Venezuela Country & Tourist Information

Location
South America.

Area
912,050 sq km (352,144 sq miles).

Population
27.88 million (2008).

Population Density
30.2 per sq km.

Capital
Caracas.
Population:  4.3 million (metropolitan area, 2008).

Government
Republic. Gained independence from Spain in 1830.

Language
Spanish is the official language. English, French, German and Portuguese are also spoken by some sections of the community.

Religion
96% Roman Catholic.

Time
GMT - 4.5.

Electricity
110 volts AC, 60Hz. US-style two-pin plugs are the most commonly used fittings.

Head of State
President Hugo Chávez since 1998.

Recent History
Venezuelan politics of the past decade has been dominated by the incendiary figure of Hugo Chávez. His policies have effectively polarized the society: Venezuelans either love him or loathe him. Celebrating a decade at the nation’s helm in 2009, the leader has won broad acceptance from the masses of Venezuela’s poor for his implementation of ‘21st-century socialism,’ while further alienating the far less populous well-to-do sector. After an overwhelming re-election in December 2006, Chávez moved to nationalise key industries like steel, electricity and oil. The following year, however, a proposed constitutional amendment to extend presidential term limits was voted down.

Telephone
Country code: 58.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. Travelers on extended stays might consider getting a local SIM card to insert in their own phone.

Internet
There are Internet cafes in most urban areas.

Media
President Hugo Chávez has been roundly criticized by outsiders for his attempts to muzzle opponents in the media. The most recent incident occurred in May 2007 when his government refused to renew the broadcast license of Radio Caracas Television,  an opposition-backed TV station, replacing the channel with state-run TVes. Soon afterward, he threatened to shut down another station, Globovisión, which he accused of attempting to assassinate him. In general, however, the Venezuelan press is free to denounce Chávez’s policies, and his opponents in the country’s main newspapers can be downright scathing in their criticism. The president has his own weekly TV and radio program, on which he voices his opinions and sings his favorite tunes.

Post
Mail service from Venezuela to the USA and Europe is unreliable and could take anywhere from a week to a month to arrive. 

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1300-16:30

Press
• The English-language daily newspaper is The Daily Journal, published in Caracas.
• Spanish-language dailies include El Nacional, El Mundo, El Universal and Últimas Noticias.

Radio
• Radio Nacional de Venezuela (www.rnv.gov.ve) is a state broadcaster with several stations, including Canal Informativo, Canal Clásico, Canal Juvenil, and Canal Popular.
• Union Radio is a commercial news network.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day. 
21-24 Feb Carnival. 
9 Apr Holy Thursday. 
10 Apr Good Friday.
19 Apr Declaration of Independence.
1 May Labor Day.
24 Jun Battle of Carabobo.
5 Jul Independence Day.
24 Jul Birth of Simón Bolívar.
12 Oct Day of Indigenous Resistance.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day. 
13-16 Feb Carnival. 
1 Apr Holy Thursday. 
2 Apr Good Friday.
19 Apr Declaration of Independence.
1 May Labor Day.
24 Jun Battle of Carabobo.
5 Jul Independence Day.
24 Jul Birth of Simón Bolívar.
12 Oct Day of Indigenous Resistance.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

Note
There are some additional regional holidays; contact INATUR (see General Info).

Contact Information:

INATUR (National Tourism Institute)
Avenida Francisco de Miranda con Avenida Principal de La Floresta, Complejo Mintur, Urb La Floresta, Caracas, Venezuela 
Tel: (212) 286 3016.
Website: www.inatur.gob.ve

Embassy of the Republic of Venezuela in the UK
1 Cromwell Road, London SW7 2HW, UK
Tel: (020) 7584 4206 or 581 2776.
Website: www.venezlon.co.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1300, 1400-1700.

Embassy of the Republic of Venezuela (Consular Section) in the UK
56 Grafton Way, London W1T 5DL, UK
Tel: (020) 7529 8620.
Website: www.venezlon.co.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1300.

Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the USA
1099 30th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA
Tel: (202) 342 2214.
Website: www.embavenez-us.org


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