Venezuela

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

LOCATION

Background: 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.

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
Area - comparative: almost six times the size of Georgia; slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: total: 5,267 km
border countries: 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% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 2.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 20.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 53.5% (2023 est.)
other: 22.1% (2023 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 kmnote: [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

Population: total: 31,755,435 (2025 est.)
male: 15,808,263
female: 15,947,172
Nationality: noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan
Ethnic groups: unspecified Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, Indigenous
Languages: 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.
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)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 51.8 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 37.5 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 14.3 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 7 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 31.3 years (2025 est.)
male: 30.3 years
female: 31.7 years
Population growth rate: 0.88% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 16.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
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.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.5 years (2024 est.)
male: 71.5 years
female: 77.7 years
Total fertility rate: 2.16 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.05 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: total: total: 93.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 6.7% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 4% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 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: total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 25.6% (2016)
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.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 0% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 10.3% national budget (2024 est.)
Literacy: total population: 97.2% (2017 est.)
male: 97.2% (2017 est.)
female: 97.3% (2017 est.)

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: agricultural land: 24.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 2.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 20.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 53.5% (2023 est.)
other: 22.1% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 88.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total 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.)
Particulate matter emissions: 16.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions: energy: 3,595.7 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 1,007.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 328.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 9.779 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 21.3% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 5.123 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 793.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 16.71 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 1.325 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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
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: Interim President Delcy Eloína RODRÍGUEZ Gómez (since 5 January 2026)
head of government: Interim President Delcy Eloína RODRÍGUEZ Gómez (since 5 January 2026)
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: unknown
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: 12/6/2020
percentage of women in chamber: 32.1%
expected date of next election: May 2025
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 UNTCambiemos Movimiento Ciudadano or CMCChristian Democrats or COPEI (also known as the Social Christian Party)Citizens Encounter or ECClear Accounts or CCCoalition of parties loyal to Nicolas MADURO - Great Patriotic Pole or GPPCoalition of opposition parties - Democratic Alliance (Alianza Democratica) (includes AD, EL CAMBIO, COPEI, CMC, and AP)Come Venezuela (Vente Venezuela) or VVCommunist Party of Venezuela or PCVConsenso en la Zona or ConenzoConvergenciaDemocratic Action or ADFatherland for All (Patria para Todos) or PPTFearless People's Alliance or ABPFuerza Vecinal or FVHope for Change (Esperanza por el Cambio) or EL CAMBIOJustice First (Primero Justicia) or PJLAPIZMovement to Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo) or MASPopular Will (Voluntad Popular) or VPProgressive Advance (Avanzada Progresista) or APThe Radical Cause or La Causa RUnited Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUVVenezuela First (Primero Venezuela) or PVVenezuelan Progressive Movement or MPVVenezuela Project or PV
Diplomatic representation in the US: nonenote: 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: ACSBogota@state.govhttps://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 left side of the yellow band and an arc of eight five-pointed white stars centered on the blue bandmeaning: yellow stands for the riches of the land, blue for the courage of its people, and red for the blood shed in attaining independencehistory: 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; 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)

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): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $110.943 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $106.672 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021: $98.768 billion (2021 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018: -19.67% (2018 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2017: -15.76% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023: $4,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $4,600 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2021: $4,000 (2021 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $139.395 billion (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 200.9% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021: 1,588.5% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020: 2,355.1% (2020 est.)
Agricultural products: milk, sugarcane, maize, rice, plantains, oil palm fruit, bananas, chicken, pineapples, potatoes (2023)
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.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 5.5% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 5.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 5.8% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 10.6% (2024 est.)
male: 9.3% (2024 est.)
female: 13.2% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 33.1% (2015 est.)
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: Public debt 2017: 38.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2016: -$3.87 billion (2016 est.)
Current account balance 2015: -$16.051 billion (2015 est.)
Exports: Exports 2018: $83.401 billion (2018 est.)
Exports 2017: $93.485 billion (2017 est.)
Exports 2016: $28.684 billion (2016 est.)
Exports - partners: USA 50%, China 10%, Spain 9%, Brazil 6%, Turkey 5% (2023)
Exports - commodities: crude petroleum, petroleum coke, scrap iron, alcohols, fertilizers (2023)
Imports: Imports 2018: $18.432 billion (2018 est.)
Imports 2017: $18.376 billion (2017 est.)
Imports 2016: $25.81 billion (2016 est.)
Imports - partners: China 35%, USA 24%, Brazil 12%, Colombia 7%, Turkey 4% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, soybean meal, corn, plastic products, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017: $9.794 billion (2017 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016: $10.15 billion (2016 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015: $15.625 billion (2015 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: bolivars (VEB) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2017: 9.975 (2017 est.)
Exchange rates 2016: 9.257 (2016 est.)
Exchange rates 2015: 6.284 (2015 est.)
Exchange rates 2014: 6.284 (2014 est.)
Exchange rates 2013: 6.048 (2013 est.)

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.)
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: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 54.474 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 2.683 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 20.2 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 71 (2024 est.)
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.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: YV
Airports: 509 (2025)
Heliports: 88 (2025)
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
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 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 GuardMinistry of Interior, Justice, and Peace: Bolivarian National Police (Policía Nacional Bolivariana, PNB) (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 0.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 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 a mix of mostly older and some more modern armaments from a variety of foreign suppliers, including China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Russia/former Soviet Union, Spain, the UK, and the US (2025)
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 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 Russiathe 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 agency/agencies: Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities (Agencia Bolivariana para Actividades Espaciales, ABAE; formed 2007) (2025)
Space program overview: has a small national program primarily focused on acquiring satellites and expanding the country’s science and technological capabilities; operates satellites and maintains two satellite ground control stations; participates in multinational space organizations such as the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency; closest bilateral partners are China and Russia; also has bilateral framework agreements for space cooperation with Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Uruguay (2025)
Key space-program milestones: 2005 - signed space cooperation partnership with China2008- first communications satellite (Venesat-1 or Bolivar) financed, built, and launched by China2012 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (VRSS-1 or Miranda) built and launched by China2017 - second RS satellite (VRSS-2 or Sucre) built and launched by China2021 - signed agreement to establish the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (formally established in 2022)2023 - joined China-Russia project to construct a permanent base on the Moon by the 2030s2025 - announced intent to participate in planned Mars sample-return mission (Tianwen-3) led by China

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

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/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/venezuela/
Illicit drugs: USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit countrymajor precursor-chemical producer (2025)