Federations of the World

Federation Maps and Fact Sheets

Venezuela
Federalism first introduced in 1947
Current federal Constitution adopted in 1999
Official Website of the federal government of Venezuela (Spanish)

Constituent units

• 23 states: Amazonas; Anzoategui; Apure; Aragua; Barinas; Bolivar; Carabobo; Cojedes; Delta Amacuro; Falcón; Guárico; Lara; Mérida; Miranda; Monagas; Nueva Esparta; Portuguesa; Sucre; Táchira; Trujillo;Yaracuy; Zulia and since 1998, Vargas.
  1 Federal District: Cáracas
  1 Federal Dependency: it is composed of 72 islands.
  • Map of Venezuela

Constitutional distribution of powers

• Constitution of Venezuela (Spanish), in particular:
  • Powers of the national government (Articles 156-158)
  • Powers of the state governments (Articles 162-167)
    (Source: Political Database of the Americas) 

Legislative institutions

• Federal: Unicameral National Assembly consisting of a Chamber of Deputies.
  • Official Website of the National Assembly  (Spanish)
  
  
• States: Unicameral assemblies

Official language

The 1999 Constitution stipulates that Castilian (Spanish) is the official language. It also states that indigenous languages can be used officially by the indigenous peoples and that these indigenous languages must be respected throughout Venezuela.

• Article 9 of the Constitution of Venezuela (Spanish)

Other links of interest

• Vargas: History  (Spanish)
• Political overview
• General information on Venezuela
• Venezuela in brief