Population: 23.5 million (2000 estimate).
Capital city: Caracas.
Geography: Venezuela’s total area is 352,144 square miles, slightly more than twice the size of California.
People: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African and indigenous.
Currency: Venezuela Bolívar (VEB).
Exchange: US$1=740.75 VEB (October 2001).
GDP: US$109.5 billion; GDP growth rate 3.2% (2000).
Exports: Major trading partners include United States, Colombia, Germany, Japan, Canada, and Italy.
Oil production: 3.1 million barrels per day (2000 est.).
Reserves: Proven oil reserves: 76.8 billion barrels.
Tourism: Venezuela’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites include the city of Coro and its port (founded in 1527), the Canaima national park and the university of Caracas campus, created by the Venezuelan architect Carlos Raúl Villanueva.