what is the climate of venezuela?

Venezuela is located on the northern coast of South America, between 0 degrees 5' and 12 degrees 15 N, and 59 degrees 45' and 73 degrees 09 W. It covers 352,150 square miles. At summer it is usually humid, hot and calm. Humanity's insistence on unsustainable development and rising greenhouse gas emissions will make the settlements of millions of people increasingly prone to extreme weather events and full-blown natural disasters. )from consumed natural gas: 46.222 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est. The national capital, Caracas, is Venezuela's primary centre of . Located at the northernmost end of South America, Venezuela has a total area of 912,050 km 2 (352,140 sq mi) and a land area of 882,050 km 2 (340,560 sq mi). The ministry of the Evangelical Pentecostal Union of Venezuela (UEPV) aims to be faithful to the Gospel and its challenges even in times of political and socio-economic conflicts. )proven reserves: 731 million metric tons (2019 est. Rachael Ray to end daytime talk show after 17 years on the air, True-crime book. Florida school assault: Defense says teen not competent for trial, Grizzlies' Ja Morant taking time away 'to get help' after gun incident. It's characterized by average temperatures below 10C in all 12 months of the year: Also known as pramo climate, this climate often undergo a sudden and drastic change in daily-weather in which they fluctuate between temperatures from below freezing to as high as 20C. In Venezuela, other types of threats are also emerging. 2010-2023 World Weather & Climate InformationAll rights reserved. Venezuela is a country in South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana.It is situated on major sea and air routes linking North and South America. Global warming and climate breakdown are going to be disruptive to say the least. This climate can be found in mountainous areas around 2,400 to 3,200 m specifically in Sierra de Perija, Cordillera de Mrida, higher elevations at Venezuelan Coastal Range and higher tepuis (Monte Roraima, Kukenan, Cerro Marahuaca, Chimant Massif). Violent crime is a serious problem, and the capital city of Caracas has one of the highest per capita homicide rates in the world. )consumption: 22,694,584,000 cubic meters (2019 est. Professor of Latin-American History, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Climate zone: tropics. ), bolivars (VEB) per US dollar -9.975 (2017 est. NA, sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations, party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements, particulate matter emissions: 15.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est. It is located above the 3,000 m in the Sierra de Perija and Cordillera de Mrida. Venezuela is ranked 31st out of 32 countries in the Americas region, and its overall score is much lower than the world and regional averages. Although the battle took place in Colombia, it had major consequences for Venezuela as it broke Spanish resistance in the area. The Trump Administration discussed using military force in Venezuela but ultimately sought to compel Maduro to leave This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Venezuela Inflation. Statin alternative? The coldest month of the year in Venezuela is January, with an average low of 66F and high of 82F. Tropical rainforests grow in parts of Venezuela. )6.284 (2014 est. The cold semiarid type can be found at elevated portions of the Andes. As of September 2022, an estimated 7.1 million Venezuelans were refugees or migrants worldwide, with almost 80% taking refuge in Latin America and the Caribbean (notably Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, and Brazil, as well as the Dominican Republic, Aruba, and Curacao). Venezuela by Matthias Mullie on Unsplash. )permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est. It can be found in Guajira Peninsula, Paraguana Peninsula, Araya Peninsula and most of the Insular region. It's located in the medium areas of the Cordillera de Mrida and Sierra de Perija, the highest areas of Venezuelan coastal range, and the top of the highest Guiana Highlands Tepuis. Get notified about our newest bucket list destinations and more! The highlands are sparsely settled but have tremendous resources; they abound in deposits of iron ore, gold, and diamonds, and they possess considerable hydroelectric potential, as well as hardwood forest resources. Why this ax murder case fascinates, Weather: 10+ reported dead; millions warned of winter weather, Woman in Washington state claims $754.6 million Powerball jackpot, How Disney World, Disneyland made 'it's a small world' more inclusive, Cultures come together in joyous wedding dance, Here's how you can stream this year's Oscar-nominated movies right now, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Need travel inspiration? ), total subscriptions: 5,251,182 (2020 est. )imports of goods and services: -10.7% (2017 est. )methane emissions: 68.66 megatons (2020 est. People used to . )consumption: 33,000 metric tons (2020 est. The climatic zone in Venezuela between 800 to 200 meters is known as the temperate zone in which, the average temperature remains between 12 to 25 C. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The average annual temperature is between 18.5 and 27.4 . Important topographical features include the Orinoco river, the largest river in South America after the Amazon, at a length of 2,140km (1,330 miles), and the dramatic table top mountains known as tepuis, which are found in the Guyana highlands. Pin the Capital on the Country: Fact or Fiction? Time Zone. Venezuela's hotel and B&B (posadas) scene has hugely expanded and there are many options throughout the country. Check out our bucket list articles and be inspired: There are many Waterfalls in South Amerika to visit, however The Angel Falls is a waterfall like no other. ), total population: 74.25 yearsmale: 71.19 yearsfemale: 77.45 years (2023 est. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Thus Venezuela climate ranges from alpine to tropical humid, even though the country is located completely within the tropical temperate zone. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Few Venezuelans have not had their lives touched by migration over the last 10 years, when more than 7 million people left the struggling South American country. Languages in Venezuela. The climate of the Altiplano is a drastic change from the Caribbean climate of Venezuela, one that few migrants are prepared for when they arrive. These changes, however, were accompanied by imbalances among the countrys regions and socioeconomic groups, and Venezuelas cities swelled because of a massive and largely uncontrolled migration from rural areas, as well as mass immigration, much of it illegal, from Colombia and other neighbours. Venezuela has a population of 31.7 million as of mid-2018 with a median age of 28.7 years and a growth rate of 1.2 percent. The coastal plains extend from the Colombian border and the Gulf of Venezuela eastward to the foothills of the coastal mountains, which are broken in the east by the Unare River basin. It occupies a roughly triangular area that is larger than the combined areas of France and Germany. Venezuela Area and Population Density. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The climate of Venezuela falls under the tropical zone below 800 meters, where the average temperature remains between 26 and 28 C. For example, if it's usually cold in January where you live, then you'd expect it to be cold in January. Additionally, with lower humidity overall, this time of the year is perfect for comfortable exploration of Venezuela's nature. Each place on Earth has a different regional climate. Search for more papers by this author. The Weather and Climate in Venezuela. The tropical highland climate, like much of the Venezuela climate, is a hot and humid environment, although some variations exist. But it has become increasingly difficult to measure, assess and protect the nation's environment as the federal government spreads a . Due to its location just above the equator and the many elevation changes Venezuela experiences a mix of different climate types. Inflation dipped to 156% in October (September: 157%)the last month of available data. The vast majority of people, about 93 percent, live in urban areas, the largest of them being the capital Caracas with just over 3 million people. Farther east is the Orinoco delta, which opens onto the Atlantic Ocean through a number of distributaries (caos); an early gateway to the settlement of the interior, it is a low, dank, and swampy area heavily dissected by streams. This climate is characterized by very hot temperatures above 26C (79F), with precipitations that ranges from dry (less than 300mm) to pluvial (more than 3300mm) conditions. Venezuela, country located at the northern end of South America. )other: 23.4% (2018 est. )beer: 1.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est. The national capital, Caracas, is Venezuelas primary centre of industry, commerce, education, and tourism. It can be found locked at the temperate zones of high Andean valleys of Cordillera de Mrida. Since the early 19th century Venezuela has claimed jurisdiction over Guyanese territory west of the Essequibo River totaling some 53,000 square miles (137,000 square km)nearly two-thirds of the land area of Guyana. As if you are on the roof of the world. The sustainability of this progress remains questionable, however, as the continuation of these social programs depends on the prosperity of Venezuela's oil industry. Temperatures don't fluctuate wildly, hovering between 26C (79F) and 28C (82F) and making the country something of an all year round destination. The western branch, known as the Perij Mountains (Sierra de Perij, or Serrana de los Motilones), runs along the border with Colombia, whereas the eastern branch, the Cordillera de Mrida, extends from the border to Lara state and divides the Lake Maracaibo basin from that of the Orinoco River. Venezuela also has been a fairly accommodating host to Colombian refugees, numbering about 170,000 as of year-end 2016. Founded in 1567 as Santiago de Len de Caracas, the city grew slowly until the 1940s, after which it expanded by monumental proportions, and its influence came to extend to even . As a result, the opposition more than doubled its representation at the mayoral level and retained four of 23 governorships. ), improved: urban: NArural: NAtotal: 94.2% of populationunimproved: urban: NArural: NAtotal: 5.8% of population (2020 est. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Venezuela also has had a long dispute with Colombia over the delimitation of maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Venezuela and around the archipelago of Los Monjes. Physiographically, the Segovia Highlands, northwest of Barquisimeto, and the coastal ranges may also be considered parts of the Andes chain. Along the southeastern Guiana Highlands, in the region called La Gran Sabana, are Angel Falls (Parecup Mer), the highest waterfall in the world, measuring 3,212 feet (979 metres) from the cliffs of the massive Auyn tepui (Auyantepui) to the valley floor below. In discussions on climate change, we tend to focus on carbon dioxide (CO 2) - the most dominant greenhouse gas produced by the burning of fossil fuels, industrial production, and land use change. The city is the capital of Venezuela and is located in the north of the country, in the valley of the river Guaire, at the foot of the Venezuelan Coastal Range (Cordillera . Frosty climate is found at the highest areas in Venezuelan Andes, between 4,150 and 4,700 m. where the temperatures are between 0C (32F) to 3C (37F). Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialectsmajor-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informacin bsica. If you're up in the northern mountainous region, you're likely to encounter a good few downpours. Venezuelas position in the world became more precarious during the second decade of the 21st century as a result of the controversial rule of revolutionary leader Hugo Chvez, a significant decline in the fortunes of its petroleum industry, and the increasing authoritarianism of Chvezs successor, Nichols Maduro. Caracas is an exception, where options are more limited and hotels should be . )31.3% of GDP (2016 est. The most popular village with this climate in the country is the town of Apartaderos[4], This climate is reserved to the highest peaks of the Venezuelan Andes, such as Pico Bolvar, Pico Humboldt, [, Alpine glacier climate in Pico La Concha, Alpine tundra climate in Sierra de La Culata, Alpine tundra climate in Pico Piedras Blancas, Venezuelan climates are structured in "thermal floors", as mentioned next:[5][6]. There are four climatic regions based mainly on altitude; tropical, from 760 in elevation . )investment in fixed capital: 13.9% (2017 est. Venezuela, country located at the northern end of South America. agriculture: 4.7% (2017 est. You can visualize data for the current climatology through spatial variation, the seasonal cycle, or as a . The South American country has been caught in a downward spiral for years with . Weather. The coastal regions on the Caribbean feel balmiest, and the lowland areas also enjoy a . )refined petroleum consumption: 470,600 bbl/day (2019 est. Venezuela is a country in northern South America.Its official name is Repblica Bolivariana de Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela). (approximately $9.3 billion), information varies; approximately 125-150,000 active personnel, including about 25-30,000 National Guard; approximately 200-225,000 Bolivarian Militia; approximately 45,000 National Police (2022)note: in December 2022, President Nicolas MADURO announced that the National Police would be increased to 100,000 in 2024, the FANB inventory is mainly of Chinese and Russian origin with a smaller mix of equipment from Western countries, including the US; in recent years, Russia has been the top supplier of military hardware to Venezuela (2022), 18-30 (25 for women) for voluntary service; the minimum service obligation is 24-30 months; all citizens of military service age (18-50) are obligated to register for military service and subject to military training, although forcible recruitment is forbidden (2022)note: as of 2017, women made up more than 20% of the active duty military, between 2013 and 2017, Venezuela established at least a dozen military-led firms in a variety of economic sectors, such as agriculture, banking, construction, insurance, the media, mining, oil, and tourism; as of 2020, military officers reportedly led at least 60 state-owned companies; as of 2019, 9 of 32 government ministries were controlled by the military, including the ministries of agriculture and energyas of 2023, members of the terrorist organizations National Liberation Army (ELN) and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia dissidents (FARC-People's Army and Segundo Marquetalia - see Appendix T) operated in Venezuela, mostly in the states of Amazonas, Apure, Bolivar, Guarico, Tachira, and Zulia; the ELN was assessed to be present in 12 of Venezuelas 23 states; the groups were particularly active in Apure state; the Venezuelan military has been deployed to the border region to patrol border crossings and has clashed with both the ELN and the FARC dissident groups (2023), The International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters in the Caribbean Sea as at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen; in 2021, no attacks were reported, National Liberation Army (ELN); Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP); Segundo Marquetalianote: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T, Venezuela-Colombia: dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and Venezuelan administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region; the border between the two countries was closed from March 2020 to October 2021 due to COVID, but goods and people fleeing poverty and violence continued to be smuggled from Venezuela into Colombia, and illegal narcotics and armed men flowed into Venezuela from Colombia; since the FARC disarmed in 2016, some former members have formed armed dissident groups that operate along the border, Venezuela-Guyana: claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; in 2018, Guyana initiated proceedings against Venezuela with the International Court of Justice (ICJ); Venezuela requested a direct dialogue to settle the dispute; the ICJ ruled that it had jurisdiction to hear the case in December 2020; in September 2021, Venezuelan officials issued a statement reasserting dominion over three-quarters of Guyana, which Guyana stated was a threat to its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Venezuela-various: Venezuela claims Aves Island and thereby an economic exclusion Zone/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Venezuelas claim to Aves Island is disputed by Dominica and several other countries because the island has rich guano deposits useful in producing fertilizer and gunpowder, as well as large fish stocks and natural gas reserves; contraband smuggling (narcotics and arms), illegal migration, trafficking in animals, plants, lumber, illegal exploitation of mineral resources, refugees (country of origin): 39,185 (Colombia) (mid-year 2022)note:As of September 2022, host governments report more than 7.1 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants worldwide, tier rating: Tier 3 Venezuela does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government created a specialized prosecutors office to oversee trafficking investigations and prosecutions; authorities began legal proceedings against three complicit officials in a notable case; however, the government did not assist any victims or investigate, prosecute, or convict any traffickers; little effort was made to curb the forced recruitment of Venezuelan children by Colombian armed groups operating illegally in Venezuela; authorities made little effort to screen Cuban medical professionals for trafficking indicators as the Cuban Government may have forced them to work by withholding their documentation, and coercing them to falsify medical records (2020)trafficking profile: Venezuela is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Venezuelan women and girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation, lured from the nation's interior to urban and tourist areas; women from Colombia, Peru, Haiti, China, and South Africa are also reported to have been sexually exploited in Venezuela; some Venezuelan women are transported to Caribbean islands, particularly Aruba, Curacao, and Trinidad & Tobago, where they are subjected to forced prostitution; some Venezuelan children are forced to beg on the streets or work as domestic servants, while Ecuadorian children, often from indigenous communities, are subjected to forced labor; the government provided support to FARC dissidents and the ELN, which grew through the recruitment of child soldiers and exploitation of children in sex trafficking and forced labor; Illegal armed groups lure children in vulnerable conditions and dire economic circumstances with gifts and promises of basic sustenance to later recruit them into their ranks, a major drug transit country and trafficking route in the Western Hemisphere largely destined for the Caribbean, Central America, the United States, West Africa, and Europe for illegal drugs, predominately cocaine; government officials reportedly complicit with illegal armed narcotrafficking groups; little international drug control cooperation; significant narcotics-related money-laundering activity, increasing signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on border, total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030, 2017 anti-government protests to bolster internal security; it has been accused of multiple human rights abuses, Children under the age of 5 years underweight, International law organization participation, Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income, Household income or consumption by percentage share, Civil aircraft registration country code prefix, Military and security service personnel strengths, Military equipment inventories and acquisitions, Refugees and internally displaced persons, Center for the Study of Intelligence (CSI). )transmission/distribution losses: 26.452 billion kWh (2019 est. The Andes mountain range crosses the northwestern region of the country, with the highest peak Pico Bolivar reaching heights of 5,007m (16,427ft). The coldest part in the country are located in the highest areas of the Cordillera de Mrida, where temperatures lower than 2C (28F) are recorded. The resulting assembly is viewed by GUAIDO, most opposition parties, and many international actors as illegitimate. This climate is characterized by temperatures above 8C (46F) and below 13C (55F), with precipitations that ranges from scarcely rainy (300 700mm) to pluvial (more than 3300mm) conditions. Other major waterfalls in the region are Torn, Karuay, and Yuri. ), salt water lake(s): Lago de Maracaibo - 13,010 sq km, Rio Negro (shared with Colombia [s] and Brazil [m]) - 2,250 km; Orinoco river source and mouth (shared with Colombia) - 2,101 kmnote [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth, Atlantic Ocean drainage: Amazon (6,145,186 sq km), Orinoco (953,675 sq km), most of the population is concentrated in the northern and western highlands along an eastern spur at the northern end of the Andes, an area that includes the capital of Caracas, subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts, note 1: the country lies on major sea and air routes linking North and South America, note 2: Venezuela has some of the most unique geology in the world; tepuis are massive table-top mountains of the western Guiana Highlands that tend to be isolated and thus support unique endemic plant and animal species; their sheer cliffsides account for some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world including Angel Falls, the world's highest (979 m) that drops off Auyan Tepui, unspecified Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, Indigenous. Winter instead dry, warm and rather comfortable. Within these broad divisions, seven physiographic regions can be distinguished: the islands and coastal plains, including the Orinoco delta; the Lake Maracaibo Lowlands; the Mrida and Perij ranges of the Andes Mountains; the coastal mountain system (with its Coastal and Interior ranges); the northwestern valleys and hill ranges, also called the Segovia Highlands; the Llanos; and the Guiana Highlands. U.S. goods exports to Venezuela totaled $5.3 billion in 2016, down 36 percent from 2015. Since mid-2020, and despite MADURO regime mismanagement and faltering infrastructure, oil production has begun to rise primarily due to strengthened MADURO regime trade relations with China, Russia, Iran, and the illicit oil trade. Occupying more than two-fifths of the countrys land area, it is the most remote and least explored part of Venezuela. )imports: 0 kWh (2019 est. The coastal mountain system, in effect two parallel rangesthe Coastal Range and the Interior Rangecontains Venezuelas greatest concentration of population, although it covers only a tiny fraction of the national territory. It's the average weather in a place over many years. Lago de Valencia, Venezuela #8 Sweetness that is exported to other corners of the world. Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). ), conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuelaconventional short form: Venezuelalocal long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuelalocal short form: Venezuelaformer: State of Venezuela, Republic of Venezuela, United States of Venezuelaetymology: native stilt-houses built on Lake Maracaibo reminded early explorers Alonso de OJEDA and Amerigo VESPUCCI in 1499 of buildings in Venice and so they named the region "Venezuola," which in Italian means "Little Venice", name: Caracasgeographic coordinates: 10 29 N, 66 52 Wtime difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)etymology: named for the native Caracas tribe that originally settled in the city's valley site near the Caribbean coast, 23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district* (distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales (Federal Dependencies)**, Distrito Capital (Capital District)*, Falcon, Guarico, La Guaira, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Yaracuy, Zulianote: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands, history: many previous; latest adopted 15 December 1999, effective 30 December 1999amendments: proposed through agreement by at least 39% of the National Assembly membership, by the president of the republic in session with the cabinet of ministers, or by petition of at least 15% of registered voters; passage requires simple majority vote by the Assembly and simple majority approval in a referendum; amended 2009; note - in 2016, President MADURO issued a decree to hold an election to form a constituent assembly to change the constitution; the election in July 2017 approved the formation of a 545-member constituent assembly and elected its delegates, empowering them to change the constitution and dismiss government institutions and officials, civil law system based on the Spanish civil code, has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction, citizenship by birth: yescitizenship by descent only: yesdual citizenship recognized: yesresidency requirement for naturalization: 10 years; reduced to five years in the case of applicants from Spain, Portugal, Italy, or a Latin American or Caribbean country, chief of state: Notification Statement: the United States recognizes Juan GUAIDO as the Interim President of VenezuelaPresident Nicolas MADURO Moros (since 19 April 2013); Executive Vice President Delcy RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 14 June 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Nicolas MADURO Moros (since 19 April 2013); Executive Vice President Delcy RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 14 June 2018)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits); election last held on 20 May 2018 (next election in 2024)election results: 2018: Nicolas MADURO Moros reelected president; percent of vote - Nicolas MADURO Moros (PSUV) 68%, Henri FALCON (AP) 21%, Javier BERTUCCI 11%; note - the election was marred by serious shortcomings and electoral fraud; voter turnout was approximately 46% due largely to an opposition boycott of the election2013: Nicolas MADURO Moros elected president; percent of vote - Nicolas MADURO Moros (PSUV) 50.6%, Henrique CAPRILES Radonski (PJ) 49.1%, other 0.3%, description: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (277 seats; 3 seats reserved for indigenous peoples of Venezuela; members serve 5-year terms); note - in 2020, the National Electoral Council increased the number of seats in the National Assembly from 167 to 277 for the 6 December 2020 electionelections: last held on 6 December 2020 (next to be held in December 2025)election results: percent of vote by party - GPP (pro-government) 69.3%, Democratic Alliance (opposition coalition) 17.7%, other 13%; seats by party - GPP 253, Democratic Alliance 18, indigenous peoples 3, other 3; composition - NA, highest court(s): Supreme Tribunal of Justice (consists of 32 judges organized into constitutional, political-administrative, electoral, civil appeals, criminal appeals, and social divisions)judge selection and term of office: judges proposed by the Committee of Judicial Postulation (an independent body of organizations dealing with legal issues and of the organs of citizen power) and appointed by the National Assembly; judges serve nonrenewable 12-year terms; note - in July 2017, the National Assembly named 33 judges to the court to replace a series of judges, it argued, had been illegally appointed in late 2015 by the outgoing, socialist-party-led Assembly; the Government of President MADURO and the Socialist Party-appointed judges refused to recognize these appointments, however, and many of the new judges have since been imprisoned or forced into exilesubordinate courts: Superior or Appeals Courts (Tribunales Superiores); District Tribunals (Tribunales de Distrito); Courts of First Instance (Tribunales de Primera Instancia); Parish Courts (Tribunales de Parroquia); Justices of the Peace (Justicia de Paz) Network, A New Era (Un Nuevo Tiempo) or UNT [Omar Enrique BARBOZA Gutierrez]Brave People's Alliance or ABP [Antonio LEDEZMA]Cambiemos Movimiento Ciudadano or CMC [Timoteo ZAMBRANO]Christian Democrats or COPEI [Juan Carlos ALVARADO Prato, Roberto ENRIQUEZ]Citizens Encounter or EC [Delsa SOLORZANO]Clear Accounts or CC [Enzo SCARANO]Coalition of parties loyal to Nicolas MADURO - Great Patriotic Pole or GPP [Nicolas MADURO]Coalition of opposition parties - Democratic Alliance (Alianza Democratica) (includes AD, EL CAMBIO, COPEI, CMC, and AP)Come Venezuela (Vente Venezuela) or VV [Maria Corina MACHADO]Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV [Oscar FIGUERA]Consenso en la Zona or Conenzo [Enzo SCARANO and Leon JURADO]Convergencia [Juan Jose CALDERA]Democratic Action or AD [Jose Bernabe GUTIERREZ Parra]Fatherland for All (Patria para Todos) or PPT [Ilenia MEDINA] Fuerza Vecinal or FV [leaders include mayors Gustavo DUQUE, Darwin GONZALEZ, Elias SAYEGH, Manuel FERREIRA, Josy FERNANDEZ, and Morel David RODRIGUEZ]; note - national spokesman David UZCATEGUIHope for Change (Esperanza por el Cambio) or EL CAMBIO [Javier Alejandro BERTUCCI Carrero]Justice First (Primero Justicia) or PJ [Tomas GUANIPA]LAPIZ [Antonio Domingo ECARRI Angola]Movement to Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo) or MAS [Segundo MELENDEZ] Popular Will (Voluntad Popular) or VP [Leopoldo LOPEZ]Progressive Advance (Avanzada Progresista) or AP [Henri FALCON]The Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres VELAZQUEZ]United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV [Nicolas MADURO]Venezuela First (Primero Venezuela) or PV [Luis PARRA] Venezuelan Progressive Movement or MPV [Simon CALZADILLA]Venezuela Project or PV [Carlos BERRIZBEITIA]We Are Venezuela (Somos Venezuela) or MSV [Delcy RODRIGUEZ and Vanessa MONTERO], Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alfredo VECCHIO (since 8 April 2019)chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820email address and website: [email protected], chief of mission: James Jimmy STORY, Ambassador for the Venezuela Affairs Unit (since November 2020); note - on 11 March 2019, the Department of State announced the temporary suspension of operations of the US Embassy in Caracas and the withdrawal of diplomatic personnel; the Venezuela Affairs Unit is located at the United States Embassy in Bogota, Colombiaembassy: Venezuela Affairs Unit, Carrera 45 N. 24B-27, Bogotapreviously - F St. and Suapure St.; Urb.