We present a formalism by which the size-frequency distribution of impact craters on Venus may be used to estimate upper bounds on the mean global rates of volcanic resurfacing and lithospheric recycling on that planet over the past several hundred million years. The principal assumptions are that an upper bound on the rate of crater production on Venus may be estimated and that craters are volcanically obliterated only when flows completely cover their rims. The impact crater density reported from Venera 15-16 observations, if valid for the entire Venus surface, then indicates a mean volcanic flux no greater than 2 km3/y, corresponding to a maximum average rate of resurfacing of about 4 km/b.y. The fraction of global heat loss due to such a rate of volcanic resurfacing is negligible. For the lowest estimated crater retention age of the surface imaged by Venera 15-16, if globally representative, the rate of lithospheric recycling on Venus does not exceed 1.5 km2/y, corresponding to 25% of the global heat loss. More likely estimates of the mean surface age limit the contribution to global heat loss of any lithospheric recycling to be less than 10%. These results support the hypothesis that simple conduction dominates heat transport at lithospheric levels in the Venus interior. ¿American Geophysical Union 1987