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2 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
Venezuela
n : a republic in northern South America on the Caribbean;
achieved independence from Spain in 1811; rich in oil
[syn: {Republic of Venezuela}]
From CIA World Factbook 2002 [world02]:
Venezuela
Introduction Venezuela
----------------------
Background: Venezuela was one of the three
countries that emerged from the
collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830
(the others being Colombia and
Ecuador). 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. Current concerns
include: an embattled president who
is losing his once solid support
among Venezuelans, a divided
military, drug-related conflicts
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.
Geography Venezuela
-------------------
Location: Northern South America, bordering
the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and
Guyana
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 66 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 912,050 sq km
land: 882,050 sq km
water: 30,000 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of
California
Land boundaries: total: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km,
Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
Coastline: 2,800 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 15 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to
the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate
in highlands
Terrain: Andes Mountains and Maracaibo
Lowlands in northwest; central
plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in
southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La
Columna) 5,007 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore,
gold, bauxite, other minerals,
hydropower, diamonds
Land use: arable land: 2.99%
permanent crops: 0.96%
other: 96.04% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 540 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: subject to floods, rockslides,
mudslides; periodic droughts
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 party to: Antarctic Treaty,
agreements: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine
Dumping
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
People Venezuela
----------------
Population: 24,287,670 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 3,955,132;
female 3,710,159)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 7,756,362;
female 7,695,738)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male
533,559; female 636,720) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.52% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 20.22 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 4.91 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/
female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.56 years
female: 76.81 years (2002 est.)
male: 70.53 years
Total fertility rate: 2.41 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.49% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 62,000 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,000 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan
Ethnic groups: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab,
German, African, indigenous people
Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 96%,
Protestant 2%, other 2%
Languages: Spanish (official), numerous
indigenous dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 91.1%
male: 91.8%
female: 90.3% (1995 est.)
Government Venezuela
--------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela
conventional short form: Venezuela
local short form: Venezuela
local long form: Republica
Bolivariana de Venezuela
Government type: federal republic
Capital: Caracas
Administrative divisions: 23 states (estados, singular -
estado), 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, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia
note: the federal dependency
consists of 11 federally controlled
island groups with a total of 72
individual islands
Independence: 5 July 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1811)
Constitution: 30 December 1999
Legal system: based on organic laws as of July
1999; open, adversarial court
system; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Hugo
CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
1999); Vice President Jose Vicente
RANGEL (since 28 April 2002); note -
the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Hugo
CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
1999); Vice President Jose Vicente
RANGEL (since 28 April 2002); note -
the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers
appointed by the president
election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias
reelected president; percent of vote
- 60%
elections: president elected by
popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 30 July 2000
(next to be held NA 2006)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or
Asamblea Nacional (165 seats;
members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms; three seats
reserved for the indigenous peoples
of Venezuela)
election results: percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - pro-
government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6,
indigenous 3, other 7), opposition
57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5,
other 13)
elections: last held 30 July 2000
(next to be held NA 2005)
Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice or
Tribuna Suprema de Justicia
(magistrates are elected by the
National Assembly for a single 12-
year term)
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Action or AD [Claudio
FERMIN]; Fifth Republic Movement or
MVR [Garcia PONCE]; Homeland for All
or PPT [Jose ALBORNIZ]; Justice
First [Julio BORGES]; Movement
Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector
MUJICA]; National Convergence or
Convergencia [Juan Jose CALDERA];
Radical Cause or La Causa R [Antonio
HERRERA]; Social Christian Party or
COPEI [Oswaldo ALVAREZ Paz];
Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique
SALAS Romer]
Political pressure groups and FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business
leaders: group; VECINOS groups; Venezuelan
Confederation of Workers or CTV
(labor organization dominated by the
Democratic Action)
International organization CAN, Caricom (observer), CCC, CDB,
participation: ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-19, G-24,
G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Designate Roy CHADERTON Matos
chancery: 1099 30th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: Boston,
Chicago, Houston, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, San Francisco,
and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820
telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Charles
US: SHAPIRO
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] (0212) 975-9234,
975-6411
FAX: [58] (0212) 975-8991
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 seven
white five-pointed stars centered in
the blue band
Economy Venezuela
-----------------
Economy - overview: The petroleum sector dominates the
economy, accounting for roughly a
third of GDP, around 80% of export
earnings, and more than half of
government operating revenues.
Venezuelan officials estimate that
GDP grew by 2.7% in 2001. A strong
rebound in international oil prices
fueled the recovery from the steep
recession in 1999. Nevertheless, a
weak nonoil sector and capital
flight - and a temporary fall in oil
prices - undercut the recovery. In
early 2002, President CHAVEZ changed
the exchange rate regime from a
crawling peg to a free floating
exchange rate, causing the bolivar
to depreciate significantly.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $146.2
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.7% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,100
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5%
industry: 40%
services: 55% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 67% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 1.6%
percentage share: highest 10%: 37.6% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini 48.8 (1997)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.3% (2001)
Labor force: 9.9 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation: services 64%, industry 23%,
agriculture 13% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 14.1% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $21.5 billion
expenditures: $27 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2000
est.)
Industries: petroleum, iron ore mining,
construction materials, food
processing, textiles, steel,
aluminum, motor vehicle assembly
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 80.754 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 22.87%
hydro: 77.13%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 75.101 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice,
bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef,
pork, milk, eggs; fish
Exports: $29.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: petroleum, bauxite and aluminum,
steel, chemicals, agricultural
products, basic manufactures
Exports - partners: US 60%, Brazil 5.5%, Colombia 3.5%,
Italy 3.5%, Spain 3.4% (2000)
Imports: $18.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: raw materials, machinery and
equipment, transport equipment,
construction materials
Imports - partners: US 35.8%, Colombia 6.8%, Brazil
4.5%, Germany 3.9%, Italy 3.9%
(2000)
Debt - external: $34.5 billion (2000)
Economic aid - recipient: $35 million with more assistance
likely as a result of flooding
(1999)
Currency: bolivar (VEB)
Currency code: VEB
Exchange rates: bolivares per US dollar - 761.225
(January 2002), 723.666 (2001),
679.960 (2000), 605.717 (1999),
547.556 (1998), 488.635 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Venezuela
------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 2.6 million (however, 3,500,000 have
been installed) (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2 million (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
international: 3 submarine coaxial
cables; 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
Radio broadcast stations: AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas),
shortwave 11 (1998)
Radios: 10.75 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 4.1 million (1997)
Internet country code: .ve
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)
Internet users: 950,000 (2001)
Transportation Venezuela
------------------------
Railways: total: 682 km
standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge
note: 248 km of the existing system
are privately owned; passenger
services are nonexistent; however, a
National Railways Plan, intended to
provide a significant railway
system, has been initiated (2001)
Highways: total: 96,155 km
paved: 32,308 km
unpaved: 63,847 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 7,100 km
note: 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 and harbors: 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: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 716,361 GRT/1,267,095 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Denmark 1, Greece 1,
Italy 1, United Kingdom 1, United
States 2 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 9,
liquefied gas 3, passenger/cargo 1,
petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll
off 10, short-sea passenger 1
Airports: 372 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 124
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 59
under 914 m: 17 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 248
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 97
under 914 m: 140 (2001)
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Venezuela
------------------
Military branches: National Armed Forces (Fuerzas
Armadas Nacionales or FAN) includes
Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas
Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval
Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada -
including marines and Coast Guard),
Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or
Aviacion), Armed Forces of
Cooperation or National Guard
(Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or
Guardia Nacional)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,647,718 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 4,786,849 (2002
service: est.)
Military manpower - reaching males: 246,185 (2002 est.)
military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $934 million (FY99)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 0.9% (FY99)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Venezuela
------------------------------
Disputes - international: claims all of Guyana west of the
Essequibo (river); maritime boundary
dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of
Venezuela; several Caribbean states
protest Venezuela's claim to Islas
des Aves (Bird Islands), 565 km from
Venezuelan mainland
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; important
money-laundering center; active
eradication program primarily
targeting opium; increasing signs of
drug-related activities by Colombian
insurgents on border
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