Venezuela
LAND OF FUN,BEACHES,AND BEAUTIFUL SCENERYS
FACTS ABOUT VENEZUELA
Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). 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. Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, seeks to implement his "21st Century Socialism," which purports to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking capitalist globalization and existing democratic institutions. Current concerns include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized military, drug-related violence along the Colombian border, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.
Geography ::Venezuela
Capital: Caracas
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
8 00 N, 66 00 W
Area:
total: 912,050 sq km
country comparison to the world: 33land: 882,050 sq km
water: 30,000 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of California
total: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
2,800 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 15 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar 5,007 m
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
arable land: 2.85%
permanent crops: 0.88%
other: 96.27% (2005)
5,800 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,233.2 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 8.37 cu km/yr (6%/7%/47%)
per capita: 313 cu m/yr (2000)
subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
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 agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements
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
noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people
Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
28,047,938 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 450-14 years: 29% (male 4,147,023/ female 3,995,375)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 9,025,781/ female 9,311,262)
65 years and over: 5.6% (male 692,321/ female 876,176) (2012 est.)
total: 26.3 years
male: 25.6 years
female: 27.1 years (2012 est.)
1.468% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8219.88 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 895.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1800 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111urban population: 93% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
CARACAS (capital) 3.051 million; Maracaibo 2.153 million; Valencia 1.738 million; Barquisimeto 1.159 million; Maracay 1.04 million (2009)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
92 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 78total: 20.18 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 96male: 23.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
total population: 74.08 years
country comparison to the world: 111male: 70.98 years
female: 77.34 years (2012 est.)
2.4 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 921.94 physicians/1,000 population (2001)
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2007)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA; note - no country specific models provided
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
NA
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2009)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
3.7% (2007)
country comparison to the world: 963.7% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 112definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: 93.3%
female: 92.7% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 15 years (2008)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 13.6%
country comparison to the world: 84male: 12.3%
female: 15.9% (2008)