1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 6 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m:
1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Military branches: Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force
(includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined
for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Venezuela

Introduction

Venezuela

Background: Venezuela was one of the three countries that emerged from
the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and
Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was
ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil
industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically-elected
governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include:
an embattled president who is losing his once solid support among
Venezuelans, a divided military, drug-related conflicts along the
Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence
on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible
mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous
peoples.

Geography Venezuela

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: slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 4,993 km border countries: Brazil 2,200 km,
Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Coastline: 2,800 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 15 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive
economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain: Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central
plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0