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VENEZUELA.

(Etados XJnidos de Venezuela.) Constitution and Government.

The Republic of Venezuela was formed in 1830, by secession from the other members of the Free State founded by Simon Bolivar within the limits of the Spanish colony of New Granada The charter of fundamental laws actually in force, dating from 1830, and re-proclaimed, with alterations, on March 28, 1864, and April 1881, is designed on the model of the Constitution of the United States of America, but with considerably m.ore independence secured to provincial and local government. At the head of the central executive government is the President, elected for the term of two years, exercising his functions through six ministers, and a Federal Council of 19 members. The Federal Council is appointed by the Congress every two years ; the Council from its own members, choose a President, who is also President of the Republic. Neither the President nor members of the Federal Council can be re-elected for the following period. The President has no veto power. The legislation for the whole Republic is vested in a Congress of two Houses, called the Senate (three senators for each of the eight States and the Federal District), and the House of Representatives (one to every 35, 000 of population). The Senators are elected for four years by the Legislature of each State, and the Representatives for a like period by ' popular, direct, and public election. ' The Congresses of States are elected by universal suffrage. There are 24 Senators and 52 Representatives. A revised Constitution has been presented, June 1891, by the two Chambers to the Legislative Assemblies of the States for their consideration.

President of the Republic. — General Andrade.

The- provinces, or States, of the Republic have each their own legislature and executive, as well as their own budgets and judicial officers, and the main purpose of their alliance is that of common defence. The administration of the territories and colonies is entrusted to the government of the Federation.

Area and Population.

Until 1881 Venezuela was divided into twenty-one States and their terri- tories ; but in that year a re-division was made into eight large States, each subdivided into sections or districts, corresponding to the old States, besides the Federal District, two national settlements, and eight territories. The following table gives the area and population of each of the new States and territories according to the census of 1891 : —

State, &c.

Area

Population,

Population per

square miles

1891

sq. mile, 1891

Federal District

45

89,133

1,980-7

Miranda

33,969

484,509

14-2

Carabobo

2,984

198,021

60-6

Bermudez

32,243

300,597

9-3

Zamora

25,212

246,676

9-6

Lara

9,296

246,760

26-5

Los Andes

14,719

336,146

22-8

Falcon and Zulia

36,212

224,566

6-2

Bolivar

88,701

50,289

0-6