The oldest railroad is the Bolívar Railroad which was begun in 1873. It is a 24-inch gauge, 176½ kilometers long and extends from Tuscasas to Barquisimeto. The La Ciella line was authorized in 1880 and has a 91-meter gauge and a length of 81½ kilometers.
The most important road and one of the few which has paid any returns is the La Guaira to Caracas line, which is about 23 miles long and was built by British capital.
In passing it can truly be said that railroad development has been retarded as much by political insecurity as by the undeveloped industrial state of the country, the topography and the expense of securing railroad equipment. However, the present administration is giving considerable attention to this need and an extensive program of wagon-road building is now in process of construction and plans have also been perfected for extensive railroad expansion.
GOVERNMENT
The Republic of Venezuela was founded in 1830 by separation from the other members of the "Free State" established by Simón Bolívar within the limits of the old Spanish colony of New Granada. The Constitution was modeled after that of the United States of North America, but greater autonomy is allowed to provincial and local governments.
The chief executive is the President, elected for a term of six years, assisted by six ministers and a Federal Council of 19 members. The Federal Council is appointed by Congress every two years; the Council chooses a President from its own members, who is also President of the Republic. Neither the President nor members of the Federal Council can be re-elected for the following period.
The legislative branch of the government is divided into two houses called the Senate, whose members are elected for six years by the State Legislatures, and the House of Representatives, whose members are also elected for a six year-period, but by direct vote, one to each 40,000 inhabitants.
The country is divided into 20 States, 2 Territories and a Federal District. The National Congress includes 40 Senators and 52 Representatives. Each state has an equal number of representatives, each having a legislative Assembly, whose members are chosen in accordance with its respective constitution.
PROSPECTIVE
Venezuela stands to-day upon the threshold of great interior development especially in agriculture and cattle-raising. Her position is similar to that of the United States after the Civil War when vast areas, sparsely settled, lay awaiting the movement of population to develop them. Her mineral resources are practically untouched and opportunities await foreign capitalists who are familiar with the development of new countries.