m highest point:
Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite,
other minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% other: 96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 540 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic
droughts

Environment - current 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 irresponsible mining operations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Geography - note: on major sea and air routes linking North and South
America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest
waterfall

People Venezuela

Population: 24,287,670 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 3,955,132; female 3,710,159)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 7,756,362; female 7,695,738) 65 years and over:
4.8% (male 533,559; female 636,720) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.52% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 20.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 4.91 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.81 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.41 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.49% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 62,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan

Ethnic groups: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African,
indigenous people

Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Languages: Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Literacy: definition: