Compare Northern Mariana Islands (2007) - Venezuela (2004)

Compare Northern Mariana Islands (2007) z Venezuela (2004)

	Northern Mariana Islands (2007)	Venezuela (2004)

Administrative divisions	none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order: Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian	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
Age structure	0-14 years: 18.9% (male 8,354/female 7,612) 15-64 years: 79.5% (male 27,334/female 39,860) 65 years and over: 1.6% (male 717/female 669) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 30.5% (male 3,930,413; female 3,687,744) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 8,107,382; female 8,034,905) 65 years and over: 5% (male 571,289; female 685,654) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle	corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
Airports	5 (2007)	368 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)	total: 127 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)	total: 242 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 88 under 914 m: 144 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian	total: 912,050 sq km land: 882,050 sq km water: 30,000 sq km
Area - comparative	2.5 times the size of Washington, DC	slightly more than twice the size of California
Background	Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975, and came into force on 24 March 1976. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.	Venezuela was one of 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: a polarized political environment, 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.
Birth rate	19.27 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	19.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $193 million expenditures: $223 million (FY01/02 est.)	revenues: $19.33 billion expenditures: $24.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6 billion (2003)
Capital	name: Saipan geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Caracas
Climate	tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October	tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Coastline	1,482 km	2,800 km
Constitution	Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986	30 December 1999
Country name	conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands abbreviation: CNMI former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District	conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela conventional short form: Venezuela local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela local short form: Venezuela
Currency	-	bolivar (VEB)
Death rate	2.29 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	$NA	$32.51 billion (2003)
Dependency status	commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	-	chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD 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] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411 FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991
Diplomatic representation in the US	-	chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214 FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Disputes - international	none	claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that the Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; 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 Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation and other states' recognition of it
Economic aid - recipient	extensive funding from US	$74 million (2000)
Economy - overview	The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with the employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.	Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the petroleum sector, which accounts for roughly one-third of GDP, around 80% of export earnings, and more than half of government operating revenues. Despite higher oil prices at the end of 2002 and into 2003, domestic political instability, culminating in a disastrous two-month national oil strike from December 2002 to February 2003, temporarily halted economic activity. The economy remained in depression in 2003, declining by 9.2% after an 8.9% fall in 2002. In late 2003, President CHAVEZ committed himself to $1 billion in new social programs, money the government does not have.
Electricity - consumption	NA kWh	81.47 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2007 est.)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2007 est.)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	NA kWh	87.6 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m
Environment - current issues	contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development	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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
Ethnic groups	Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census)	Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people
Exchange rates	the US dollar is used	bolivares per US dollar - 1,607.79 (2003), 1,160.95 (2002), 723.666 (2001), 679.96 (2000), 605.717 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January 2006); Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. VILLAGOMEZ (since 9 January 2006) cabinet: the cabinet consists of the heads of the 10 principal departments under the executive branch who are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; other members include Special Assistants to the governor and office heads appointed by and reporting directly to the governor elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: Benigno R. FITIAL elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL 28.07%, Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER 27.34%, Juan BABAUTA 26.6%, Froilan TENORIO 17.99%	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 elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote - 60% note: a special presidential recall vote on 15 August 2004 resulted in a victory for CHAVEZ; percent of vote - 58% in favor of CHAVEZ fulfilling the remaining two years of his term, 42% in favor of terminating his presidency immediately
Exports	$NA	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	garments	petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures
Exports - partners	US (2006)	US 52.9%, Netherlands Antilles 5%, Dominican Republic 3% (2003)
Fiscal year	1 October - 30 September	calendar year
Flag description	blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath	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
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $117.9 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%	agriculture: 5% industry: 50% services: 45% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	NA%	-9.2% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	15 12 N, 145 45 E	8 00 N, 66 00 W
Geography - note	strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean	on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall
Heliports	1 (2007)	-
Highways	-	total: 96,155 km paved: 32,308 km unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)
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; significant narcotics-related money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on border
Imports	$214.4 million (2001)	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products	raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials
Imports - partners	US, Japan (2006)	US 28.8%, Colombia 7%, Brazil 6.6%, Mexico 4.3% (2003)
Independence	none (commonwealth in political union with the US)	5 July 1811 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	-15.4% (2003 est.)
Industries	tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts	petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly
Infant mortality rate	total: 6.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: 22.99 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-0.8% (2000)	31.1% (2003 est.)
International organization participation	Interpol (subbureau), SPC, UPU	CAN, CDB, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land	NA	540 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court	Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term)
Labor force	44,470 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (2000)	11.38 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%	agriculture 13%, industry 23%, services 64% (1997 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 4,993 km border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
Land use	arable land: 13.04% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 82.61% (2005)	arable land: 2.95% permanent crops: 0.92% other: 96.13% (2001)
Languages	Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census)	Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects
Legal system	based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation	based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 3 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2009); House of Representatives - last held 3 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 1, independents 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 12, Covenant Party 4, Democratic Party 1, independents 3 note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)	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) elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held July 2005) 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)
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 76.29 years male: 73.7 years female: 79.05 years (2007 est.)	total population: 74.06 years male: 71.02 years female: 77.32 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.4% male: 93.8% female: 93.1% (2003 est.)
Location	Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines	Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
Map references	Oceania	South America
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 15 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine	-	total: 48 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 740,919 GRT/1,191,483 DWT by type: bulk 6, cargo 7, container 2, liquefied gas 5, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 16, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1 foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Denmark 2, Greece 2, Spain 1, United States 2 registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the US	-
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 expenditures - dollar figure	-	$1,125.6 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	1.3% (2003)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 6,886,775 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 4,953,803 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 250,730 (2004 est.)
National holiday	Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)	Independence Day, 5 July (1811)
Nationality	noun: NA (US citizens) adjective: NA	noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan
Natural hazards	active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)	subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
Natural resources	arable land, fish	petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
Net migration rate	7.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines	-	extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,360 km; refined products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]; Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S. REYES]	Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fifth Republic Movement or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Homeland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; National Convergence or Convergencia [Juan Jose CALDERA]; Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres VELASQUEZ]; Social Christian Party or COPEI [Eduardo FERNANDEZ]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization dominated by the Democratic Action)
Population	84,546 (July 2007 est.)	25,017,387 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	47% (1998 est.)
Population growth rate	2.461% (2007 est.)	1.44% (2004 est.)
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
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2005)	AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)
Railways	-	total: 682 km standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Religions	Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)	nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.097 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.686 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.072 male(s)/female total population: 0.756 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)	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: country code - 58; 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
Telephones - main lines in use	21,000 (2000)	2,841,800 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	20,500 (2004)	6,463,600 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	1 (on Saipan; in addition, 2 cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (2006)	66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain	southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic	Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Total fertility rate	1.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)	2.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	3.9% (2001)	18% (2003 est.)
Waterways	-	7,100 km note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels, Orinoco for 400 km (2004)

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