Venezuela
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Reverted 1 edit by [[Special:Contributions/130.156.6.127|130.156.6.127]]; Unfactual. ([[WP:TW|TW]])
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{{Infobox Country
|native_name = ''República Bolivariana de Venezuela''
|conventional_long_name = Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela{{ref_label|name|1|none}}</small>
|common_name = Venezuela
|image_flag = Flag of Venezuela.svg
|image_coat = Coat of arms of Venezuela.svg
|image_map = LocationVenezuela.svg
|national_motto = ''Dios y Federación''{{spaces|2}}<small>{{es icon}}<br/>God and Federation</small>
|national_anthem = ''[[Gloria al Bravo Pueblo]]''{{spaces|2}}<small>{{es icon}}<br/>Glory to the Brave People</small>
|official_languages = [[Spanish language|Spanish]]{{ref_label|languages|2|none}}
|languages_type = [[National language]]
|languages = [[Spanish language|Spanish]] (''[[de facto]]''){{ref_label|languages|2|none}}
|demonym = [[Venezuelan]]
|capital = [[Caracas]]
|latd=10 |latm=30 |latNS=N |longd=66 |longm=58 |longEW=W
|largest_city = capital
|government_type = [[Federal republic|Federal]] [[Presidential system|Presidential republic]]
|leader_title1 = [[List of Presidents of Venezuela|President]]
|leader_title2 = [[Vice president]]
|leader_name1 = [[Hugo Chávez|Hugo Chávez Frías]]
|leader_name2 = [[Ramón Carrizales]]
|area_rank = 33rd
|area_magnitude = 1 E11
|area_km2 = 916,445
|area_sq_mi = 353,841
|percent_water = 0.32{{ref_label|area|3|none}}
|population_estimate = 28,199,822
|population_estimate_rank = 40th|population_estimate_year = February 2008
|population_census = 23,054,210
|population_census_year = 2001
|population_density_km2 = 30.2
|population_density_sq_mi = 77
|population_density_rank = 173rd
|GDP_PPP = $335 billion <!--CIA Factbook-->
|GDP_PPP_rank = 30th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2007
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $12,800
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 63th
|sovereignty_type = [[Independence]]
|established_event1 = from [[Spain]]
|established_event2 = from [[Gran Colombia]]
|established_event3 = Recognized
|established_date1 = [[July 5]] [[1811]]
|established_date2 = [[January 13]] [[1830]]
|established_date3 = [[March 30]] [[1845]]
|HDI = {{profit}} 0.792
|HDI_rank = 74th
|HDI_year = 2007
|HDI_category = <font color="#ffcc00">medium</font>
|Gini = 44.1
|Gini_year = 2000
|Gini_category = <font color="#ffcc00">medium</font>
|currency = [[Venezuelan bolívar|Bolívar fuerte]]{{ref_label|currency|4|none}}
|currency_code = VEF
|country_code =
|time_zone = [[UTC-4:30]]
|utc_offset =
|time_zone_DST =
|utc_offset_DST =
|cctld = [[.ve]]
|calling_code = 58
|footnotes = {{note_label|name|1|none}} The "Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela" has been the full official title since the adoption of the new [[Constitution of Venezuela|Constitution of 1999]], when the state was renamed in honor of [[Simón Bolívar]]<br/>.<br/>{{note_label|languages|2|none}} The Constitution also recognizes all [[indigenous languages of the Americas|indigenous languages]] spoken in the country.<br/>{{note_label|area|3|none}} Area totals include only Venezuelan-administered territory.<br/>{{note_label|currency|4|none}} On [[1 January]] [[2008]] a new bolivar, the ''bolívar fuerte'' (ISO 4217 code VEF), worth 1,000 VEB, was introduced.}}
'''Venezuela''' ({{pronEng|ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə}}, {{IPA-es|beneˈswela}}), officially the '''[[Bolivarianism|Bolivarian]] Republic of Venezuela''' (Spanish: '''República Bolivariana de Venezuela'''), is a country on the northern coast of [[South America]].
The country comprises a continental mainland and numerous islands located off the Venezuelan coastline in the [[Caribbean Sea]]. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela possesses borders with [[Guyana]] to the east, [[Brazil]] to the south, and [[Colombia]] to the west. [[Trinidad and Tobago]], [[Grenada]], [[St. Lucia]], [[Barbados]], [[Curaçao]], [[Bonaire]], [[Aruba]], [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]] and the [[Leeward Antilles]] lie just north, off the Venezuelan coast. Falling within the [[tropics]], Venezuela sits close to the [[equator]], in the [[Northern Hemisphere]].
A former [[Spanish colony]], which has been an independent republic since 1821, Venezuela holds territorial disputes with [[Guyana]], largely concerning the [[Guayana Esequiba|Essequibo]] area, and with [[Colombia]] concerning the [[Gulf of Venezuela]]. In 1895, after the dispute over the Guyana border flared up, it was submitted to a neutral commission, which in 1899 decided it mostly in Guyana's favour.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/venezuela1895.htm |title=Venezuela Boundary Dispute, 1895–1899}}</ref> Today, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is known widely for its [[petroleum]] industry, the [[biodiversity|environmental diversity]] of its territory, and its natural features. Venezuela is considered to be among the world's [[megadiverse countries|17 most biodiverse countries]].<ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=South America Banks on Regional Strategy to Safeguard Quarter of Earth's Biodiversity | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.conservation.org/xp/news/press_releases/2003/091603_andean_eng.xml | work =Conservation International | pages = | accessdate = 2007-06-29 | language = }}</ref>
Venezuela is among the most urbanized countries in [[Latin America]];<ref name="encartaSA">{{Cite web |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761574914_3/South_America.html |title=South America |accessdate=2007-03-13 |publisher=Encarta}}</ref><ref name="UNpopstats">{{Cite web |url=http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wup1999/WUP99ANNEXTABLES.pdf |title=ANNEX TABLES |accessdate=2007-03-13 |publisher=United Nations |work=World Urbanization Prospects: The 1999 Revision |format=pdf}}</ref> the vast majority of Venezuelans live in the cities of the north, especially in the capital [[Caracas]] which is also the largest city. Other major cities include [[Maracaibo]], [[Valencia, Carabobo|Valencia]], [[Maracay]], [[Barquisimeto]], [[Ciudad Guayana]] and the popular tourist city of [[Mérida, Mérida|Mérida]]. Venezuela is also home to a diversity of [[fauna of Venezuela|wildlife]] in a variety of [[list of national parks of Venezuela|protected habitats]].
== Etymology ==
[[Image:palafito.jpg|thumb|left|A ''[[palafito]]'', similar to those seen by [[Amerigo Vespucci]].]]
The name "Venezuela" is believed to have originated from the [[cartographer]] [[Amerigo Vespucci]] who, along with [[Alonso de Ojeda]], led a 1499 naval expedition along the northwestern coast's [[Gulf of Venezuela]]. On reaching the [[Guajira Peninsula]], the crew observed villages (''[[palafito]]s'') that the people had built over the water. This reminded Vespucci of the city of [[Venice]] ({{lang-it|Venezia}}), so he named the region "''Venezuola''",<ref name="Dydynski_Beech_2004_177">{{Harvard reference |Surname1=Dydynski |Given1=K |Surname2=Beech |Given2=C |Year=2004 |Title=Venezuela |Publisher=Lonely Planet |ID=ISBN 1-74104-197-X |URL=http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&vid=ISBN174104197X&id=JDdb1alDGYIC |Access-date=[[10 March]] [[2007]]}}. p. 177.</ref> meaning "little Venice" in Italian. In Spanish, the [[suffix]] ''-zuela'' is used as a [[diminutive]] term (e.g., ''plaza / plazuela'', ''cazo / cazuela''); thus, the term's original sense would have been that of a "[[Klein Venedig|little Venice]]".<ref name="Thomas_2005_189">{{cite book|last=Thomas|first=Hugh|year=2005|title=Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire, from Columbus to Magellan|publisher=Random House|isbn=0-37550-204-1|pages=p. 189}}</ref>
[[Martín Fernández de Enciso]], a member of the Vespucci and Ojeda's crew, states in his work ''Summa de Geografía'' that the indigenous population they found were called "''Veneciuela''", suggesting that the name "Venezuela" may have evolved from a native word.<ref name="ICH_1958_386">{{cite journal|year=1958|title=Cuadernos Hispanoamericanos|publisher=Instituto de Cultura Hispánica (Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional)|pages=386|language=Spanish}}</ref> The Vespucci story, however, remains the most popular and accepted version of the origin of the country's name. In [[English language|English]], the word ''Venezuela'' is pronounced as {{IPAEng|ˌvɛnɨzˈweɪlə}}. The [[Venezuelan Spanish]] is {{IPA2|beneˈswela}}.
==History==
{{main|History of Venezuela}}
{{main |History of the Venezuelan oil industry}}
Human habitation of Venezuela is estimated to have commenced at least 15,000 years ago from which period [[leaf]]-shaped [[flake]] [[tool]]s, together with [[chop]]ping and [[plane|plano]]-[[convex]] [[scrape|scraping]] implements, have been found exposed on the high riverine terraces of the Rio Pedregal in western Venezuela.<ref name="Kipfer_2000_91">{{cite book|last=Kipfer|first=Barbara Ann|year=2000|title=Encyclopedic Dictionary of YUPArchaeology|publisher=Springer|isbn=0-30646-158-7|pages=p. 91}}</ref> [[Late Pleistocene]] hunting artifacts, including [[spear]] tips, have been found at a similar series of sites in northwestern Venezuela known as "El Jobo"; according to [[radiocarbon dating]], these date from 13,000 to 7,000 BC.<ref name="Kipfer_2000_172">Kipfer 2000, p. 172.</ref> In the 16th century, when the [[Spanish colonization of the Americas|Spanish colonization]] of Venezuela began, [[Indigenous people of the Americas|indigenous peoples]] such as the [[Mariches]], themselves descendants of the [[Carib]]s, were systematically killed. Indian [[cacique]]s (leaders) such as [[Guaicaipuro]] and [[Tamanaco]] attempted to resist Spanish incursions, but were ultimately subdued; Tamanaco himself, by order of Caracas' founder [[Diego de Losada]], was also put to death.<ref name="UNE">{{cite web |publisher=Universidad Nueva Esparta |url=http://www.une.edu.ve/hatillo/historia.htm |title=Alcaldía del Hatillo: Historia |accessdate=2007-03-10 |language=Spanish}}</ref>
[[Image:BatallaCarabobo02.JPG|thumb|Detail of [[Martín Tovar y Tovar]]'s ''La Batalla de Carabobo'']]
Venezuela was first [[colonialism|colonized]] by Spain in 1522, when it hosted the [[Spanish Empire]]'s first permanent South American settlement{{Fact|date=March 2007}} in what is now [[Cumaná]]. These portions of eastern Venezuela were incorporated into [[New Andalusia]]. Administered by the [[Audiencia]] of [[Santo Domingo]] since the early 16th century, most of Venezuela became part of the [[Viceroyalty of New Granada]] in the early 18th century, and was then reorganized as an autonomous [[Captaincy General of Venezuela|Captaincy General]] starting in [[1776]]. After a series of unsuccessful uprisings, Venezuela—under the leadership of [[Francisco de Miranda]], a Venezuelan marshal involved in the [[French Revolution]]—[[Venezuelan Declaration of Independence|declared independence]] on [[5 July]] [[1811]]. This began the [[Venezuelan War of Independence]]. However, a devastating earthquake that struck Caracas in 1812, together with the rebellion of the Venezuelan ''[[llanero]]s'', helped bring down the [[Venezuela (first republic)|first Venezuelan republic]].<ref name="Chasteen_2001_103">{{Harvard reference |Surname1=Chasteen |Given1=J |Year=2001 |Title=Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America |Publisher=Norton |ID=ISBN 0-39305-048-3 |URL=http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0393050483&id=fC90B5xkYyIC&pg=PP1&lpg=PP1&ots=XlrvsIB381&dq=Born+in+blood+and+fire&sig=CkLd_-rnp2QQK_m8Da3C6Yha6QE |Access-date=[[10 March]] [[2007]]}}. p. 103.</ref> A [[Venezuela (second republic)|second Venezuelan republic]], proclaimed on [[7 August]] [[1813]], lasted several months before being crushed as well.
Sovereignty was only attained after [[Simón Bolívar]], known as ''El Libertador'' ("The Liberator") and aided by [[Alexandre Petion]] of Haiti,[[José Antonio Páez]] and [[Antonio José de Sucre]], won the [[Battle of Carabobo]] on [[24 June]] [[1821]]. [[José Prudencio Padilla]] and [[Rafael Urdaneta]]'s victory in the [[Battle of Lake Maracaibo]] on [[24 July]] [[1823]] helped seal Venezuelan independence. New Granada's congress gave Bolívar control of the Granadian army; leading it, he liberated several countries and founded [[Greater Colombia|Gran Colombia]]. Sucre, who won many battles for Bolívar, went on to liberate Ecuador, and later become the second president of [[Bolivia]]. Venezuela remained part of Gran Colombia until 1830, when a rebellion led by Páez allowed the proclamation of a new Republic of Venezuela; Páez became its first president.
Much of Venezuela's [[19th century|nineteenth century]] history was characterized by political turmoil and [[dictator]]ial rule.<ref name="LOC_2005">{{cite web |publisher=Library of Congress (Federal Research Division) |title=Country Profile: Venezuela |year=2005 |url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Venezuela.pdf |accessdate=2007-03-10}}</ref> During first half of the 20th century, ''[[caudillo]]s'' (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.<ref name="CIA">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ve.html|title=Venezuela|accessdate=2007-03-13|publisher=CIA|date=[[2007-03-08]]|work=The World Factbook|quote=''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.''}}</ref> The discovery of massive [[oil field|oil deposit]]s, totaling some 400 million [[barrel (unit)|barrel]]s,{{Fact|date=March 2007}} during [[World War I]] prompted an economic boom that lasted into the 1980s; by 1935, Venezuela's per capita [[gross domestic product|GDP]] was Latin America's highest,<ref name="Crow_1980_616-617">{{Harvard reference |Surname1=Crow |Given1=JA |Year=1980 |Title=Epic of Latin America |Publisher=University of California Press |ID=ISBN 0-52004-107-0}}. pp. 616–617.</ref>.
After [[World War II]] the [[globalization]] and heavy immigration from Southern Europe (mainly from [[Spain]], [[Italo-venezuelans|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 [[1980s oil glut|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,<ref name="Schuyler_2001_10">{{cite journal |last=Schuyler |first=George W. |work=The Policy Studies Organization |title=Health and Neoliberalism: Venezuela and Cuba |year=2001 |pages= p. 10}}</ref>{{lopsided}} resulting in two major [[1992 Venezuelan coup d'état attempts|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.<ref>{{cite web | title = Profile: Hugo Chavez | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1925236.stm | accessdate = 2007-06-05}}</ref>
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 2002 (though now a democratically elected president) Chávez was temporarily ousted from power by right-wing elements in the army and the business sector.
== Government ==
{{main|Government of Venezuela}}
[[Image:National Assembly, Caracas, Venezuela.jpg|thumb|The National Assembly, Caracas]]
The [[President of Venezuela|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 of Venezuela|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 [[judiciary|judicial]] body is the [[Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Venezuela)|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 (Venezuela)|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.
==== Politics ====
{{main|Politics of Venezuela}}
There are currently two major blocs of [[List of political parties in Venezuela|political parties in Venezuela]]: the incumbent leftist bloc [[United Socialist Party of Venezuela]] (PSUV) and its major allies [[Fatherland for All]] (PPT), and the [[Communist Party of Venezuela]] (PCV); and the opposition bloc lead by [[A New Era]] (UNT) together with its allied parties [[Project Venezuela]], [[Justice First]], [[Movement for Socialism (Venezuela)]] and others. Following the fall of [[Marcos Pérez Jiménez]] in 1958, Venezuelan politics was dominated by the center-right [[Christian democracy|Christian democratic]] [[COPEI]] and the center-left [[Social democracy|social democratic]] [[Democratic Action]] (AD) parties; this [[two-party system]] was formalized by the ''[[puntofijismo]]'' arrangement. However, this system has been sidelined following the initial [[Venezuelan presidential election, 1998|1998 election]] of current president [[Hugo Chávez]], which started the Bolivarian Revolution.
The voting age in Venezuela is 18 and older. Voting is not [[compulsory voting|compulsory]].<ref name="TG">{{cite web |publisher=[[The Guardian]] |title=Compulsory voting around the world |date=[[4 July]] [[2005]] |url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/apathy/story/0,,1521096,00.html |accessdate=2007-03-10}}</ref> Most of the political opposition boycotted the [[Venezuelan parliamentary election, 2005|2005 parliamentary election]]. Consequently, the MVR-led bloc secured all 167 seats in the National Assembly. Then, the MVR voted to dissolve itself in favor of joining the proposed [[United Socialist Party of Venezuela]], while Chávez requested that MVR-allied parties merge themselves into it as well. The National Assembly has twice voted to grant Chávez the ability [[rule by decree]] in several broadly defined areas, once in 2000 and again in 2007. This power has been granted to previous administrations as well.<ref name="polar">{{Cite web|url=http://www.fpolar.org.ve/Encarte/fasciculo24/fasc2402.html|title=Historia de Venezuela en Imágenes. Capítulo VIII 1973 /1983. La Gran Venezuela|accessdate=2007-01-21|publisher=Fundación Polar|work=La experiencia democrática 1958 / 1998}}{{es icon}}</ref><ref name="globovision20061128">{{Cite web|url=http://www.globovision.com/news.php?nid=43974|title=El tema: Historia democrática venezolana |accessdate=2007-01-21|publisher=[[Globovisión]]|year=[[2006-11-28]]}}{{es icon}}</ref><ref name="cidob">{{Cite web |url=http://www.cidob.org/es/documentacion/biografias_lideres_politicos/america_del_sur/venezuela/ramon_jose_velasquez_mujica |title=Ramón José Velásquez Mújica |accessdate=2007-01-21 |publisher=Centro de Investigación de Relaciones Internacionales y desarrollo |date=[[2006-09-21]]}}{{es icon}}</ref>
Chavez has also established alliance with Bolivias recently elected president Evo Morales.
==Public health==
{{seealso|Water supply and sanitation in Venezuela}}
[[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).<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/parenting/05/08/mothers.index/index.html CNN.com - U.S. has second worst newborn death rate in modern world, report says - May 10, 2006<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref name="UNDP_2006">[[UNDP]]. [http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/statistics/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_VEN.html Human Development Report 2006: Venezuela]. Accessed [[8 March]] [[2007]].</ref><ref name="WRI_2003c">{{cite web |publisher=World Resources Institute |work=EarthTrends Country Profiles |year=2003 |title=Population, Health, and Human Well-Being—Venezuela |url=http://earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/country_profiles/pop_cou_862.pdf |accessdate=2007-03-10}}</ref> 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.<ref>FAO. [http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/nutrition/ven-e.stm Venezuela]. Accessed [[20 September]] [[2006]].</ref> According to the [[United Nations]], 32% of Venezuelans lack adequate sanitation, primarily those living in rural areas.<ref>Unicef. [http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/venezuela_statistics.html Venezuela]. Accessed [[20 September]] [[2006]].</ref> Diseases ranging from [[typhoid]], [[yellow fever]], [[cholera]], [[hepatitis A]], [[hepatitis B]], and [[hepatitis D]] are present in the country.<ref> [http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,,818577,00.html Venezuela] Guardian. Accessed [[20 September]] [[2006]].</ref> Only 3% of sewage is treated; most major cities lack treatment facilities.<ref>''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</ref> 17% of Venezuelans lack access to potable water.<ref>UNICEF. [http://www.unicef.org/specialsession/about/sgreport-pdf/03_SafeDrinkingWater_D7341Insert_English.pdf Safe Drinking Water]. Accessed [[20 September]] [[2006]].</ref>
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]].<ref> [http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/information/0,,818577,00.html Venezuela] Guardian. Accessed [[20 September]] [[2006]].</ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=62-0520230310-2 Powell's Books - Stories in the Time of Cholera by Charles L. Briggs<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
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 [[Barrio Adentro|Misión Barrio Adentro]].<ref name="Venezuela Information Office">{{cite web |publisher=Venezuela Information Office | year=2007 |title=Health Care for All: Venezuela's Health Missions at Work |url=http://www.rethinkvenezuela.com/downloads/Healthcare%20for%20All.htm |accessdate=2008-01-18}}</ref>
== Foreign relations ==
{{main|Foreign relations of Venezuela}}
[[Image:Parque de las 5 Republicas pathway, Merida, Venezuela.jpg|thumb|Soil from Venezuela and four other countries—[[Bolivia]], [[Colombia]], [[Ecuador]], and [[Peru]]—liberated by the Venezuelan leader [[Simón Bolívar]] is buried at the ''Parque de las Cinco Repúblicas'' in [[Mérida, Mérida|Mérida]].]]
Throughout most of the 20th century, Venezuela maintained friendly relations with most Latin American and Western nations. Relations between Venezuela and the [[United States]] worsened in 2002, when the U.S. government helped to instigate the [[2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt]]{{Fact|date=July 2008}} and recognized the short-lived unconstitutional regime of [[Pedro Carmona]]. Correspondingly, ties to various leftist-led [[Latin America]]n and Middle Eastern countries not allied to the U.S. have strengthened. Venezuela seeks alternative [[Western Hemisphere|hemispheric]] integration via such proposals as the [[Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas]] trade proposal and the newly launched pan-Latin American [[television network]] [[teleSUR]]. Venezuela was a proponent of [[Organization of American States|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 "[[polarity in international relations|multi-polar]]" world based on strengthened ties among [[Third World]] countries.
== Military ==
{{See also|Military of Venezuela}}
Venezuela's national armed forces include roughly 100,000 personnel spread through four service branches: the [[Army of Venezuela|Ground Forces]], the [[Navy of Venezuela|Navy]] (including the [[Marine Corps]]), the [[Venezuelan Air Force|Air Force]], and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), commonly known as the [[Venezuelan National Guard|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{{Or|date=June 2008}}. The [[President of Venezuela]] is the [[commander-in-chief]] of the national armed forces.
== Subdivisions ==
{{main|States of Venezuela|Regions of Venezuela}}
Venezuela is divided into twenty-three states (''Estados''), a [[Venezuelan Capital District|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 [[municipality|municipalities]] (''municipios''); these are subdivided into over one thousand [[parish]]es (''parroquias''). The states are grouped into nine administrative regions. (''regiones administrativas''), which were established by presidential decree. Historically, Venezuela has also claimed all [[Guyana|Guyanese]] territory west of the [[Essequibo River]]; this {{convert|159500|km2|sqmi|0}} tract was dubbed ''Guayana Esequiba'' or the ''Zona en Reclamación'' (the "zone to be reclaimed").<ref name="mre_ginebra">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mre.gob.ve/metadot/index.pl?id=3870&isa=Category&op=show|title=EL ACUERDO DE GINEBRA DEL 17 FEB 1966 |accessdate=2007-12-01|publisher=Ministerio del Poder Popular para Relaciones Exteriores}}{{es icon}}</ref>
{{Venezuelan subdivisions}}
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== Geography ==
{{main|Geography of Venezuela}}
[[Image:Mt Roraima in Venezuela 001.JPG|thumb|left|[[Monte Roraima]], a tepui in [[Canaima National Park]] in southeastern Venezuela. The park lies atop the [[Guiana Shield]]; its [[Precambrian]] geological formations rank among the world's oldest.]]
Venezuela's mainland rests on the [[South American Plate]]; With {{convert|2800|km|mi|0}} 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 Sea|Caribbean]] coast. [[Pico Bolívar]], the nation's highest point at {{convert|4979|m|ft|0}}, 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]] [[river delta|delta]] in the east. To the south, the dissected [[Guiana|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 [[alluvium|alluvial soil]]s, binds the largest and most important [[drainage system|river system]] of the country; it originates in one of the largest [[drainage basin|watershed]]s in Latin America. The [[Caroní River (Venezuela)|Caroní]] and the [[Apure River|Apure]] are other major rivers.
[[Image:Bolívar usgs.jpg|thumb|[[Pico Bolívar]] in the northwestern state of [[Mérida]].]]
The country can be further divided into ten geographical areas, some corresponding to climatic and biogeographical regions. In the north are the Venezuelan Andes and the [[Coro region]], a mountainous tract in the northwest, is home to several [[sierra]]s and valleys. East of it are lowlands abutting [[Lake Maracaibo]] and the [[Gulf of Venezuela]]. The [[Cordillera de la Costa Central|Central Range]] runs parallel 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 (state)|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 ''[[tepui]]s'', mysterious table-like mountains. The [[Insular Region (Venezuela)|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 [[tropic]]s, its climate varies substantially; it varies from that of humid low-elevation plains, where average annual temperatures range as high as {{convert|28|°C|°F|0}}, to glaciers and highlands (the ''páramos'') with an average yearly temperature of {{convert|8|°C|°F|0}}. Annual rainfall varies between {{convert|430|mm|in|0}} in the semiarid portions of the northwest to {{convert|1000|mm|in|0}} in the Orinoco Delta of the far east. Most precipitation falls between June and October (the rainy season or "winter"); the drier and hotter remainder of the year is known as "summer", though temperature variation throughout the year is not as pronounced as at temperate latitudes.<ref name="LOC_2005"/>
== Flora and fauna ==
{{main|Fauna of Venezuela|Flora of Venezuela|National symbols of Venezuela|List of birds of Venezuela}}
[[Image:Araguaney (Tabebuia chrysantha), Venezuela.jpg|thumb|The ''[[Tabebuia|araguaney]]'' (''Tabebuia chrysantha''), Venezuela's national tree.]]
Venezuela lies within the [[Neotropic ecozone]]; large portions of the country were originally covered by [[tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests|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 [[reptiles|reptilian]] and 50% of [[amphibian]] species are also endemic.<ref name="GFW">{{cite web|title=Venezuela: Overview|publisher=Global Forest Watch|url=http://www.globalforestwatch.org/english/venezuela/|accessdate=2007-03-10}}.</ref> Venezuela hosts significant [[biodiversity]] across habitats ranging from [[deserts and xeric shrublands|xeric scrublands]] in the extreme northwest to coastal [[mangrove]] forests in the northeast.<ref name="LOC_2005"/> Its [[cloud forests]] and lowland [[rainforest]]s are particularly rich, for example hosting over 25,000 species of [[orchid]]s.{{inote|Dydynski & Beech 2004, p. 42.}} These include the ''flor de mayo'' orchid (''Cattleya mossiae''), the national flower.
[[Image:Tejedora (Caracas, Venezuela).jpg|thumb|left|The [[golden silk orb-weaver]] is among the more common of Venezuela's [[arthropod]]s.]]
Venezuela's national tree is the ''[[Tabebuia chrysantha|araguaney]]'', whose characteristic lushness after the rainy season led novelist [[Rómulo Gallegos]] to name it ''«[l]a primavera de oro de los araguaneyes''» ("the golden spring of the ''araguaneyes''"). Notable [[mammal]]s include the [[giant anteater]], [[jaguar]], and the [[capybara]], the world's largest [[rodent]]. More than half of Venezuelan avian and [[mammal]]ian species are found in the [[Amazon Rainforest|Amazonian forests]] south of the Orinoco.<ref name="Bevilacqua_2002">{{Harvard reference |Surname1=Bevilacqua |Given1=M |Surname2=Cardenas |Given2=L |Surname3=Flores |Given3=AL et al. |Year=2002 |Title=State of Venezuela's forests: A case study of the Guayana Region |Journal=World Resources Institute |URL=http://pubs.wri.org/pubs_content_text.cfm?ContentID=1607 |Access-date=[[10 March]] [[2007]]}}.</ref> [[Manatee]]s, [[Boto]] [[river dolphin]]s, and [[Orinoco Crocodile|Orinoco crocodile]]s, which reach up to {{convert|7|m|ft|0}} in length, are notable aquatic species. Venezuela also hosts a huge number of bird species, a total of 1,417, 48 of which are [[Endemism|endemic]].<ref>{{cite web| last = Lepage| first = Denis| authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.bsc-eoc.org/avibase/avibase.jsp?region=ve&pg=checklist&list=clements| title = Checklist of birds of Venezuela| format = |work = Bird Checklists of the World| publisher = Avibase| accessdate = 2007-05-04}}</ref> Important birds include [[ibis]]es, [[osprey]]s, [[kingfisher]]s,{{inote|Dydynski & Beech 2004, p. 42.}} and the yellow-orange [[troupial|turpial]]<!--(''Icterus icterus'')-->, 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.<ref name="GFW"/> In response, federal protections for critical habitat were implemented; for example, 20% to 33% of forested land is protected.<ref name="Bevilacqua_2002"/> 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]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Peck |first=D |year=2000 |title=The Annotated Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance: Venezuela |work=The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands |publisher=Ramsar Convention Secretariat |url=http://www.ramsar.org/profile/profiles_venezuela.htm |accessdate=2007-03-10}}</ref> In 2003, 70% of the nation's land was under conservation management in over 200 protected areas, including 43 national parks.<ref name="WRI_2003a">{{cite web |title=Biodiversity and Protected Areas—Venezuela |publisher=World Resources Institute |work=EarthTrends Country Profiles |url=http://earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/country_profiles/bio_cou_862.pdf |year=2003 |accessdate=2007-03-10}}</ref>
== Economy ==
{{main|Economy of Venezuela}}
[[Image:Billete 20 Bolívares fuertes anverso.jpg|thumb|The 20 [[Venezuelan bolívar|Venezuelan bolívar fuerte]] banknote featuring a portrait of [[Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi]].]]
The [[petroleum]] sector dominates Venezuela's [[mixed economy]], accounting for roughly a third of [[gross domestic product|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.<ref>[http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/country/country_energy_data.cfm?fips=VE Venezuela Energy Profile], [[Energy Information Administration]], Accessed June 25, 2008.</ref> 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.{{Fact|date=June 2007}} Venezuela has the [[Gasoline usage and pricing| 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 ==
{{main|Demographics of Venezuela|Languages of Venezuela}}
[[Image:Libertador Avenue, Caracas, Venezuela.jpg|thumb|Caracas, Libertador Avenue]]
[[Image:Maracaibo5dejulio2007.jpg|thumb|Maracaibo, 5 de Julio Area]]
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 people|Spanish]], [[Italo-venezuelans|Italian]], [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] and [[German people|German]] descent. Other important groups include Afro-Venezuelans, though their numbers are unclear due to poor census data.<ref name="Afro-Venezuelans">{{cite web | publisher=Venezuela Information Office | year=2007 | title=Afro-Venezuelans and the Struggle to End Racism | url=http://www.rethinkvenezuela.com/downloads/Afro-Venezuelans.htm |accessdate=2008-01-18}}</ref> [[Asia]]ns, predominantly [[Lebanese]] and other [[Arab]]s, [[Chinese people|Chinese]] and [[Turkish people|Turkish]] descent, make up a small percentage of the population. Only about 5% of Venezuelans are [[Indigenous]].<ref name="Indigenous Venezuelans">{{cite web | publisher=Venezuela Information Office | year=2007 | title=Indigenous Peoples in Venezuela | url=http://www.rethinkvenezuela.com/downloads/Indigenous.htm |accessdate=2008-01-18}}</ref> 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. <ref name="World Refugee Survey 2008">{{cite news|title=World Refugee Survey 2008|publisher=U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants|date=2008-06-19|url=http://www.refugees.org/survey}}</ref>
About 85% of the population live in urban areas in northern Venezuela; 73% live less than {{convert|100|km|mi|0}} from the coastline.<ref name="WRI_2003b">{{cite web |publisher=World Resources Institute |work=EarthTrends Country Profiles |year=2003 |title=Coastal and Marine Ecosystems—Venezuela |url=http://earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/country_profiles/coa_cou_862.pdf |accessdate=2007-03-10}}</ref> 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 language|Spanish]]; 31 indigenous languages are also spoken, including [[Guahibo language|Guajibo]], [[Pemon]], [[Warao]], [[Wayuu]], and the various [[Yanomaman languages]]. 83% of the population belongs to the [[Roman Catholic Church]].
== Culture ==
{{main|Culture of Venezuela|Heritage of Venezuela}}
[[Image:Basilicachinita.jpg|thumb|''Basílica de La Chinita'', [[Our Lady of Rosario of Chiquinquirá]] Basilica, [[Maracaibo]]]]
Venezuela's [[Heritage of Venezuela|heritage]], [[art]], and culture have been heavily influenced by its [[Latin American]] context. These elements extend to its historic buildings, architecture,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/658 | title=Coro and its Port | publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre | year=1993}}</ref> art,<ref>{{cite web | title=Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas | url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/986 | year=2000 | publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre}}</ref> landscape, boundaries, and monuments. [[Culture of Venezuela|Venezuelan culture]] has been shaped by [[Indigenous peoples|indigenous]], [[Spanish people|Spanish]] and [[African]] influences. Before this period, indigenous culture was expressed in art ([[petroglyph]]s), [[craft]]s, architecture (''[[shabono]]s''), and social organization. Aboriginal culture was subsequently assimilated by Spaniards; over the years, the hybrid culture had diversified by region.
[[Art of Venezuela|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|Venezuelan artists]] include [[Arturo Michelena]], [[Cristóbal Rojas]], [[Armando Reverón]], [[Manuel Cabré]], the [[kinetic art]]ists [[Jesús-Rafael Soto]] and [[Carlos Cruz-Diez]].
[[Venezuelan literature]] originated soon after the [[Spanish colonization of the Americas|Spanish conquest]] of the mostly pre-literate indigenous societies; it was dominated by [[Spanish culture|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]].
[[Image:Teatro Teresa Carreño.jpg|thumb|The Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex in Caracas.]]
[[Image:Joropo.jpg|thumb|The ''joropo'', as depicted in a 1912 drawing by [[Eloy Palacios]].]]
[[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 (Venezuela)|Capitol]], the [[Baralt Theatre]], the [[Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex]], and the [[General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge]].
Indigenous [[Music of Venezuela|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 (music style)|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 [[The Proms|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. Famous Venezuelan baseball players include [[Luis Aparicio]] (inducted into the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]]), [[Dave Concepción|David (Dave) Concepción]], [[Ozzie Guillén|Oswaldo (Ozzie) Guillén]] (current White Sox manager, World Series champion in 2005), Cubs Ace [[Carlos Zambrano]], [[Freddy Garcia]], [[Andrés Galarraga]], [[Omar Vizquel]] (an eleven-time Gold Glove winner), [[Luis Sojo]], [[Miguel Cabrera]], [[Bobby Abreu]], [[Félix Hernández]], [[Magglio Ordóñez]], [[Ugueth Urbina]], [[Víctor Martínez (baseball)|Víctor Martínez]], [[Carlos Gonzalez (baseball)|Carlos Gonzalez]], [[Rafael Betancourt]], and [[Johan Santana]] (a two-time unanimously selected [[Cy Young Award]] winner).
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".<ref name="WVS">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/lif_hap_lev_ver_hap-lifestyle-happiness-level-very-happy|title=Happiness Statistics By Country|accessdate=2007-06-21|publisher=Nationmaster.com}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
{{portal|Venezuela|Coat of arms of Venezuela.svg}}
{{sisterlinks|Venezuela}}
* [http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/ufdc/?h=udo&n=dloc Universidad de Oriente, Venezuela materials] in the [http://www.dloc.com Digital Library of the Caribbean]
;General references {{en_icon}}
* {{CIA_World_Factbook_link|ve|Venezuela}}
* [http://www.britannica.com/nations/Venezuela Venezuela] at [[Encyclopædia Britannica]]
* [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/vetoc.html Venezuela] from the [[Library of Congress Country Studies]]
* [http://www.rethinkvenezuela.com/index.html Venezuela Information Office]
;Other {{en_icon}}
* {{wikitravel|Venezuela}}
* [http://www.pbase.com/perrona/faces_of_central_america People of Venezuela]
* {{dmoz|Regional/South_America/Venezuela/|Venezuela}}
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{{Template group
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{{Political Divisions of Venezuela}}
{{Venezuelan topics}}
{{World Heritage Sites in Venezuela}}
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{{Template group
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{{Template group
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{{Latin Union}}
{{Union of South American Nations (Unasur\Unasul)}}
{{Andean Community of Nations}}
{{Mercosur\Mercosul (Southern Common Market)}}
{{Organization of American States (OAS)}}
{{G15 nations}}
{{Arab League}}
}}
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[[Category:Venezuela| ]]
[[Category:Federal countries]]
[[Category:Former Spanish colonies]]
[[Category:G15 nations]]
[[Category:Spanish-speaking countries]]
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