Facts & Figures

- Official Name: República Bolivariana de Venezuela

- Passport/Visa Requirements: US citizens, Canadians, UK nationals and most western and Scandinavian Europeans do not require a visa when on a direct flight to Venezuela. Tourists, who choose to travel to Venezuela by road, require a valid visa that should be obtained before leaving for South America. Border guards handle scrutiny of documentation.

- Population: 25,730,435 (approximate)

- Language: Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects. This includes more than 30 Amerindian languages still surviving, predominantly belonging to the Arawak, Carib & Chibcha ethnolinguistic categories. English, French, German and Portuguese are widely used in certain communities.

- Predominant Religions: Predominantly Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, others 2%

- Time Zone: Standard time zone: UTC/GMT -4 hours. No daylight saving time in 2006

- Voltage Requirements: 120V 60Hz

- Telephone Codes: 58 (country code).

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