Venezuela (2002) | Norway (2008) | |
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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 |
19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold |
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.) |
0-14 years: 19% (male 450,612/female 430,126)
15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,552,473/female 1,507,638) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 291,659/female 395,418) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish | barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish |
Airports | 372 (2001) | 98 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 127
over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 32 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 18 (2002) |
total: 67
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 29 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 246
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 97 under 914 m: 139 (2002) |
total: 31
914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 25 (2007) |
Area | total: 912,050 sq km
land: 882,050 sq km water: 30,000 sq km |
total: 323,802 sq km
land: 307,442 sq km water: 16,360 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of California | slightly larger than New Mexico |
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. | Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. |
Birth rate | 20.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 11.27 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $21.5 billion
expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.) |
revenues: $232.3 billion
expenditures: $158.4 billion (2007 est.) |
Capital | Caracas | name: Oslo
geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands | temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast |
Coastline | 2,800 km | 25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133 km) |
Constitution | 30 December 1999 | 17 May 1814; amended many times |
Country name | conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
conventional short form: Venezuela local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela local short form: Venezuela |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge |
Currency | bolivar (VEB) | - |
Death rate | 4.91 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 9.37 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $34.5 billion (2000) (2000) | $469.1 billion; note - Norway is a net external creditor (30 June 2007) |
Dependent areas | - | Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Charles S. 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] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411 FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Benson K. WHITNEY
embassy: Henrik Ibsens gate 48, 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will move to Huseby in the near future mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50 FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63, 56 27 51 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d' Affaires Luis HERERRA Marcano
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) |
chief of mission: Ambassador Wegger C. STROMMEN
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870 consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis (may be closed in 2008), New York, San Francisco |
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 | Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); despite dialogue, Russia and Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $1.4 billion (1998) |
Economic aid - recipient | $35 million with more assistance likely as a result of flooding (1999) | - |
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. | The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector, through large-scale state enterprises. The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on its oil production and international oil prices, with oil and gas accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, as a member of the European Economic Area, it contributes sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead with privatization. Although Norwegian oil production peaked in 2000, natural gas production is still rising. Norwegians realize that once their gas production peaks they will eventually face declining oil and gas revenues; accordingly, Norway has been saving its oil-and-gas-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $250 billion. After lackluster growth of less than 1% in 2002-03, GDP growth picked up to 3-5% in 2004-07, partly due to higher oil prices. Norway's economy remains buoyant. Domestic economic activity is, and will continue to be, the main driver of growth, supported by high consumer confidence and strong investment spending in the offshore oil and gas sector. Norway's record high budget surplus and upswing in the labor market in 2007 highlight the strength of its economic position going into 2008. |
Electricity - consumption | 75.101 billion kWh (2000) | 113.9 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 15.7 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 3.652 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 80.754 billion kWh (2000) | 135.8 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 23%
hydro: 77% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m |
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m |
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 | water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Antarctic Treaty, 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 |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people | Norwegian, Sami 20,000 |
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) | Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 5.8396 (2007), 6.4117 (2006), 6.4425 (2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003) |
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% |
chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973)
head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17 October 2005) cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament |
Exports | $29.5 billion f.o.b. (2001) | 3.018 million bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures | petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish |
Exports - partners | US 60%, Brazil 5.5%, Colombia 3.5%, Italy 3.5%, Spain 3.4% (2000) | UK 26.8%, Germany 12.3%, Netherlands 10.3%, France 8.2%, Sweden 6.4%, US 5.7% (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar 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 | red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $146.2 billion (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5%
industry: 40% services: 55% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: 2.4%
industry: 42.9% services: 54.7% (2007 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.7% (2001 est.) | 4.9% (2007 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 8 00 N, 66 00 W | 62 00 N, 10 00 E |
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 | about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in the world |
Heliports | 1 (2002) | 1 (2007) |
Highways | total: 96,155 km
paved: 32,308 km unpaved: 63,847 km (1997 est.) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 38% (1997) (1997) |
lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 23.4% (2000) |
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 | $18.4 billion f.o.b. (2001) | 91,930 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | US 35.8%, Colombia 6.8%, Brazil 4.5%, Germany 3.9%, Italy 3.9% (2000) | Sweden 15%, Germany 13.5%, Denmark 6.9%, UK 6.4%, China 5.7%, US 5.3%, Netherlands 4.1% (2006) |
Independence | 5 July 1811 (from Spain) | 7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 1% (2007 est.) |
Industries | petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly | petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing |
Infant mortality rate | 24.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 3.64 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 12.3% (2001) (2001) | 0.4% (2007 est.) |
International organization participation | CAN, Caricom (observer), CCC, CDB, 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 | ADB (nonregional members), AfDB, Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 540 sq km (1998 est.) | 1,270 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term) | Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch) |
Labor force | 9.9 million (1999) (1999) | 2.5 million (2007 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 64%, industry 23%, agriculture 13% (1997 est.) | agriculture: 4%
industry: 22% services: 74% (1995) |
Land boundaries | total: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km |
total: 2,542 km
border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.99%
permanent crops: 0.96% other: 96.05% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 2.7%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.3% (2005) |
Languages | Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects | Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in six municipalities |
Legal system | based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations |
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 NA 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) |
modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms); note - in 2009 the number of seats will change to 165
elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to be held in September 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 32.7%, Progress Party 22.1%, Conservative Party 14.1%, Socialist Left Party 8.8%, Christian People's Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal Party 5.9%, other 3.1%; seats by party - Labor Party 61, Progress Party 38, Conservative Party 23, Socialist Left Party 15, Christian People's Party 11, Center Party 11, Liberal Party 10 note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership in the Lagting and three-fourths of its membership in the Odelsting |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 73.56 years
male: 70.53 years female: 76.81 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 79.67 years
male: 77.04 years female: 82.46 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.1% male: 91.8% female: 90.3% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% |
Location | Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana | Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden |
Map references | South America | Europe |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 15 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 716,361 GRT/1,267,095 DWT
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 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.) |
total: 715 ships (1000 GRT or over) 16,511,659 GRT/22,299,832 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 49, cargo 151, carrier 1, chemical tanker 146, combination ore/oil 12, container 5, liquefied gas 72, passenger/cargo 122, petroleum tanker 79, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 16, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 49 foreign-owned: 174 (China 47, Cyprus 2, Denmark 26, Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 3, Germany 2, Greece 6, Hong Kong 5, Iceland 3, Italy 4, Japan 1, Lithuania 1, Monaco 5, Netherlands 1, Poland 3, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 1, Sweden 31, UAE 1, UK 9, US 18) registered in other countries: 872 (Antigua and Barbuda 7, Australia 1, Bahamas 232, Barbados 35, Belize 3, Bermuda 5, Brazil 1, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 2, China 1, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 17, Denmark 1, Dominica 1, Estonia 2, Faroe Islands 4, Finland 1, France 17, Gibraltar 27, Hong Kong 30, Isle of Man 33, Liberia 42, Libya 1, Malta 71, Marshall Islands 62, Mexico 1, Netherlands 9, Netherlands Antilles 5, Nigeria 1, Panama 60, Philippines 2, Portugal 3, Singapore 125, Spain 6, St Vincent and The Grenadines 19, Sweden 5, UK 33, US 4, unknown 2) (2007) |
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) | Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske Sjoeforsvaret, RNoN; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2006) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $934 million (FY99) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.9% (FY99) | 1.9% (2005 est.) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 6,647,718 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 4,786,849 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 246,185 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 5 July (1811) | Constitution Day, 17 May (1814) |
Nationality | noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan |
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian |
Natural hazards | subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts | rockslides, avalanches |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower |
Net migration rate | -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 6,370 km; petroleum products 480 km; natural gas 4,010 km | condensate 508 km; gas 6,529 km; oil 2,444 km; oil/gas/water 457 km (2007) |
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] | Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party [Dagfinn HOYBRATEN]; Conservative Party [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Siv JENSEN]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN] |
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) | NA |
Population | 24,287,670 (July 2002 est.) | 4,627,926 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 67% (1997 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.52% (2002 est.) | 0.363% (2007 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 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998) | AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 10.75 million (1997) | - |
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) |
total: 4,043 km
standard gauge: 4,043 km 1.435-m gauge (2,509 km electrified) (2006) |
Religions | nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2% | Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004) |
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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.738 male(s)/female total population: 0.984 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 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: 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 |
general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile systems instead of fixed-wire systems international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; submarine cables provide links to other Nordic countries and Europe; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2.6 million (however, 3,500,000 have been installed) (1998) | 2.055 million (2006) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2 million (1998) | 5.041 million (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | 66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997) | 360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast | glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north |
Total fertility rate | 2.41 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.78 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 14.1% (2001 est.) | 2.4% (2007 est.) |
Waterways | 7,100 km
note: Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels |
1,577 km (2007) |