Historical Dictionary of Venezuela

(Hardback, Third Edition)

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Venezuela is the seventh largest oil producer and holder of the largest proven reserves in the world. Its also a country full of problems, as evidenced by having the biggest inflation rates and, by some estimates the highest crime rates worldwide. Despite having an oil boom between 2004 through 2008 with income of around two billion dollars, in 2016 it suffered an immense economic contraction and probably the largest supply shortcut crisis in its history. This third edition of Historical Dictionary of Venezuela contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 700 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Venezuela.

Reviews

Author expertise in history, business, and economic history shows in this new edition. An introduction follows acronyms, a low-contrast map, and chronology for the period 1498 to early 2017 that omits only a few years or short spans of time. . . Alphabetically organized entries of the dictionary show cross-references by displaying any term that also appears elsewhere as an article heading in bold face at first appearance within an entry. See and see also references precede headings in all capitals. . . Appendixes offer general reference, presidents. . . population, and demographic and economic data. Maduro appears among dictionary entries. The bibliography is organized topically, with a wide range of historic and recent references. Primarily for comprehensive and Latin American studies reference collections. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries. * CHOICE *
A list of abbreviations and acronyms, a map, and a chronology covering the period from 1498 to 2017 begin this third edition authored by three professors at the Universidad Catlica Andrs Bello, Caracas. An introduction, which discusses the historiography, history, pre-Hispanic period, discovery and conquest, the colonial period and independence, and the republican period, comes next. The introduction is followed by more than seven hundred entries, which contain see and see also references. The entries vary in length from a short paragraph to nearly ten pages on the economy. A series of appendixes provides users with more information. Appendix A, Venezuela at a Glance, provides basic facts on area, climate, life expectancy, the flag, the unemployment rate, external debt as percentage of GDP, and more. Presidents of Venezuela, appendix B, starts with Cristbal Mendoza (1811-1812) and ends with Hugo Chvez (2007-2013). For each, there is supplemental information: position, origin of mandate, and end of mandate. The next appendix, Population, gives the total number as well as percent growth, starting in 1920 and running through 2016. Further population data is provided in appendix D, Population Pyramid (2011 Census). Statistics on racial structure are covered in appendix E, while real GDP and percent growth numbers from 1920 to 2016 are given in appendix F. The last appendix, Inflation, provides users with year-by-year statistics since 1920. A bibliography rounds out the work. The information in this work will help readers make sense of a country currently in turmoil. Recommended for academic and public libraries. * American Reference Books Annual *

Author Bio

Toms Straka is a professor at Universidad Catlica Andrs Bello and member of the National Academy of History (Venezuela). Guillermo Guzmn Mirabal is a professor at Universidad Catlica Andrs Bello in several courses related to contemporary and business history. He authored the book Del Acuerdo de Ginebra a la Rebelin del Rupununi. Tres aos del proceso de recuperacin de la Guayana Esequiba (19661969). Alejandro E. Cceres lectures postgraduate courses in economic and business history (Universidad Catlica Andrs Bello), and business strategy (IESA Management School, Venezuela). Among his works are De Las Concesiones A La Nueva Pdvsa: Cien Aos De Industria Petrolera.