Venezuela

Internet country code

.ve

Internet hosts

155,139 (2009) country comparison to the world: 68

Internet users

7.167 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 35

Radio broadcast stations

AM 201, FM unknown, but at least 25 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; combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership 125 per 100 persons international: country code - 58; submarine cable systems provide connectivity to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and US; 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 (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

6.304 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 28

Telephones - mobile cellular

27.084 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 32

Television broadcast stations

66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $94.14 billion expenditures: $97.69 billion (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate

33.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 2 28.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

22.37% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 29 17.11% (31 December 2007)

Current account balance

$39.21 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $20 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$47.03 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $43.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

48.2 (2003) country comparison to the world: 29 49.5 (1998)

Economy - overview

Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for roughly 90% of export earnings, about 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 by about 10% in 2006, 8% in 2007, and nearly 5% in 2008. 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% in 2007 and more than 30% in 2008. Imports also have jumped significantly. Declining oil prices in the latter part of 2008 are expected to undermine the govenment's ability to continue the high rate of spending. President Hugo CHAVEZ in 2008 continued efforts to increase the government's contol of the economy by nationalizing firms in the cement and steel sectors. In 2007, he nationalized firms in the petroleum, communications, and electricity sectors. In July 2008, CHAVEZ implemented by decree a number of laws that further consolidate and centralize authority over the economy through his plan for "21st Century Socialism."

Electricity - consumption

83.02 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Electricity - exports

540 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

1.651 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

113.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Exchange rates

bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - 2.147 (2008 est.), 2,147 (2007), 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004) note: on 1 January 2008 Venezuela revalued its currency with 1000 old bolivares equal to 1 new bolivar

Exports

$93.54 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $69.17 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 40.7%, Netherlands Antilles 7.8%, China 4.7% (2008)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$319.4 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$356.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $340 billion (2007 est.) $314.2 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 3.8% industry: 37.6% services: 58.6% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$13,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 $13,100 (2007 est.) $12,300 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

4.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 8.2% (2007 est.) 9.9% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 32.7% (2006)

Imports

$48.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 $45.46 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 26.3%, Colombia 12.7%, Brazil 10.3%, China 7%, Mexico 4.8% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

2.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

30.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 219 18.7% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Labor force

12.59 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Labor force - by occupation

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

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2008) $NA (31 December 2007) $8.251 billion (31 December 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

25.51 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 93

Natural gas - imports

1.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Natural gas - production

24.01 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Natural gas - proved reserves

4.84 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Oil - consumption

760,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Oil - exports

2.182 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Oil - production

2.643 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Oil - proved reserves

99.38 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Population below poverty line

37.9% (end 2005 est.)

Public debt

13.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 43.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$42.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $33.48 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$16.62 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $13.81 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$41.38 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $43.96 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$62.42 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 44 $50.24 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$79.91 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 16 $63.18 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$10.93 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 49 $8.889 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

7.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 8.5% (2007 est.)

Area

total: 912,050 sq km country comparison to the world: 33 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 8.37 cu km/yr (6%/7%/47%) per capita: 313 cu m/yr (2000)

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

5,750 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 2.85% permanent crops: 0.88% other: 96.27% (2005)

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

Total renewable water resources

1,233.2 cu km (2000)

Administrative divisions

23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district* (distrito capital), 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

name: Caracas geographic coordinates: 10 30 N, 66 56 W time difference: UTC-4.5 (half an hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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 Patrick DUDDY 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) 975-6411, 907-8400 (after hours) FAX: [58] (212) 907-8199

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera 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, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Executive Vice President Ramon Alonzo CARRIZALEZ Rengifo (since 4 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Executive Vice President Ramon Alonzo CARRIZALEZ Rengifo (since 4 January 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2012) note: in 1999, a National Constituent Assembly drafted a new constitution that increased the presidential term to six years; an election was subsequently held on 30 July 2000 under the terms of this constitution election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote - Hugo CHAVEZ Frias 62.9%, Manuel ROSALES 36.9%

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 eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Government type

federal republic

Independence

5 July 1811 (from Spain)

International organization participation

Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, 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

open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

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) elections: last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - pro-government 167 (MVR 114, PODEMOS 15, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other 25), opposition 0; total seats by party as of 1 January 2008 - pro-government 152 (PSUV 114, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other 25), PODEMOS 15

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Political parties and leaders

A New Time or UNT [Manuel ROSALES]; Christian Democrats or COPEI [Cesar PEREZ Vivas]; Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV [Jeronimo CARRERA]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fatherland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]; We Can or PODEMOS [Ismael GARCIA]

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 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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 6,647,124 females age 16-49: 6,801,133 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 5,391,582 females age 16-49: 5,873,563 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 276,051 female: 274,162 (2009 est.)

Military branches

National Bolivarian Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, FANB): National Bolivarian Army (Ejercito Nacional Bolivariano, ENB), Bolivarian National Navy (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana (FANB); includes Naval Infantry, Coast Guard, Naval Aviation), Bolivarian National Military Aviation (Aviacion Militar Nacional Bolivariana, AMNB), Bolivarian National Guard (Guardia Nacional Bolivaria, GNB) (2009)

Military expenditures

1.2% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 30-month conscript service obligation; all citizens 18-50 years old are obligated to register for military service (2008)

Age structure

0-14 years: 30.5% (male 4,157,194/female 4,022,595) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 8,480,872/female 8,754,620) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 620,657/female 778,905) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

20.61 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Death rate

5.12 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Education expenditures

3.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 124

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.7%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

HIV/AIDS - deaths

4,100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

110,000 (1999 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Infant mortality rate

total: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 100 male: 25.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.61 years country comparison to the world: 103 male: 70.54 years female: 76.83 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 93.3% female: 92.7% (2001 census)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2009)

Median age

total: 25.5 years male: 24.8 years female: 26.2 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan

Net migration rate

-0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Population

26,814,843 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Population growth rate

1.508% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2003)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.48 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Urbanization

urban population: 93% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Disputes - international

claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region; in 2006, an estimated 139,000 Colombians sought protection in 150 communities along the border in Venezuela; US, France, and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's granting full effect to Aves Island, thereby claiming a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest Venezuela's full effect claim

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

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Venezuela is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; Venezuelan women and girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation, lured from the nation's interior to urban and tourist areas; child prostitution in urban areas and child sex tourism in resort destinations appear to be growing; Venezuelan women and girls are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation to Western Europe, Mexico, and Caribbean destinations tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Venezuela is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List, up from Tier 3, as it showed greater resolve to address trafficking through law enforcement measures and prevention efforts in 2007, although stringent punishment of offenders and victim assistance remain lacking (2008)

Airports

406 (2009) country comparison to the world: 20

Airports - with paved runways

total: 131 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 63 under 914 m: 19 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 275 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 103 under 914 m: 155 (2009)

Heliports

4 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 62 country comparison to the world: 65 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 16, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 5, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: 12 (Chile 1, Denmark 1, Greece 3, Mexico 5, Panama 1, Spain 1) registered in other countries: 12 (Bahamas 1, Panama 10, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Pipelines

extra heavy crude 980 km; gas 5,036 km; oil 6,695 km; refined products 1,484 km; unknown 141 km (2008)

Ports and terminals

La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon

Railways

total: 806 km country comparison to the world: 101 standard gauge: 806 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total: 96,155 km country comparison to the world: 47 paved: 32,308 km unpaved: 63,847 km (2002)

Transportation - note

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Caribbean Sea as a significant risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Waterways

7,100 km country comparison to the world: 21 note: Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels (2008)