Venezuela
Bolivarian Republic of VenezuelaRepública Bolivariana de Venezuela
federal presidential republicIndependence 5 July 1811 (from Spain)
Venezuela as the 2025 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 141 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830, the others being Ecuador and New Granada (Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th century, military strongmen ruled Venezuela and promoted the oil industry while allowing some social reforms. Democratically elected governments largely held sway until 1999, but Hugo CHAVEZ, who was president from 1999 to 2013, exercised authoritarian control over other branches of government.
This trend continued in 2018 when Nicolas MADURO claimed the presidency for his second term in an election boycotted by most opposition parties and widely viewed as fraudulent. The legislative elections in 2020 were also seen as fraudulent, and most opposition parties and many international actors consider the resulting National Assembly illegitimate. In 2021, many opposition parties broke a three-year election boycott and participated in mayoral and gubernatorial elections, despite flawed conditions.
As a result, the opposition more than doubled its representation at the mayoral level and retained four of 23 governorships. The 2021 regional elections marked the first time since 2006 that the EU was allowed to send an electoral observation mission to Venezuela.
MADURO has placed strong restrictions on free speech and the press. Since CHAVEZ, the ruling party has expanded the state's role in the economy through expropriations of major enterprises, strict currency exchange and price controls, and over-dependence on the petroleum industry for revenues. Years of economic mismanagement left Venezuela ill-prepared to weather the global drop in oil prices in 2014, sparking an economic decline that has resulted in reduced government social spending, shortages of basic goods, and high inflation.
Worsened living conditions have prompted nearly 8 million Venezuelans to emigrate, mainly settling in nearby countries. The US imposed financial sanctions on MADURO and his representatives in 2017 and on sectors of the Venezuelan economy in 2018. Limited sanctions relief followed when the MADURO administration began making democratic and electoral concessions.
The government's mismanagement and lack of investment in infrastructure has also weakened the country's energy sector. Caracas has relaxed some controls to mitigate the impact of its sustained economic crisis, such as allowing increased import flexibility for the private sector and the informal use of US dollars and other international currencies. Ongoing concerns include human rights abuses, rampant violent crime, political manipulation of the judicial and electoral systems, and corruption.
Geography
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
20 fieldsLand useshare of 912,050 sq km
Location
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
Terrain
- Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest;
- central plains (llanos);
- Guiana Highlands in southeast
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
Major rivers (by length in km)
Rio Negro (shared with Colombia [s] and Brazil [m]) - 2,250 km; Orinoco river source and mouth (shared with Colombia) - 2,101 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km)
Population distribution
most of the population is concentrated in the northern and western highlands along an eastern spur at the northern end of the Andes, an area that includes the capital of Caracas
Geography - note
note 1: the country lies on major sea and air routes linking North and South America
note 2: Venezuela has some of the most unique geology in the world; tepuis are the massive table-top mountains of the western Guiana Highlands that tend to be isolated and thus support unique endemic plant and animal species;
their sheer cliffsides help create some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world, including Angel Falls, the world's highest (979 m; 3,212 ft) that drops from Auyan Tepui
People and Society
30 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2024 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2025 est.)
Male · female(2017 est.)
Languages
Spanish (official) 98.2%, indigenous 1.3%, Portuguese 0.1%, other 0.4% (2023 est.); major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic 48.1%, Protestant 31.6% (Evangelical 31.4%, Adventist 0.2%), Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, African American/umbanda 0.7%, other 0.1%, believer 3.5%, agnostic 0.1%, atheist, 0.4%, none 13.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2023 est.)
Population distribution
most of the population is concentrated in the northern and western highlands along an eastern spur at the northern end of the Andes, an area that includes the capital of Caracas
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.99 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.84 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- total:
- 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- male:
- 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births
- female:
- 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 2.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 1.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 0.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Environment
11 fieldsLand use(2023 est.)
Environmental 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 mining operations
International environmental agreements
- party to:
- Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 88.4% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
76.73 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from coal and metallurgical coke:
- 179,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids:
- 27.928 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from consumed natural gas:
- 48.623 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Methane emissions
- energy:
- 3,595.7 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- agriculture:
- 1,007.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- waste:
- 328.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- other:
- 7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually:
- 9.779 million tons (2024 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled:
- 21.3% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 5.123 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- industrial:
- 793.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- agricultural:
- 16.71 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Government
Federal presidential republic; Interim President Delcy Eloína RODRÍGUEZ Gómez (since 5 January 2026); Interim President Delcy Eloína RODRÍGUEZ Gómez (since 5 January 2026)
23 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
- conventional short form:
- Venezuela
- local long form:
- República Bolivariana de Venezuela
- local short form:
- Venezuela
- former:
- State of Venezuela, Republic of Venezuela, United States of Venezuela
- etymology:
- in 1499, the stilt-houses built on Lake Maracaibo reminded explorers Alonso de OJEDA and Amerigo VESPUCCI of buildings in Venice, Italy, and they named the region "Venezuola," meaning "Little Venice"
Capital
- name:
- Caracas
- geographic coordinates:
- 10 29 N, 66 52 W
- time difference:
- UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- etymology:
- named for the Caracas tribe that originally settled in the area; the origin of their name is unknown
Administrative divisions
- 23 states ( estados , singular - estado ), 1 capital district* ( distrito capital ), and 1 federal dependency** ( dependencia federal );
- Amazonas, Anzoátegui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales (Federal Dependencies)**, Distrito Capital (Capital District)*, Falcon, Guárico, La Guairá, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Táchira, Trujillo, Yaracuy, Zulia
note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands
Constitution
- history:
- many previous; latest adopted 15 December 1999, effective 30 December 1999
- amendment process:
- proposed through agreement by at least 39% of the National Assembly membership, by the president of the republic in session with the cabinet of ministers, or by petition of at least 15% of registered voters;
- passage requires simple majority vote by the Assembly and simple majority approval in a referendum
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
- citizenship by birth:
- yes
- citizenship by descent only:
- yes
- dual citizenship recognized:
- yes
- residency requirement for naturalization:
- 10 years; reduced to five years in the case of applicants from Spain, Portugal, Italy, or a Latin American or Caribbean country
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Interim President Delcy Eloína RODRÍGUEZ Gómez (since 5 January 2026)
- head of government:
- Interim President Delcy Eloína RODRÍGUEZ Gómez (since 5 January 2026)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the president
- election/appointment process:
- president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits)
- most recent election date:
- 28 July 2024
- election results:
- ; 2018: Nicolas MADURO Moros reelected president; percent of vote - Nicolas MADURO Moros (PSUV) 67.9%, Henri FALCON (AP) 20.9%, Javier BERTUCCI 10.8%
- 2024: official results disputed;
- Nicolas MADURO Moros was declared the winner by the MADURO-controlled National Electoral Council;
- percent of vote - Nicolas MADURO Moros (PSUV) 52%, Edmundo GONZÁLEZ Urrutia (Independent) 43.2%, Luis Eduardo MARTÍNEZ (AD) 1.2%, other 3.6%
- expected date of next election:
- unknown
note 1: the president is both chief of state and head of government
note 2: in January 2026, the United States removed Nicolas MADURO Moros from his position as leader; Interim President RODRÍGUEZ has been sworn in and is expected to remain during a transition period
note 3: the United States did not recognize Nicolas MADURO Moros as president of Venezuela; the United States recognized that Edmundo GONZÁLEZ won the most votes in the 28 July 2024 presidential election because of overwhelming evidence, including more than 80% of the tally sheets received directly from polling stations that indicated GONZÁLEZ received the most votes by an insurmountable margin
Legislative branch
- legislature name:
- National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)
- legislative structure:
- unicameral
- number of seats:
- 277 (all directly elected)
- electoral system:
- mixed system
- scope of elections:
- full renewal
- term in office:
- 5 years
- most recent election date:
- 12/6/2020
- percentage of women in chamber:
- 32.1%
- expected date of next election:
- May 2025
note: in 2020, the National Electoral Council increased the number of seats in the National Assembly from 167 to 277 for the December 2020 election
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Tribunal of Justice (consists of 32 judges organized into constitutional, political-administrative, electoral, civil appeals, criminal appeals, and social divisions)
- judge selection and term of office:
- judges proposed by the Committee of Judicial Postulation (an independent body of organizations dealing with legal issues and of the organs of citizen power) and appointed by the National Assembly; judges serve nonrenewable 12-year terms
- subordinate courts:
- Superior or Appeals Courts (Tribunales Superiores);
- District Tribunals (Tribunales de Distrito);
- Courts of First Instance (Tribunales de Primera Instancia);
- Parish Courts (Tribunales de Parroquia);
- Justices of the Peace (Justicia de Paz) Network
Political parties
- A New Era (Un Nuevo Tiempo) or UNT
- Cambiemos Movimiento Ciudadano or CMC
- Christian Democrats or COPEI (also known as the Social Christian Party)
- Citizens Encounter or EC
- Clear Accounts or CC
- Coalition of parties loyal to Nicolas MADURO - Great Patriotic Pole or GPP
- Coalition of opposition parties - Democratic Alliance (Alianza Democratica) (includes AD, EL CAMBIO, COPEI, CMC, and AP)
- Come Venezuela (Vente Venezuela) or VV
- Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV
- Consenso en la Zona or Conenzo
- Convergencia
- Democratic Action or AD
- Fatherland for All (Patria para Todos) or PPT
- Fearless People's Alliance or ABP
- Fuerza Vecinal or FV
- Hope for Change (Esperanza por el Cambio) or EL CAMBIO
- Justice First (Primero Justicia) or PJ
- LAPIZ
- Movement to Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo) or MAS
- Popular Will (Voluntad Popular) or VP
- Progressive Advance (Avanzada Progresista) or AP
- The Radical Cause or La Causa R
- United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV
- Venezuela First (Primero Venezuela) or PV
- Venezuelan Progressive Movement or MPV
- Venezuela Project or PV
Diplomatic representation in the US
none note : the embassy, which had been run by the Venezuelan political opposition, announced on 5 January 2023, that it had ended all embassy functions
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador (vacant);
- Chargé d’Affaires John McNAMARA (since 1 February 2025);
- note - serves as the chief of mission of the Venezuela Affairs Unit, located in the US Embassy, Bogota
- embassy:
- Venezuela Affairs Unit, US Embassy, Carrera 45 N. 24B-27, Bogota, Colombia
- mailing address:
- 3140 Caracas Place, Washington DC 20521-3140
- telephone:
- 1-888-407-4747
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://ve.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACS, Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Flag
- description:
- three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red, with the coat of arms on the left side of the yellow band and an arc of eight five-pointed white stars centered on the blue band
- meaning:
- yellow stands for the riches of the land, blue for the courage of its people, and red for the blood shed in attaining independence
- history:
- the flag retains the three equal horizontal bands and three main colors from the flag of Gran Colombia, the South American republic that broke up in 1830;
- in 2006, President Hugo CHAVEZ added the eighth star -- the original seven stars represented the country's provinces that united in the war of independence -- to match Simon Bolivar's flag from 1827 and to represent the historic province of Guayana
National anthem(s)
- title:
- "Gloria al bravo pueblo" (Glory to the Brave People)
- lyrics/music:
- Vicente SALIAS/Juan Jose LANDAETA
- history:
- adopted 1881;
- lyrics were written in 1810;
- both SALIAS and LANDAETA were executed in 1814 during Venezuela's fight for independence
National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites:
- 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)
- selected World Heritage Site locales:
- Coro and its Port (c);
- Canaima National Park (n);
- Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas (c)
Economy
24 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
Budget(2017 est.)
Economic overview
- South American economy;
- ongoing hyperinflation since mid-2010s;
- chaotic economy due to political corruption, infrastructure cuts, and human rights abuses;
- in debt default;
- oil exporter;
- hydropower consumer;
- rising Chinese relations
Agricultural products
milk, sugarcane, maize, rice, plantains, oil palm fruit, bananas, chicken, pineapples, potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
agricultural products, livestock, raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, iron and steel products, crude oil and petroleum products
Labor force
11.136 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Unemployment rate
5.5% (2024 est.) · 5.5% (2023 est.) · 5.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- total:
- 10.6% (2024 est.)
- male:
- 9.3% (2024 est.)
- female:
- 13.2% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Population below poverty line
33.1% (2015 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Average household expenditures
- on food:
- 52% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- on alcohol and tobacco:
- 2.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Public debt
38.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
note: data cover central government debt, as well as the debt of state-owned oil company PDVSA; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities;
the data include some debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; some debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions
Current account balance
-$3.87 billion (2016 est.) · -$3.87 billion (2016 est.) · -$16.051 billion (2015 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports
$83.401 billion (2018 est.) · $93.485 billion (2017 est.) · $28.684 billion (2016 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, petroleum coke, scrap iron, alcohols, fertilizers (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$18.432 billion (2018 est.) · $18.376 billion (2017 est.) · $25.81 billion (2016 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, soybean meal, corn, plastic products, vehicle parts/accessories (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$9.794 billion (2017 est.) · $10.15 billion (2016 est.) · $15.625 billion (2015 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Exchange rates
bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - 9.975 (2017 est.) · 9.257 (2016 est.) · 6.284 (2015 est.) · 6.284 (2014 est.) · 6.048 (2013 est.)
Energy
7 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 33.493 million kW(2023 est.)
Coal
- production:
- 149,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- consumption:
- 80,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- exports:
- 124,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- imports:
- 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 730.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- total petroleum production:
- 801,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- refined petroleum consumption:
- 203,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- crude oil estimated reserves:
- 303.806 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
- production:
- 23.873 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- consumption:
- 23.873 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 5.674 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Communications
6 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2017–24 est.)
Broadcast media
- mix of state-run and private broadcast media subject to high levels of control;
- 13 public service networks, 61 privately owned TV networks, 1 privately owned news channel with limited national coverage, and a Maduro-backed Pan-American channel;
- 3 Maduro-aligned radio networks control about 65 news stations and another 30 stations targeted at specific audiences;
- Maduro-sponsored community broadcasters include 235 radio stations and 44 TV stations;
- the number of private broadcast radio stations declining, but many remain (2021)
Transportation
6 fieldsMerchant marine, 272 ships by type(2023)
Ports
- total ports:
- 31 (2024)
- large:
- 1
- medium:
- 2
- small:
- 11
- very small:
- 17
- ports with oil terminals:
- 21
- key ports:
- Amuay (Bahia de Amuay), Bahia de Pertigalete, Ciudad Bolivar, Guanta, La Guaira, La Salina, Las Piedras, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Puerto de Hierro, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Miranda, Puerto Ordaz, Punta Cardon
Military and Security
6 fieldsMilitary and security forces
Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, FANB): Bolivarian Army (Ejercito Bolivariano, EB), Bolivarian Navy (Armada Bolivariana, AB; includes marines, Coast Guard), Bolivarian Military Aviation (Aviacion Militar Bolivariana, AMB), Bolivarian Militia (Milicia Bolivariana), Bolivarian National Guard (Guardia Nacional Bolivaria, GNB), Presidential Honor Guard
- Ministry of Interior, Justice, and Peace:
- Bolivarian National Police (Policía Nacional Bolivariana, PNB) (2025)
note 1: the Bolivarian Militia and the Presidential Honor Guard are considered special/secondary components of the FANB; the Militia is composed of the Military Reserve and the Territorial Militia and is comprised of armed civilians who receive periodic training in exchange for a small stipend
note 2: the National Guard was made part of the FANB in 2007 and is responsible for maintaining public order, guarding the exterior of key government installations and prisons, conducting counter-narcotics operations, monitoring borders, and providing law enforcement in remote areas; it reports to both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior, Justice, and Peace
note 3: the PNB is a federal force created by Hugo CHAVEZ in 2008 as a “preventative police force,” separate from state and local ones; the PNB largely focuses on policing Caracas’ Libertador municipality, patrolling Caracas-area highways, railways, and metro system, and protecting diplomatic missions;
the PNB includes the Special Action Forces (Fuerzas de Acciones Especiales, FAES), a paramilitary unit created by President MADURO to bolster internal security after the 2017 anti-government protests
note 4: there are also pro-government armed groups known as colectivos operating in Caracas and other cities
Military and security service personnel strengths
- information varies;
- approximately 125-150,000 active Armed Forces;
- estimated 200,000 Bolivarian Militia (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the FANB inventory is a mix of mostly older and some more modern armaments from a variety of foreign suppliers, including China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Russia/former Soviet Union, Spain, the UK, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation
- 18-30 (25 for women) for voluntary service;
- the minimum service obligation is 24-30 months;
- 17-39 for Militia service;
- all citizens of military service age (18-50) are obligated to register for military service and subject to military training (2025)
Military - note
the armed forces (FANB) are responsible for ensuring Venezuela’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; they also have a domestic role, including assisting with maintaining internal security, conducting counter-narcotics missions, contributing to national socio-economic development, and providing disaster relief/humanitarian assistance;
the military has been deployed against illegal armed groups operating in the Colombian border region and other areas to combat organized crime gangs involved in narcotics trafficking and illegal mining; it has ties with the militaries of China, Cuba, Iran, and Russia
the FANB has a role in the country’s economy and political sectors; military officers hold key positions in state-owned companies, government ministries, and funding agencies; the FANB runs corporation involved in agriculture, banking, communications, energy, insurance, mining, and transportation (2025)
Space
3 fieldsSpace agency/agencies
Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities (Agencia Bolivariana para Actividades Espaciales, ABAE; formed 2007) (2025) note: the ABAE is under the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation; it was originally known as the Venezuelan Space Center (CEV; created 2005)
Space program overview
- has a small national program primarily focused on acquiring satellites and expanding the country’s science and technological capabilities;
- operates satellites and maintains two satellite ground control stations;
- participates in multinational space organizations such as the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency;
- closest bilateral partners are China and Russia;
- also has bilateral framework agreements for space cooperation with Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Uruguay (2025)
Key space-program milestones
2005 - signed space cooperation partnership with China
2008- first communications satellite (Venesat-1 or Bolivar) financed, built, and launched by China
2012 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (VRSS-1 or Miranda) built and launched by China
2017 - second RS satellite (VRSS-2 or Sucre) built and launched by China
2021 - signed agreement to establish the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (formally established in 2022)
2023 - joined China-Russia project to construct a permanent base on the Moon by the 2030s
2025 - announced intent to participate in planned Mars sample-return mission (Tianwen-3) led by China
Terrorism
1 fieldTerrorist group(s)
- National Liberation Army (ELN);
- Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP);
- Segundo Marquetalia (SM);
- Tren de Aragua (TdA)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsTrafficking in persons
- tier rating:
- Tier 3 — Venezuela does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making any efforts to do so, therefore, Venezuela remained on Tier 3;
- for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/venezuela/
Illicit drugs
USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country; major precursor-chemical producer (2025)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Venezuela.” The World Factbook 2025. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/venezuela.