lly Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Languages: Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.1%

male: 91.8%

female: 90.3% (1995 est.)

Venezuela Government

Country name: conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela

conventional short form: Venezuela

local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela

local short form: Venezuela

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Caracas

Administrative divisions: 23 states (estados, singular - estado),1
federal district* (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependency**
(dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas,
Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**,
Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas,
Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas,
Yaracuy, Zulia

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

Independence: 5 July 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Constitution: 30 December 1999

Legal system: based on organic laws as of July 1999; open,
adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias
(since 3 February 1999); Vice President Adina BASTIDAS Castillo;
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government

head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
1999); Vice President Adina BASTIDAS Castillo; note - the president
is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)

election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias elected president; percent of
vote - 60%

note: government coalition - Patriotic Pole or Polo Patriotico
consists of MVR, MAS, and PPT

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea
Nacional; 165 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms; three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of
Venezuela

elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)

election results: Pro-government: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats b