VENEZUELA

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GENERAL INFORMATION FOR VENEZUELA.

Area
912,050 sq km (352,144 sq miles).

Population
23,706,000 (1999).

Population Density
26 per sq km.

Capital
Caracas

Geography
Venezuela is bounded 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 south west 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 is President Hugo Chávez since 1999 – 2004.

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

Religion
92 per cent Roman Catholic.

Time
GMT - 4.

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

Weights and Measures
Metric

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

Internet
Internet and Email is widely available in all cities.
ISPs include CantvNet, Internet Venezuela and Compuserve Venezuela.

Mobile telephone
Coverage is improving and is available round all cities. Tri-band phones cvan be used in only the major cities.
GSM 900 network. Operators include Digitel, Digicel and Infonet.

Fax
Available, especially at the larger hotels.

Telegram
Services are available from public telegraph offices.

Post
There is a reasonably efficient mail service from Venezuela to Europe and the USA though it can sometimes take time. Airmail to Europe takes three to seven days. Internal mail can sometimes take longer. Allow at least one month for surface mail to Europe. Private mail companies guarantee mail reaches it’s destination.

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

Radio
BBC World Service and Voice of America can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.