Venezuela is located in Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana.
On April 11, 2002, Venezuela experienced a military coup d'etat against the democratically elected President, Hugo Chavez; a counter coup led by popular movements reinstated Chavez to the country's leadership.
Although the coup against President Chávez in April failed, democracy in Venezuela remains at risk. The possibility of violent unrest, including another coup attempt, is very real. Eighteen people were killed and 150-185 people were injured, some quite seriously, during the April 11 protest march. Between April 12-14, another forty to sixty people were killed. Much of this violence was associated with the widespread looting and protesting which took place during that period. Many of the victims who died were the poor, in the western area of Caracas.
Population (2014 est) – 28,868,486
Area – 566,800mi
Capital – Caracas
Ethnic Background
- Spanish
- Italian
- Portuguese
- Arab
- German
- African
- Indigenous people
Exports - petroleum and petroleum products, bauxite and aluminum, minerals, chemicals, agricultural products
Imports - agricultural products, livestock, raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials, medical equipment, petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, iron and steel products
Life Expectancy (2014 est) – M 71 years, F 78 years
Infant Mortality (2014 est) - 19.33 deaths/1,000 live births
Adult Illiteracy Rate – 4.5%
