Venezuela's petroleum discoveries transformed the country from one of the poorest in South America to the relatively prosperous nation which exists today.
{\B}{\C 0,0,255}Geography{\N}{\C 0,0,0}
{\B}Location:{\N} Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
{\B}Map references:{\N} South America
{\B}Area:{\N}
{\I}total area:{\N} 912,050 sq km
{\I}land area:{\N} 882,050 sq km
{\B}Land boundaries:{\N} total 4,993 km, Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
{\B}Coastline:{\N} 2,800 km
{\B}Climate:{\N} tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
{\B}Terrain:{\N} Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
{\B}Natural resources:{\N} petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
{\B}Land use:{\N}
{\I}arable land:{\N} 3%
{\I}permanent crops:{\N} 1%
{\I}meadows and pastures:{\N} 20%
{\I}forest and woodland:{\N} 39%
{\I}other:{\N} 37%
{\B}Irrigated land:{\N} 2,640 sq km (1989 est.)
{\B}Environment:{\N}
{\I}current issues:{\N} 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
{\I}natural hazards:{\N} subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
{\I}international agreements:{\N} 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
{\B}Note:{\N} on major sea and air routes linking North and South America
{\I}conventional long form:{\N} Republic of Venezuela
{\I}conventional short form:{\N} Venezuela
{\I}local long form:{\N} Republica de Venezuela
{\I}local short form:{\N} Venezuela
{\B}Digraph:{\N} VE
{\B}Type:{\N} republic
{\B}Capital:{\N} Caracas
{\B}Administrative divisions:{\N} 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
{\I}note:{\N} the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands
{\B}Independence:{\N} 5 July 1811 (from Spain)
{\B}National holiday:{\N} Independence Day, 5 July (1811)
{\B}Constitution:{\N} 23 January 1961
{\B}Legal system:{\N} based on Napoleonic code; judicial review of legislative acts in Cassation Court only; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
{\B}Overview:{\N} 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. The Venezuelan government has continued to rely on international controls, such as price and foreign exchange units to manage the economy. The mid 1990's saw the economy experience several years of decline.
{\B}National product:{\N} GDP - purchasing power parity - $178.3 billion (1994 est.)
{\B}National product real growth rate:{\N} -3.3% (1994 est.)
{\B}National product per capita:{\N} $8,670 (1994 est.)
{\I}partners:{\N} US and Puerto Rico 55%, Japan, Netherlands, Italy
{\B}Imports:{\N} $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
{\I}commodities:{\N} raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials
{\I}partners:{\N} US 40%, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Canada
{\B}External debt:{\N} $40.1 billion (1994)
{\B}Industrial production:{\N} growth rate -1.4% (1993 est.); accounts for 41% of GDP
{\B}Electricity:{\N}
{\I}capacity:{\N} 18,740,000 kW
{\I}production:{\N} 72 billion kWh
{\I}consumption per capita:{\N} 3,311 kWh (1993)
{\B}Industries:{\N} petroleum, iron-ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminium, motor vehicle assembly
{\B}Agriculture:{\N} 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
{\B}Economic aid:{\N}
{\I}recipient:{\N} US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-86), $488 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $10 million
{\I}total:{\N} 542 km (363 km single track; 179 km privately owned)
{\I}standard gauge:{\N} 542 km 1.435-m gauge
{\B}Highways:{\N}
{\I}total:{\N} 81,000 km
{\I}paved:{\N} 31,200 km
{\I}unpaved:{\N} gravel 24,800 km; earth and unimproved earth 25,000 km
{\B}Inland waterways:{\N} 7,100 km; Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels
{\B}Pipelines:{\N} crude oil 6,370 km; petroleum products 480 km; natural gas 4,010 km
{\B}Ports:{\N} Amuay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina, Maracaibo, Matanzas, Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Ordaz, Puerto Sucre, Punta Cardon
{\I}broadcast stations:{\N} AM 181, FM 0, shortwave 26
{\I}radios:{\N} NA
{\B}Television:{\N}
{\I}broadcast stations:{\N} 59
{\I}televisions:{\N} NA
{\B}{\C 0,0,255}Defence Forces{\N}{\C 0,0,0}
{\B}Branches:{\N} 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)
{\B}Manpower availability:{\N} 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.)