Venezuela: Population, Economy, and Agricultural Production

Posted on Dec 21, 2024 in Geology

Population Distribution

1. Spatial Distribution: In the Coast-Mountain Region, about 80% of the population resides, while in the Plains Region, it is 14%, and in the Guayana Region, it is 6%.

1.1. Causes:

  • In the coastal-mountain region, the possibility of communication with the sea is higher.
  • The land is fertile, and the largest estates are located in this area.
  • As to the Guayana region, it could not be reached easily; only 2 of every 100 people live in this region.
  • Exploitation of oil deposits.
  • Establishment of large industrial and commercial centers.

1.2. Consequences:

  • Large concentrations of population due to economic activities in the area.
  • Fields are abandoned.
  • Failure of public services.
  • Deformation of our agricultural economy.
  • Lack of land to build houses.

3. Population Density: Population density is the number of people living in an area, usually measured in km2. Our density is 25.2 inhabitants per square km.

Migration

1. Definition: Any movement of population that occurs from a place of origin to another destination and brings a change of habitual residence.

2. Types of Migration:

  • External migration are those that occur between countries.
  • Internal migration: are those that occur between states within a country.

Internal migration is usually a peasant exodus, and peasant types are: Tenant (pay with money), tenant (pay with product), Mixed (charged with both), and Pisatario (are conuqueros, i.e., practicing slash and burn).

2.1. Causes of internal migration:

  • Search for other sources of employment.
  • Search for better weather.
  • Changes for labor causes.
  • Removals for causes of the study.
  • Lack of land for housing in the city which migrated to.

2.2. Consequences of internal migration:

  • Loss of urban development due to lack of population
  • Loss of the agricultural economy when the farmer goes to town.
  • Depletion of the field when the farmer goes to town.
  • Lack of resources professionals working for a state because of the departure of the same to other states.
  • Overpopulation of the city to which immigrants go.

2.3. External causes of migration

  • Job search.
  • Political conflicts.
  • Search for a better life for you and your family.
  • Search for higher earnings.
  • Search for better services (education, public, etc.).

2.4. Consequences of external migration:

  • Abandonment of the family to seek a better economy.
  • Decline in population.
  • Rise of the undocumented population.
  • Lack of professionals in a country.

3. Emigration and Immigration:

  • Emigration: When you leave your place of origin.
  • Immigration: It’s when you get to a new place.

Population Growth

1. Birth and Mortality:

  • Birth: The birth rate is the proportional number of births in a population in a given time.
  • Mortality: Mortality is the proportionate number of deaths in a population in a given time.

1.1. Causes of population growth:

  • The eradication of endemic diseases.
  • The mass vaccination against diseases.
  • The increase in income of the population and their better cultural background.
  • The improvement of sanitary conditions in the country and the establishment of medical-care centers.
  • The decline because of underworld killings.

1.2 Consequences of Population Growth:

  • We are a young country; the majority of the population is over 34 years of age.
  • Almost 40% of our population is under age.
  • Lack of schools to meet the needs of children and adolescents.
  • Social programs are not supported, and so the lowest-income people are affected.
  • You need to create sources of employment to meet the demand for them.

2. Distribution of population by age and sex:

2.1. The pyramid of the population is a graphical representation of the distribution by age and sex of the population.

Economic Sectors of the Population

1. Active and inactive.

Active Population: Anyone over 12 years in production capacity.

Inactive Population: Anyone who is unable to enter the production process, for example, students, disabled, and so on.

2. Fields of Force.

2.1. Primary I: farmers, ranchers, fishermen, hunters, miners. (Work with raw materials).

2.2. Secondary II: Industrial.

2.3. Tertiary III: Trade, transportation, bank, professional bureaucracy.

3. Unemployed Population and Informal.

Unemployed Population: Persons aged 15 years or more, of either sex, who testified that during the week preceding the interview day were not working and were seeking wage employment.

Casual Population: are those persons employed in domestic service, not self-employed professionals (peddler, drivers, carpenters, etc.).

4. Structural Formula of the Population.

1950: I, III, II.

1961: III, I, II. developed countries to II, III, I.

1971: III, II, I.

Urban and Rural Population

1. Definition.

Urbana: those living in cities that have public services provided in them.

Rural: women living in camps or areas far from urban centers that lack public services.

Marginal: those who live in cities but live in worse conditions than people living in camps.

2. Problems of Urban and Rural Population

  • The value of the land.
  • Lack of planning and urban control.
  • Delinquency.
  • Pollution.
  • Distribution problems.
  • Utilities.

3. Alternative Solutions:

  • Development of security.
  • Encourage investment in the fields to curb overcrowding.
  • Create more and more industries.
  • Health Development.
  • Develop plans for the acquisition of economic resources.
  • Intensify government plans regarding illiteracy.

The Soils of Venezuela

1. General.

Generally, it is commonly thought that the country’s soil conditions are suitable for any agricultural activity. This is false. While many agricultural items can be harvested in much of the country.

2. Coast-Mountain Region.

It has five climatic zones and a variety of microclimates, ranging from the xerophytic region to the frozen peaks. It is composed mainly of foot mountains and fertile valleys. It also has rivers that can be used for irrigation.

3. Plains region.

This region is characterized by sandy soils not conducive to agriculture; however, there are areas where this activity can be developed quite successfully, such as the states of Portuguesa, Barinas, Guarico, Cojedes, Anzoategui, and Monagas.

4. Guayana region.

Contrary to what one can believe, the soils of this region are poor, and agricultural development is on a small scale. Highlight timber production, which is controlled by the authorities; however, many areas have been deforested illegally.

Production Systems

1. Traditional Production or Extensive.

1.1. Definition: Dependent only on natural factors of production: rainy season or drought. Usually attained only for family consumption, and production techniques are obsolete

1.2. Features:

  • Depends on natural factors of production.
  • The production is mainly for family consumption and, if good enough, for sale.
  • The extended family is small, thus limiting their production potential.
  • Production techniques are obsolete.
  • In the case of livestock products, the number of animals owned is low, and they may have several species in one place, hindering the optimal development of them.
  • Bounded family development and social mobility.

2. Intensive Production or Business.

2.1. Definition: is the feeding on private or public investment to boost production in the fields.

2.2. Features:

  • The production is enhanced by private or public investment.
  • Uses the appropriate machinery for planting and harvesting areas.
  • Is developed over large areas and uses technological advances
  • The worker has a salary and benefits to you under the law.
  • Combat pests with chemicals or biological agents.

3. Traditional Fishing:

  • Use networks and fishing rods.
  • Few people typically work by boat.
  • The boats have little capacity.
  • Fishing shorter distance from the coast.
  • They can join cooperatives to distribute costs and profits.

4. Commercial Fishing:

  • Use large vessels.
  • The latest ships can process and freeze the fish within them.
  • They can spend several days at sea to maximize fishing time
  • Generate sources of employment directly.
  • Indirectly generate employment opportunities.

5. Relationship Between the Agricultural Regions of the Population:

  • The modern machinery: with it, you can harvest and grow more efficiently.
  • The latest genetic technologies: is used in the cultivation of improving its resistance against pests, taste, texture, etc.
  • Herbicides: prevent or eliminate the insects harmful to crops.
  • Slash and burn: used to gain arable space but can cause damage to the floor.
  • Irrigation: carrying water to lands that have not, you can exploit the potential of them.
  • Engineering: by diverting rivers or dams, you can store them in cultivation in areas where you could not.
  • Places with potential and give farm settlement to humans

National Agricultural Production

1. Animal agricultural subsectors.

  • Mayor Porcino producer: Aragua.
  • Greater Bovine producers: Zulia.
  • Greater Ovine producers: Zulia.
  • Greater Caprine producers: Lara.
  • Greater Aves producers: Aragua.
  • Largest producer of eggs (consumption): Zulia.
  • Largest producer of eggs (fertile): Carabobo.
  • Largest producer of milk: Zulia.
  • Largest producers of cheese: Zulia.

2. Plant agricultural subsectors.

Cereals

  • Arroz: Portuguesa
  • Maíz: Portuguesa.
  • Sorgo: Portuguesa.

Legumes

  • Arveja: Trujillo.
  • Caraota: Guarico.
  • Fríjol: Guarico.

Textile Oils

  • Ajonjolí: Portuguesa.
  • Algodón: Barinas.
  • Coco: Falcón.
  • Maní: Anzoátegui.

Roots and Tubers

  • Apio: Mérida.
  • Batata: Yaracuy.
  • Name: Miranda.
  • Cassava: Zulia.
  • Café: Lara.
  • Cacao: Sucre.
  • Tabaco: Cojedes.
  • Cane Azúcar: Portuguesa.

3. Fisheries subsector.

Species in our country:

  • In the sea: Even, catfish, shrimp, mackerel.
  • In the river: Catfish, Cachama, Coporo, Curvina.
  • Aquaculture: Shrimp farming, tilapia, mollusks, and crustaceans.

4. Forestry subsector.

The country’s timber production is less developed, in proportion to the other subsectors; however, it is done properly and reforesting logged areas.

The output of this sector is in private hands. Much of the timber production is illegally logged. The states with the highest deforestation are Zulia, Cojedes, Yaracuy, Lara, and Bolivar.

5. Environmental problems of agricultural activity.

  • In the floor:
    • Degradation or loss of quality.
    • Accumulation of salts or salinization by irrigation water.
    • Erosion: drag the ground by wind or water.
    • Chemical pollution: excess use of pesticides and herbicides.
    • Loss of nutrients: by overuse of land.
  • In the woods:
    • Deforestation: The product of logging or the use of space in agriculture or animal husbandry.
    • Burning, accidental fires.
    • Loss of population or species of animals and plants.
    • Inappropriate exploitation of native species.
  • Animals:
    • Illegal hunting.
    • Endangered species.
  • Freshwaters:
    • Contamination by wastes discharged into rivers, lakes, and seas
  • Seas:
    • Destruction of corals by trawls.
    • Overexploitation of fish.

Lake Oilfield in Venezuela

1. Mcbo Lake basin.

Location: is included within the same watershed.

It covers the states of Zulia, part of Tachira, Merida, and Trujillo, and its area is 50,000 km2

Evolution: its evolution has been affected by a series of invasions and sea regressions that were instrumental in settling both petroleum source rocks and containers for storage.

Began to show a configuration as the current 15 million years ago (ma) in the middle Miocene.

Economic Importance: This basin is the most important in South America. Its reserves are estimated at more than 138,000 million barrels (mb), and add the fields are recoverable, which have calculated over 7.500mb

2. Eastern basin.

Location: is in the central-east. Its boundaries are: the course south of the river Orinoco, on the west by the lifting of the trunk to the flow of rivers and Portuguese Pao on the north, south of the mountainous inland to the east, the basin follows the Gulf of Paria and ends at the Atlantic.

Its east-west extension is 800 km and north-south, 200 km, the total area of 265,000 km2 and covers the states Guarico, Anzoategui, Monagas, Sucre, and Delta Amacuro.

Evolution: the beginning makes 350 (m) in which they occurred dovono-Carboniferous sedimentation important, and makes 200 (m) began to show its present form.

Economic importance: is the 2nd of importance in Venezuela for more than 30 wells giants, who have more than 100 million barrels each, but well under 260. Proven reserves in the area: exceed 3 trillion barrels, making the oil zone with greater resources.

3. Falcon Basin.

Location: is in the northwest of the country is bounded to the north and east by the Gulf Coast Vzla; on the west basin of Lake Maracaibo, on the south by the Sierra de Churuguara

Its area is 35,000 km2, falls from the mouth of the muslin victory until, with a length of 320 km, and from the chorus to Churuguara candle with a width of 100 km.

Evolution: was formed by the ebb and flow of water, elevations and soil erosion, and sediment deposition. During the middle Eocene transgression followed by a large west-southwest. In the Oligocene, there was the formation of deltas. By the Miocene, much of the region was submerged at 1500 meters. Then he started filling it, which reduced its depth, folds, and submitted surveys.

Economic importance: is the basin with fewer reserves; the exploitation of oil currently is low.

4. Cuenca Barinas-Apure.

Location: It is in the Southwest. Its boundaries are: north, the central interior mountains; the northwest, the Andes to the east and northeast, lifting the trunk, on the south, Colombia. Covers the states of Barinas, Apure, Portuguese, and southern Táchira. It has an area of 95,000 km2.

Evolution: 100m ago began with a large input and output activity of the sea. At that time, the area now occupied by Barinas and Apure was invaded by the sea. In the Cretaceous, the waters receded. In the middle Eocene, water invades the region and receives sediment. In the upper Eocene, waters recede. During the Miocene, sedimentation continued until achieving the formation of oil.

Economic importance: though has less resources, have found reserves of more than 130m.b.

5. Production and Trade.

5.1. Exploration: the search for mineral and geological use various techniques, laboratory and satellite search.

5.2. Holding: the extraction of oil from wells. Here we use the drilling of wells, pipelines, storage sites, among others.

5.3. Refining: The process by which physical and chemical techniques are used to extract petroleum products, which in turn can serve as feedstock for other products. Some processes are distillation, polymerization, etc. PDVSA has 6 refineries processed 1.3 mb per day.

5.4. Market: is the placement of oil and oil products available to buyers who may be inside or outside the country. PDV PDVSA sells products through service stations.

6. Other Business PDVSA.

Gas: This is used to produce natural gas liquids. The methane gas explodes.

Orimulsion: is an alternative fuel from coal comprising 70% natural bitumen and 30% water, is developed by INDEVEP (a subsidiary of PDVSA). And represents a great opportunity to trade in the Orinoco belt.

Coal: its aim is to increase production of 6 million 800 thousand tons in 1999 to 7 million 800 tonnes for 2006. It wants to increase the capacity of 5 million shipment of 300 tonnes to 6 million 500 tons per year in Puerto Santa Cruz, Zulia state.

Chemical sector: it is of great economic importance, and PDVSA wants to exploit it by doing:

Developing business in three areas: the petrochemical gas (PEQUIVEN), the industrialization of refinery streams, (PROESCO) commercial products.

Petrochemicals: currently has a production capacity of 11 million 500 thousand metric tons per year. Its investments between 2001-2006 was about 4 thousand 700 million dollars, 78% came from the private sector.

7. Causes of Changes in Oil Prices.

On the rise:

  • Wars in producing areas.
  • Depletion of reserves.
  • Setting OPEC quotas
  • Weather stations.

At the low

  • Legal restrictions.
  • Breach of OPEC quotas.
  • Increased supply in the market.

8. Foreign exchange earnings.

Venezuela is known as a producer and q-based mono most of their income on oil sales. For the year 2002, an average of the national oil basket at $16.09 a barrel was estimated. However, due to the raise of PDVSA, present a statement I substitute q for $20.00 per barrel.

But the president of PDVSA, Ali Rodriguez, left the possibility that the end of the year reached $21.4 barrels. Although entry into bolivars look older, to change it into dollars decreases.

Mineral Wealth

1. Bauxite.

It is the raw material for aluminum production. It is used in construction, packaging, etc. It is located in Bolivar state.

2. Coal.

Used as a fuel and as raw coal to produce ingot. It is located at the site of Guasare, Zulia, and Tachira.

3. Diamond.

It is used for making tools or to protect surfaces. For cutting very hard materials. It is located in the Caroni River and the Roraima Group.

4. Gold.

It is used in jewelry, dentistry, electronics, etc. It is located in Bolivar State in Callao.

5. Salt.

He serves on Food; makes possible the manufacture of glass, soap, plastic. It is located in Zulia and Falcon Sucre.

6. Iron

It is the raw material for steel and is located in the state of Bolivar.

Industries

1. Definition: These are all activities which is implicit in the transformation, development, and manufacture of products from the primary sector.

2. Location Factors.

  • Raw material: to begin the process of transformation of the products.
  • Labor: skilled workers are needed for the process.
  • Power: indispensable for the realization of the process.
  • Pathways reported: necessary for the shipment of products.
  • Market: They made the trade.

3. Classification.

3.1. By the Workers.

3.1.1. Great Industry: 101 employees or more.

3.1.2. Upper Medium Industry: From 51 to 100 employees

3.1.3. Lower Medium Industry: From 21 to 50 employees

3.1.4. Small industries: From 5 to 20 employees

3.2. Production Rates as.

3.2.1. Traditional produce food, beverages, clothing, furniture, and wooden items. It is the largest in the country.

3.2.2. Intermediate / Basic: They are responsible for supplying supplies to other industries to make their products. It covers the printing paper industry, chemicals, and petroleum products. Second in the country

3.2.3. Mechanical: Includes the production of machinery and electronic equipment.

3.2.4. Waste: Crafts, jewelry, toys.

4. Location Venezuelan industries.

Industries in Venezuela are in the Capital Region, in Central, and mostly in the city of Guayana.

Major Market Areas and Areas of Influence

1. Definition and characteristics.

It is a mechanism by which buyers and sellers will interact to set prices and exchange bins and service. The features are:

  • Is dynamic.
  • May increase.
  • May decrease.
  • Can be maintained.
  • Influences the price.

2. Areas of influence.

They are places where trade are important in the economy. For example, in Caracas to consume a product that is harvested by another region, demand is growing the crops grow.

3. Gross domestic product (GDP).

It is the name given to the total market value of final goods and services a country produces in a given year.

4. Types of trade.

4.1. Internal Trade.

It is being done within the limits of a country, following its own legal framework.

4.2. External trade.

It’s taking place between two or more countries. In this case, come into play import and export.

4.2.1. Export.

Goods or services produced in one country and sold to another.

4.2.2. Import.

Goods and services that enter a country.

5. Trade balance.

The balance of payments in respect of imports or exports of goods. The balance is positive when greater than import and export is negative when there is greater import than export.

6. International reserves.

All countries have some form of gold reserves, money from other countries, and so on. International reserves function as “international money” that can be used when a country has difficulty with the balance of payments.

7. Consequences of trade.

  • Increased business opportunities: expanding business horizons.
  • Sovereignty of nations: it may be the case that when you import a product, domestic entrepreneurs are threatened and express their displeasure to the government.
  • Exchange rates: currencies are accepted in most countries, like the dollar and euro. To make the sale, the financial system should ensure a continued flow of foreign exchange.

Zulia: 2,983,679 1

Miranda 2,330,872 2

Carabobo 1,932,168 3

Dto.Capital 1,836,286 4

Lara 1,556,415 5

Aragua 1,449,616 6

Bolivar 1,214,846 7

Táchira 992,669 8

Sucre 786,483 9

Falcon 763,188 10

Portugal 725,740 11

Merida 715,268 12

Monagas 712,626 13

Guarico 627,086 14

Barinas 624,508 15

Trujillo 608,563 16

Yaracuy 499,049 17

Apure 377,756 18

Nva. Sparta 373,851 19

Vargas 298,109 20

Cojedes 253,105 21

Anzoátegui 1. 222,225 22

Dta. Amacuro 97.987 23

Amazon 70,464 24

D. Federal 1,651 25