World Country Guide

Area
916,445 sq km (353,841 sq miles).

Population
25,549,084 (official estimate 2003).

Population Density
27.9 per sq km.

Capital
Caracas. Population: 1,975,787 (official estimate 2000).

Geography
Venezuela is bordered to the north by the Caribbean, to the east by Guyana and the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by Brazil, and to the west and southwest by Colombia. The country consists of four distinctive regions: the Venezuelan Highlands in the west; the Maracaibo Lowlands in the north; the vast central plain of the Llanos around the Orinoco; and the Guiana Highlands, which take up about half of the country.

Government
Republic. Gained independence from Spain in 1830. Head of State and Government: President Hugo Chvez Fras since 2000.

Language
Spanish is the official language. English, French, German and Portuguese are also spoken by some sections of the community.

Religion
86 per cent Roman Catholic.

Time
GMT - 4.

Electricity
110 volts AC, 60Hz. US-style two-pin plugs are the most commonly used fittings.

Communications

Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 58. Outgoing international code: 00.

Mobile telephone
GSM 900 network. Operators include Corporacin Digitel (website: www.digitel.com.ve), Digital Cellular and Infonet. Coverage is limited to around Caracas and major cities.

Fax
Available at the larger hotels.

Internet
ISPs include CantvNet (website: www.cantv.net), Compuserve Venezuela (website: www.csi.com.ve) and Internet Venezuela (website: www.internet.ve). E-mail can be accessed from Internet cafes in most urban areas.

Telegram
Services are available from public telegraph offices.

Post
There is an efficient mail service from Venezuela to the USA and Europe. Airmail to Europe takes three to seven days. Internal mail can sometimes take longer. Surface mail to Europe takes at least one month.

Press
The English-language daily newspaper is The Daily Journal, published in Caracas. Spanish-language dailies include El Nacional, El Universal, Meridiano and Ultimas Noticias.

Radio
BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.