Venezuela (2003) | Ghana (2001) | |
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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 |
10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 31% (male 3,944,749; female 3,700,799)
15-64 years: 64.1% (male 7,931,194; female 7,864,697) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 552,291; female 660,964) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years:
41.18% (male 4,123,317; female 4,068,786) 15-64 years: 55.35% (male 5,455,577; female 5,555,278) 65 years and over: 3.47% (male 328,809; female 362,247) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish | cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber |
Airports | 373 (2002) | 12 (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:
6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (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:
6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 912,050 sq km
land: 882,050 sq km water: 30,000 sq km |
total:
238,540 sq km land: 230,020 sq km water: 8,520 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of California | slightly smaller than Oregon |
Background | 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: 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. | Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR. |
Birth rate | 19.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 28.95 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $21.5 billion
expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues:
$1.39 billion expenditures: $1.47 billion, including capital expenditures of $370 million (1996 est.) |
Capital | Caracas | Accra |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands | tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north |
Coastline | 2,800 km | 539 km |
Constitution | 30 December 1999 | new constitution approved 28 April 1992 |
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:
Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast |
Currency | bolivar (VEB) | cedi (GHC) |
Death rate | 4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 10.26 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $38.2 billion (2000) | $7 billion (1999 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 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Kathryn D. ROBINSON embassy: Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 775348 FAX: [233] (21) 776008 |
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) |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Kobena KOOMSON chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520 FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527 consulate(s) general: New York |
Disputes - international | claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo River; 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 the claim and other states' recognition of it | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $74 million (2000) | $477.3 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | 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 two-month national oil strike from December 2002 to February 2003, temporarily halted economic activity. The economy is likely to remain in a recession in 2003, after sinking an estimated 8.9 percent in 2002. | Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 36% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. In 1995-97, Ghana made mixed progress under a three-year structural adjustment program in cooperation with the IMF. On the minus side, public sector wage increases and regional peacekeeping commitments have led to continued inflationary deficit financing, depreciation of the cedi, and rising public discontent with Ghana's austerity measures. Political uncertainty and a depressed cocoa market led to disappointing growth in 2000. A rebound in the cocoa market should push growth over 4% in 2001-02. |
Electricity - consumption | 81.47 billion kWh (2001) | 5.573 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 400 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 890 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 87.6 billion kWh (2001) | 5.466 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 31.7%
hydro: 68.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel:
26.82% hydro: 73.18% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 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 | recent drought in north severely affecting agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water |
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:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
Ethnic groups | Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people | black African 99.8% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%), European and other 0.2% |
Exchange rates | bolivares per US dollar - 1,160.44 (2002), 723.67 (2001), 679.96 (2000), 605.72 (1999), 547.56 (1998) | cedis per US dollar - 6,895.77 (January 2001), 5,321.68 (2000), 2,647.32 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998), 2,050.17 (1997), 1,637.23 (1996) |
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 John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 and 28 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR elected president in runoff; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 56.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.6% |
Exports | NA (2001) | $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures | gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds |
Exports - partners | US 53.4%, Netherlands Antilles 17.3%, Canada 2.9% (2002) | Togo, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, US, France (1998) |
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 | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $131.7 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $37.4 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5%
industry: 50% services: 45% (2001) |
agriculture:
36% industry: 25% services: 39% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -8.9% (2002 est.) | 3% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 8 00 N, 66 00 W | 8 00 N, 2 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 | Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake; northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March) |
Heliports | 1 (2002) | - |
Highways | total: 96,155 km
paved: 32,308 km unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.) |
total:
39,409 km paved: 11,653 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,756 km (1997) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 0.8%
highest 10%: 36.5% (1998) |
lowest 10%:
3.6% highest 10%: 26.1% (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 | illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US |
Imports | NA (2001) | $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials | capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | US 27.5%, Colombia 6.9%, Brazil 5.7%, Mexico 4.4% (2002) | UK, Nigeria, US, Germany, Italy, Spain (1998) |
Independence | 5 July 1811 (from Spain) | 6 March 1957 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | -5.4% (2002 est.) | 4.2% (1996 est.) |
Industries | petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly | mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 23.79 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 27.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
56.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 31.2% (2002 est.) | 22.8% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-19, 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, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 540 sq km (1998 est.) | 60 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 |
Labor force | 9.9 million (1999) | 9 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 64%, industry 23%, agriculture 13% (1997 est.) | agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km |
total:
2,093 km border countries: Burkina Faso 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.99%
permanent crops: 0.96% other: 96.05% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
12% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 22% forests and woodland: 35% other: 24% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects | English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga) |
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 and customary law; 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 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) |
unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 100, NDC 92, PNC 3, CPP 1, independents 4 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 73.81 years
male: 70.78 years female: 77.07 years (2003 est.) |
total population:
57.24 years male: 55.86 years female: 58.66 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.4% male: 93.8% female: 93.1% (2003 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 64.5% male: 75.9% female: 53.5% (1995 est.) |
Location | Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo |
Map references | South America | Africa |
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: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 714,073 GRT/1,256,667 DWT
ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 15, 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, UK 1, US 2 (2002 est.) |
total:
6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,484 GRT/18,583 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 4 (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) | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, Palace Guard, Civil Defense |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $934 million (FY99) | $53 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.9% (FY99) | 0.7% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 6,767,862 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49:
4,890,483 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 4,870,751 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49:
2,713,584 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2003 est.) | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 249,319 (2003 est.) | males:
213,237 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 5 July (1811) | Independence Day, 6 March (1957) |
Nationality | noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan |
noun:
Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian |
Natural hazards | subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts | dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds | gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower |
Net migration rate | -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | -0.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,484 km; refined products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2003) | 0 km |
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] | Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA, chairman]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman]; People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE]; People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA] |
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 | 24,654,694 (July 2003 est.) | 19,894,014
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 47% (1998 est.) | 31.4% (1992 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.48% (2003 est.) | 1.79% (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 | Takoradi, Tema |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998) | AM 0, FM 18, shortwave 3 (1999) |
Radios | - | 4.4 million (1997) |
Railways | total: 682 km
standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2002) |
total:
953 km (undergoing major rehabilitation) narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (32 km double track) (1997 est.) |
Religions | nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2% | indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8% |
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: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 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:
poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is underway domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2.6 million (however, 3,500,000 have been installed) (1998) | 200,000 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2 million (1998) | 30,000 (yearend 1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997) | 11 (1999) |
Terrain | Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast | mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area |
Total fertility rate | 2.36 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 3.82 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 17% (2002 est.) | 20% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | 7,100 km
note: Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels |
1,293 km
note: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways |