There are twelve ports with custom-houses for trade and communication with the outside world, but that number includes the new one of Imataca, on the Caño Corosimo, in the Delta territory, established August 14, 1911. Puerto Cabello ranks first for number of vessels, La Guaira second, and Carúpano third; all, except Caño Colorado, have regular wharves, adequate custom-houses, &c. The total number of vessels received in the year 1909 was 645, with an aggregate tonnage of 937,689, of which two-thirds were steam-propelled. It is interesting to compare the standing of the various countries in tonnage of steamships, as given in the following table:— -------------------------+----------+------------------- Nationality. | Tonnage. | Number of Vessels. -------------------------+----------+------------------- Dutch | 212,375 | 151 United States of America | 155,269 | 85 British | 149,565 | 67 French | 149,114 | 36 German | 106,257 | 53 Italian | 71,760 | 21 Spanish | 43,785 | 13 Norwegian | 30,978 | 42 Venezuelan | 10,651 | 158 Swedish | 4,808 | 7 Russian | 2,346 | 7 Danish | 778 | 3 Colombian | 3 | 2 -------------------------+----------+------------------- Thus Holland is far ahead in point of numbers, though by no means first in trade, while France comes above Germany, even though the imports from the latter are much greater. The small number of Spanish vessels speaks eloquently as to the fitness of Spain to retain her South American colonies by force after her decline. Finally, for communication with the outside world, these are the following chief lines and the ports they run to:—