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Cars 4 Rental Information on Venezuela

General

Area: 912,050 sq km (352,144 sq miles).

Population: 22,688,803 (2001).

Population Density: 24.8 per sq km.

Capital: Caracas. Population: 1,975,787 (official estimate 2000).

GEOGRAPHY: Venezuela is bounded to the north by the Caribbean, to the east by Guyana and the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by Brazil, and to the west and southwest by Colombia. The country consists of four distinctive regions: the Venezuelan Highlands in the west; the Maracaibo Lowlands in the north; the vast central plain of the Llanos around the Orinoco; and the Guiana Highlands, which take up about half of the country.

Government: Republic. Gained independence from Spain in 1830. Head of State and Government: President Hugo Chvez Fras since 2000.

Language: Spanish is the official language. English, French, German and Portuguese are also spoken by some sections of the community.

Religion: 92 per cent Roman Catholic.

Time: GMT - 4.

Electricity: 110 volts AC, 60Hz. US-style two-pin plugs are the most commonly used fittings.

Communications:

Telephone

IDD is available. Country code: 58. Outgoing international code: 00.

Mobile telephone

GSM 900 network. Operators include Corporacin Digitel (website: www.digitel.com.ve), Digicel (website: www.digicel.com.ve) and Infonet. Coverage is limited to around Caracas and major cities.

Fax

Available at the larger hotels.

Internet

ISPs include CantvNet (website: www.cantv.net), Compuserve Venezuela (website: www.csi.com.ve) and Internet Venezuela (website: www.internet.ve). E-mail can be accessed from Internet cafes in most urban areas.

Telegram

Services are available from public telegraph offices.

Post

There is an efficient mail service from Venezuela to the USA and Europe. Airmail to Europe takes 3 to 7 days. Internal mail can sometimes take longer. Surface mail to Europe takes at least 1 month.

Press

The English-language daily newspaper is The Daily Journal, published in Caracas. Spanish-language dailies include El Nacional, El Universal, Meridiano and Ultimas Noticias.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

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Money

Currency: Bolvar (Bs) = 100 cntimos. Notes are in denominations of Bs50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5000, 2000, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of Bs500, 100, 50, 25, 5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 cntimos.

Currency exchange: Banks will change cheques and cash, and cambios will change cash only; as will hotels, although often at a less favourable rate.

Credit & debit cards: American Express, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted; Diners Club has more limited acceptance. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and for other facilities which may be available.

Travellers cheques: Widely accepted, although one may be asked to produce a receipt of purchase when changing them in Venezuela. Exchange is more difficult in some places than others. Some kinds of travellers cheques are not accepted; seek advice before travelling. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.

Currency restrictions: The import and export of local and foreign currency is unlimited.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Bolvar against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Feb ’03 May ’03 Aug ’03 Nov ’03
£1.00= 2544.42 2616.89 2551.92 2711.73
$1.00= 1598.00 1598.00 1599.72 1598.00

Note: The above rates are the official rates for non-commercial transactions. ‘Essential Import’ and ‘Preferential’ rates are also used.

Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1530.

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Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required
Yellow Fever Yes 1
Cholera 2 No
Typhoid and Polio 3 N/A
Malaria 4 N/A

1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from infected areas.

2: Cases of autochthonous cholera were reported in 1996. Visitors are advised to take necessary precautions. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. See the Health appendix for more information.

3: Vaccination against typhoid is advised.

4: Malaria risk in the benign vivax form exists throughout the year in rural areas of Apure, Amazonas, Barinas, Bolvar, Sucre and Tchira states. The malignant falciparum form is restricted to certain jungle areas of Amazonas, Bolvar and Delta Amacuro states and is reported to be highly resistant to chloroquine.

Food & drink: Mains water is not drinkable, and should be boiled or filtered. Bottled water is available and is advised for the first few weeks of the stay. Drinking water outside main cities and towns may be contaminated and sterilisation is advisable. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are generally considered safe to eat.

Other risks: Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present in north-central Venezuela. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water; swimming pools that are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Paragonimiasis (oriental lung fluke) and dengue fever have been reported. Hepatitis A also occurs; hepatitis B and D (delta hepatitis) are highly endemic. Cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis occur in rural areas. Visceral leishmaniasis is rarer. In the southeast, some deaths have been caused by mercury in the river water. Dengue fever is increasingly common and there are epidemics of viral encephalitis at times.
Rabies has been reported. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix.

Health care: The best-equipped hospitals are in the state capitals. Emergency treatment is free and most hospitals have intensive care units. However, private hospitals are of a much higher standard, and although health insurance is not mandatory it is recommended.

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Climate

The climate varies according to altitude. Lowland areas have a tropical climate. The dry season is from December to April and the rainy season from May to December. The best time to visit is between January and April.

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Passport

Passport Required Visa Required Return Ticket Required
British Yes No/2 Yes
Australian Yes No/2 Yes
Canadian Yes No/2 Yes
USA Yes No/2 Yes
OtherEU Yes No/1/2 Yes
Japanese Yes No/2 Yes

PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least 6 months (if entering with a visa) or for the duration of stay (if entering with a Tourist Entry Card) required by all.

VISAS: Required by all except the following, who do, however, require a Tourist Entry Card (TEC), which is issued free of charge by an authorised air carrier on presentation of valid air tickets (including return or onward ticket) for stays of maximum 90 days:
(a) nationals of countries mentioned in the chart above, except 1. nationals of Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia and Malta who do need a visa;
2. Visa required if not entering Venezuela by air.
(b) nationals of Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Grenada, Guatemala, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Jamaica, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, San Marino, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago and Uruguay.

Types of visa and cost: Tourist Entry Card: Free of charge (single-entry). Tourist: £22 (multiple-entry). Business: £44 (multiple-entry). Transit: £22 (single-entry).

Validity: Tourist: 90 days. Business: 180 days. Transit: up to 72 hours.

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section. Tourist Entry Cards are available at the airport check-in desk prior to departure.

Application requirements: Tourist: (a) Completed and signed application form. (b) Two recent passport-size photos. (c) Passport with at least 6 months validity at time of visa application. (d) Fee. (e) Airline ticket for return or onward journey. (f) Self-addressed, stamped envelope for postal applications. (g) Reference from employer with start date, salary and position held, and last bank statement or letter from your bank showing your bank balance. Business: (a)-(f) and, (g) Employer’s reference and letter confirming purpose of visit. (h) Reference from company to be contacted in Venezuela. Transit: (a) Ticket confirming you will be continuing to a third country. (b) Name of airline carrier. (c) Flight number. (d) Date you will be entering and departing Venezuela. (e) Name of entry and departing Venezuelan port or airport.

Working days required: 3.

Temporary residence: Special authorisation is required from the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Caracas.

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