Venezuela

  • Area: 916,445 square kilometres
  • Currency: Bolívar made up of 100 céntimos, USD $1 = 4.30 bolívares (at 4 October 2007)
  • Official language: Spanish
  • Population: 26.125 million
  • Head of State or Government: Hugo Chávez Frias (President)
  • GDP: USD $41,142,364 (2009)
  • GDP per capita: USD $11.435 (2008)
  • GDP growth rate: 4.8% (2009)
  • Inflation: 25% (2009)

About Venezuela

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is located on the north coast of South America with Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east and Brazil to the south. The capital is Caracas and the petroleum industry is central to the economy. The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector employs approximately 13 per cent of the workforce and contributes 6 per cent of GDP.

Industry employs 24 per cent of the workforce and contributes 41 per cent of GDP, while the services sector employs 63 per cent of the workforce and contributes 53 per cent of GDP.