There are no manufactured products exported from this country. The few things elaborated within its confines, matches, candles, shoes, beer, alcohol, sugar and the like, are for local consumption.
The chances are that its people will always be pastoral in their pursuits. Its coffee and cocoa are world famous and form a large proportion of its exports, about 25 per cent. of its population being engaged in this line. In 1912, $15,137,994 worth of coffee was exported, two-fifths of this going to the United States and the remainder to Germany. “Caracas” cocoa is famous, most of the product going to France, which in 1913 imported $2,305,475 worth of this article alone.
Tonka beans, used in flavoring extracts, are shipped to the United States, which bought $137,156 worth of them in 1913.
This country is rich in dye woods, cabinet and hard woods, but the great distance of the forests from the seacoast retards this industry.
“Ballata,” an inferior rubber, much used in the arts and found in the forests bordering the Orinoco and its tributaries, formed an important article of export, $1,767,259 worth being shipped abroad in 1913.
One of the largest asphalt deposits in the world, covering 1000 acres in extent, is to be found in the State of Bermudez. This is owned by an American company and is practically all exported to the States, $294,184 of the $303,589 shipped last year going to America, and the remainder of $9,405 to England.
Venezuela, due to its vast grassy, well-watered plains, is destined to become one of the world’s greatest cattle-producing countries, and is capable of supporting many million heads. It is estimated that there are more than 2,000,000 goats and 3,000,000 head of beef cattle in this land to-day. Four slaughter-houses adapted to ship frozen meat to Europe were opened and seemed to be on the verge of success when governmental interference closed them.
Hides to the extent of $1,010,636 and goatskins to the value of $365,447, came to the United States from this country in 1913. Feathers, horns, wild animal skins, deer skins and fish-sounds are also large items of export.
The extent of the mineral wealth of Venezuela is unknown, but the chances are that it is exceedingly rich in such deposits. It is certain that there is gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, sulphur, asphalt, coal, lead, petroleum, phosphates, manganese and caolin. One gold mine between the years 1871–1890 yielded $25,000,000. I have seen many Indians bring bottles of gold dust to stores to trade for supplies. There is undoubtedly much gold to be found in the country and the man with determination and enterprise who will follow this clue is sure to get rich returns.
The Island of Margarita, off the coast of Venezuela, and owned by the Republic, produces the finest of pearls and mother of pearl. Other islands off the coast are rich in guano and phosphate rock.