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VENEZUELA | |
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Demographic Information | |
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Demographic Information |
| VENEZUELA. Republic,
South America, bounded on the N by the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean,
on the E by Guyana, on the S by Brazil, and on the SW and W by Colombia.
The coastline of Venezuela is about 2735 km (about 1700 mi) long and has
numerous indentations, of which the gulfs of Venezuela and Paria are notable.
Except in the W, which has expanses of low and occasionally marshy land,
the coast is generally narrow and steep. Of the approximately 70 islands
off the coast that belong to Venezuela, Margarita is the largest and most
important. The total area of Venezuela is 912,050 sq km (352,144 sq mi).
Government. Venezuela is a federal republic governed under a constitution adopted in 1961. Executive. The chief executive of Venezuela is a president, who is popularly elected to a 5-year term and may not serve two consecutive terms. A council of ministers assists the president. Land. Venezuela has four distinct geographic regions. In the NW and N are the Venezuelan highlands, which include the country's highest point, Pico Bolívar (5007 m/16,427 ft). The Maracaibo lowlands, containing Lake Maracaibo, an inland extension of the Gulf of Venezuela, are near the NW Coast. The Llanos, a region of tropical grassland, are in the N central region, and the Guiana Highlands, which reach elevations of more than 2743 m (about 9000 ft) above sea level, are in the SE and S. The mountains of the Guiana Highlands extend from the delta of the Orinoco R. into Brazil and Guyana, and are varied by open areas and forest. The chief ranges are the Sierra Parima and Sierra Pacaraima, which form part of the boundary with Brazil. Angel Falls, one of the world's highest waterfalls, is in the E part of the highlands. Venezuela has six navigable rivers. Of the thousand or more streams in the country, the majority are affluents of the Orinoco, which, with the Apure, Meta, and Negro tributaries, forms the outlet into the Atlantic Ocean for the interior of Colombia, as well as Venezuela. The Orinoco extends E across central Venezuela and drains approximately four-fifths of the total area of the country. Climate. The climate of Venezuela is tropical on the Llanos and along the coast, and temperate in the mountainous regions. The mean annual temperature is 27.2° C (81° F) in La Guaira on the N coast; 21.1° C (70° F) in nearby Caracas, which is some 920 m (some 3025 ft) above sea level; and 16.1° C (61° F) in Mérida, in the W, which is some 1645 m (some 5400 ft) above sea level. Yearly precipitation in Venezuela varies considerably from region to region. In the far NW and in the S, precipitation may reach 3048 mm (120 in) per year. Some coastal areas receive only about 380 mm (about 15 in) of precipitation annually, however. Natural Resources. Venezuela is rich in mineral resources, notably petroleum, natural gas, bauxite, gold, iron ore, copper, zinc, lead, and diamonds. Forests, too, are an important resource, covering about 34% of the land. Population. About 70% of the population of Venezuela is made up of mestizos (persons of mixed ancestry), and some 20% is of white descent. The remainder is predominantly black, and a small percentage is unmixed Indian. The society is more than 80% urban. Population Characteristics. The Venezuelan population (1990) was 19,405,429, giving the country an overall population density of 21 persons per sq km (55 per sq mi). About 80% of the population lives in the northern highlands or coastal regions. Only about 4% inhabits the huge area (nearly 50% of the total land area) S of the Orinoco R. Indians living in the jungles were estimated to number about 53,500 in 1981. Political Divisions. Venezuela is divided into 22 states; the federal dependencies, which comprise 72 islands in the Caribbean; and the federal district, site of Caracas, the national capital. Principal Cities. Caracas (pop., 1990, greater city, 1,824,892) is the capital as well as the financial and commercial center of Venezuela; the nearby town of La Guaira serves as the seaport for the city. Maracaibo, the country's second largest city (1,207,513), located on the shores of Lake Maracaibo, is a major center of the petroleum industry. Barquisimeto (602,622) is the hub of several important highways as well as a major railroad terminal. Language and Religion. Spanish is the official language of the country. More than 90% of the people are Roman Catholic. There are small Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim populations. The largest mosque in Latin America opened in Caracas in 1993. Culture. The dominant influence on the culture of Venezuela was that of the Spanish conquerors. The Indians of the country, lacking any political or cultural unity of their own, were assimilated by the immigrant groups and had only a slight influence on the national culture. The Venezuelan contribution to folk legend is the llanero, or South American cowboy. The national dance, the bropo, and such popular instruments as the maraco, a small harp, and the cuarto, a small guitar, are all associated with the llanero. Venezuela, which was regarded as one of the less profitable colonies of Spain, lacks the splendors of Spanish architecture that are found in other South American countries. Never-theless, in the second half of the 20th century, the combination of the wealth produced from oil discoveries and strong ties with the U.S. has helped foster the development of modern architecture. Caracas is now considered one of the most modern cities in the world. Economy. Although Venezuela continues to enjoy a higher living standard than most Latin American countries, with a gross national product of more than $2900 per capita, the country has experienced serious economic problems in recent years. Despite repeated attempts by the government to diversify the economy, petroleum remains the dominant sector. Weak petroleum prices and chronic inflation led to economic stagnation in the late 1980s and early '90s, when political instability and strict government controls on many industries further discouraged private investment. The annual national budget in the early 1990s included $9.8 billion in revenue and $11.9 billion in expenditure. Currency and Banking. The basic unit of currency is the Bolivar, consisting of 100 centimos (480 Bolivars equal U.S.$1; 1997). The Banco Central de Venezuela, founded in 1940, is the government banking agent, the sole bank of issue, and the clearinghouse for commercial banks. The country's principal stock exchange is in Caracas. Foreign Trade. The principal exports of Venezuela are petroleum and petroleum products, which together account for more than 80% of foreign sales. Total annual exports were worth about $14 billion in the early 1990s. Main imports include machinery, transportation equipment, chemicals, and foodstuffs. Imports cost about $12.3 billion in the early 1990s. The principal trade partners are the U.S., the Netherlands Antilles, Colombia, Japan, Italy, and Germany. |
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