01
Physical geography
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast.
Local timeCaracas ·
South America · Card 014
Venezuela
Venezuela is a country in South America. Its capital is Caracas.
Find Venezuela
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers. Venezuela claims the Essequibo region administered by Guyana. The dispute is before the International Court of Justice; the map does not resolve it.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers. Venezuela claims the Essequibo region administered by Guyana. The dispute is before the International Court of Justice; the map does not resolve it.
At a glance
- Capital
- Caracas
- Languages
- Spanish
- Currency
- Venezuelan bolívar (VES)
- Population
- 28.5 million2025 · World Bank
- Area
- 916,445 km²353,841.25 square miles
- Independence
- 1811from Spain
Venezuela in context
South America and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Caracas; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Spanish is official. Indigenous languages also have official status for Indigenous peoples and are respected throughout the country.
03
Location
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana.
Flag
Three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red, with the coat of arms on the left side of the yellow band and an arc of eight five-pointed white stars centered on the blue band
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · United Nations · January 2026 military action · International Court of Justice · Guyana v. Venezuela
History & independence
Indigenous societies preceded Spanish colonisation. Venezuela declared independence in 1811, but years of war followed; the 1821 Battle of Carabobo was a decisive victory. It became a separate republic after the breakup of Gran Colombia in 1830. Oil transformed the twentieth-century economy. A new constitution was adopted in 1999. Political conflict, economic crisis and large-scale migration marked later decades, followed by US military action in January 2026.
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Independence from Spain is declared
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The Battle of Carabobo marks a decisive independence victory
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Venezuela separates from Gran Colombia
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A new constitution is adopted
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US military action creates a new political crisis
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · United Nations · January 2026 military action · International Court of Justice · Guyana v. Venezuela
Economy
Main activities
Petroleum has long dominated export earnings and government revenue. Refining, petrochemicals, agriculture, manufacturing and services also contribute. Declining investment, infrastructure problems, policy changes and sanctions have affected production and trade. Recent economic figures have uneven coverage; gaps in the selected World Bank series are left visible rather than filled with estimates from another source.
Industry and production
Petroleum extraction and refining, petrochemicals, metals, food processing and agriculture.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · United Nations · January 2026 military action · International Court of Justice · Guyana v. Venezuela
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population and economic observations may end in different years. The latest available year is shown separately on each chart; missing years are not filled in.
Population, 1970–2025
Millions of people28.52025 · millions of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 11,387,790 | 11.388 |
| 1980 | 15,258,218 | 15.258 |
| 1990 | 19,827,010 | 19.827 |
| 2000 | 24,526,708 | 24.527 |
| 2010 | 28,813,101 | 28.813 |
| 2020 | 28,444,077 | 28.444 |
| 2025 | 28,516,896 | 28.517 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars43.32025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 74,569,484,098 | 74.569 |
| 1991 | 81,713,865,808 | 81.714 |
| 1992 | 86,625,628,234 | 86.626 |
| 1993 | 86,848,890,162 | 86.849 |
| 1994 | 84,839,532,806 | 84.840 |
| 1995 | 88,188,461,733 | 88.188 |
| 1996 | 87,965,199,804 | 87.965 |
| 1997 | 93,546,748,015 | 93.547 |
| 1998 | 93,993,271,872 | 93.993 |
| 1999 | 88,411,723,661 | 88.412 |
| 2000 | 91,537,390,659 | 91.537 |
| 2001 | 94,663,057,658 | 94.663 |
| 2002 | 86,402,366,305 | 86.402 |
| 2003 | 79,704,508,452 | 79.705 |
| 2004 | 94,216,533,801 | 94.217 |
| 2005 | 103,816,796,724 | 103.817 |
| 2006 | 114,086,845,432 | 114.087 |
| 2007 | 124,133,632,211 | 124.134 |
| 2008 | 130,608,228,136 | 130.608 |
| 2009 | 126,589,513,424 | 126.590 |
| 2010 | 124,580,156,068 | 124.580 |
| 2011 | 129,715,180,422 | 129.715 |
| 2012 | 137,082,824,061 | 137.083 |
| 2013 | 138,868,919,488 | 138.869 |
| 2014 | 133,510,633,206 | 133.511 |
| 2015 | 125,249,941,854 | 125.250 |
| 2016 | 103,816,796,724 | 103.817 |
| 2017 | 87,518,675,948 | 87.519 |
| 2018 | 70,327,507,458 | 70.328 |
| 2019 | 50,903,719,684 | 50.904 |
| 2020 | 35,721,908,550 | 35.722 |
| 2021 | 35,945,170,478 | 35.945 |
| 2022 | 38,847,575,548 | 38.848 |
| 2023 | 40,410,409,047 | 40.410 |
| 2024 | 42,643,028,332 | 42.643 |
| 2025 | 43,312,814,117 | 43.313 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.709High human developmentRank 121 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
19900.658
20000.703
20100.764
20200.699
20230.709
72.5 yearsLife expectancy at birth
9.7 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
The constitution provides for a federal presidential republic with a President and a single-chamber National Assembly. Constitutional design does not fully describe the current political situation: disputed elections, institutional conflict and the January 2026 US military operation have shaped a continuing political crisis. This profile describes the formal institutions without presenting them as a measure of democratic practice.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · United Nations · January 2026 military action · International Court of Justice · Guyana v. Venezuela
Knowledge check
Three questions about Venezuela.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
In which year did this event occur in Venezuela: The Battle of Carabobo marks a decisive independence victory?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · United Nations · January 2026 military action · International Court of Justice · Guyana v. Venezuela
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.