Compare Venezuela (2005) - Maldives (2003)

Compare Venezuela (2005) z Maldives (2003)

	Venezuela (2005)	Maldives (2003)

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 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-order administrative division; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu
Age structure	0-14 years: 29.9% (male 3,909,876/female 3,667,958) 15-64 years: 65% (male 8,287,255/female 8,209,599) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 590,236/female 710,357) (2005 est.)	0-14 years: 44.9% (male 75,991; female 71,826) 15-64 years: 52.1% (male 87,734; female 84,150) 65 years and over: 3% (male 5,073; female 4,910) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish	coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Airports	369 (2004 est.)	5 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	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.)	total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
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.)	total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Area	total: 912,050 sq km land: 882,050 sq km water: 30,000 sq km	total: 300 sq km land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly more than twice the size of California	about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
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: a polarized political environment, a politicized military, drug-related violence 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 Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.
Birth rate	18.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)	36.71 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $26.91 billion expenditures: $30.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6 billion (2004 est.)	revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants) expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (2002 est.)
Capital	Caracas	Male
Climate	tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands	tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Coastline	2,800 km	644 km
Constitution	30 December 1999	adopted January 1998
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 Maldives conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
Currency	-	rufiyaa (MVR)
Death rate	4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)	7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$33.29 billion (2004 est.)	$281 million (2003 est.)
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	the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera 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)	Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York; permanent representative is Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF
Disputes - international	claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana, 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; dispute with Colombia over Los Monjes islands and maritime boundary near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region resulting in several thousand residents migrating away from the border; 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	none
Economic aid - recipient	$74 million (2000)	$NA
Economy - overview	Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the petroleum sector, accounting for roughly one-third of GDP, around 80% of export earnings, and over half of government operating revenues. 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. Despite continued domestic instability, output recovered strongly in 2004, aided by high oil prices. Both inflation and unemployment remain fundamental problems.	Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Almost 400,000 tourists visited the islands in 1998. Fishing is a second leading sector. The Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level.
Electricity - consumption	89.3 billion kWh (2003)	108.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	450 million kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	30 million kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	89.7 billion kWh (2003)	117 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 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	depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
Environment - international agreements	party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people	South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs
Exchange rates	bolivares per US dollar - 1,891.3 (2004), 1,607 (2003), 1,161 (2002), 723.7 (2001), 680 (2000)	rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2002), 12.24 (2001), 11.77 (2000), 11.77 (1999), 11.77 (1998)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL Vale (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 Vale (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	chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president; note - need not be members of Majlis elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval margin is required); president elected for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003) election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%
Exports	2.1 million bbl/day (2004 est.)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures	fish, clothing
Exports - partners	US 55.6%, Netherlands Antilles 4.7%, Dominican Republic 2.8% (2004)	US 51.7%, Sri Lanka 16.2%, Thailand 9.3%, Japan 7.6%, UK 4.6% (2002)
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 large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $1.25 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 0.1% industry: 46.5% services: 53.4% (2004 est.)	agriculture: 20% industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2004 est.)	purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	16.8% (2004 est.)	2.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	8 00 N, 66 00 W	3 15 N, 73 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	1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
Highways	total: 96,155 km paved: 32,308 km unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.)	total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
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	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials	consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners	US 28.8%, Colombia 9.9%, Brazil 7%, Mexico 4.1% (2004)	Singapore 25.6%, Sri Lanka 15%, UAE 14.5%, India 6.6%, Malaysia 5.7%, Thailand 4% (2002)
Independence	5 July 1811 (from Spain)	26 July 1965 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	12.3% (2004 est.)	4.4% (1996 est.)
Industries	petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly	fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Infant mortality rate	total: 22.2 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)	total: 60.13 deaths/1,000 live births male: 59.23 deaths/1,000 live births female: 61.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	22.4% (2004 est.)	1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	CAN, CDB, CSN, 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	AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	1 (2000)
Irrigated land	540 sq km (1998 est.)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term)	High Court
Labor force	12.25 million (2004 est.)	88,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 13%, industry 23%, services 64% (1997 est.)	agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)
Land boundaries	total: 4,993 km border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 2.95% permanent crops: 0.92% other: 96.13% (2001)	arable land: 3.33% permanent crops: 6.67% other: 90% (1998 est.)
Languages	Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects	Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Legal system	open, adversarial court system	based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; 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)	unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 42
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 74.31 years male: 71.27 years female: 77.58 years (2005 est.)	total population: 63.3 years male: 62.07 years female: 64.6 years (2003 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: 97.2% male: 97.1% female: 97.3% (2003 est.)
Location	Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana	Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Map references	South America	Asia
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 15 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 740,919 GRT/1,191,483 DWT by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 16, chemical tanker 1, container 1, liquefied gas 5, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 19, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 9 (Denmark 2, Greece 1, Hong Kong 2, Mexico 1, Russia 2, Spain 1) registered in other countries: 20 (2005)	total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 42,689 GRT/56,132 DWT ships by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches	National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales, FAN): Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada - includes Marines, Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)	National Security Service
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$1.687 billion (2004)	$34.46 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.5% (2004)	8.6% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 78,025 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 43,386 (2003 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 5 July (1811)	Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Nationality	noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan	noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian
Natural hazards	subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts	low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
Natural resources	petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds	fish
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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 [Jesus MENDEZ Quijada]; 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]	although political parties are not banned, none exist
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)	none
Population	25,375,281 (July 2005 est.)	329,684 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	47% (1998 est.)	NA%
Population growth rate	1.4% (2005 est.)	2.91% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	Amuay, La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon	Gan, Male
Radio broadcast stations	AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)	AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways	total: 682 km standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)	0 km
Religions	nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%	Sunni Muslim
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: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	21 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	general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service international: satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	2,841,800 (2002)	21,000 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular	6,463,600 (2002)	1,290 (1997)
Television broadcast stations	66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)	1 (1997)
Terrain	Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast	flat, with white sandy beaches
Total fertility rate	2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)	5.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	17.1% (2004 est.)	NEGL%
Waterways	7,100 km note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels, Orinoco for 400 km (2004)	none

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