Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1491

 RELIGION AND INSTRUCTION

1135

State, &c.

Area square miles

Population, 1891

Population per , sq. mile, 1891 !

Territories :

Goajira .... Alto Orinoco, , Amazonas ....

Colon

Yuruari^ .... Caura ..... Armisticio .... Delta

Total ....

3,608

119,780\

90,928/

166 81,123 22,564) 7,046 i 25,347

65,990

45,197

129 22,392 In adjoining States 7,222

18-3 1

0-2 :

01 0-2

0-3

593,943

2,323,527

3-9

1 Reincorporated with the State of Bolivar in 1891.

The area and population of Venezuela here stated are those oflScially put forth in Venezuelan statistics, but of the Delta Territory about one-third, i.nd of the Yuruari Territory more than half arc claimed by Great Britain as forming part of the Colony of British Guiana. The British claim was taken over from the Dutch when the colony was c6ded by them in 1814, and the Venezuelans on securing their independence in 1821 succeeded to the territorial claims put forth by Spain. Disputes regarding the frontier line arose with Great Britain, and negotiations for a settlement Avere carried on intermittently from 1841 to 1896. At the request of the Venezuelan Government, the Government of the United States intervened, and a treaty between Great Britain and Venezuela was ratified at "Washington on June 14, 1897, wherebv 4 arbitrators were appointed (2 for Great Britain and 2 for Venezuela), these four being required to choose a fifth as president, who, if not appointed Avithin three months of the date of the ratification of the treaty, should be selected by the King of Sweden and Norway. In December, 1897, Professor Martens of St. Petersburg was appointed president. The delegates held a preliminary meeting at Paris on January 25, and adjourned until May 25, 1899, when the business of the Commission Avill be begun.

The population in 1891 consisted of 1,137,139 males and 1,186,388 females. According to the census of 1881 the population was 2,075,245. This showed an increase in the population over the census of 1873, of 291,051. The native Indian population in 1890 numbered 326,000, of whom 66,000 independent, 20,000 submitted, 240,000 civilized. In 1889 the number of marriages was 6,705; of births 76,187 ; of deaths, 55,218. The immigra- tion (1,555 in 1890) and emigration nearly balance each other. Since 1896 several contracts have been made for the introduction of immigrants for the purpose of establishing colonies on the public lands ; but up to July, 1898, few colonists had been introduced.

The population of Caracas, the capital, in 1888 was 70,466 (72,429 in 1891), Valencia 38,654, Maracaibo 34,284, Barquisimeto 31,476, Ciudad de Cura 12,198, Barcelone 12,785, Ciudad Bolivar 11,686, Guanare 10,880.

Religion and Instruction.

The Roman Catholic is the State religion, but there is toleration of all others, though they are not permitted any external manifestations. In 1894 the Protestants numbered 3,575 ; Jews, 411 ; without profession, 5,906 ; the remaind?r were Catholics.