALDERA Rodriguez]; Radical Cause or La Causa R
  [Andres VELASQUEZ]; Social Christian Party or COPEI [Jose CURIEL];
  Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Ronier]

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, Caricom (observer), CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G- 3, G-11, G-15, G-19,
  G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
  NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNIKOM, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Alfredo TORO Hardy 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, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donna J. HRINAK 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] (2) 975-6411
  FAX: [58] (2) 975-6710

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:
  The petroleum sector dominates the economy, accounting for roughly a third
  of GDP, around 80% of export earnings, and more than half of government
  operating revenues. Venezuelan officials estimate that GDP grew by 3.2% in
  2000. A strong rebound in international oil prices fueled the recovery from
  the steep recession in 1999. Nevertheless, a weak nonoil sector and capital
  flight undercut the recovery. The bolivar is widely believed to be
  overvalued by as much as 50%. The government is still rebuilding after
  massive flooding and landslides in December 1999 caused an estimated $15
  billion to $20 billion in damage.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $146.2 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.2% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,200 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 5% industry: 24%
  services: 71% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  67% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 1.5% highest 10%: 35.6% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  13% (2000)

Labor force:
  9.9 million (1999)

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

Unemployment rate:
  14% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $26.4 billion
  expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000
    est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  81.215 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: 32.16% hydro: 67.84%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption:
  75.53 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (1999)

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

Exports:
  $32.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products,
  basic manufactures

Exports - partners:
  US and Puerto Rico 57%, Colombia, Brazil, Japan, Germany, Netherlands,
  Italy (1999)

Imports:
  $14.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction
  materials

Imports - partners:
  US 53%, Japan, Colombia, Italy, Germany, France, Brazil, Canada (1999)

Debt - external:
  $34 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $35 million with more assistance likely as a result of flooding (1999)

Currency:
  bolivar (VEB)

Currency code:
  VEB

Exchange rates:
  bolivares per US dollar - 699.700 (January 2001), 679.960 (2000), 605.717
  (1999), 547.556 (1998), 488.635 (1997), 417.333 (1996)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Venezuela Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,600,000.00; however, 3,500,000 were installed (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2 million (1998)

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: 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)

Radios:
  10.75 million (1997)

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

Televisions:
  4.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ve

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  400,000 (2000)

§7. Venezuela Transportation

Railways:
  total: 584 km (248 km privately owned)
  standard gauge: 584 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways:
  total: 96,155 km
  paved: 32,308 km
  unpaved: 63,847 km (1997 est.)

Waterways:
  7,100 km
  note: Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels

Pipelines:
  crude oil 6,370 km; petroleum products 480 km; natural gas 4,010 km

Ports and harbors:
  Amuay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina, Maracaibo, Matanzas,
  Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Ordaz, Puerto Sucre, Punta
  Cardon

Merchant marine:
  total: 36 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 490,160 GRT/897,694 DWT
  ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 10, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1,
    petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 1 (2000 est.)

Airports:
  371 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 124 over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
  914 to 1,523 m: 59
  under 914 m: 17 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 247 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 97
  under 914 m: 140 (2000 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2000 est.)

§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), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of
  Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia
  Nacional)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 6,524,809 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 4,701,062 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 246,185 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $934 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (FY99)

§9. Venezuela Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo (river); maritime boundary
  dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of opium for the international drug trade on a small
  scale; however, large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit
  the country from Colombia bound for US and Europe; important
  money-laundering center; active eradication program primarily targeting
  opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents
  on border
