Page:EB1911 - Volume 27.djvu/1018

Rh of Venezuela—the horse, ass, ox, sheep, goat, hog, dog, cat, &c.—are not indigenous.

Flora.—The flora of Venezuela covers a wide range because of the vertical climatic zones. The coastal zone and lower slopes of all the mountains, including the lower Orinoco region and the Maracaibo basin, are clothed with a typical tropical vegetation. There is no seasonal interruption in vegetation. The tropical vegetation extends to an altitude of about 1300 ft., above which it may be classed as semi-tropical up to about 3500 ft., and temperate up to 7200 ft., above which the vegetation is Alpine. Palms grow everywhere; among them the coco-nut palm (Cocos nucifera) is the most prominent. There are some exotics in this zone, like the mango, which thrive so well that they are thought to be indigenous. The cacau is at its best in the humid forests of this region and is cultivated in the rich alluvial valleys, and the banana thrives everywhere, as well as the exotic orange and lemon. On the mountain slopes orchids are found in great profusion. Sugar-cane is cultivated in the alluvial valleys and coffee on their slopes up to a height of about 2000 ft. Among the many tropical fruits found here are bananas, guavas, mangoes, cashews, bread-fruit, aguacates, papayas, zapotes, granadillas, oranges, lemons and limes. In the next zone are grown many of the cereals (including rice), beans, tobacco, sugar-cane, peaches, apricots, quinces and strawberries. The llanos have some distinguishing characteristics. They are extensive grassy plains, the lowest being the bed of an ancient inland lake about which is a broad terrace {mesa), the talus perhaps of the ancient encircling highlands. The lower level has extensive lagoons and swampy areas and suffers less from the long periodical drought. Its wild grasses are luxuriant and a shrubby growth is found along many of its streams. The decline in stock-breeding resulted in a considerable growth of trees and chaparral over the greater part of the plain. A large part of the chaparral consists of the chaparro, a low evergreen oak of hardy characteristics, mixed with mimosa, desmauthus, zonia and others. Much of this region is covered with tamdote, a tall, worthless, grass with sharp stiff blades. One of the most remarkable palms of the Orinoco region is the “moriche” (Mauritia flexuosa). The fruit is edible and its juice is made into beer; the sap of the tree is made into wine, and its pith into bread; the leaves furnish an excellent thatch, and the fibre extracted from their midribs is used for, fish lines, cordage, hammocks, nets, &c. ; and the wood is hard and makes good building material. The fruit of the Guilielma is also widely used for food among the natives. Among other forest trees of economic importance are the silk-cotton tree (Bombax ceiba), the palo de vaca, or cow-tree (Brosimum galactodendron) whose sap resembles milk and is used for that purpose; the Inga saman, the Hevea guayanensis, celebrated in the production of rubber, and the Attalea speciosa, distinguished for the length of its leaves.

The principal economic plants of the country are cacau, coffee, Cassava (manioc) called “mandioca” in Brazil, Indian corn, beans, sweet potatoes, taro, sugar-cane, cotton and tobacco. Of these coffee and sugar-cane were introduced by Europeans.

Population.—The population of, Venezuela is largely a matter of conjecture, no census having been taken sincfe the third general census of 1891, which gave a total population of 2,323,527, of which 1,137,139 were males and 1,186,388 females, and there were 42,898 foreign residents. The official Handbook of Venezuela for 1904 estimated the population for the preceding year as 2,663,671. The population consists of a small percentage of whites of European descent, chiefly Spaniards, various tribes and settlements of Indians, largely of the Arawak and Garib families, and a large percentage of mestizos, or mixed bloods. There is a large admixture of African blood. Hübner estimates the mixed of all races at 93%, the highest among all the South American nationalities, and the Creoles at 1% only; but this is clearly incorrect. Perhaps a closer approximation would be to rate the Creole element (whites of European descent) at 10%, as in Colombia, and the mixed races at 70%, the remainder consisting of Africans, Indians and resident foreigners.

Territorial Divisions.—The territorial divisions of Venezuela have been subjected to many changes. Under the constitution of the 27th of April 1904, the republic was divided into 13 states, 1 federal district and 5 territories, the names of which are as follows, those of the capital cities being given in brackets: Federal District (Caracas and La Asuncion); Aragua (La Victoria); Bermudez (Cumana); Bolivar (Ciudad Bolfvar); Carabobo (Valencia) ; Falcon (Coro) ; Guarico (Calabpzo) ; Lara (Barquisimeto) ; Merida (Merida); Miranda (Ocumare); Tachira (San Crist6bal); Trujillo (Trujillo); Zamora (San Carl6s); Zulia (Maracaibo), with the following territories: Ainazbnas (San Fernando de Atabapo): Colón (Gran Roque); Cristobal Colón (Cristobal Col6n) ; Delta-Amacuro (San Josė de Amacuro); Yaruari (Guacipati).

On the 5th of August 1909, however, a new division was promulgated, giving 20 states, 1 federal district and 2 territories. Under this division some of the recognized administrative units were greatly altered in area or even abolished, and the capital status of several cities was apparently affected. The division was as follows: Federal District (Carácas ); Anzoátegui (Barcelona) ; Apuré (San Fernando de Apure); Aragua (La Victoria); Bolivar (Ciudad Bolivar) ; Carabobo (Valencia) ; Cojedes (San Carlós); Falcón (Coro); Guarico (Calabozo); Lara (Barquisimeto); Mérida (Mérida) ; Miranda (Ocumare); Monagas (Maturin); Nueva Esparta (La Asunción); Partuguesa (Guanare); Sucre (Cumana) ; Tachira (San Cristobal) ; Trujillo (Trujillo) ; Yaracuy (San Felipe); Zamora (Barinas); Zulia (Maracaibo), with the following territories : Amazonas (San Fernando de Atabapo) ; Delta-Amacuro (Tucupita).

Communications and Commerce.—There has been no great development of railway construction in Venezuela, partly on account of political insecurity and partly because of the backward industrial state of the country. In 1908 there were only 13 railway lines with a mileage of about 540 m., including the short lines from Carácas to El Valle and La Guaira to Maiquetia and Macuto, and the La Vela and Coro. The longest of these is the German line from Carácas to Valencia (in m,), and the next longest the Great Tachira, running from Encontrada on Lake Maracaibo inland to Uraca (71 m.;, with a projected extension to San Cristobal. Another line in the Lake Maracaibo region is known as the Great La Ceiba, and runs from a point near the lake to the vicinity of Valera and Trujillo. An important line connects the thriving city of Barquisimeto with the port of Tucacas. The best known of the Venezuelan railways is the short line from La Guaira to Carácas (22 m.), which scales the steep sides of the mountain behind La Guaira and reaches art elevation of 3135 ft. before arriving at Carácas. It is a British enterprise, and is one of the few railways in Venezuela that pay a dividend. The Puerto Cabello and Valencia line (34 m.) is another British undertaking and carries a good traffic. A part of this line is built with a central cog-rail. Probably a return; to settled political sand industrial conditions in Venezuela will result in a large addition to its railway mileage, as a means of bringing the fertile inland districts into direct communication with the coast.

In steamship lines the republic has almost nothing to show. A regular service is maintained on Lake Maracaibo, one on Lake Valencia, and another oa the Orinoco, Apure and Portuguesa rivers, starting from Ciudad Bolivar.

The coast of Venezuela has an aggregate length of 1876 m., and there are 32 ports, large and small, not including those of Lakes Maracaibo and Tacarigua, and the Orinoco. The great majority of these have only a limited commerce, restricted to domestic exchanges. The first-class ports are La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, Ciudad Bolivar, Maracaibo and Carupano, and the second-class are Sucre, Juan Griego, Guiria, Cano Colorado, Guanta, Tucacas, La Vela and Porlamar. The commerce of these ports, both in the foreign and domestic trade, is small, tariff regulations being onerous, and the people too impoverished to be consumers of much beyond the barest necessaries of life. The total foreign trade in 1908 amounted to $9,778,810 imports and $14,560,830 exports, the values being in U.S. gold. The exports to the United States were valued a * $5,550,073 and to France $5,496,627. The principal exports were coffee, cacau, divi-divi, rubber, hides and skins, cattle and asphalt. The imports include manufactured articles of all kinds, hardware and building materials, earthenware and glassware, furniture, drugs and medicines, wines, foodstuffs, coal, petroleum and many other things. The coasting trade is largely made up of products destined for exportation, or imports trans-shipped from the first-class ports to the smaller ones which have no direct relations with foreign countries. In the absence of statistical returns it is impossible to give the values of this branch of trade. The exchanges of domestic products are less important than they should be. The Orinoco trade is carried on almost wholly through Port of Spain, Trinidad, where merchandise and produce is transferred between light draught river boats and foreign ocean-going steamers. The distance from Port of Spain to Ciudad Bolivar is 299 m. and the traffic is carried by foreign-owned steamers. Under the administration of President Cipriano Castro this traffic was suspended for a long time, and trans-shipments were made at La Guaira. Above Ciudad Bolivar transportation is effected by two or three small river steamers and a great number of small craft (lauchas, bungos, balandras, &c.), using sails, oars and punting poles.

Agriculture.—The principal industries of Venezuela are agricultural and pastoral. Both have suffered heavily from military operations, but still they have remained the basis of Venezuelan wealth and progress. Much the greater part of the republic is fertile and adapted to cultivation. Irrigation, which has not been used to any great extent, is needed in some parts of the country for the best results, but in others, as in the valleys and on the northern slopes of the Maritime Andes, the rainfall is sufficiently well distributed to meet most requirements. The long dry season of the