Venezuela

Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830, the others being Ecuador and New Granada (Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th century, military strongmen ruled Venezuela and promoted the oil industry while allowing some social reforms. Democratically elected governments largely held sway until 1999, but Hugo CHAVEZ, who was president from 1999 to 2013, exercised authoritarian control over other branches of government. This trend continued in 2018 when Nicolas MADURO claimed the presidency for his second term in an election boycotted by most opposition parties and widely viewed as fraudulent. The legislative elections in 2020 were also seen as fraudulent, and most opposition parties and many international actors consider the resulting National Assembly illegitimate. In 2021, many opposition parties broke a three-year election boycott and participated in mayoral and gubernatorial elections, despite flawed conditions. As a result, the opposition more than doubled its representation at the mayoral level and retained four of 23 governorships. The 2021 regional elections marked the first time since 2006 that the EU was allowed to send an electoral observation mission to Venezuela.

MADURO has placed strong restrictions on free speech and the press. Since CHAVEZ, the ruling party has expanded the state’s role in the economy through expropriations of major enterprises, strict currency exchange and price controls, and over-dependence on the petroleum industry for revenues. Years of economic mismanagement left Venezuela ill-prepared to weather the global drop in oil prices in 2014, sparking an economic decline that has resulted in reduced government social spending, shortages of basic goods, and high inflation. Worsened living conditions have prompted nearly 8 million Venezuelans to emigrate, mainly settling in nearby countries. The US imposed financial sanctions on MADURO and his representatives in 2017 and on sectors of the Venezuelan economy in 2018. Limited sanctions relief followed when the MADURO administration began making democratic and electoral concessions.

The government’s mismanagement and lack of investment in infrastructure has also weakened the country’s energy sector. Caracas has relaxed some controls to mitigate the impact of its sustained economic crisis, such as allowing increased import flexibility for the private sector and the informal use of US dollars and other international currencies. Ongoing concerns include human rights abuses, rampant violent crime, political manipulation of the judicial and electoral systems, and corruption.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes

Geography

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 66 00 W

Map references

South America

Area

total : 912,050 sq km

land: 882,050 sq km

water: 30,000 sq km

comparison ranking: total 34

Area – comparative

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

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 5,267 km

border countries (3): Brazil 2,137 km; Colombia 2,341 km; Guyana 789 km

Coastline

2,800 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 15 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain

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

Elevation

highest point: Pico Bolivar 4,978 m

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 450 m

Natural resources

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

Land use

agricultural land: 24.4% (2022 est.)

arable land: 2.9% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 0.8% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 20.6% (2022 est.)

forest: 52.3% (2022 est.)

other: 23.3% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

10,550 sq km (2012)

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s): Lago de Maracaibo – 13,010 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Rio Negro (shared with Colombia [s] and Brazil [m]) – 2,250 km; Orinoco river source and mouth (shared with Colombia) – 2,101 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km)

Population distribution

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

Natural hazards

subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Geography – note

note 1: the country lies on major sea and air routes linking North and South America

note 2: Venezuela has some of the most unique geology in the world; tepuis are the massive table-top mountains of the western Guiana Highlands that tend to be isolated and thus support unique endemic plant and animal species; their sheer cliffsides help create some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world, including Angel Falls, the world’s highest (979 m; 3,212 ft) that drops from Auyan Tepui

People and Society

Population

total: 31,250,306 (2024 est.)

male: 15,555,451

female: 15,694,855

comparison rankings: total 49; female 50; male 49

Nationality

noun: Venezuelan(s)

adjective: Venezuelan

Ethnic groups

unspecified Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, Indigenous

Languages

Spanish (official) 98.2%, indigenous 1.3%, Portuguese 0.1%, other 0.4% (2023 est.)

major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Spanish audio sample:

Religions

Roman Catholic 48.1%, Protestant 31.6% (Evangelical 31.4%, Adventist 0.2%), Jehovah’s Witness 1.4%, African American/umbanda 0.7%, other 0.1%, believer 3.5%, agnostic 0.1%, atheist, 0.4%, none 13.6%, unspecified 0.6% (2023 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 25% (male 3,987,361/female 3,811,307)

15-64 years: 65.9% (male 10,264,353/female 10,330,376)

65 years and over: 9.1% (2024 est.) (male 1,303,737/female 1,553,172)

2024 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 51.7 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 37.9 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 13.9 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 7.2 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 31 years (2024 est.)

male: 30.3 years

female: 31.7 years

comparison ranking: total 129

Population growth rate

2.34% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 27

Birth rate

16.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 94

Death rate

6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 137

Net migration rate

13.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 3

Population distribution

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

Urbanization

urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas – population

2.972 million CARACAS (capital), 2.368 million Maracaibo, 1.983 million Valencia, 1.254 million Barquisimeto, 1.243 million Maracay, 964,000 Ciudad Guayana (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

227 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 36

Infant mortality rate

total: 13.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking: total 101

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.5 years (2024 est.)

male: 71.5 years

female: 77.7 years

comparison ranking: total population 142

Total fertility rate

2.18 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 87

Gross reproduction rate

1.06 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved:

total: 93.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved:

total: 6.7% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

4% of GDP (2021)

6% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

1.66 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density

1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved:

total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved:

total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

25.6% (2016)

comparison ranking: 49

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 2.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 1.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: total 123

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

51.5% (2023 est.)

Education expenditure

1.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

0% national budget (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 195

Literacy

total population: 97% (2016 est.)

male: 97% (2016 est.)

female: 97% (2016 est.)

Environment

Environmental issues

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 mining operations

International environmental agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Land use

Urbanization

urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

76.73 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 179,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 27.928 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 48.623 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total emissions 48

Particulate matter emissions

16.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 9,779,093 tons (2010 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 5.12 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 790 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 16.71 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

1.33 trillion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

conventional short form: Venezuela

local long form: República Bolivariana de Venezuela

local short form: Venezuela

former: State of Venezuela, Republic of Venezuela, United States of Venezuela

etymology: in 1499, the stilt-houses built on Lake Maracaibo reminded explorers Alonso de OJEDA and Amerigo VESPUCCI of buildings in Venice, Italy, and they named the region “Venezuola,” meaning “Little Venice”

Government type

federal presidential republic

Capital

name: Caracas

geographic coordinates: 10 29 N, 66 52 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: named for the Caracas tribe that originally settled in the area; the origin of their name is unknown

Administrative divisions

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

note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Legal system

civil law system based on the Spanish civil code

Constitution

history: many previous; latest adopted 15 December 1999, effective 30 December 1999

amendment process: proposed through agreement by at least 39% of the National Assembly membership, by the president of the republic in session with the cabinet of ministers, or by petition of at least 15% of registered voters; passage requires simple majority vote by the Assembly and simple majority approval in a referendum

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years; reduced to five years in the case of applicants from Spain, Portugal, Italy, or a Latin American or Caribbean country

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: Notification Statement: the United States does not recognize Nicolas MADURO Moros as president of Venezuela

President Nicolas MADURO Moros (since 19 April 2013)

head of government: President Nicolas MADURO Moros (since 19 April 2013)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits)

most recent election date: 28 July 2024

election results:
2024: official results disputed; Nicolas MADURO Moros was declared the winner by the MADURO-controlled National Electoral Council; percent of vote – Nicolas MADURO Moros (PSUV) 52%, Edmundo GONZÁLEZ Urrutia (Independent) 43.2%, Luis Eduardo MARTÍNEZ (AD) 1.2%, other 3.6%

2018: Nicolas MADURO Moros reelected president; percent of vote – Nicolas MADURO Moros (PSUV) 67.9%, Henri FALCON (AP) 20.9%, Javier BERTUCCI 10.8%

expected date of next election: 2030

note 1: the president is both chief of state and head of government

note 2: the United States recognizes that Edmundo GONZÁLEZ won the most votes in the 28 July 2024 presidential election because of overwhelming evidence, including more than 80% of the tally sheets received directly from polling stations that indicated GONZÁLEZ received the most votes by an insurmountable margin

Legislative branch

legislature name: National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)

legislative structure: unicameral

number of seats: 277 (all directly elected)

electoral system: mixed system

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 5/25/2025

percentage of women in chamber: 32.1%

expected date of next election: May 2030

note: in 2020, the National Electoral Council increased the number of seats in the National Assembly from 167 to 277 for the December 2020 election

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Tribunal of Justice (consists of 32 judges organized into constitutional, political-administrative, electoral, civil appeals, criminal appeals, and social divisions)

judge selection and term of office: judges proposed by the Committee of Judicial Postulation (an independent body of organizations dealing with legal issues and of the organs of citizen power) and appointed by the National Assembly; judges serve nonrenewable 12-year terms

subordinate courts: Superior or Appeals Courts (Tribunales Superiores); District Tribunals (Tribunales de Distrito); Courts of First Instance (Tribunales de Primera Instancia); Parish Courts (Tribunales de Parroquia); Justices of the Peace (Justicia de Paz) Network

Political parties

A New Era (Un Nuevo Tiempo) or UNT
Cambiemos Movimiento Ciudadano or CMC
Christian Democrats or COPEI (also known as the Social Christian Party)
Citizens Encounter or EC
Clear Accounts or CC
Coalition of parties loyal to Nicolas MADURO – Great Patriotic Pole or GPP
Coalition of opposition parties – Democratic Alliance (Alianza Democratica) (includes AD, EL CAMBIO, COPEI, CMC, and AP)
Come Venezuela (Vente Venezuela) or VV
Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV
Consenso en la Zona or Conenzo
Convergencia
Democratic Action or AD
Fatherland for All (Patria para Todos) or PPT
Fearless People’s Alliance or ABP
Fuerza Vecinal or FV
Hope for Change (Esperanza por el Cambio) or EL CAMBIO
Justice First (Primero Justicia) or PJ
LAPIZ
Movement to Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo) or MAS
Popular Will (Voluntad Popular) or VP
Progressive Advance (Avanzada Progresista) or AP
The Radical Cause or La Causa R
United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV
Venezuela First (Primero Venezuela) or PV
Venezuelan Progressive Movement or MPV
Venezuela Project or PV

Diplomatic representation in the US

none

note: the embassy, which had been run by the Venezuelan political opposition, announced on 5 January 2023, that it had ended all embassy functions

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires John McNAMARA (since 1 February 2025); note – serves as the chief of mission of the Venezuela Affairs Unit, located in the US Embassy, Bogota

embassy: Venezuela Affairs Unit, US Embassy, Carrera 45 N. 24B-27, Bogota, Colombia

mailing address: 3140 Caracas Place, Washington DC 20521-3140

telephone: 1-888-407-4747

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://ve.usembassy.gov

International organization participation

ACS, 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, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

5 July 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Flag description

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 from the flag of Gran Colombia, the South American republic that broke up in 1830; yellow stands for the riches of the land, blue for the courage of its people, and red for the blood shed in attaining independence; in 2006, President Hugo CHAVEZ added the eighth star — the original seven stars represented the country’s provinces that united in the war of independence — to match Simon Bolivar’s flag from 1827 and to represent the historic province of Guayana

National symbol(s)

troupial (bird)

National color(s)

yellow, blue, red

National anthem(s)

title: “Gloria al bravo pueblo” (Glory to the Brave People)

lyrics/music: Vicente SALIAS/Juan Jose LANDAETA

history: adopted 1881; lyrics were written in 1810; both SALIAS and LANDAETA were executed in 1814 during Venezuela’s fight for independence

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Coro and its Port (c); Canaima National Park (n); Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas (c)

Economy

Economic overview

South American economy; ongoing hyperinflation since mid-2010s; chaotic economy due to political corruption, infrastructure cuts, and human rights abuses; in debt default; oil exporter; hydropower consumer; rising Chinese relations

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$110.943 billion (2023 est.)
$106.672 billion (2022 est.)
$98.768 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2015 dollars

comparison ranking: 93

Real GDP growth rate

-19.67% (2018 est.)
-14% (2017 est.)
-15.76% (2017 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 215

Real GDP per capita

$4,900 (2023 est.)
$4,600 (2022 est.)
$4,000 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2015 dollars

comparison ranking: 175

GDP (official exchange rate)

$139.395 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

200.9% (2022 est.)
1,588.5% (2021 est.)
2,355.1% (2020 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

comparison ranking: 213

Agricultural products

milk, sugarcane, maize, rice, plantains, oil palm fruit, bananas, chicken, pineapples, potatoes (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

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

Labor force

11.136 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

comparison ranking: 50

Unemployment rate

5.5% (2024 est.)
5.5% (2023 est.)
5.8% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

comparison ranking: 104

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 10.6% (2024 est.)

male: 9.3% (2024 est.)

female: 13.2% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

comparison ranking: total 115

Population below poverty line

33.1% (2015 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Average household expenditures

on food: 52% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 2.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

revenues: $30 million (2017 est.)

expenditures: $76 million (2017 est.)

Public debt

38.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

note: data cover central government debt, as well as the debt of state-owned oil company PDVSA; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include some debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; some debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions

comparison ranking: 136

Current account balance

-$3.87 billion (2016 est.)
-$3.87 billion (2016 est.)
-$16.051 billion (2015 est.)

note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

comparison ranking: 164

Exports

$83.401 billion (2018 est.)
$93.485 billion (2017 est.)
$28.684 billion (2016 est.)

note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 53

Exports – partners

USA 50%, China 10%, Spain 9%, Brazil 6%, Turkey 5% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports – commodities

crude petroleum, petroleum coke, scrap iron, alcohols, fertilizers (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

$18.432 billion (2018 est.)
$18.376 billion (2017 est.)
$25.81 billion (2016 est.)

note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 100

Imports – partners

China 35%, USA 24%, Brazil 12%, Colombia 7%, Turkey 4% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports – commodities

refined petroleum, soybean meal, corn, plastic products, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$9.794 billion (2017 est.)
$10.15 billion (2016 est.)
$15.625 billion (2015 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

comparison ranking: 78

Exchange rates

bolivars (VEB) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
9.975 (2017 est.)
9.257 (2016 est.)
6.284 (2015 est.)
6.284 (2014 est.)
6.048 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 33.493 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 56.493 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports: 600 million kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 25.849 billion kWh (2023 est.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 194; exports 75; consumption 49; installed generating capacity 35

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 21.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 78.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

production: 149,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption: 80,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports: 124,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 730.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 801,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 203,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 303.806 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 23.873 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption: 23.873 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 5.674 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

54.474 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 92

Communications

Telephones – fixed lines

total subscriptions: 2.683 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 41

Telephones – mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 18.8 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 63 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 67

Broadcast media

mix of state-run and private broadcast media subject to high levels of control; 13 public service networks, 61 privately owned TV networks, 1 privately owned news channel with limited national coverage, and a Maduro-backed Pan-American channel; 3 Maduro-aligned radio networks control about 65 news stations and another 30 stations targeted at specific audiences; Maduro-sponsored community broadcasters include 235 radio stations and 44 TV stations; the number of private broadcast radio stations declining, but many remain (2021)

Internet country code

.ve

Internet users

percent of population: 62% (2017 est.)

Broadband – fixed subscriptions

total: 2.7 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total 53

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

509 (2025)

comparison ranking: 17

Heliports

88 (2025)

comparison ranking: 28

Railways

total: 447 km (2014)

standard gauge: 447 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (41.4 km electrified)

Merchant marine

total: 272 (2023)

by type: bulk carrier 3, container ship 1, general cargo 26, oil tanker 17, other 225

comparison ranking: total 60

Ports

total ports: 31 (2024)

large: 1

medium: 2

small: 11

very small: 17

ports with oil terminals: 21

key ports: Amuay (Bahia de Amuay), Bahia de Pertigalete, Ciudad Bolivar, Guanta, La Guaira, La Salina, Las Piedras, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Puerto de Hierro, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Miranda, Puerto Ordaz, Punta Cardon

Military and Security

Military and security forces

Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, FANB): Bolivarian Army (Ejercito Bolivariano, EB), Bolivarian Navy (Armada Bolivariana, AB; includes marines, Coast Guard), Bolivarian Military Aviation (Aviacion Militar Bolivariana, AMB), Bolivarian Militia (Milicia Bolivariana), Bolivarian National Guard (Guardia Nacional Bolivaria, GNB), Presidential Honor Guard

Ministry of Interior, Justice, and Peace: Bolivarian National Police (Policía Nacional Bolivariana, PNB) (2025)

note 1: the Bolivarian Militia and the Presidential Honor Guard are considered special/secondary components of the FANB; the Militia is composed of the Military Reserve and the Territorial Militia and is comprised of armed civilians who receive periodic training in exchange for a small stipend

note 2: the National Guard was made part of the FANB in 2007 and is responsible for maintaining public order, guarding the exterior of key government installations and prisons, conducting counter-narcotics operations, monitoring borders, and providing law enforcement in remote areas; it reports to both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior, Justice, and Peace

note 3: the PNB is a federal force created by Hugo CHAVEZ in 2008 as a “preventative police force,” separate from state and local ones; the PNB largely focuses on policing Caracas’ Libertador municipality, patrolling Caracas-area highways, railways, and metro system, and protecting diplomatic missions; the PNB includes the Special Action Forces (Fuerzas de Acciones Especiales, FAES), a paramilitary unit created by President MADURO to bolster internal security after the 2017 anti-government protests

Military expenditures

0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 125-150,000 active Armed Forces; estimated 200,000 Bolivarian Militia (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FANB inventory is comprised mostly of Russian/Soviet-era weapons and equipment; in recent years, it has acquired some material from China and Iran; it also has smaller quantities of older equipment from France, Germany, Spain, the UK, and the US (2024)

note: the US prohibited the sale or transfer of military arms or technology to Venezuela in 2006

Military service age and obligation

18-30 (25 for women) for voluntary service; the minimum service obligation is 24-30 months; 17-39 for Militia service; all citizens of military service age (18-50) are obligated to register for military service and subject to military training (2025)

Military – note

the armed forces (FANB) are responsible for ensuring Venezuela’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; they also have a domestic role, including assisting with maintaining internal security, conducting counter-narcotics missions, contributing to national socio-economic development, and providing disaster relief/humanitarian assistance; the military conducts internal security operations in large parts of the country and has been deployed against illegal armed groups operating in the Colombian border region and other areas to combat organized crime gangs involved in narcotics trafficking and illegal mining; it has ties with the militaries of China, Cuba, Iran, and Russia

the FANB has a role in the country’s economy and political sectors; military officers hold key positions in state-owned companies, government ministries, and funding agencies; the FANB runs corporation involved in agriculture, banking, communications, energy, insurance, mining, and transportation (2025)

Space

Space agency/agencies

Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities (Agencia Bolivariana para Actividades Espaciales, ABAE; formed 2007); ABAE was originally known as the Venezuelan Space Center (CEV; created 2005); the ABAE is under the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (2024)

Space program overview

has a small program primarily focused on the acquisition of satellites and developing the country’s space engineering and sciences capabilities; operates satellites and maintains two satellite ground control stations; has relations with the space programs of China and Russia (2024)

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

Terrorist group(s): National Liberation Army (ELN); Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP); Segundo Marquetalia (SM); Tren de Aragua (TdA)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 20,911 (2024 est.)

IDPs: 2,338 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating: Tier 3 — Venezuela does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making any efforts to do so, therefore, Venezuela remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/venezuela/