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Compare Venezuela (2002) - United States (2001)

Compare Venezuela (2002) z United States (2001)

 Venezuela (2002)United States (2001)
 VenezuelaUnited States
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
50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
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:
21.12% (male 30,034,674; female 28,681,253)

15-64 years:
66.27% (male 91,371,753; female 92,907,199)

65 years and over:
12.61% (male 14,608,948; female 20,455,054) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish wheat, other grains, corn, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish
Airports 372 (2001) 14,720 (2000 est.)
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:
5,174

over 3,047 m:
182

2,438 to 3,047 m:
220

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1,331

914 to 1,523 m:
2,440

under 914 m:
1,001 (2000 est.)
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:
9,546

over 3,047 m:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
6

1,524 to 2,437 m:
164

914 to 1,523 m:
1,675

under 914 m:
7,698 (2000 est.)
Area total: 912,050 sq km


land: 882,050 sq km


water: 30,000 sq km
total:
9,629,091 sq km

land:
9,158,960 sq km

water:
470,131 sq km

note:
includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia
Area - comparative slightly more than twice the size of California about one-half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about one-half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; about two and one-half times the size of Western Europe
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. The United States became the world's first modern democracy after its break with Great Britain (1776) and the adoption of a constitution (1789). During the 19th century, many new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation-state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.
Birth rate 20.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 14.2 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $21.5 billion


expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.)
revenues:
$1.828 trillion

expenditures:
$1.703 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)
Capital Caracas Washington, DC
Climate tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
Coastline 2,800 km 19,924 km
Constitution 30 December 1999 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789
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:
United States of America

conventional short form:
United States

abbreviation:
US or USA
Currency bolivar (VEB) US dollar (USD)
Death rate 4.91 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $34.5 billion (2000) (2000) $862 billion (1995 est.)
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
-
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)
-
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 maritime boundary disputes with Canada (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island); US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)
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 US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $36,200. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and government buys needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, lay off surplus workers, and develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home markets than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment, although their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The years 1994-2000 witnessed solid increases in real output, low inflation rates, and a drop in unemployment to below 5%. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs of an aging population, sizable trade deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups. Growth weakened in the fourth quarter of 2000; growth for the year 2001 almost certainly will be substantially lower than the strong 5% of 2000. The outlook for 2001 is further clouded by the continued economic problems of Japan, Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, and many other countries.
Electricity - consumption 75.101 billion kWh (2000) 3.45 trillion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 14 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 43 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 80.754 billion kWh (2000) 3.678 trillion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 23%


hydro: 77%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel:
69.64%

hydro:
8.31%

nuclear:
19.8%

other:
2.25% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m
lowest point:
Death Valley -86 m

highest point:
Mount McKinley 6,194 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 air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; very limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification
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, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes
Ethnic groups Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people white 83.5%, black 12.4%, Asian 3.3%, Amerindian 0.8% (1992)

note:
a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American descent (especially of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.)
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) British pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.5032 (January 2001), 1.4851 (2000), 1.4857 (1999), 1.4835 (1998), 1.3846 (1997), 1.3635 (1996); French francs per US dollar - 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994); Italian lire per US dollar - 1,668.7 (January 1999), 1,763.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994); Japanese yen per US dollar - 117.10 (January 2001), 107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998), 120.99 (1997), 108.78 (1996); German deutsche marks per US dollar - 1.69 (January 1999), 1.9692 (1998), 1.7341 (1997), 1.5048 (1996), 1.4331 (1995), 1.6228 (1994); euros per US dollar - 1.06594 (January 2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999)

note:
financial institutions in France, Italy, and Germany and eight other European countries started using the euro on 1 January 1999 with the euro replacing the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
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:
President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval

elections:
president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)

election results:
George W. BUSH elected president; percent of popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 48%, Albert A. GORE, Jr. (Democratic Party) 48%, Ralph NADER (Green Party) 3%, other 1%
Exports $29.5 billion f.o.b. (2001) $776 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products
Exports - partners US 60%, Brazil 5.5%, Colombia 3.5%, Italy 3.5%, Spain 3.4% (2000) Canada 23%, Mexico 14%, Japan 8%, UK 5%, Germany 4%, France, Netherlands (2000)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 October - 30 September
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 thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico
GDP purchasing power parity - $146.2 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $9.963 trillion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 5%


industry: 40%


services: 55% (2001 est.)
agriculture:
2%

industry:
18%

services:
80% (1999)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $36,200 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.7% (2001 est.) 5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 N, 66 00 W 38 00 N, 97 00 W
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 world's third-largest country (after Russia and Canada)
Heliports 1 (2002) 131 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 96,155 km


paved: 32,308 km


unpaved: 63,847 km (1997 est.)
total:
6,370,031 km

paved:
5,733,028 km (including 74,091 km of expressways)

unpaved:
637,003 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 38% (1997) (1997)
lowest 10%:
1.8%

highest 10%:
30.5% (1997)
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 consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering center
Imports $18.4 billion f.o.b. (2001) $1.223 trillion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages
Imports - partners US 35.8%, Colombia 6.8%, Brazil 4.5%, Germany 3.9%, Italy 3.9% (2000) Canada 19%, Japan 11%, Mexico 11%, China 8%, Germany 5%, UK, Taiwan (2000)
Independence 5 July 1811 (from Spain) 4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 5.6% (2000 est.)
Industries petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining
Infant mortality rate 24.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 6.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 12.3% (2001) (2001) 3.4% (2000)
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 APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 16 (2000) 7,800 (2000 est.)
Irrigated land 540 sq km (1998 est.) 207,000 sq km (1993 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) Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for life by the president with confirmation by the Senate); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts
Labor force 9.9 million (1999) (1999) 140.9 million (includes unemployed) (2000)
Labor force - by occupation services 64%, industry 23%, agriculture 13% (1997 est.) managerial and professional 30.2%, technical, sales and administrative support 29.2%, services 13.5%, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and crafts 24.6%, farming, forestry, and fishing 2.5% (2000)

note:
figures exclude the unemployed
Land boundaries total: 4,993 km


border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
total:
12,248 km

border countries:
Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Cuba 29 km (US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay), Mexico 3,326 km

note:
Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains part of Cuba
Land use arable land: 2.99%


permanent crops: 0.96%


other: 96.05% (1998 est.)
arable land:
19%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
25%

forests and woodland:
30%

other:
26% (1993 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)
Legal system based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; 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)
bicameral Congress consists of Senate (100 seats, one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and House of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 4 November 2002); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 4 November 2002)

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 50, Democratic Party 50; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 221, Democratic Party 211, independent 2, vacant 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.56 years


male: 70.53 years


female: 76.81 years (2002 est.)
total population:
77.26 years

male:
74.37 years

female:
80.05 years (2001 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:
97%

male:
97%

female:
97% (1979 est.)
Location Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Map references South America North America
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
contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
not specified

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 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:
376 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,814,622 GRT/14,416,517 DWT

ships by type:
barge carrier 9, bulk 68, cargo 29, chemical tanker 13, combination bulk 3, container 80, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 98, roll on/roll off 49, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 9 (2000 est.)
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) Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (includes Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force

note:
the Coast Guard is normally subordinate to the Department of Transportation, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy
Military expenditures - dollar figure $934 million (FY99) $276.7 billion (FY99 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.9% (FY99) 3.2% (FY99 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 6,647,718 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
70,819,436 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 4,786,849 (2002 est.) NA
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 246,185 (2002 est.) males:
2,039,414 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 5 July (1811) Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Nationality noun: Venezuelan(s)


adjective: Venezuelan
noun:
American(s)

adjective:
American
Natural hazards subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber
Net migration rate -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 3.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 6,370 km; petroleum products 480 km; natural gas 4,010 km petroleum products 276,000 km; natural gas 331,000 km (1991)
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] Democratic Party [Terence McAULIFFE, national committee chairman]; Republican Party [James S. GILMORE III, national committee chairman]; several other groups or parties of minor political significance
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.) 278,058,881 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 67% (1997 est.) 12.7% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 1.52% (2002 est.) 0.9% (2001 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 Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon), Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo
Radio broadcast stations AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998) AM 4,762, FM 5,542, shortwave 18 (1998)
Radios 10.75 million (1997) 575 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:
225,750 km mainline routes

standard gauge:
225,750 km 1.435-m gauge (1999)
Religions nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2% Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989)
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:
1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.71 male(s)/female

total population:
0.96 male(s)/female (2001 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:
a very large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system

domestic:
a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country

international:
24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 2.6 million (however, 3,500,000 have been installed) (1998) 194 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2 million (1998) 69.209 million (1998)
Television broadcast stations 66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997) more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations affiliated with the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)
Terrain Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
Total fertility rate 2.41 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.06 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 14.1% (2001 est.) 4% (2000)
Waterways 7,100 km


note: Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels
41,009 km

note:
navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes
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