Venezuela

Radio broadcast stations

AM 181, FM 0, shortwave 26

Radios

9.04 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system

modern and expanding domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations international: 3 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

1.44 million (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

59

Televisions

3.3 million (1992 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $11.99 billion expenditures : $11.48 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3 billion (1996 est.)

Currency

1 bolivar (Bs) = 100 centimos

Debt - external

$26.5 billion (1996)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $46 million (1993)

Economy - overview

The petroleum sector dominates the economy, accounting for roughly 25% of GDP, 70% of export earnings, and 50% of central government revenues. It is likely to become even more important as the state petroleum company plans to double its production over the next ten years. The non-petroleum sectors have been contracting, however, with GDP shrinking by 1.6% during 1996. Realizing the failure of interventionist policies, the CALDERA administration embarked on a comprehensive reform program and successfully negotiated a $1.4 billion stand-by agreement with the IMF. The state eliminated price and exchange controls, reduced the long-standing subsidy on gasoline, and revitalized its stalled privatization program. Foreign investors reacted positively and the Caracas stock exchange ended 1996 as the world's best performing stock market. The influx of foreign investment and a windfall of oil revenues resulting from higher-than-expected international oil prices raised Venezuela's reserves to over $15 billion. As a result, Venezuela used only the first tranche of the IMF credit - $400 million. The currency depreciated sharply following the exchange liberalization, and caused an inflationary burst that led to a 103% yearly rate of inflation, the highest in Venezuelan history. The bolivar has since strengthened and inflation fell near the end of the year. The macroeconomic adjustments should take hold in 1997, and the economy is expected to grow by 4% or more. Increased salary demands by public and private sector workers, however, threaten a renewal of inflationary pressures.

Electricity - capacity

18.966 million kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

2,887 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

74.886 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

bolivares (Bs) per US$1 - 476.840 (January 1997), 417.333 (1996), 176.843 (1995), 148.503 (1994), 90.826 (1993), 68.376 (1992)

Exports

total value : $22.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: petroleum 72%, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures partners: US and Puerto Rico 55%, Japan, Netherlands, Italy

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $197 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $9,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-1.6% (1996)

Imports

total value : $10.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) 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 price index

103% (1996)

Labor force

total: 8.8 million by occupation : services 64%, industry 23%, agriculture 13% (1993)

Unemployment rate

13% (1996 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

Environment - international agreements

party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Tropical Timber 94

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 66 00 W

Geography - note

on major sea and air routes linking North and South America

Irrigated land

1,900 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

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

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 hazards

subject to floods, rockslides, mud slides; 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

22 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, Yaracuy, Zulia note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Constitution

23 January 1961

Country name

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

Data code

VE

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission : Ambassador John Francis MAISTO 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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Luis ECHEVERRIA chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone : [1] (202) 342-2214

Executive branch

chief of state: President Rafael CALDERA Rodriguez (since 2 February 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Rafael CALDERA Rodriguez (since 2 February 1994); 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 five-year term; election last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1998) election results : Rafael CALDERA Rodriguez elected president; percent of vote - Rafael CALDERA Rodriguez (National Convergence) 30.45%, Claudio FERMIN (AD) 23.59%, Oswaldo ALVAREZ PAZ (COPEI) 22.72%, Andres VELASQUEZ (Causa R) 21.94%, other 1.3%

FAX

[1] (202) 342-6820 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

FAX

[58] (2) 977-0843

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

republic

Independence

5 July 1811 (from Spain)

International organization participation

AG, BCIE, 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, 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 or Congreso de la Republica consists of the Senate or Senado (53 seats, two from each state and the Federal District, and retired presidents; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (203 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1998); Chamber of Deputies - last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1998) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AD 18, COPEI 15, Causa R 9, MAS 5, National Convergence 6; note - three former presidents (2 from AD, 1 from COPEI) hold lifetime Senate seats; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - AD 27.9%, COPEI 26.9%, MAS 12.4%, National Convergence 12.9%, Causa R 19.9%; seats by party - AD 55, COPEI 53, MAS 24, National Convergence 26, Causa R 40, other 5

National capital

Caracas

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

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), Lucas MATHEUS, secretary general

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 expenditures - dollar figure

$902 million (1996)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.4% (1996)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49 : 5,997,099 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 4,333,497 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 238,650 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years : 34% (male 3,964,886; female 3,720,984) 15-64 years: 61% (male 6,877,890; female 6,838,799) 65 years and over: 5% (male 456,182; female 537,666) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

23.67 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

5.03 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

28.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population : 72.37 years male: 69.4 years female : 75.58 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan

Net migration rate

-0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

22,396,407 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

1.83% (1997 est.)

Religions

nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.78 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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 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 VIETNAM

Airports

360 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total : 261 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 58 under 914 m: 153 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 99 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 92 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 82,700 km paved: 32,501 km unpaved: 50,199 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 28 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 525,123 GRT/933,016 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 7, combination bulk 1, container 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 9, passenger-cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 1 (1996 est.)

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

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