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. Under Hugo CHAVEZ, president from 1999 to 2013, and his hand-picked successor, President Nicolas MADURO, the executive branch has exercised increasingly authoritarian control over other branches of government. At the same time, democratic institutions have deteriorated, threats to freedom of expression have increased, and political polarization has grown. The ruling party's economic policies have expanded the state's role in the economy through expropriations of major enterprises, strict currency exchange and price controls that discourage private sector investment and production, and overdependence on the petroleum industry for revenues, among others. Current concerns include: an increasingly politicized military, rampant violent crime, high inflation, and widespread shortages of basic consumer goods, medicine, and medical supplies.

Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

8 00 N, 66 00 W

South America

almost six times the size of Georgia; slightly more than twice the size of California

2,800 km

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

highest point: Pico Bolivar 5,007 m

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds

arable land 3.1%; permanent crops 0.8%; permanent pasture 20.6%

10,550 sq km (2012)

most of the population is concentrated in the northern and western highlands along an eastern spur at the northern end of the Andes, an area that includes the capital of Caracas

subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

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

on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall

30,912,302 (July 2016 est.)

Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people

Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Social investment in Venezuela during the CHAVEZ administration reduced poverty from nearly 50% in 1999 to about 27% in 2011, increased school enrollment, substantially decreased infant and child mortality, and improved access to potable water and sanitation through social investment. "Missions" dedicated to education, nutrition, healthcare, and sanitation were funded through petroleum revenues. The sustainability of this progress remains questionable, however, as the continuation of these social programs depends on the prosperity of Venezuela's oil industry. In the long-term, education and health care spending may increase economic growth and reduce income inequality, but rising costs and the staffing of new health care jobs with foreigners are slowing development.

While CHAVEZ was in power, more than one million predominantly middle- and upper-class Venezuelans are estimated to have emigrated. The brain drain is attributed to a repressive political system, lack of economic opportunities, steep inflation, a high crime rate, and corruption. Thousands of oil engineers emigrated to Canada, Colombia, and the United States following CHAVEZ's firing of over 20,000 employees of the state-owned petroleum company during a 2002-03 oil strike. Additionally, thousands of Venezuelans of European descent have taken up residence in their ancestral homelands. Nevertheless, Venezuela has attracted hundreds of thousands of immigrants from South America and southern Europe because of its lenient migration policy and the availability of education and health care. Venezuela also has been a fairly accommodating host to more than 200,000 Colombian refugees. However, since 2014, falling oil prices have driven a major economic crisis that has pushed Venezuelans from all walks of life to migrate or to seek asylum abroad to escape severe shortages of food, water, and medicine; soaring inflation; unemployment; and violence. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have migrated, often illegally, to Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Chile, Guyana, the Dominican Republic, or taken perilous journeys by raft to Aruba and Curacao. Asylum applications have increased significantly in the US and Brazil in 2016. Although several receiving countries are making efforts to increase immigration restriction and to deport illegal Venezuelan migrants, Venezuelans continue to migrate to avoid economic collapse at home.

1.28% (2016 est.)

19.2 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)

-1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)

most of the population is concentrated in the northern and western highlands along an eastern spur at the northern end of the Andes, an area that includes the capital of Caracas

CARACAS (capital) 2.916 million; Maracaibo 2.196 million; Valencia 1.734 million; Maracay 1.166 million; Barquisimeto 1.039 million (2015)

95 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

2.35 children born/woman (2016 est.)

5.3% of GDP (2014)

0.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)

urban: 95% of population

rural: 77.9% of population

total: 93.1% of population

urban: 5% of population

rural: 22.1% of population

total: 6.9% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 97.5% of population

rural: 69.9% of population

total: 94.4% of population

urban: 2.5% of population

rural: 30.1% of population

total: 5.6% of population (2015 est.)

0.55% (2015 est.)

107,300 (2015 est.)

3,300 (2015 est.)

24.3% (2014)

2.9% (2009)

6.9% of GDP (2009)

federal presidential republic

23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district* (distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales (Federal Dependencies)**, Distrito Capital (Capital District)*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia

5 July 1811 (from Spain)

Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

many previous; latest adopted 15 December 1999, effective 30 December 1999; amended 2009 (2016)

civil law system based on the Spanish civil code

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCT jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

A New Time or UNT [Enrique MARQUEZ]

Brave People's Alliance or ABP [Richard BLANCO]

Christian Democrats or COPEI [Roberto ENRIQUEZ]

Coalition of opposition parties -- The Democratic Unity Table or MUD [Jesus "Chuo" TORREALBA]

Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV [Oscar FIGUERA]

Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS ALLUP]

Fatherland for All or PPT [Rafael UZCATEGUI]

For Social Democracy or PODEMOS [Didalco Antonio BOLIVAR GRATEROL]

Justice First or PJ [Julio BORGES]

Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Segundo MELENDEZ]

Popular Will or VP [Leopoldo LOPEZ]

Progressive Wave or AP [Henri FALCON]

The Radical Cause or La Causa R [Americo DE GRAZIA]

United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV [Nicolas MADURO]

Venezuelan Progressive Movement or MPV [Simon CALZADILLA]

Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique Fernando SALAS FEO]

Bolivarian and Socialist Workers' Union (a ruling-party-oriented organized labor union)

Confederacion Venezolana de Industriales or Coindustria (a conservative business group)

Consejos Comunales (pro-government local communal councils)

Federation of Chambers and Associations of Commerce and Production of Venezuela or FEDECAMARAS (a conservative business group)

Union of Oil Workers of Venezuela or FUTPV

Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (opposition-oriented labor organization)

Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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 eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band; the flag retains the three equal horizontal bands and three main colors of the banner of Gran Colombia, the South American republic that broke up in 1830; yellow is interpreted as standing for the riches of the land, blue for the courage of its people, and red for the blood shed in attaining independence; the seven stars on the original flag represented the seven provinces in Venezuela that united in the war of independence; in 2006, then President Hugo CHAVEZ ordered an eighth star added to the star arc - a decision that sparked much controversy - to conform with the flag proclaimed by Simon Bolivar in 1827 and to represent the historic province of Guayana

troupial (bird); national colors: yellow, blue, red

Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for almost all export earnings and nearly half of the government’s revenue. The country ended 2015 with an estimated 10% contraction in its GDP, 275% inflation, widespread shortages of consumer goods, and declining central bank international reserves. The IMF forecasts that the GDP will shrink another 8% in 2016 and inflation may reach 720%.

Falling oil prices since 2014 have aggravated Venezuela’s economic crisis. Insufficient access to dollars, price controls, and rigid labor regulations have led some US and multinational firms to reduce or shut down their Venezuelan operations. Market uncertainty and state oil company PDVSA’s poor cash flow have slowed investment in the petroleum sector, resulting in a decline in oil production.

Under President Nicolas MADURO, the Venezuelan Government’s response to the economic crisis has been to increase state control over the economy and blame the private sector for the shortages. The Venezuelan government has maintained strict currency controls since 2003. On 17 February 2016, the Venezuelan government announced a change from three official currency exchange mechanisms to only two official rates for the sale of dollars to private sector firms and individuals, with rates based on the government's import priorities. The official exchange rate used for food and medicine imports was devalued to 10 bolivars per dollar from 6.3 bolivars per dollar. The second rate moved to a managed float. These currency controls present significant obstacles to trade with Venezuela because importers cannot obtain sufficient dollars to purchase goods needed to maintain their operations. MADURO has used decree powers to enact legislation to deepen the state’s role as the primary buyer and distributor of imports, further tighten currency controls, cap business profits, and extend price controls.

$468.6 billion (2016 est.)

$520.7 billion (2015 est.)

$555.2 billion (2014 est.)

$333.7 billion (2015 est.)

-10% (2016 est.)

-6.2% (2015 est.)

-3.9% (2014 est.)

$15,100 (2016 est.)

$17,000 (2015 est.)

$18,400 (2014 est.)

24.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

40% of GDP (2015 est.)

9.1% of GDP (2014 est.)

corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

agricultural products, livestock, raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, iron and steel products, crude oil and petroleum products

-8% (2016 est.)

14.16 million (2016 est.)

10.5% (2016 est.)

6.8% (2015 est.)

32.1% (2013 est.)

39 (2011)

49.5 (1998)

28.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

-39.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

36.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

49.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

calendar year

545.9% (2016 est.)

121.7% (2015 est.)

29.5% (2015)

22.5% (31 December 2016 est.)

19.4% (31 December 2015 est.)

$216.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$273.8 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$360 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$196 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$260.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$331.3 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$25.3 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$5.143 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$3.991 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

-$11.21 billion (2016 est.)

-$20.36 billion (2015 est.)

$28.07 billion (2016 est.)

$38.45 billion (2015 est.)

petroleum and petroleum products, bauxite and aluminum, minerals, chemicals, agricultural products

US 26.6%, India 13.7%, China 11.7%, Cuba 6.4% (2015)

$27.13 billion (2016 est.)

$36.46 billion (2015 est.)

agricultural products, livestock, raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials, medical equipment, petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, iron and steel products

US 18.4%, China 15.3%, Brazil 9.7%, Colombia 5.9%, Mexico 4.2% (2015)

$10.43 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$16.37 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$91.99 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$101.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$33.78 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$32.18 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$30.79 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$30.04 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

bolivars (VEB) per US dollar -

56.57 (2016 est.)

13.72 (2015 est.)

13.72 (2014 est.)

6.284 (2013 est.)

4.29 (2012 est.)

124 billion kWh (2014 est.)

78 billion kWh (2014 est.)

705 million kWh (2012 est.)

700 million kWh (2013 est.)

31 million kW (2014 est.)

44.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

55.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

2.5 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

1.548 million bbl/day (2013 est.)

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

300 billion bbl (1 January 2016 es)

999,400 bbl/day (2013 est.)

776,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

390,900 bbl/day (2013 est.)

41,530 bbl/day (2013 est.)

21.88 billion cu m (2014 est.)

23.72 billion cu m (2014 est.)

0 cu m (2014 est.)

1.839 billion cu m (2014 est.)

5.617 trillion cu m (1 January 2016 es)

188 million Mt (2013 est.)

government supervises a mixture of state-run and private broadcast media; 13 public service networks, 61 privately owned TV networks, a privately owned news channel with limited national coverage, and a government-backed Pan-American channel; state-run ra (2014)

.ve

YV (2016)

444 (2013)

3 (2013)

extra heavy crude 981 km; gas 5,941 km; oil 7,588 km; refined products 1,778 km (2013)

7,100 km (Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels) (2011)

the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters in the Caribbean Sea as at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, FANB): Bolivarian Army (Ejercito Bolivariano, EB), Bolivarian Navy (Armada Bolivariana, AB; includes Naval Infantry, Coast Guard, Naval Aviation), Bolivarian Military Aviation (Aviacion Militar Bolivariana, AMB; includes Air National Guard), Bolivarian National Guard (Guardia Nacional Bolivaria, GNB) (2015)

all citizens of military service age (18-60 years old) are obligated to register for military service, though mandatory recruitment is forbidden; the minimum conscript service obligation is 12 months (2015)

1% of GDP (2015)

1.63% of GDP (2014)

1.4% of GDP (2013)

1.3% of GDP (2012)

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 the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and Venezuelan administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region; US, France, and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's granting full effect to Aves Island, thereby claiming a Venezuelan Economic Exclusion Zone/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest Venezuela's full effect claim

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