Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census)
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
Languages
Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); note - less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages
Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects
Exports
transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos
petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures
External Debt
$397,500,000,000 $
$89,600,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
reals (BRL) per US dollar - 1.8644 (2008 est.), 1.85 (2007 est.), 2.1761 (2006), 2.4344 (2005), 2.9251 (2004)
bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - 2.147 (2008 est.), 2,147 (2007), 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004) note: On 1 January 2008 Venezuela revalued its currency with 1000 old bolivares equal to 1 new bolivar
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.700%
1.200%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
15
1
Location
Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
