Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

National name: República Bolivariana de Venezuela

President: Hugo Chavez (1999)

Land area: 340,560 sq mi (882,050 sq km); total area: 352,144 sq mi (912,050 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 25,730,435 (growth rate: 1.4%); birth rate: 18.7/1000; infant mortality rate: 21.5/1000; life expectancy: 74.5; density per sq mile: 76

Capital (2003 est.): Caracas, 3,517,300 (metro. area), 1,741,400 (city proper)

Largest cities: Maracaibo, 1,889,000 (metro. area), 1,854,300 (city proper); Valencia, 1,515,400; Barquisimeto, 948,900

Monetary unit: Bolivar

Languages: Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Ethnicity/race: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people

Religions: Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%

Literacy rate: 93% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $164.1 billion; per capita $6,500. Real growth rate: 9.1%. Inflation: 15.7%. Unemployment: 12.3%. Arable land: 3%. Agriculture: corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish. Labor force: 12.31 million; services 64%, industry 23%, agriculture 13% (1997 est.). Industries: petroleum, construction materials, food processing, textiles; iron ore mining, steel, aluminum; motor vehicle assembly. Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds. Exports: $52.73 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures. Imports: $24.63 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials. Major trading partners: U.S., Netherlands Antilles, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 2,600,000; however, 3,500,000 were installed (1998); mobile cellular: 2 million (1998). Radio broadcast stations: AM 201, FM n.a. (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 Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000). Internet users: 1.3 million (2002).

Transportation: Railways: total: 682 km (2002). Highways: total: 96,155 km; paved: 32,308 km; unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.). Waterways: 7,100 km; Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels. 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. Airports: 373 (2002).

International disputes: claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo River; maritime boundary dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela and the Caribbean Sea; US, France and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's claim to give full effect to Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest the claim and other states' recognition of it.


 

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