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_began the Venezuelan War of Independence. However, a devastating earthquake

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century, caudillos (military strongmen) continued to dominate, though they generally allowed for mild social reforms and promoted economic growth. Following the death of Juan Vicente Gómez in 1935 and the demise of caudillismo (authoritarian rule), pro-democracy movements eventually forced the military to withdraw from direct involvement in national politics in 1958. Since that year, Venezuela has had a series of democratically elected governments. The discovery of massive oil deposits, totaling some 400 million barrels, during World War I prompted an economic boom that lasted into the 1980s; by 1935, Venezuela's per capita GDP was Latin America's highest,.

After World War II the globalization and heavy immigration from Southern Europe (mainly from Spain, Italy, Portugal) and poorer Latin American countries markedly diversified Venezuelan society.

The huge public spending and accumulation of internal and external debts by the government and private sector during the Petrodollar years of the 1970s and early 1980s, followed by the collapse of oil prices during the 1980s, crippled the Venezuelan economy. As the government devalued the currency in order to face its mounting local and non-local financial obligations, Venezuelans' real standard of living fell dramatically. A number of failed economic policies and increasing corruption in government and society at large, has led to rising poverty and crime and worsening social indicators and increasing political instability, resulting in two major coup attempts in 1992.

In the February 1992 coup, Hugo Chávez, a former paratrooper, attempted to overthrow the government of President Carlos Andrés Pérez as anger grew against the President's economic austerity measures. Chávez was unsuccessful and landed in jail. In November of that year, another unsuccessful coup attempt occurred, organized by other revolutionary groups in the Venezuelan Armed Forces and those that remained from Chávez’s previous attempt.

In 1998, Hugo Chávez (who led the first unsuccessful coup in 1992) was elected president as a reaction against the established political parties and the corruption and inequalities their policies created. He remains president today. Since coming to power, Chávez has attracted some controversy through his reforms of the Constitution, the implementation of his "Bolivarian Revolution", and in April 2002 (though now a democratically elected president) Chávez was temporarily ousted from power by right-wing elements in the army and the business sector.

The Venezuelan president is elected by a vote with direct and universal suffrage, and functions as both head of state and head of government. The term of office is six years, and a president may be re-elected to a single consecutive term. The president appoints the vice-president and decides the size and composition of the cabinet and makes appointments to it with the involvement of the legislature. The president can ask the legislature to reconsider portions of laws he finds objectionable, but a simple parliamentary majority can diminish these objections.

The unicameral Venezuelan parliament is the National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional. Its 167 deputies, of which three are reserved for indigenous people, serve five-year terms and may be re-elected for a maximum of two additional terms. They are elected by popular vote through a combination of party lists and single member constituencies. The highest judicial body is the Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, whose magistrates are elected by parliament for a single twelve-year term. The National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral, or CNE) is in charge of electoral processes; it is formed by five main directors elected by the National Assembly.

Public health

Infant mortality in Venezuela stood at 16 deaths per 1,000 births in 2004, much lower than the South American average (by comparison, the U.S. stands at 5 deaths per 1,000 births in 2006). Child malnutrition (defined as stunting or wasting in children under age five) stands at 17%; Delta Amacuro and Amazonas have the nation's highest rates. According to the United Nations, 32% of Venezuelans lack adequate sanitation, primarily those living in rural areas. Diseases ranging from typhoid, yellow fever, cholera, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis D are present in the country. Only 3% of sewage is treated; most major cities lack treatment facilities. 17% of Venezuelans lack access to potable water.

Travelers to Venezuela are advised to obtain vaccinations for a variety of diseases including typhoid, yellow fever, cholera, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis D. In a cholera epidemic of contemporary times in the Orinoco Delta, Venezuela's political leaders were accused of racial profiling of their own indigenous people to deflect blame from the country's institutions, thereby aggravating the epidemic.

As had previous administrations, the government is attempting to create a national universal health care system that is free of charge. The current vehicle for this idea is Misión Barrio Adentro.

Foreign relations

Throughout most of the 20th century, Venezuela maintained friendly relations with most Latin American and Western nations. Relations between Venezuela and the United States government worsened in 2002, after the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt during which the U.S. government recognized the short-lived unconstitutional regime of Pedro Carmona. Correspondingly, ties to various leftist-led Latin American and Middle Eastern countries not allied to the U.S. have strengthened. Venezuela seeks alternative hemispheric integration via such proposals as the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas trade proposal and the newly launched pan-Latin American television network teleSUR. The Venezuelan government has also expressed its support for the Russian position on the International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which United States and its allies strongly oppose. Venezuela was a proponent of OAS's decision to adopt its Anti-Corruption Convention, and is actively working in the Mercosur trade bloc to push increased trade and energy integration. Globally, it seeks a "multi-polar" world based on strengthened ties among Third World countries.

Military

Venezuela's national armed forces include roughly 100,000 personnel spread through four service branches: the Ground Forces, the Navy (including the Marine Corps), the Air Force, and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), commonly known as the National Guard. As of 2008, a further 600,000 soldiers were incorporated into a new branch, known as the Armed Reserve; these troops bear more resemblance to a militia than the older branches. The President of Venezuela is the commander-in-chief of the national armed forces.

Subdivisions

Venezuela is divided into twenty-three states (Estados), a capital district (distrito capital) corresponding to the city of Caracas, the Federal Dependencies (Dependencias Federales, a special territory), and Guayana Esequiba (claimed in a border dispute with Guyana). Venezuela is further subdivided into 335 municipalities (municipios); these are subdivided into over one thousand parishes (parroquias). The states are grouped into nine administrative regions. (regiones administrativas), which were established by presidential decree after they mangaged to obtain the states through savage and brutal rape and warfare. Historically, Venezuela has also claimed all Guyanese territory west of the Essequibo River; this 159,500 square kilometres (61,583 sq mi) tract was dubbed Guyana Esequiba or the Zona en Reclamación (the "zone to be reclaimed").

Template:Venezuelan subdivisions

Geography

Venezuela's mainland rests on the South American Plate; With 2,800 kilometres (1,740 mi) of coastline, Venezuela is home to a wide variety of landscapes. The extreme northeastern extensions of the Andes reach into Venezuela's northwest and continue along the northern Caribbean coast. Pico Bolívar, the nation's highest point at 4,979 metres (16,335 ft), lies in this region. The country's center is characterized by the llanos, extensive plains that stretch from the Colombian border in the far west to the Orinoco River delta in the east. To the south, the dissected Guiana Highlands is home to the northern fringes of the Amazon Basin and Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall. The Orinoco, with its rich alluvial soils, binds the largest and most important river system of the country; it originates in one of the largest watersheds in Latin America. The Caroní and the Apure are other major rivers.

The country can be further divided into six geographical areas, some corresponding to climatic and biogeographical regions. In the south are the Venezuelan rockies and the Coro region, a mountainous tract in the southeast, is home to several sierras and valleys. East of it are lowlands abutting Lake Maracaibo and the Gulf of Venezuela. The Central Range runs perpendicular to the coast and includes the hills surrounding Caracas; the Eastern Range, separated from the Central Range by the Gulf of Cariaco, covers all of Sucre and northern Monagas. The Llanos region comprises a third of the country's area north of the Orinoco River. South of it lies the Guiana Shield, a massive two billion year old Precambrian geological formation featuring tepuis, mysterious table-like mountains. The Insular Region includes all of Venezuela's island possessions: Nueva Esparta and the various Federal Dependencies. The Deltaic System, which forms a triangle covering Delta Amacuro, projects northeast into the Atlantic Ocean.

Though Venezuela is entirely situated in the tropics, its climate varies substantially; it varies from that of humid low-elevation plains, where average annual temperatures range as high as 28 °C (82 °F), to glaciers and highlands (the páramos) with an average yearly temperature of 8 °C (46 °F). Annual rainfall varies between 430 millimetres (17 in) in the semiarid portions of the northwest to 1,000 millimetres (39 in) in the Orinoco Delta of the far east. Most precipitation falls between January and February (the rainy season or "fall"); the wetter and hotter remainder of the year is known as "winter", though temperature variation throughout the year is not as pronounced as at temperate longitudes.

Flora and fauna

Venezuela lies within the Neotropic ecozone; large portions of the country were originally covered by moist broadleaf forests. One of seventeen megadiverse countries and among the top twenty countries in terms of endemism, some 38% of the over 21,000 plant species are unique to the country; 23% of reptilian and 50% of amphibian species are also endemic. Venezuela hosts significant biodiversity across habitats ranging from xeric scrublands in the extreme northwest to coastal mangrove forests in the northeast. Its cloud forests and lowland rainforests are particularly rich, for example hosting over 25,000 species of orchids.Template:Inote These include the flor de mayo orchid (Cattleya mossiae), the national flower.

Venezuela's national tree is the araguaney, whose characteristic lushness after the rainy season led novelist Rómulo Gallegos to name it «a primavera de oro de los araguaneyes» ("the golden spring of the araguaneyes"). Notable mammals include the giant anteater, jaguar, and the capybara, the world's largest rodent. More than half of Venezuelan avian and mammalian species are found in the Amazonian forests south of the Orinoco. Manatees, Boto river dolphins, and Orinoco crocodiles, which reach up to 7 metres (23 ft) in length, are notable aquatic species. Venezuela also hosts a huge number of bird species, a total of 1,417, 48 of which are endemic. Important birds include ibises, ospreys, kingfishers,Template:Inote and the yellow-orange turpial, the national bird.

In recent decades, logging, mining, shifting cultivation, development, and other human activities have posed a major threat to Venezuela's wildlife; between 1990 and 2000, 0.40% of forest cover was cleared annually. In response, federal protections for critical habitat were implemented; for example, 20% to 33% of forested land is protected. Venezuela is currently home to a biosphere reserve that is part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves; five wetlands are registered under the Ramsar Convention. In 2003, 70% of the nation's land was under conservation management in over 200 protected areas, including 43 national parks.

Economy

The petroleum sector dominates Venezuela's mixed economy, accounting for roughly a third of GDP, around 80% of exports, and more than half of government revenues. Venezuela contains some of the largest oil and natural gas reserves in the world. It consistently ranks among the top ten crude oil producers in the world. The country's main petroleum deposits are located around and beneath Lake Maracaibo, the Gulf of Venezuela, and in the Orinoco River basin, where the country's largest reserve is located. Venezuela is currently trying to diversify its economy to be less dependent on its petroleum industry. Venezuela has the least expensive petrol in the world, due to high government subsidies.

Like most South American countries, Venezuela depends upon hydroelectricity for the bulk of its electricity needs.

Demographics

Venezuela's birth rate is among the highest in South America, after Bolivia, Paraguay and French Guyana.

Since 1926, Venezuelan Census does not contain information about ethnicity so only rough estimates are available. Some 70% of the population are Mestizo, defined as a mixture of any other races; another 20% are unmixed caucasians, mostly of Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and German descent. Other important groups include Afro-Venezuelans, though their numbers are unclear due to poor census data. Asians, predominantly Lebanese and other Arabs, Chinese and Turkish descent, make up a small percentage of the population. Only about 5% of Venezuelans are Indigenous. These groups were joined by sponsored migrants from throughout Europe and neighboring parts of South America by the mid-20th century economic boom.

According to the World Refugee Survey 2008, published by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Venezuela hosted a population of refugee and asylum seekers from Colombia numbering 252,200 in 2007. 10,600 new asylum seekers entered Venezuela in 2007.

About 85% of the population live in urban areas in northern Venezuela; 73% live less than 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the coastline. Though almost half of Venezuela's land area lies south of the Orinoco, only 5% of Venezuelans live there.

The national and official language is Spanish; 31 indigenous languages are also spoken, including Guajibo, Pemon, Warao, Wayuu, and the various Yanomaman languages. 83% of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church.

Culture

Venezuela's heritage, art, and culture have been heavily influenced by the Caribbean context. These elements extend to its historic buildings, architecture, art, landscape, boundaries, and monuments. Venezuelan culture has been shaped by indigenous, Spanish and African influences. Before this period, indigenous culture was expressed in art (petroglyphs), crafts, architecture (shabonos), and social organization. Aboriginal culture was subsequently assimilated by Spaniards; over the years, the hybrid culture had diversified by region.

Venezuelan art was initially dominated by religious motifs, but began emphasizing historical and heroic representations in the late 19th century, a move led by Martín Tovar y Tovar. Modernism took over in the 20th century. Notable Venezuelan artists include Arturo Michelena, Cristóbal Rojas, Armando Reverón, Manuel Cabré; the kinetic artists Jesús-Rafael Soto and Carlos Cruz-Diez; and contemporary artist Yucef Merhi.

Venezuelan literature originated soon after the Spanish conquest of the mostly pre-literate indigenous societies; it was dominated by Spanish influences. Following the rise of political literature during the War of Independence, Venezuelan Romanticism, notably expounded by Juan Vicente González, emerged as the first important genre in the region. Although mainly focused on narrative writing, Venezuelan literature was advanced by poets such as Andrés Eloy Blanco and Fermín Toro. Major writers and novelists include Rómulo Gallegos, Teresa de la Parra, Arturo Uslar Pietri, Adriano González León, Miguel Otero Silva, and Mariano Picón Salas. The great poet and humanist Andrés Bello was also an educator and intellectual. Others, such as Laureano Vallenilla Lanz and José Gil Fortoul, contributed to Venezuelan Positivism.

Carlos Raúl Villanueva was the most important Venezuelan architect of the modern era; he designed the Central University of Venezuela, (a World Heritage Site) and its Aula Magna. Other notable architectural works include the Capitolio, the Baralt Theatre, the Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex, and the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge.

Indigenous musical styles of Venezuela are exemplified by the groups Un Solo Pueblo and Serenata Guayanesa. The national musical instrument is the cuatro. Typical musical styles and pieces mainly emerged in and around the llanos region, including Alma Llanera (by Pedro Elías Gutiérrez and Rafael Bolivar Coronado), Florentino y el Diablo (by Alberto Arvelo Torrealba), Concierto en la Llanura by Juan Vicente Torrealba, and Caballo Viejo (by Simón Díaz). The Zulian gaita is also a popular style, generally performed during Christmas. The national dance is the joropo. Teresa Carreño was a world-famous 19th century piano virtuosa. In the last years, Classical Music has had great performances. The Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra has realized excellent presentations in many European concert halls, notably at the 2007 Proms, and has received honors of the public.

Baseball is Venezuela's most popular sport, although football (soccer), spearheaded by the Venezuela national football team, is gaining influence.

The World Values Survey has consistently shown Venezuelans to be among the happiest people in the world, with 55% of those questioned saying they were "very happy".

References

1. "Venezuela". The World Factbook. CIA. 2007-03-08. Retrieved 2007-03-13. From 1935 to 1958 Venezuela was ruled by military strongmen who promoted the oil industry and encouraged modernization and allowed for some social reforms. Popularly elected governments have held sway since 1959. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
2. Template:Harvard reference. pp. 616–617.
3. Schuyler, George W. (2001). "Health and Neoliberalism: Venezuela and Cuba". The Policy Studies Organization: p. 10. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
4. "Profile: Hugo Chavez". Retrieved 2007-06-05.
5. CNN.com - U.S. has second worst newborn death rate in modern world, report says - May 10, 2006
6. UNDP. Human Development Report 2006: Venezuela. Accessed March 8, 2007.
7. "Population, Health, and Human Well-Being—Venezuela" (PDF). EarthTrends Country Profiles. World Resources Institute. 2003. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
8. FAO. Venezuela. Accessed September 20, 2006.
9. Unicef. Venezuela. Accessed September 20, 2006.
10. Venezuela Guardian. Accessed September 20, 2006.
11. Appropriate Technology for Sewage Pollution Control in the Wider Caribbean Region, Caribbean Environment Programme Technical Report #40 1998 available online at http://www.cep.unep.org/pubs/Techreports/tr40en/chapter5.html
12. UNICEF. Safe Drinking Water. Accessed September 20, 2006.
13. Venezuela Guardian. Accessed September 20, 2006.
14. Powell's Books - Stories in the Time of Cholera by Charles L. Briggs
15. "Health Care for All: Venezuela's Health Missions at Work". Venezuela Information Office. 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
16. "EL ACUERDO DE GINEBRA DEL 17 FEB 1966". Ministerio del Poder Popular para Relaciones Exteriores. Retrieved 2007-12-01.Template:Es icon
17. ^ Cite error: The named reference LOC_2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
18. ^ "Venezuela: Overview". Global Forest Watch. Retrieved 2007-03-10..
19. ^ Template:Harvard reference.
20. Lepage, Denis. "Checklist of birds of Venezuela". Bird Checklists of the World. Avibase. Retrieved 2007-05-04. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
21. Peck, D (2000). "The Annotated Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance: Venezuela". The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Ramsar Convention Secretariat. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
22. "Biodiversity and Protected Areas—Venezuela" (PDF). EarthTrends Country Profiles. World Resources Institute. 2003. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
23. Venezuela Energy Profile, Energy Information Administration, Accessed June 25, 2008.
24. "Afro-Venezuelans and the Struggle to End Racism". Venezuela Information Office. 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
25. "Indigenous Peoples in Venezuela". Venezuela Information Office. 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
26. "World Refugee Survey 2008". U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. 2008-06-19.
27. "Coastal and Marine Ecosystems—Venezuela" (PDF). EarthTrends Country Profiles. World Resources Institute. 2003. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
28. "Coro and its Port". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 1993.
29. "Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 2000.
30. "Happiness Statistics By Country". Nationmaster.com. Retrieved 2007-06-21.

External links

• Universidad de Oriente, Venezuela materials in the Digital Library of the Caribbean

General references Template:En icon

• "Venezuela". The World Factbook (2025 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency.
• Venezuela at Encyclopædia Britannica
• Venezuela from the Library of Congress Country Studies
• Venezuela Information Office

Other Template:En icon

• Template:Wikitravel
• Template:Dmoz

Links to related articles

v t e Administrative divisions of Venezuela Capital District Caracas States Amazonas Anzoátegui Apure Aragua Barinas Bolívar Carabobo Cojedes Delta Amacuro Falcón Guárico La Guaira Lara Mérida Miranda Monagas Nueva Esparta Portuguesa Sucre Táchira Trujillo Yaracuy Zulia Federal Dependencies Los Monjes Archipelago Las Aves Archipelago Aves Island Los Hermanos Archipelago Los Frailes Archipelago Los Roques Archipelago La Sola Island La Tortuga Island La Orchila Island La Blanquilla Island Los Testigos Islands Patos Island Francisco de Miranda Insular Territory [es] Regions Andean Capital Central Central-Western Eastern Guayana Insular Llanos Zulian Disputed state Guayana Esequiba Related topics Federal Territories Amazonas Federal Territory (1864–1992) Delta Amacuro Federal Territory (1884–1991) Claimed by Venezuela but administered by Guyana. v t e Venezuela articles History New Granada Captaincy General War of Independence Gran Colombia (reunification) Revolution of the Reforms Federal War Revindicating Revolution 1895 crisis Restorative Liberal Revolution 1902–03 crisis World War II El Trienio Adeco 1958 coup d'état Puntofijo Pact El Carupanazo El Porteñazo Caracazo 1992 coup d'état attempts Vargas tragedy 2002 coup d'état attempt 2002–03 general strike Crisis 2017 constitutional crisis 2019 presidential crisis Civil wars Coups d'état Geography Borders Cities metropolitan areas Climate Earthquakes Environmental issues Fauna Flora National parks Natural Regions World Heritage Sites Politics Corruption in Venezuela Torture in Venezuela Human rights in Venezuela LGBT Crisis in Venezuela Administrative divisions Regions States Constitution Elections Foreign relations Law enforcement Military Missions National Assembly President President List Vice President Cabinet Supreme Tribunal of Justice In exile Guayana Esequiba (Reclamation area) Parties Great Patriotic Pole United Socialist Party Movement We Are Venezuela Communist Party For Social Democracy Tupamaro People's Electoral Movement Democratic Unity Roundtable Justice First Popular Will A New Era Democratic Action Come Venezuela Agreement for Change Progressive Advance Movement for Socialism COPEI Ecological Movement of Venezuela Economy Agriculture Currency Companies PDVSA CVG Cooperatives Energy Oil industry Science and technology Stock Exchange Telecommunications Tourism Transport Society Crime Demographics Diaspora Education Healthcare Immigration Indigenous peoples Languages List of Venezuelans Public holidays Refugees Squatting Women Culture Cinema Cuisine Literature Media Miss Venezuela Music Religion Sport Symbols anthem coat of arms flag Outline Index Category Portal v t e World Heritage Sites in Venezuela Canaima National Park (includes Gran Sabana and Angel Falls) University City of Caracas Coro and its Port

Geographic locale
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Template:Latin Union Template:Union of South American Nations (Unasur\Unasul) v t e Andean Community of Nations Members Bolivia Colombia Ecuador Peru Associate members Argentina Brazil Chile Paraguay Uruguay Venezuela Observers Mexico Panama Template:Mercosur\Mercosul (Southern Common Market) v t e Organization of American States (OAS) Members Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Bahamas Barbados Belize Bolivia Brazil Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Panama Paraguay Peru Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad and Tobago United States Uruguay Venezuela Organization General Assembly Secretariat for Political Affairs Secretariat for Integral Development Secretariat for Multidimensional Security Inter-American Commission of Women Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Inter-American Telecommunication Commission Inter-American Court of Human Rights Pan American Union Building Politics Charter Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man American Convention on Human Rights Pan-American Conference Summit of the Americas v t e Nations in the Group of 15 (G-15) Summits 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2004 2006 2010 2012 Members Algeria Argentina Brazil Chile Egypt India Indonesia Iran Jamaica Kenya Malaysia Mexico Nigeria Senegal Sri Lanka Venezuela Zimbabwe v t e Arab League Arab League Lists Politics Charter Council Flag Geography Headquarters History Military United States Central Command (United States military bases) Joint Defence Council Parliament Arab Union Membership Members Algeria Bahrain Comoros Djibouti Egypt Iraq Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Libya Mauritania Morocco Oman Palestine Qatar Saudi Arabia Somalia Sudan Syria Tunisia United Arab Emirates Yemen Observers Armenia Brazil Chad Eritrea Greece India Venezuela Candidates South Sudan Diplomacy Arab Peace Initiative Arab League monitors in Syria Arab League–European Union relations Foreign relations Life Demographics Economy GDP Economic and Social Council Institutions Sport Pan-Arabism Union of Arab National Olympic Committees Pan Arab Games

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