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Compare Paracel Islands (2003) - Venezuela (2004)

Compare Paracel Islands (2003) z Venezuela (2004)

 Paracel Islands (2003)Venezuela (2004)
 Paracel IslandsVenezuela
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
Age structure - 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 - corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
Airports 1 (2002) 368 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
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: 242


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 88


under 914 m: 144 (2004 est.)
Area total: NA sq km


land: NA sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 912,050 sq km


land: 882,050 sq km


water: 30,000 sq km
Area - comparative NA slightly more than twice the size of California
Background The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. 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 - 19.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget - revenues: $19.33 billion


expenditures: $24.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6 billion (2003)
Capital - Caracas
Climate tropical tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Coastline 518 km 2,800 km
Constitution - 30 December 1999
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Paracel Islands
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 - 4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external - $32.51 billion (2003)
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 occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam 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 - $74 million (2000)
Economy - overview China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. 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 - 81.47 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production - 87.6 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m
Environment - current issues NA 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 - Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people
Exchange rates - 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 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 (2001)
Exports - commodities - petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures
Exports - partners - US 52.9%, Netherlands Antilles 5%, Dominican Republic 3% (2003)
Fiscal year - calendar year
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
GDP - purchasing power parity - $117.9 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 5%


industry: 50%


services: 45% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - -9.2% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 16 30 N, 112 00 E 8 00 N, 66 00 W
Geography - note composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall
Highways - total: 96,155 km


paved: 32,308 km


unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - 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 - NA (2001)
Imports - commodities - raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials
Imports - partners - US 28.8%, Colombia 7%, Brazil 6.6%, Mexico 4.3% (2003)
Independence - 5 July 1811 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate - -15.4% (2003 est.)
Industries - petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly
Infant mortality rate - 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) - 31.1% (2003 est.)
International organization participation - 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 0 sq km (1998 est.) 540 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term)
Labor force - 11.38 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation - 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: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
arable land: 2.95%


permanent crops: 0.92%


other: 96.13% (2001)
Languages - Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects
Legal system - based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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)


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: 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: 93.4%


male: 93.8%


female: 93.1% (2003 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
Map references Southeast Asia South America
Maritime claims NA 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 occupied by China -
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 - Independence Day, 5 July (1811)
Nationality - noun: Venezuelan(s)


adjective: Venezuelan
Natural hazards typhoons subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
Natural resources none petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
Net migration rate - -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 - 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 - FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization dominated by the Democratic Action)
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)
25,017,387 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line - 47% (1998 est.)
Population growth rate - 1.44% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded 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 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)
Railways - total: 682 km


standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Religions - nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
Sex ratio - 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
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: 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 - 2,841,800 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 6,463,600 (2002)
Television broadcast stations - 66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly low and flat Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Total fertility rate - 2.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate - 18% (2003 est.)
Waterways none 7,100 km


note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels, Orinoco for 400 km (2004)
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