VENEZUELA: AREA, HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, POPULATION, ETC.
East of Colombia is the only other Republic on the north coast of South
America, Venezuela.
AREA, POPULATION, BOUNDARY
=Area.= Next to Colombia in position, Venezuela is also next in size.
Sixth of the South American Republics in area, her territory covers
about 394,000 square miles, equal to that of California, Arizona, and
New Mexico.
=Population.= With approximately 3,000,000 inhabitants, Venezuela is
entitled to the same rank in population, for though Chile with smaller
area surpasses her in this respect, Bolivia with greater extent of
territory probably has fewer inhabitants. As neither country has
accurate statistics to consult there is some uncertainty about the
matter.
=Boundary.= Venezuela is irregular in outline, but in general her
boundary is as follows. The Caribbean Sea is on the north, the Atlantic
northeast, British Guiana east; also a part of Brazil is east of a
southern projection of Venezuela; Brazil is on the south, with Colombia
also south of a western projection; Colombia alone is on the west.
HISTORY
The land of Venezuela was sighted by Columbus in 1498; in 1499 it was
explored to some extent by Alonzo de Ojeda, who gave the country its
name (Little Venice), the Indian dwellings on piles in Lake Maracaibo
reminding him of the famous Italian city. Settlements were made
early in the 16th century, the first especially for the sake of the
rich pearl fisheries. On account of the bad faith and cruelty of the
Spaniards and the warlike spirit of the natives, many disorders and
atrocities occurred, accompanied by quarrels among the Spaniards
themselves.
In 1810 the citizens of Caracas deposed the Governor; the following
year independence was declared, but it was not secured until the
Royalists were defeated in the battle of Boyacá in 1819. The Great
Colombian Republic was then formed by General Bolívar, though the last
royalist adherents did not give up until 1823. Venezuela withdrew from
the Union in 1830; the hero and patriot Bolívar died the same year.
Many internal difficulties and changes of government have characterized
the period of independence, though comparative quiet has succeeded the
exit of Castro in 1909.
GOVERNMENT
In contrast with Colombia, the Republic is a federal and not a
centralized union. It has the usual three branches: a President with
his Cabinet forms the Executive Department; there are two Houses of
Congress; also a Supreme Court.
The twenty States have each a President and a Legislature, a Supreme
and other Courts. The two Territories and the Federal District are
administered by Governors appointed by the President, who is elected
for seven years.
The names of the States and of their capitals follow, with their
populations estimated, as until recently no census had been taken
since 1897. The new figures (December, 1921) are received only for the
Territories. The Coastal States beginning at the northwest are Zulia,
Falcón, Yaracuy, Carabobo, Aragua, the Federal District, Miranda,
Anzoátegui, Sucre, Monagas. Anzoátegui and Monagas are also Llano
States, with Guárico, Cojedes, Portuguesa, Zamora, and Apure. Táchira,
Mérida, and Trujillo are Mountain States; Lara, north of Trujillo,
almost comes into the coast region. Nueva Esparta is an Island State.
Bolívar, south of the Orinoco, lies between the two Territories, Delta
Amacuro and Amazonas.
-----------------+----------+-----------------+----------+------------
STATES |POPULATION| CAPITALS |POPULATION| ALTITUDES,
| | | | in Feet
-----------------+----------+-----------------+----------+------------
Zulia | 185,000 | Maracaibo | 50,000 | 20
Falcón | 170,000 | Coro | 20,000 |
Yaracuy | 103,000 | San Felipe | 15,000 | 808
Carabobo | 200,000 | Valencia | 60,000 | 1,577
Aragua | 115,000 | Maracay | 15,000 | 1,463
Federal District | 137,000 | Caracas | 100,000 | 3,036
Miranda | 173,000 | Ocumare del Tuy | 10,000 | 693
Anzoátegui | 162,000 | Barcelona | 16,000 | 43
Sucre | 117,000 | Cumaná | 15,000 |
Monagas | 90,000 | Maturín | 16,000 | 244
Guárico | 221,000 | Calabozo | 10,000 | 330
Cojedes | 75,000 | San Carlos | 12,000 | 495
Portuguesa | 115,000 | Guanare | 11,000 | 636
Zamora | 75,000 | Barinas | 7,000 | 594
Apure | 30,000 | San Fernando | 8,000 | 240
Táchira | 133,000 | San Cristóbal | 17,000 | 2,722
Mérida | 115,000 | Mérida | 15,000 | 5,415
Trujillo | 184,000 | Trujillo | 12,000 | 2,640
Lara | 231,000 | Barquisimeto | 35,000 | 1,868
Nueva Esparta | 60,000 | La Ascunción | 3,000 | 356
Bolívar | 70,000 | Ciudad Bolívar | 20,000 | 125
TERRITORIES | | |
Delta Amacuro | 12,258 | Tucupita | 1,000 | [A]
Amazonas | 3,298 | San Fernando de | |
| | Atabapo | 400 | [A]
-----------------+----------+-----------------+----------+------------
[A] Figures for the area of the States and others omitted are
unavailable.
POPULATION
The number of inhabitants, estimated as a trifle less than 3,000,000,
is about seven to a square mile. Seventy per cent of the people are
called poor, hence with a rather small purchasing power. The Federal
District has about 15 persons to the mile, the density in general
decreasing in proportion to the distance from the capital. The Guayana
region, the Delta, and Apure, supposed to have less than half a person
to a mile, are among the least populated regions of the globe.
The white population is ranked as about 10 per cent of the whole, the
mestizos, those of mixed race, as 70 per cent; the rest are Africans,
Indians, and foreigners. About ³⁄₄ of a million live in 48 towns;
75,000 are engaged in agriculture. In most of the cities are people
accustomed to European society, with a taste for European luxuries,
as well as those of simpler habits and desires. As in Colombia, the
requirements of those who live high on the mountains and those on
the llanos are very different. Attractive inducements are offered to
immigrants for colonization.
The Indians are of many tribes, some quite distinct from the others.
As a small part of the Goajira Peninsula is in Venezuela, there are
Goajiros like those in Colombia. A large proportion of the aborigines
became mingled with the Spaniards; in the mountainous sections of the
north live few Indians of pure blood. In the region of the Delta and
in the southern part of the country are many Indians of at least 16
tribes; some are dirty and stupid, others intelligent and fierce; some
are good workers and boatmen, others are timid and agricultural. The
Arawaks are gentle, industrious, and clean.
EDUCATION
Venezuela’s percentage of illiteracy has been high, but since 1912 the
system of education has been reorganized. The National Government has
established in the principal cities primary schools with six grades.
Attendance at four of these since 1919 is compulsory. The teaching of
English was then ordered. In the various capitals are 22 colegios (high
schools), several cities having also Commercial Schools, Schools of
Fine Arts, and of Arts and Trades.
There are Universities in Caracas and in Mérida, with Schools of Law,
Medicine, Philosophy and Letters, Engineering, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and
Theology.
States and Municipalities make additional provision.
PRESS, RELIGION, ETC.
=The Press= includes official gazettes in the capitals of the States,
and other periodicals devoted to scientific, literary, and other
special subjects.
=Religion.= There is freedom in religion; the State, however,
contributes to the Roman Catholic Church. Civil marriage alone is
legal; the religious ceremony generally follows, although in the rural
districts, where priests are scarce and the fees high, both ceremonies
are often omitted. Divorce is now permissible.
Venezuela belongs to the Postal Union and has parcel post; but service
to the interior is rather primitive.
The =Telegraph= service, with about 6000 miles of wire, is cheap and
called efficient; the telephone lines have double their length of
wire. At Caracas, Maracaibo, and Maracay there are wireless stations
communicating with Curaçao and so with the outside world. There is also
cable service.
=Money= is in gold, silver, and nickel coins, and there are bank notes
issued by four banks. The bolívar is the unit of money, equal to the
French franc: 19.3 cents. A dollar passes for 5 bolívars. American
money circulates near the coast, as does the English sovereign. The
natives frequently use the term peso for which they employ the $ sign.
As the peso equals but 4 bolívars this creates confusion and mistakes
must be guarded against.
The =Metric System= is official, compulsory, and in general use.