Venezuela - facts & info. A great place to learn Spanish!

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Venezuela is an interesting place to learn Spanish.

A period of Total immersion during your language learning is a very important part of your learning Spanish strategy. It gives you the chance to hear Spanish language in action, listen and see Hispanics using and living the language. It is especially useful if combined with:

•   . . . and a good onsite course with a good teacher, whether full time or part-time.

•   a good grammar learning system to allow you to understand the structure, the intricacies and the rules and exceptions of the language.

•   You need a good vocabulary learning system you should be learning Spanish at 200 words a day or more with modern systems . . . in a few days of focussed study you can have 1,000 plus words in your Spanish vocabulary. before you set off to South America!

For more information on how to learn Spanish in Venezuela click on the link.

Learn Spanish in Venezuela!

Information on Venezuela

Background: Venezuela was one of 3 countries to emerge from Gran Colombia in 1830 (also Colombia and Ecuador).

First fifty years of the 20th century military strongmen ruled, promoting the oil industry. Democratically elected governments since 1959.

Geography information

Geographical Position: Northern South America, on Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana.

Latitude & Longitude: : 8 degrees 00 North, 66 degrees 00 West

Area : Total: 912,000 square kilometres
Land: 882,000 square kilometres
Water: 30,000 square kilometres

Land border lengths: Total: 4,993 kilometres
Neighbouring Countries: Colombia 2,050 kilometres, Brazil 2,200 kilometres, border Guyana 740 kilometres

Length of Coast: 2,800 kilometres

Climatic Characteristics: tropical; humid, hot, moderate in uplands

Terrain Features: Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands to North-West; plains (llanos); to southeast Guiana Highlands

Elevation highs & lows: lowest elevation: Caribbean Sea at sea level. highest elevation: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 metres

Country’s Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, mining iron ore, gold mining, bauxite, hydroelectric power, diamond mining

Land use:
cultivated land: 2% cropping land: 0% other: 96% (1998 estimate)
Irrigated land: 540 square kilometres
(1998 estimate)
Natural geographical risks: flooding, landslides; droughts

Geographical infoAngel Falls is the highest waterfall in the world.

People information

Population : 24,600,000 (2003 estimate)
Age Distribution: under age 14 yrs: 31%
between 15 & 64 yrs: 64%
age 65+: 4% (2003 estimate)
Median age:
Total: 24 years male: 24 years
female: 25 years (2002)

Population rate growth: 1% (2003 estimate)
Birth Rate: : 19 births per thousand population (2003 estimate)
Mortality Rate: : 4 deaths per thousand (2003 estimate)
Rate of Net Migration: -0 migrant(s)per thousand population (2003 estimate)
Infant mortality rate : Total: 23 deaths per thousand live births female: 20 deaths per thousand live births (2003 estimate) male: 27 deaths per thousand live births

Life Expectancy: Total population: 73 years male: 70 years
female: 77 years (2003 estimate)
Total fertility rate : 2 children born/woman (2003 estimate)
Name of people: Venezuelan

Racial groupings: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people

Religions: Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Languages: Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Literacy: : definition: age 15 and over can read and write Total population: 93% male: 93% female: 93% (2003 estimates)

Government information

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela

System of Government: Federal Republic

Capital City: Caracas

Independence: 5 July 1811

Date of Independence 5 July 1811

Constitution: 30 December 1999

Voting system: : universal to 18 year olds.

Head of State : President - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Economy information on Venezuela

Huge petroleum sector 1/3rd of Gross Domestic Product, 80% of export revenues.

Gross Domestic Product: - $USD130 billion (2002 estimate)
Gross Domestic Productper capita : - $USD5,500 (2002 estimate)
Gross Domestic Product make-up by sector:
agriculture sector : 5%
industrial sector: 50%
service sector: 45% (2001)

Population below level of poverty: 47% (1998 estimate)
Household % income:
lowest 10%: below 1%
highest 10%: 36%

Labour force : 9 million (1999)

Labour force - by occupation: services 64%, industry 23%, agriculture 13% (1997 estimate)
Unemployment rate : 17% (2002 estimate)
Budget Figures:
revenues: $USD21 billion expenditures: $USD27 billion.
Industries:
petroleum and petroleum by-products, mining of iron ore, construction & building materials, food processing, apparel, textiles, steel, aluminum, assembling vehicles

agriculture sector - products: corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Exports : $USD28 billion (2001)

Exports - partners: United States 60%, Brazil 5%, Colombia 3%, Italy 3%, Spain 3% (2000)

Imports : $USD18 billion (2001)

Import partners: United States 35%, Colombia 6%, Brazil 4%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (2000)

Currency: bolivar (VEB) Currency code: VEB

Communications information on Venezuela

Telephones: 2 million

Radio broadcast stations: AM 201, SW 11 (1998)

Television broadcast stations: 66

Internet Code : .ve

Transport, Travel & Tourism to Venezuela

Railways
Total: 680 kilometres

Roading : Total: 96,000 kilometres
paved roading: 32,200 kilometres
unpaved roading: 63,800 kilometres
(1997 estimate)
Navigable Waterways : 7,100 kilometres

Pipeline Distances : crude oil 6,370 kilometres; petroleum & petroleum by-products 480 kilometres; natural gas 4,010 kilometres

Commercial Harbours/Ports : Matanzas, Palua, Puerto Cabello, Amuay, Puerto Bajo Grande, Punta Cardon, Puerto El Tablazo, La Guaira, Puerto La Salina, Maracaibo, Puerto la Cruz, Ordaz, Puerto Sucre.

Airports-Aerodromes : 373 (2002)

Military

Military groupings & departments : National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN) includes Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada - including marines and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)

Military Spending: $USD934 million (Fiscal Year99)

International Issues

Claims those parts of Guyana west of the Essequibo River; maritime dispute with Colombia in the Caribbean Sea; claims Aves Island.

National Flag

Click here for the Venezuelan Flag and information, history and facts.

Venezuela Map

Click here for the Venezuela Map.

History of Venezuela

Click here for the History of Venezuela and historical facts.

Info sourced and adapted from the CIA Factbook .

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