Venezuela

Branches

no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; includes the paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force or VMF)

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: NA males fit for military service: NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones

3,000 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

0 (1987 est.)

Televisions

2,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Agriculture

corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Budget

revenues: $7.25 billion expenditures: $9.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1995 est.)

Currency

1 bolivar (Bs) = 100 centimos

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $46 million (1993)

Economic overview

The petroleum sector continues to dominate the economy, accounting for roughly 25% of GDP, 70% of total merchandise exports, and 45% of government revenue. According to preliminary Venezuelan government figures, real GDP grew 2.2% in 1995, largely on the strength of 6% growth in the petroleum sector. Nonoil private sector GDP registered only a 0.8% gain in 1995, however, reflecting difficult domestic operating conditions, including a virtual cutoff of foreign exchange disbursements in the fourth quarter; the government has used foreign exchange controls to conserve reserves since mid-1994. The CALDERA administration is currently negotiating with the IMF for a $3 billion stand-by agreement; it is unclear whether Caracas is willing to take the tough steps - including a substantial increase in gasoline prices - needed to seal a deal. Most private forecasters predict a difficult 1996, including flat or declining GDP, continued inflationary pressure, a tight foreign exchange situation, and potentially severe budget difficulties for the government.

Electricity

capacity: 18,740,000 kW production: 72 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,311 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

bolivares (Bs) per US$1 - 288.690 (January 1996), 176.843 (1995), 148.503 (1994), 90.826 (1993), 68.376 (1992), 56.816 (1991)

Exports

$18.3 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: petroleum 72%, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures partners: US and Puerto Rico 55%, Japan, Netherlands, Italy

External debt

$40.1 billion (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $195.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 5% industry: 41% services: 54% (1993)

GDP per capita

$9,300 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2.2% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis, opium, and coca leaf for the international drug trade on a small scale; however, large quantities of cocaine and heroin transit the country from Colombia; important money-laundering hub; active aerial eradication program primarily targeting opium

Imports

$11.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials partners: US 40%, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Canada

Industrial production growth rate

0.5% (1995 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

57% (1995 est.)

Labor force

7.6 million by occupation: services 63%, industry 25%, agriculture 12% (1993)

Unemployment rate

11.7% (1995 est.)

Area

total area: 912,050 sq km land area: 882,050 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of California

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Coastline

2,800 km

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 natural hazards: subject to floods, rockslides, mud slides; periodic droughts international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Tropical Timber 94

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 66 00 W

Geographic note

on major sea and air routes linking North and South America

International disputes

claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo River; maritime boundary dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela

Irrigated land

2,640 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 4,993 km border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Land use

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 39% other: 37%

Location

Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Map references

South America

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

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Terrain

Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Administrative divisions

21 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 territory* (territorio), 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, Yaracuy, Zulia note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Capital

Caracas

Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)

elections last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1998); results - AD 27.9%, COPEI 26.9%, MAS 12.4%, National Convergence 12.9%, Causa R 19.9%; seats - (203 total) AD 55, COPEI 53, MAS 24, National Convergence 26, Causa R 40, other 5

Constitution

23 January 1961

Data code

VE

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Luis ECHEVERRIA chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Rafael CALDERA Rodriguez (since 2 February 1994) was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1998); results - Rafael CALDERA (National Convergence) 30.45%, Claudio FERMIN (AD) 23.59%, Oswaldo ALVAREZ PAZ (COPEI) 22.72%, Andres VELASQUEZ (Causa R) 21.94%, other 1.3% cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president

FAX

[58] (2) 977-0843

Flag

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

Independence

5 July 1811 (from Spain)

International organization participation

AG, BCIE, Caricom (observer), 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, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), magistrates are elected by both chambers in joint session

Legal system

based on Napoleonic code; judicial review of legislative acts in Cassation Court only; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la Republica)

Name of country

conventional long form: Republic of Venezuela conventional short form: Venezuela local long form: Republica de Venezuela local short form: Venezuela

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Other political or pressure groups

FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers (CTV, labor organization dominated by the Democratic Action); VECINOS groups

Political parties and leaders

National Convergence (Convergencia), Jose Miguel UZCATEGUI, president, Juan Jose CALDERA, national coordinator; Social Christian Party (COPEI), Luis HERRERA Campins, president, and Donald RAMIREZ, secretary general; Democratic Action (AD), Pedro PARIS Montesinos, president, and Luis ALFARO Ucero, secretary general; Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Gustavo MARQUEZ, president, and Enrique OCHOA Antich, secretary general; Radical Cause (La Causa R), Pablo MEDINA, secretary general

Senate (Senado)

elections last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (53 total) AD 18, COPEI 15, Causa R 9, MAS 5, National Convergence 6; note - 3 former presidents (2 from AD, 1 from COPEI) hold lifetime Senate seats

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey DAVIDOW embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Colinas de Valle Arriba, Caracas 1060 mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037 telephone: [58] (2) 977-2011

Age structure

0-14 years: 35% (male 3,946,196; female 3,704,561) 15-64 years: 61% (male 6,702,404; female 6,666,626) 65 years and over: 4% (male 442,659; female 520,742) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

24.39 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.09 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

mestizo 67%, white 21%, black 10%, Amerindian 2%

Infant mortality rate

29.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), native dialects spoken by about 200,000 Amerindians in the remote interior

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.09 years male: 69.11 years female: 75.29 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 91.1% male: 91.8% female: 90.3%

Nationality

noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan

Net migration rate

-0.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

21,983,188 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.89% (1996 est.)

Religions

nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female all ages: 1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.87 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 377 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 59 with paved runways under 914 m: 165 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 96 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 93,472 km paved: 29,954 km unpaved: 63,518 km (1993 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 612,645 GRT/1,090,707 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 9, combination bulk 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 12, passenger-cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 1 (1995 est.)

Pipelines

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

Ports

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

Railways

total: 584 km (336 km single track; 248 km privately owned) standard gauge: 584 km 1.435-m gauge

Waterways

7,100 km; Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels