Venezuela

Find a country's flag, map or national anthem here. Click on a letter to find the country:

Venezuela

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name República de Venezuela/Republic of Venezuala Area 912,100 sq km/352,161 sq mi Capital Caracas Language Spanish (official), Indian languages (2%) Religion Roman Catholic 92% Time difference GMT -4 Major holidays 1, 6 January, 19 March, 19 April, 1 May, 24, 29 June, 5, 24 July, 15 August, 12 October, 1 November, 8, 25 December; variable: Ascension Thursday, Carnival (2 days), Corpus Christi, Good Friday, Holy Thursday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Maracaibo, Maracay, Barquisimeto, Valencia, Ciudad Guayana, Petare Major ports Maracaibo Physical features Andes Mountains and Lake Maracaibo in northwest; central plains (llanos); delta of River Orinoco in east; Guiana Highlands in southeast Airports 61 commercial airports, of which seven are international airports; total passengers carried: 3.8 million (2003 est) Railways total length: 682 km/424 mi (2000) Roads total road network: 96,155 km/59,748 mi, of which 33.6% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 69.3 per 1,000 people (1996 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state and government Hugo Chávez Frías from 1999 Political system liberal democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions 23 states and one federally controlled area Political parties Democratic Action Party (AD), moderate left of centre; Christian Social Party (COPEI), Christian, right of centre; National Convergence (CN), broad coalition grouping; Movement towards Socialism (MAS), left of centre; Radical Cause (LCR), left wing Death penalty abolished in 1863 Armed forces 82,300; plus 8,000 reservists (2006 est) Conscription military service is by selective conscription for 30 months Defence spend (% GDP) 1.2 (2005 est) Education spend (% GDP) 4.9 (1999) Health spend (% GDP) 2 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency bolívar GDP (US$) 138.9 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 7.5 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 127.8 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 6,440 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 12.1% (2006 est) Unemployment 15.8% (2002) Labour force 10.7% agriculture, 19.8% industry, 69.5% services (2004) Foreign debt (US$) 38.9 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners USA, Colombia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic Resources petroleum, natural gas, aluminium, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gold, zinc, copper, silver, lead, phosphates, manganese, titanium Industries refined petroleum products, metals (mainly aluminium, steel and pig-iron), food products, chemicals, fertilizers, cement, paper, vehicles Exports petroleum and petroleum products, metals (mainly aluminium, gold, iron ore), natural gas, chemicals, cement, plastics, fish, shellfish, processed fish. Principal market: USA 63.3% (2005) Imports machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food and live animals, basic manufactures, crude materials. Principal source: USA 29.9% (2005) Arable land 2.9% (2006 est) Agricultural products coffee, cocoa, sugar cane, bananas, maize, rice, plantains, oranges, sorghum, cassava, wheat, tobacco, cotton, beans, sisal; livestock rearing (cattle)


POPULATION

Population 27,216,400 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1.7% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 30 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 88 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 31%, 15–59 61%, 60+ 8% (2005 est) Ethnic groups 67% mestizos (of Spanish-American and American-Indian descent), 21% Europeans, 10% Africans, 2% Indians Life expectancy 71 (men); 77 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 19 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 10 Literacy rate 94% (men); 93% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 19.4 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 1.5 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 0.7 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 6,100 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 85 (urban); 70 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 13.5 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 46.7 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 296 (1999 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 191 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 8.2 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 9.2 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

1st millennium BC Beginnings of settled agriculture. AD 1498–99 Visited by explorers Christopher Columbus and Alonso de Ojeda, at which time the principal indigenous Indian communities were the Caribs, Arawaks, and Chibchas; it was named Venezuela (‘little Venice’) since the coastal Indians lived in stilted thatched houses. 1521 Spanish settlement established on the northeast coast and was ruled by Spain from Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). 1567 Caracas founded by Diego de Losada. 1739 Became part of newly created Spanish Viceroyalty of New Granada, with capital at Bogotá (Colombia), but, lacking gold mines, retained great autonomy. 1749 First rebellion against Spanish colonial rule. 1806 Rebellion against Spain, led by Francisco Miranda. 1811–12 First Venezuelan Republic declared by patriots, taking advantage of Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Spain, but Spanish Royalist forces re-established their authority. 1813–14 The Venezuelan, Simón Bolívar, ‘El Libertador’ (the Liberator), created another briefly independent republic, before being forced to withdraw to Colombia. 1821 After the battle of Carabobo, Venezuelan independence achieved within Republic of Gran Colombia (which also comprised Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama). 1829 Became separate state of Venezuela after leaving Republic of Gran Colombia. 1830–48 Gen José Antonio Páez, the first of a series of caudillos (military leaders), established political stability. 1870–88 Antonio Guzmán Blanco ruled as benevolent liberal–conservative dictator, modernizing infrastructure and developing agriculture (notably coffee) and education. 1899 International arbitration tribunal found in favour of British Guiana (Guyana) in long-running dispute over border with Venezuela. 1902 Ports blockaded by British, Italian, and German navies as a result of Venezuela's failure to repay loans. 1908–35 Harsh rule of dictator Juan Vicente Gómez, during which period Venezuela became world's largest exporter of oil, which had been discovered in 1910. 1947 First truly democratic elections held, but new president, Rómulo Gallegos, removed within eight months by military led by Col Marcos Pérez Jimenez. 1958 Overthrow of Pérez and establishment of enduring civilian democracy, headed by left-wing Romulo Betancourt of Democratic Action Party (AD). 1964 Dr Raúl Leoni (AD) became president in first-ever constitutional handover of civilian power. 1974 Carlos Andrés Pérez (AD) became president, with economy remaining buoyant through oil revenues. Oil and iron industries nationalized. 1984 Social pact established between government, trade unions, and business; national debt rescheduled as oil revenues plummeted. 1987 Widespread social unrest triggered by inflation; student demonstrators shot by police. 1989 Economic austerity programme instigated. Price increases triggered riots known as ‘Caracazo’; 300 people killed. Martial law declared and general strike followed. 1992 Attempted antigovernment coup failed, at cost of 120 lives. 1996 Former President Carlos Andrés Pérez found guilty on corruption charges and imprisoned. 1999 Hugo Chávez became president. Flooding and mudslides swamped Venezuela's Caribbean coast in late December with 30,000 deaths and 150,000 homeless. 2000 Despite shrinking economy, Chávez re-elected as president; pledged to redistribute oil wealth from rich to poor; took leading role in persuading Organization of Petroleum-Exporting Countries (OPEC) to restrict world oil production to force up prices; given powers to legislate on certain issues by decree. 2002 Chávez resigned from office under military pressure following street violence. Pedro Carmona Estanga, leader of conservative business lobby, headed transitional government; forced to resign within a day as Chávez returned to power with support of paratroops and presidential guard. 2003 Two-month opposition-led strike crumbled as private-sector workers returned to work. Organization of American States (OAS) brokered deal between government and opposition, setting out framework for referendum on Chavez's rule. 2004 Chavez won 59% of vote in referendum that approved his serving out his term in office. 2005 Chavez instituted land reforms aimed at eliminating large estates and helping rural poor through land redistribution. With 13 Caribbean states, Venezuela launched regional oil company at summit in Caracas. Parliamentary elections brought big gains to parties loyal to Chavez; opposition boycotted poll. 2006 Chavez signed $3 billion arms deal with Russia. He won third term in presidential elections, taking 63% of vote. 2007 Chavez announced nationalization of key energy and telecommunications companies. Government closed RCTV channel for criticism of Chavez; thousands took to streets to protest or approve.


© Research Machines plc 2008. All rights reserved. Helicon Publishing is a division of Research Machines plc.