Venezuela

Internet country code

.ve

Internet hosts

35,301 (2003)

Internet users

1,274,400 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (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: country code - 58; 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

Telephones - main lines in use

2,841,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

6,463,600 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $19.33 billion expenditures: $24.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6 billion (2003)

Currency

bolivar (VEB)

Currency code

VEB

Current account balance

$9.659 billion (2003)

Debt - external

$32.51 billion (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

49.5 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$74 million (2000)

Economy - overview

Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the petroleum sector, which accounts for roughly one-third of GDP, around 80% of export earnings, and more than half of government operating revenues. Despite higher oil prices at the end of 2002 and into 2003, domestic political instability, culminating in a disastrous two-month national oil strike from December 2002 to February 2003, temporarily halted economic activity. The economy remained in depression in 2003, declining by 9.2% after an 8.9% fall in 2002. In late 2003, President CHAVEZ committed himself to $1 billion in new social programs, money the government does not have.

Electricity - consumption

81.47 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

87.6 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

bolivares per US dollar - 1,607.79 (2003), 1,160.95 (2002), 723.666 (2001), 679.96 (2000), 605.717 (1999)

Exports

$25.86 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures

Exports - partners

US 52.9%, Netherlands Antilles 5%, Dominican Republic 3% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $117.9 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5% industry: 50% services: 45% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-9.2% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)

Imports

$10.71 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials

Imports - partners

US 28.8%, Colombia 7%, Brazil 6.6%, Mexico 4.3% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

-15.4% (2003 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

31.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

12.6% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

11.38 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 13%, industry 23%, services 64% (1997 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

31.71 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

31.71 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

4.202 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption

505,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

3.08 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

63.95 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line

47% (1998 est.)

Public debt

38.8% of GDP (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$20.67 billion (2003)

Unemployment rate

18% (2003 est.)

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

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Coastline

2,800 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 66 00 W

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

Irrigated land

540 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 2.95% permanent crops: 0.92% other: 96.13% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

South America

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

Natural hazards

subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

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

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

Capital

Caracas

Constitution

30 December 1999

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD 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) 975-9234, 975-6411 FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ 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)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April 2002); 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 Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April 2002); 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 reelected president; percent of vote - 60% note: a special presidential recall vote on 15 August 2004 resulted in a victory for CHAVEZ; percent of vote - 58% in favor of CHAVEZ fulfilling the remaining two years of his term, 42% in favor of terminating his presidency immediately

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

Government type

federal republic

Independence

5 July 1811 (from Spain)

International organization participation

CAN, CDB, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term)

Legal system

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

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 July 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other 7), opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other 13)

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fifth Republic Movement or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Homeland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; National Convergence or Convergencia [Juan Jose CALDERA]; Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres VELASQUEZ]; Social Christian Party or COPEI [Eduardo FERNANDEZ]; 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)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Venezuela was one of 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: a polarized political environment, a divided military, 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.

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 - including marines and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1,125.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.3% (2003)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 6,886,775 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 4,953,803 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 250,730 (2004 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 30.5% (male 3,930,413; female 3,687,744) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 8,107,382; female 8,034,905) 65 years and over: 5% (male 571,289; female 685,654) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

19.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

62,000 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 22.99 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.06 years male: 71.02 years female: 77.32 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.4% male: 93.8% female: 93.1% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 25.2 years male: 24.6 years female: 25.8 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan

Net migration rate

-0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

25,017,387 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

1.44% (2004 est.)

Religions

nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

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: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that the Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; maritime boundary dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela and the Caribbean Sea; US, France and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's claim to give full effect to Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation and other states' recognition of it

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

Airports

368 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 127 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 242 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 88 under 914 m: 144 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 96,155 km paved: 32,308 km unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 48 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 740,919 GRT/1,191,483 DWT by type: bulk 6, cargo 7, container 2, liquefied gas 5, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 16, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1 foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Denmark 2, Greece 2, Spain 1, United States 2 registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Pipelines

extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,360 km; refined products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2004)

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

Railways

total: 682 km standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Waterways

7,100 km note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels, Orinoco for 400 km (2004)