|
|
Page last updated on February 5, 2013
Nationality:
noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective:
Venezuelan
Ethnic groups:
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people
Languages:
Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects
Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
Demographic profile:
Although poverty in Venezuela has declined during the CHAVEZ administration, dropping from nearly 50% in 1999 to about 27% in 2011, it remains high and some experts question how much of a role social expenditures have played in this poverty reduction. Progress in lowering poverty, income inequality, and unemployment may in fact be more closely linked to the rise and fall of prices for oil, Venezuela's dominant export. In the long-run, education and healthcare spending may increase economic growth and reduce income inequality, but rising costs and the staffing of new healthcare jobs with foreigners are slowing development. In the meantime, social investment has led to better living standards, including increased school enrollment, a substantial reduction in infant and child mortality, and greater access to potable water and sanitation.
Since CHAVEZ came to power in 1999, more than a million predominantly middle- and upper-class Venezuelans are estimated to have emigrated. The brain drain is attributed to a repressive political system, lack of economic opportunities, steep inflation, a high crime rate, and corruption. Thousands of oil engineers emigrated to Canada, Colombia, and the United States following Chavez's firing of over 20,000 employees of the state-owned petroleum company during a 2002-2003 oil strike. Additionally, thousands of Venezuelans of European descent have taken up residence in their ancestral homelands. Nevertheless, Venezuela continues to attract immigrants from South America and southern Europe because of its lenient migration policy and the availability of education and healthcare. Venezuela also has been a fairly accommodating host to more than 200,000 Colombian refugees.
Population:
28,047,938 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
[see also: Population country ranks ]
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29% (male 4,147,023/female 3,995,375)
[see also: Age structure 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-24 years:
18.8% (male 2,645,014/female 2,626,463)
25-54 years:
39.4% (male 5,426,485/female 5,634,718)
55-64 years:
7.1% (male 954,282/female 1,050,081)
65 years and over:
5.6% (male 692,321/female 876,176) (2012 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.3 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male:
25.6 years
female:
27.1 years (2012 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.468% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]
Birth rate:
19.88 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]
Death rate:
5.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
[see also: Net migration rate country ranks ]
Urbanization:
urban population: 93% of total population (2010)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization:
1.7% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major cities - population:
CARACAS (capital) 3.051 million; Maracaibo 2.153 million; Valencia 1.738 million; Barquisimeto 1.159 million; Maracay 1.04 million (2009)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.79 male(s)/female
total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Maternal mortality rate:
92 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 78
[see also: Maternal mortality rate country ranks ]
Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.18 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 95
male:
23.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
16.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.08 years
country comparison to the world: 111
male:
70.98 years
female:
77.34 years (2012 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.4 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]
Physicians density:
1.94 physicians/1,000 population (2001)
[see also: Physicians density country ranks ]
Hospital bed density:
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2007)
[see also: Hospital bed density country ranks ]
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 93% of population
rural: 54% of population
total: 89% of population
unimproved:
|
Religion
Government
Gov. Leaders
Flags
Economy
Energy
Communications
Transportation
Airport Codes
Military
Transnational Issues
Photos
|
