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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements
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:
25,375,281 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.9% (male 3,909,876/female 3,667,958)
15-64 years: 65% (male 8,287,255/female 8,209,599)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 590,236/female 710,357) (2005 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.6 years
male: 24.98 years
female: 26.24 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.4% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
18.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)