- Two Dead, 16 Injured as Chavez Foes, Backers Rally Outside G15 Summit in Venezuela (February 27, 2004)
...sperse some 30,000 of Chavez's political foes, who awaited news on whether Venezuela's electoral authorities will organize a recall referendum against Chavez,... - OPEC Retains Output Ceiling (December 11, 2004)
... quotas, according to Aljazeera. Ministers from Kuwait, the UAE, Libya, Venezuela and Algeria urged the group on Thursday to cut back on more than one milli... - On Soft Sea Breeze, Terror War Arrives (April 22, 2002)
...PORLAMAR, Venezuela – For almost three decades, the Arabs of Margarita Island have tended thei... - W.T.O. Rules Against U.S. Cotton Subsidies (June 19, 2004)
...the European Community, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Taiwan and Venezuela, all of which were third parties.... - A20 Analysis: We Come For Peace (April 21, 2002)
...les that keep our drinking water free of arsenic ... free to get caught in Venezuela ... and free to propose laws that deny our citizens sacred freedoms cheris... - Arafat Calls for Democratic Elections in the United States (June 26, 2002)
...n to bring peace to the Middle East." Hugo Chavez, elected president of Venezuela with 62% of the popular vote, concurred with Mr. Arafat. Chavez has long b... - US Suspends $47m in Aid Over Int'l Criminal Court Dispute (July 2, 2003)
...Africa, St Vincent and Grenadines, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Zambia. The amount of suspended aid to each individual country was... - The World in 2005 (March 1, 2002)
...y are supporters-in-waiting for populist authoritarianism, as witnessed in Venezuela, under General Hugo Chavez. The United States is riding a tiger there: Ven... - Ditch the Distraction in Chief (August 16, 2004)
... apartheid wall in Israel, his gratuitous attacks on Hugo Chávez in Venezuela and his abysmal record on free trade. "Yeah," he agreed sadly. "But at lea... - Invasion of Iraq Sooner Than You Think (May 6, 2002)
...nt involvement of the US in the attempted coup of the Chavez government in Venezuela, is it also not probable that a pretext to invade Iraq could be manufactur... - An Interview With Gene Sharp (July 9, 2003)
...bout a nonviolent struggle against a nonviolent struggle? Such as in, say, Venezuela. Both sides in conflict now have largely used nonviolent methods. SHARP... - In Iraqi War Scenario, Oil Is Key Issue (September 15, 2002)
...t on oil prices and the flow of investments to competitors such as Russia, Venezuela and Angola. While Russian oil companies such as Lukoil have a major fin... - Teaching Torture (July 22, 2004)
...ef Efrain Vasquez and General Ramirez Poveda) helped lead a failed coup in Venezuela. The notorious Otto Reich, a failed Bush-administration appointee who sat... - US Control of Baghdad and Its Crude May Signal New Assault on OPEC (June 7, 2003)
...sor of graduate studies in oil economics at Central University in Caracas, Venezuela, calls "an oil directorate" because of its strong links to the oil industr... - On the Dark Side of Democracy (January 31, 2004)
...is precisely what is happening today in Indonesia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Russia and the Middle East." With its volatile mix of Sunnis (the elit... - Amazonas
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- Communications in Venezuela
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- Gobierno en Línea - Oficial governmental portal (in Spanish)
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- Venezuela Banknotes
- Venezuela in photographies (in Spanish)
Venezuela
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Republic of Venezuela is a country in northern South America. It borders the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the west. Off the Venezuelan coast are also found the Caribbean states of Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles and Trinidad and Tobago.
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| National motto: None | ||||
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| Official language | Spanish | |||
| Capital | Caracas | |||
| President | Hugo Chávez | |||
| Area - Total - % water | Ranked 32nd 912,050 km² 0.3% | |||
| Population
- Total (2002) - Density | Ranked 43rd
24,287,670
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| Independence
- Declared - Recognised | From Spain
July 5, 1811 1821 | |||
| Currency | Venezuelan bolivar | |||
| Time zone | UTC -4 | |||
| National anthem | Gloria al bravo pueblo | |||
| Internet TLD | .VE | |||
| Calling Code | 58 | |||
| Table of contents |
History
Main article: History of VenezuelaVenezuela was the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement in South America in 1522, and most of the territory eventually became part of the viceroyalty of New Granada. Parts of what is now eastern Venezuela became New Andalusia. After several unsuccessful uprisings, the country achieved independence from Spain in 1821 under the leadership of its most famous son, Simón Bolívar. Venezuela, along with what are now Colombia, Panama, and Ecuador, was part of the Republic of Greater Colombia (Gran Colombia) until 1830, when Venezuela separated and became a sovereign republic.
Much of Venezuela's 19th and early 20th century history was characterised by periods of political instability, dictatorial rule, and revolutionary turbulence. Following the military's withdrawal from direct involvement in national politics in 1958, Venezuela has enjoyed an unbroken tradition of civilian democratic rule. However, in recent years, the presidency of Hugo Chávez saw a failed coup d'état after riots and protests shaked the capital of the country. Although some Venezuelan government's spokepersons claimed that it was orchestrated by USA administration, the Secretary of State Colin Powell has denied these allegations as unfounded (Powel Niega Participacion en el Golpe, May 6, 2002. El Universal).
See also: Discoverer of the Americas
Politics
Main article: Politics of VenezuelaThe Venezuelan president is elected by a plurality vote with direct and universal suffrage and functions as both head of state and head of government. The term of office is 6 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 override these objections.
The unicameral Venezuelan parliament is the National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional. Its 165 deputies, of which three are reserved for indigenous peoples, serve 5-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 judiciary body is the Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, whose magistrates are elected by parliament for a single 12-year term.
States
Main article: States of Venezuela
Venezuela is subdivided into 23 states (estados), one federal district (distrito federal) and one federal dependency (dependencia federal), marked by a *:
Geography
Main article: Geography of VenezuelaVenezuela is home to a wide variety of landscapes, such as the northeasternmost extensions of the Andes mountains in the northwest and along the northern Caribbean coast, of which the highest point is the Pico Bolivar at 5,007 m. Also found in the northwest are the lowlands around Lake Maracaibo and the Gulf of Venezuela. The centre of the country is characterised by extensive plains known as the llanos that stretch from the Colombian border to the river delta of the Orinoco east. To the south are found the dissected Guiana Highlands, home to Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall.
The local climate is tropical and generally hot and humid, though more moderate in the highlands. The capital, Caracas is also the country's largest city. Other major cities include Maracaibo, Barquisimeto, Valencia, Maracay, and Ciudad Guayana.
Economy
Main article: Economy of VenezuelaThe Venezuelan economy shifted after the First World War from a primarily agricultural orientation to an economy centered on petroleum production and export, which continues to dominate, accounting for roughly a third of GDP, around 80% of export earnings, and more than half of government operating revenues. Venezuelan officials estimate that GDP grew by 2.7% in 2001. A strong rebound in international oil prices fueled the recovery from the steep recession in 1999.
Nevertheless, a relatively weak non-oil sector and capital flight - and a temporary fall in oil prices - undercut the recovery. In early 2002, the government changed the exchange rate regime from a crawling peg to a free floating exchange rate, causing the Bolivar to depreciate significantly.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of VenezuelaThe Venezuelan people comprise a rich combination of heritages. The historically present Amerindians, Spanish colonists and Africans were joined by Italians, Portuguese, Arabs, Germans, and others from neighbouring countries in South America during waves of immigration in the 20th century. About 85% of the population live in urban areas in the northern portion of the country. While almost half of Venezuela's land area lies south of the Orinoco river, this region contains only 5% of the population.
The national and official language is Spanish, but numerous indigenous dialects also exist, as do dialects introduced by immigrants. Nominally 96% of the population is Roman Catholic; other denominations, primarily Protestant, make up the remainder.
Culture
Main article: Culture of Venezuela
| Date | English Name | Local Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year | Año Nuevo | |
| May 1 | Labour Day | Día del Trabajador | |
| June 24 | Carabobo's Battle | Batalla de Carabobo | |
| July 5 | Independence Day | Día de la Independencia | |
| July 24 | Simón Bolívar's Birthday | Natalicio del Libertador Simón Bolívar | |
| October 12 | Día de la Raza | ||
| December 24 | Christmas | Navidad |
Miscellaneous topics
External Links