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Population: 28,384,132 (INA, 2009)

Government type: Federal republic, with five branches of government: executive, legislative, judiciary, electoral, and citizen.

Currency: Bs. (Bolivar)

Location: The country comprises a continental mainland and numerous islands in the Caribbean Sea. It borders Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the west. Its Caribbean neighbors off the northern coast are Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Leeward Antilles.

Area: 912,050 Square kilometers.

Coastal line: 2,800 kilometers.

Maritime boundaries: Territorial sea: 12 NM and Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 NM.

Main cities: Caracas, Maracaibo, Valencia, Barquisimeto, Maracay, Ciudad Guayana and Barcelona.

Main ports: Amuay, Cardon, El Palito, Guanta, Guamache, Guaranao, Jose, La Guaira,  La Salina, Maracaibo, Matanzas, Puerto Cabello and Puerto Sucre.

Holidays: 1st January , Carnival (February-March), Holy Week (March-April), 19th April, 1st May, 24th June, 5th and 24th July, 12th October, 25th December.

Industries: Petroleum, construction materials, food processing, textiles, iron ore mining, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly. The country’s main petroleum deposits are located around and beneath Lake Maracaibo and the Gulf of Venezuela. The oil sector operates through the state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), whose subsidiaries include the distributor CITGO. Other major exports are bauxite and aluminum, steel, petrochemicals, and agricultural products.

 

Venezuela's Key Issues