Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1477

 1855 VENEZUELA.

(ESTADOS UnIDO.S DE VENEZUELA.)

Constitution and Government.

The Republic of Venezuela was formed in 1830 by secession from the other members of the Republic of Colombia. The Constitution in force is that of August 5, 1909, Legislative authority is vested in a Congress of 2 chambers, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The former consists of 40 members elected for 4 years, 2 for each State, Venezuelans by birth and over 30 years of age. The latter is constituted as follows : Each State chooses by direct elecfion for 4 years one deputy, a Venezuelan by birth and over 21 years of ao-e, for every 35,000 inhabitants, and one more for an excess of 15,000. A State with fewer than 35,000 of population will have one deputy. The Federal District and the Territories which have, or may reacli, the population fixed by law will also elect deputies.

The executive power is exercised by the President of the Republic in con- junction with the Cabinet Ministers through whom he acts, and the Council of Government in certain cases determined by the Constitution. The President is elected by Congress for 4 years, must be a Venezuelan by birth and over 30 years of age ; he may not be re-elected for the following presi- dential period. Failing the President, temporarily or absolutely, his place is supplied by the presiding member of the Council of Government, This Council consists of 10 members, 1 for eacli 2 States, who are chosen by Congress for 4 years.

President of the Republic— General J, V. Gomez, installed June, 1910.

The Cabinet consists of 7 Ministers : the Ministers of the Interior, of Foreign Affairs, of Finance and Public Credit, of War and Marine, of Fomento, of Public Works, and of Public Instruction, The seat of the General Powers of the Nation is at the City of Caracas, but, when any unforeseen circum- stance requires, the Executive Power may fix its residence at any other point of the Federal District.

The States are autonomous an«l politically equal. Each has a Legislative Assembly, whose members are chosen in accordance with their respective Con- stitutions, Each State has a President, a general Secretary, and a Council of Government. The States are divided into districts and municipalities. Each district has a municipal council, and each municipio a communal junta. The Territories are administered by the President of the Republic through Governors, who in turn appoint secretaries.

Area and Population.

Venezuela has an area of about 393,976 square miles, with a population officially estimated at 2,743,841 on January 1, 1912, But the official figures have been very much questioned and it is said that 1^ millions is nearer actuality. It is now divided into a Federal District, 20 States and 2 Territories, as follows : —

States, &c. States, &c,

Apure Lara

Aragim Monagas

Anzoategui Merida

Bolivar Miranda

Carabobo Nueva Esparla

Cojedes Portugucsa

Falcon Sucre

GuArico Tdchira

In 1911 the marriages within the Republic, according to the official statis- tics, numbered 8,017 ; births, 83,753 ; deaths, 55,428; entrances of passengers, 9,204 ; departures, 7,219.

In 1910 in Caracas, the death rate was 38 '5 per 1,000, and the birth rate 34 '4.

States, (fee, Trnjillo Yaracuy Zaniora Znlia Ter. Amazonas

,, Delta- Amacuro Federal District