Venezuela Real Estate

Located on the northern coast of South America, the República Bolivariana de Venezuela consists of a continental mainland and several land masses in the Carribean Sea. Venezuela is divided into four regions namely the lowlands of Maracaibo, the north and northwest mountainous regions, the Orinaco basin with the wide grass-enveloped plains, and finally the Guiana Highlands, which is located to the south of Orinoco. Although Venezuela lies along the tropics, the climate can not be generalized because the climate depends on the topography, elevation and direction of the winds. Seasons can be divided into two: the rainy period (winter) from May to November and the summer period, which covers the rest of the year.

The country ranks six in Latin America in terns of its population. According to a survey, eighty-five percent of the total population lives along in urban areas in the county's northern regions. Only five percent of the population reside in the states of Bolivar and Amazonas. Comprising the population of the country are a mix of European, African and native ancestries. Spanish is the official language, although there are thirty-one other native languages that are used, that include Pemon, Warao, Guajibo, and Wayuu, to cite a few. Immigrant communities in Europe normally use their indigenous language. More then ninety-five percent of the people in Venezuela are Roman Catholics.

A nomination is conducted to determine the President of Venezuela, who is both the head of the government and the state. The elected president serves for six years, and may be reelected to one successive term. With the help of the legislature, the Venezuelan President chooses the vice-president, and the members of the cabinet. The President can also make the legislative body to reevaluate some laws that are to an extent questionable. However, the majority in the parliament can take precedence over the President's objection.

The Asemblea Nacional is the unicameral parliament of Venezuela. Over one hundred sixty deputies that compose the Asemblea Nacional, serve a term of five years and two more terms, if reelected. The Tribunal Supremo de Justicia is the highest judicial body of the country. The members, called magistrates, are chosen by the parliament. The Consejo Nacional Electoral is in charge of the elections and consists of members decided upon by the Asemblea Nacional.

Around eighty percent of Venezuela's export income and more than fifty percent of the national government's operating revenues come from the petroleum industry. Because of the oil, the country's economy was among the most successful in South America. There are efforts though to develop the agrarian sector and to improve the steel and aluminum industry. However, the economy slowed down when the prices of oil fell during the mid 1980's. With the current increase in oil prices during the years, the country's economy further strengthened, with the Gross Domestic Product increasing at a rate of ten percent annually.

Venezuela boasts of abundant natural resources. In the 1980's, it ranked third in exporting oil and it ranked ninth as the largest oil producer. The Venezuelan Petroleum Corporation also ranked third among the largest international oil companies. However during the 1990's, the country immensely suffered from politicking, corruption, and economic mismanagement. There was an unfair distribution of resources because only a group of elite reaped the benefits, thus depriving the majority of poor people. The manufacturing sector added seventeen percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2006. The country produces aluminum, steel, textiles, beverages and transport machineries. The country also engages in paper, cement, tire, and fertilizer manufacture.

The agricultural sector provides three percent of the total GDP and ten percent of the total working force. Among the agricultural products that are exported are pork, rice, beef, corn, coffee and fish. However, the country still has to outsource to meet its food needs. It is the United States that brings in over one-third of products such as wheat, soybeans, and vegetable oil that Venezuela needs.