| Introduction :: Venezuela |
Background:
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| Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). 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. Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, seeks to implement his "21st Century Socialism," which purports to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking globalization and undermining regional stability. Current concerns include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, 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. |
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Location:
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| Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
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Geographic coordinates:
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8 00 N, 66 00 W
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Map references:
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Area:
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total: 912,050 sq km
country comparison to the world: 40
land:
882,050 sq km
water:
30,000 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than twice the size of California
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Land boundaries:
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total: 4,993 km
border countries:
Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
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Coastline:
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2,800 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone:
15 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
continental shelf:
200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
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Terrain:
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Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point:
Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.85%
permanent crops:
0.88%
other:
96.27% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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5,750 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
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1,233.2 cu km (2000)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 8.37 cu km/yr (6%/7%/47%)
per capita:
313 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards:
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subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall |
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Population:
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| 26,814,843 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 30.5% (male 4,157,194/female 4,022,595)
15-64 years:
64.3% (male 8,480,872/female 8,754,620)
65 years and over:
5.2% (male 620,657/female 778,905) (2009 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 25.5 years
male:
24.8 years
female:
26.2 years (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.508% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
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Birth rate:
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20.61 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
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Death rate:
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5.12 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
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Net migration rate:
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-0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
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Urbanization:
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urban population: 93% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.8 male(s)/female
total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 100
male:
25.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
17.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 73.61 years
country comparison to the world: 103
male:
70.54 years
female:
76.83 years (2009 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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2.48 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.7%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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110,000 (1999 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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4,100 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne disease:
dengue fever and malaria (2009)
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Nationality:
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noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective:
Venezuelan
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Ethnic groups:
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Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people
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Religions:
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nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
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Languages:
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Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
93%
male:
93.3%
female:
92.7% (2001 census)
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
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total: 12 years
male:
11 years
female:
12 years (2003)
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Education expenditures:
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3.7% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 124
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