Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1424

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VENEZUELA

The distribution of the commerce in 1917-18 and 1918-19 was mainly a= follows : —

Imports

Exports

1917-18

1918-19

1917-18 1918-19

United States

United Kingdom .... Spain

Italy

£

2.109,060

772,561

154,623

153,952

55,9S3

£

3,646,157 !

1,094,951 I

171,358

10S,149

3,349

40,609

£ £

1,970,637 4,361,357 522,911 582,437 363,293 742.M30 323.6S1 2,200,756 115,706 ; 204.95S 59,825 56,241

Of the imports in 1918-19, the United States furnished 73 per cent, and the Unitei Kingdom 22 per cent. ; and of the exports the United States took 47 per cent, and the United Kingdom 6 per cent. (1,099, 118Z. of the imports from United States consisted of gold specie).

Total trade between Venezuela and the United Kingdom (according to the Board of Trade returns) for 5 years : —

1916 1917 | 1918

1919

1920

£ £ £ £

Imports from Venezuela to U. Kingdom, 171,743, 215,335 | 423,<;50 976,008 fixports to Venezuela from U. Kingdom 919.300 948,763 11,0*5.139 1 1,859,987

JC 981,579 3,367,039

Shipping and Communications.

The number of vessels which entered ports of Venezuela in 1918-19 was 819 of an aggregate tonnage of 643,297 (British vessels, 60 of 153,478 tons). Foreign vessels are not permitted to engage in the coasting trade, except by special concessions or by contract with the Government.

Venezuela had in 1918, 11 steamers of 5,298 tons, and 15 sailing vessels of 2,432 tons.

The roads of the country have recently been much improved. Then are now good carriage roads from Caracas to I. a Quaire and Maputo, from Caracas to Valencia and Puerto Cabello, eventually to be continued to San Cristobal (683 miles), and from Caracas to Guatire, projected as fav as Ciudad Bolivar ; from Maracay two new roads have been opened to Ocumare de la Costa, and to Villa de Cura and the Llanos of Apure ; in remoter parts, away from the rivers, traffic is carried on by means of pack animals and small mule-carts. Anew road has also been constructed in the western part of the country from (Jraca, the present terminus of the Tachira Railroad, southward of the mountains of San Cristobal. Total mileage of roads on December SI, 1919, 1,636.

In Venezuela there are 12 lines of railway (5 national and 7 foreign the latter including 4 British and 1 < ierinan) with a total length of (January 1st, 1921) 644 miles. The Great Railway of Venezuela, 113 miles in extent, is one of the longest lines in the Republic, running between Caracas and Valencia. Other lines are the La Guaira and Caracas line (22 miles), the Venezuela Central-RaUwaf (45 miles), the Puerto Cabello and Valencia Railway (34 miles), the Bolivar Railway (143 miles), the oldest line in operation in the country, and which runs from the port of Tunicas to Barquisimeto ; Great Tachira Railway (74 miles); Great Railway of La Ceita (52 miles) ; Oarenero Railway (218 miles) ; Guanta to Barcelona Railway (22 miles) ; and Santa Barbara to El Vigia Railway (37 miles). In 1919 gross railway receipts amounted to 16,042,648 bolivars, and working expenses to 9,359,028 bolivars. In Caracas electric tramways are worked by a British Company.