STATISTICS: VENEZUELA

Venezuela Official name: Repblica de Venezuela (Republic of Venezuela). Form of government: federal multiparty republic with two legislative houses (Senate [49{1}{2}]; Chamber of Deputies ). Head of state and government: President. Capital: Caracas. Official language: Spanish. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 bolvar (B, plural Bs) = 100 cntimos; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = Bs 580.25; 1 = Bs 987.88. Demography Population (1998): 23,242,000. Density (1998): persons per sq mi 66.0, persons per sq km 25.5. Urban-rural (1992): urban 84.6%; rural 15.4%. Sex distribution (1994): male 50.40%; female 49.60%. Age breakdown (1992): under 15, 37.4%; 15-29, 28.0%; 30-44, 19.0%; 45-59, 9.7%; 60 and over, 5.9%. Population projection: (2000) 24,170,000; (2010) 28,716,000. Ethnic composition (1993): mestizo 67%; white 21%; black 10%; Indian 2%. Religious affiliation (1996): Roman Catholic 92.7%; other 7.3%. Major cities (1992): Caracas 1,964,846; Maracaibo (1990) 1,249,670; Valencia 1,034,033; Barquisimeto 692,599; Ciudad Guayana 523,578. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1996): 26.7 (world avg. 25.0); (1974) legitimate 47.0%; illegitimate 53.0%. Death rate per 1,000 population (1996): 4.7 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1996): 22.0 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1996): 2.9. Marriage rate per 1,000 population (1992): 5.4. Divorce rate per 1,000 population (1992): 0.9. Life expectancy at birth (1996): male 69.1 years; female 75.3 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1992): heart diseases 79.9; cancers 53.7; accidents 43.6; perinatal problems 33.0. National economy Budget (1994). Revenue: Bs 1,635,864,000,000 (tax revenues 78.3%, oil revenues 18.2%, nontax revenues 3.5%). Expenditures: Bs 1,627,732,000,000 (subsidies 32.0%, goods and services 29.9%, debt service 20.7%). Public debt (external, outstanding; 1996): U.S.$28,452,000,000. Tourism (1995): receipts U.S.$811,000,000; expenditures U.S.$1,865,000,000. Land use (1994): forest 34.0%; pasture 20.2%; agriculture 4.4%; other 41.4%. Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): sugarcane 6,844,000, bananas 1,365,000, corn (maize) 1,050,000, rice 733,000, plantains 516,086, oranges 493,028, sorghum 300,000, cassava 299,233; livestock (number of live animals) 14,584,500 cattle, 3,182,000 goats, 3,150,000 pigs, 100,000,000 chickens; roundwood (1995) 2,267,000 cu m; fish catch (1995) 504,791. Mining and quarrying (1996): iron ore 20,840,000; limestone 15,130,000; bauxite 5,600,000; gold 12,127 kg; diamonds 160,000 carats. Manufacturing (value added in 1990 U.S.$'000,000; 1994): petroleum refineries 2,718; food products 1,282; chemicals 1,163; beverages 760; transport equipment 691; iron and steel 458; nonferrous metals 386; metal products 382; tobacco 368; printing and publishing 294. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 73,116,000,000 (72,796,000,000); coal (metric tons; 1994) 4,741,000 (354,000); crude petroleum (barrels; 1994) 986,468,000 (380,271,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) 54,575,000 (24,229,000); natural gas (cu m; 1994) 24,675,000,000 (24,675,000,000). Gross national product (1996): U.S.$67,333,000,000 (U.S.$3,020 per capita). Population economically active (1995): total 8,544,600; activity rate 39.1% (participation rates: over age 15 (1993) 57.9%; female (1993) 31.2%; unemployed 10.2%). Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1990) 5.1; average annual income per household (1981) Bs 42,492 (U.S.$9,899); expenditure (1990): food 37.1%, housing 9.4%, clothing 8.3%, transportation and communications 5.1%, education and recreation 4.9%. Foreign trade Imports (1995): U.S.$10,791,261,000 (processed industrial supplies 34.9%, machinery 24.7%, transport equipment 12.4%, manufactured consumer goods 11.6%, food products 11.2%). Major import sources: U.S. 42.6%; Colombia 7.6%; Germany 4.8%; Japan 4.4%; Canada 4.2%; Brazil 3.9%; Mexico 3.3%. Exports (1995): U.S.$18,814,219,000 (crude petroleum and petroleum products 76.8%, basic metal manufactures 8.2%). Major export destinations: U.S. 51.3%; Brazil 9.0%; Colombia 7.6%; Netherlands Antilles 4.9%; Suriname 2.1%; Germany 1.8%; The Netherlands 1.7%; Japan 1.6%. Transport Transport. Railroads (1994): length 627 km; passenger-km 31,400,000; metric ton-km cargo 46,800,000. Roads (1995): total length 89,700 km (paved 39%). Vehicles (1995): passenger cars 1,485,221; trucks and buses 511,809. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (over 100 gross tons) 271; total deadweight tonnage 1,355,419. Air transport (1994): passenger-km 7,372,000,000; metric ton-km cargo 210,300,000; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 20. Education and health Educational attainment (1990). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no formal schooling 23.5%; primary education or less 47.2%; some secondary and secondary 22.3%; postsecondary 7.0%. Literacy (1995 est.): total population age 15 and over literate 91.1%; males 91.8%; females 90.3%. Health (1992): physicians (1989) 32,616 (1 per 576 persons); hospital beds 52,786 (1 per 382 persons); infant mortality rate (1996) 16.8. Food (1995): daily per capita caloric intake 2,442 (vegetable products 83%, animal products 17%); 99% of FAO recommended minimum. Military Total active duty personnel (1997): 79,000 (army 72.1%, navy 19.0%, air force 8.9%). Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1995): 1.1% (world 2.8%); per capita expenditure U.S.$39. {1} Includes three former presidents holding lifetime membership. {2} Based on preliminary information for November 1998 elections.