Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/75

* VENEZUELA. 51 VENEZUELA. arp commnn at t'x' iiioudi of the Orinoco. The fnrost prodiiptrt ciiniiirisc nililii'r. vanilla, various llhnius |iImii1s. dvc and caliini't woods, and (Iriifjs, liut as yet the foi-est wealtli of th<' country is little utilized. The fauna inehxles the various species of the neotropical rpf;ion of South Amer- ica (howling and other monkeys, jaguar, puma, sloth, ant-eater, armadillo, tapir, lamantin, a vast variety of birds of line plumage, including the ibis, heron, and the guaeharo or oilhirds; ana- conda and boa, rattlesnake, crocodile, cayman, etc.) and nnuiy of the elements of the north and .south temperate regions. (Jeology a.nd Mining Intere.sts. The Andean ranges of the southwest are for the most ]iart of plutonic formation in which granite and gneiss ])redominate, with lateral ridges of upper green sandstone and limestone. The valleys and plains on either side of these ranges arc covered by detrital deposits. The northernmost range of the coast system is of crystalline forma- tion, but the lower southern chain is largely composed of stratified Cretaceous rocks. The soil throughout this whole region is very deep and fer- tile, making it one of the richest agricultural centres of the continent. The llanos and the hnv- lands of .Iaracail>o are largely made up of Ter- tiary and t^)uaternary deposits, composed chiefly of marl, sand, shingle, and conglomerate mixed with alluvial deposits. The foundation of the Guiana highland region is of granite with an outer layer of sandstone, and large barren stretches occur in this region. The mineral re- sources are supposed to be of great value, but are at present little developed. The greatest yield of gold is found in the Territory of Yuruari, thoxigh the exports of that metal from this region have fallen off greatly since the early eighties, when the annual yield averaged nearly 200,000 ounces. The copper mines of the Aroa district, 70 miles west of Puerto Cabello, produce superior ore, but their yield has also greatly lessened within the last few years. The salt mines of the Araya jieninsula, worked since the sixteenth century, form an important Government monopoly, and ith other salinas often produce 100.000 tons annually. Copper, silver, and iron are abundant in the other mountainous regions of the Republic. An inferior quality of coal is found near Barce- lona and at the head of the Ciulf of Paria. Rich deposits of asphalt are known to exist in the Maracaibo region and in the State of Bermudez, and petroleum of tine quality in the State of Los Andes. Excellent granite is found near Caracas and marble is common. Fisheries. The pearl, sponge, and tortoise-shell fisheries are small, but developing. The annual output of pearls is valued at about $100,000. Agriculture and Stock-Raisixg. Venezuela's chief indu.stry is agriculture. However, only about one-third of the area is estimated as culti- vable, and of this cultivable portion only about one-third is tilled. Cofl'ee easily ranks first, both as an agricultural product and as an ariicle of export, but its cultivation has been greatly handi- capped by the serious decline in prices. In ISOfi the acreage in eofl^ee was estimated at 180,000, with an average yield of five hundredweight an acre. Cacao is an important product, for which the warm moist lands of the coast are especially adapted. Sugar cane is extensively grown, owing to the duties, which exclude foreign sugars, but the product is almost wholly consumed at home, largely in the distillation of native spirits. Cot- ton is not now grown. Tlic same is true of indigo, displaced by colt'ee. Kor domestic consumption cereals, beans, potatoes, manioc, fruits and vege- tables are produced, but the demand for wheat exceeds the home supply. Tobacco thrives in the lowland regions, though the present grades are inferior and the cultivation is much intcrruiit- ed by civil counuotions. Some natural forest prod- ucts, such as copaiba, vanilla, and caoutchouc, are gathered for the pirpose of exportation ; but in general, the agricultural resources of Vene- zuela are poorly developed aiul the methods em- ]iloyed antiquated and wasteful. Cattle-raising lias always been an important industry, but the cattle of the llanos were greatly depleted during the revolutionary days between 1800 and 18fi.5. Now, however, these plains are becoming re- stocked, while in the northwest the raising of sheep and goats has become an important indus- try. The following holdings are given in round, numbers: Oxen, 2,000,000; horses, 101,000; goats, 1,700,000; sheep, 177,000 ; mules and asses, 400,000, Manufactures. In the large cities there are some establishments for cotton-weaving and the making of shoes and hats, agricultural imple- ments, vehicles, and furniture, and breweries and distilleries. The more important industries are largely in foreign hands. Transportation and Communication. The Orinoco, with its great tributaries, the Apure and the Meta, affords excellent communication with the interior. The roads, away from the vicinity of the larger cities, are mere mule tracks. The first railroad, joining Caracas with its seaport. La Guayra, was completed in 1883, at a cost of $100,000 per mile. Though a narrow-gauge road, its construction was a difficult engineering feat, on account of the steep grades involved. In 1899 there were in operation 52.5 miles of railway, of which the Government owned 12 miles. Venezuela has cable communication with the outside world through a French line. Commerce. La Guayra and the other ports of Venezuela are connected with the United States and Europe by five lines of steamers, giving the Republic almost daily communication with the outside world. In 1000 the coasting trade of Venezuela (in which foreign vessels are not permitted to engage) was carried on by 12 local steamers, with a tonnage of 2567, and 18 sailing vessels, with a tonnage of 2S3G. The period from 1883 to 1894 was one of inflation in foreign and domestic commerce, caused by the introduction of some $50,000,000 of foreign capital. The cessa- tion of this influx of siieculative money, coupled with the political disturbances between 1800 and 1900, brought about a reaction from which the country has not yet ^recovered. There are few British or United States merchants in the coun- try. German merchants are numerous, surpass- ing the Venezuelans, who in turn are followed in order of importance by French, Italians, and Spaniards. In 1900, 1059 vessels visited the four principal ports; in 1901, 938 entered Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, and La Guayra, the number visit- ing Ciudad Bolivar not being known. The prin- cipal exports for the year 1901 were as fol- lows: C'oft'ee (largely to Germanj- and the United States), 92,838,940 pounds; cacao (main-