Venezuela

Republic of VenezuelaRepublica de Venezuela

republicIndependence 5 July 1811 (from Spain)

Venezuela as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 83 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalCaracas

Area912,050 sq km

LocationNorthern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the

Populationas each edition published it

21 million July 1995 est. · 19.7m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.1% 1995 est. · 2.22% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 24.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

73.31 years 1995 est. · 72.69 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.97 children per woman 1995 est. · 3.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

26.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 27 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$8,670 1994 est. · $2,800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-3.3% 1994 est. · 7.3% in 1993

Geography

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

14 fields

Land useshare of 912,050 sq km

arable land 3%permanent crops 1%meadows and pastures 20%forest and woodland 39%other 37%irrigated 2,640 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

912,050sq km

land area: 882,050 sq kmcomparative area: slightly more than twice the size of California

Coastline

2,800km

contiguous zone: 15 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

4,993km

total · Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Location

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

International disputes

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

Climate

tropical;
hot, humid;
more moderate in highlands

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

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, mudslides; periodic droughts
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling;
signed, but not ratified - Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping

Note

on major sea and air routes linking North and South America

People

15 fields

Population

21,004,773

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.1% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

25.11Death

4.57Net migration

0.46

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years73.31

70.48 · 76.29

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy90%

91% · 89%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Ethnic divisions

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

Labor force

7.6million

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 35% (female 3,650,705; male 3,795,032)
15-64 years:: 60% (female 6,350,466; male 6,313,887)
65 years and over:: 5% (female 486,020; male 408,663) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

26.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Venezuelan(s)
adjective:: Venezuelan

Religions

nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%

Languages

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

Government

Republic

22 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

30.45%

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%

Legislature, 53 seatsone dot, one seat

AD 18COPEI 15Causa R 9MAS 5

Legislature, 203 seatsone dot, one seat

AD 55COPEI 53MAS 24Causa R 40other 5

Names

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

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

Legal system

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

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:: President Rafael CALDERA Rodriguez (since 2 February 1994);
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; appointed by the president

Legislative branch

bicameral Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la Republica)

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

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia) Roberto YEPES, President

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

Other political or pressure groups

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

AG, BCIE, CARICOM (observer), CDB, CG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS, ONUSAL, OPANAL, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIH, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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)

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Jeffrey DAVIDOW
embassy:: Avenida Francisco de Miranda and Avenida Principal de la Floresta, Caracas
mailing address:: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037
telephone:: [58] (2) 285-2222, 3111

FAX

[58] (2) 285-0366

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

Economy

Despite efforts to broaden the base of the economy, | petroleum continues to play a dominant role.

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$8,670

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

-3.3%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -1.4% (1993 est.); accounts for 41% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

71%

(1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

(1994 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$10.3 billionExpenditures

$14.6 billion (1994 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $103 million

Installed generating capacity, 18,740,000 kW

Electricity production

72 billionElectricity consumption per capita

3,311 (1993)

Overview

Despite efforts to broaden the base of the economy, petroleum continues to play a dominant role. In 1994, as GDP declined 3.3%, the oil sector - which accounts for 24% of the total - enjoyed a 6% expansion, provided 45% of the budget revenues, and generated 70% of the export earnings.

President CALDERA, who assumed office in February 1994, has used an interventionist, reactive approach to managing the economy, instituting price and foreign exchange controls in mid-year to slow inflation and stop the loss of foreign exchange reserves. The government claims it will remove these controls once inflationary pressures abate, but the $8 billion bailout of the banking sector in 1994 has made it difficult for the government to make good on its promise.

Economic controls, coupled with political uncertainty driven by recurrent coup rumors, continue to deter foreign and domestic investment; private forecasters see the recession persisting for a third year in 1995.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $178.3 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$15.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:: petroleum 72%, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures
partners:: US and Puerto Rico 55%, Japan, Netherlands, Italy

Imports

$7.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:: raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials
partners:: US 40%, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Canada

External debt

$40.1 billion (1994)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for 6% of GDP;
products - corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee, beef, pork, milk, eggs, fish;
not self-sufficient in food other than meat

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

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-86), $488 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $10 million

Currency

1 bolivar (Bs) = 100 centimos

Exchange rates

bolivares (Bs) per US$1 - 169.570 (January 1995), 148.503 (1994), 90.826 (1993), 68.38 (1992), 56.82 (1991), 46.90 (1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 431 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

114

191

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

81,000Railroads

542Inland waterways

7,100

Highways: paved: 31,200 km · unpaved: gravel 24,800 km; earth and unimproved earth 25,000 km · Railroads: (363 km single track; 179 km privately owned) · standard gauge: 542 km 1.435-m gauge · Inland waterways: ; Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels

Railroads

total:: 542 km (363 km single track; 179 km privately owned)
standard gauge:: 542 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways

total:: 81,000 km
paved:: 31,200 km
unpaved:: gravel 24,800 km; earth and unimproved earth 25,000 km

Inland waterways

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

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

Merchant marine

total:: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 686,811 GRT/1,110,829 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 4, cargo 11, combination bulk 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 15, passenger-cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, short-sea passenger 1

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

1,440,000 telephones; modern and expanding

local:: NA
intercity:: 3 domestic satellite earth stations
international:: 3 submarine coaxial cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio

broadcast stations:: AM 181, FM 0, shortwave 26
radios:: NA

Television

broadcast stations:: 59
televisions:: NA

Defense Forces

3 fields

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 Cooperation or Guardia Nacional)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 5,491,524;
males fit for military service 3,981,190;
males reach military age (18) annually 227,292 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $1.95 billion, 4% of GDP (1991) VIETNAM

Central Intelligence Agency. “Venezuela.” The World Factbook 1995. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/venezuela/1995.

How to cite ← 1994 edition 1996 edition →

Geography

People

Government

Economy

Transportation

Communications

Defense Forces

Cite this entry