Information
Country: VenezuelaContinent: South America
Venezuela, South America
Overview
Here’s a closer look at Venezuela-its geography, history, culture, economy, and more-without diving into specific landmarks.In northern South America, it borders Colombia to the west, Brazil to the south, Guyana to the east, and the blue sweep of the Caribbean Sea to the north.Venezuela’s landscape stretches from snow-capped mountains to wide, open plains, with dense rainforests humming with life and warm, breezy shores along the coast.In western Venezuela, the Andes rise steep and jagged, their slopes wrapped in cool, thin air.This area plays a key role in farming, especially for growing rich coffee beans and smooth, dark cocoa.Central Region: This area covers Caracas, the bustling capital, along with the hills and towns that surround it.This region stretches from sandy coastal plains to the rugged foothills of the Andes.The vast Llanos stretch across the country’s central and eastern reaches, where herds of cattle graze under the wide, sun-bleached sky.The region stretches across open grasslands, winding rivers, and quiet wetlands, and it’s alive with wildlife-a heron lifting off the water’s edge is a common sight.In southeastern Venezuela, the Amazon rainforest stretches out in dense green, alive with countless species, its air heavy with heat and the scent of wet earth, and its landscape laced with winding rivers.In southern Venezuela, the Guayana Region rests on the ancient Guayana Shield, a land of sweeping plateaus, thunderous waterfalls, and dense, emerald rainforests.It’s home to Angel Falls, where water plunges in a silver ribbon from unimaginable heights, and it also holds vast mineral riches beneath its surface.Venezuela is crisscrossed by wide, rushing rivers, the mighty Orinoco among them-one of the largest in all of South America.It winds its way from coast to plain, carrying its waters east until they spill into the Atlantic.Lake Maracaibo, the largest in Venezuela, is famous for its vast oil reserves, with drilling rigs dotting its shimmering surface.The Caroni and Apure rivers play a key role in the country’s water system, carrying muddy currents that feed its vast network of streams and wetlands.Venezuela’s landscapes shape a surprising mix of climates, from humid jungle heat to the crisp chill of Andean peaks.Along the coast, it stays warm all year, the air thick with tropical heat and the scent of salt drifting in on the breeze.In the Andean region, the climate stays mild, though the air can turn crisp or even biting as you climb higher into the mountains.The Llanos and the Amazon Basin stay hot and sticky year-round, shifting between pounding rains and months of dry heat.Caracas, the capital, sits in a sheltered valley where the air stays warm and gentle, like a soft April morning, all year long.Before the Spanish arrived, the land bustled with indigenous peoples-the Caribs, Arawaks, Chibchas, and Tupis-fishing in rivers and trading along forest paths.They made their homes in small villages, tending crops, hunting game in the woods, and pulling fish from the river.In 1498, Christopher Columbus reached the warm, palm-fringed coast of Venezuela, setting in motion the Spanish Colonial Era and the start of Spain’s exploration and colonization.Over the next hundred years, the Spanish built settlements and tapped into the land’s riches, from glittering gold to fields heavy with ripe crops.The Viceroyalty of New Granada, which stretched over Venezuela’s rugged coasts and mountains, belonged to the Spanish Empire.Colonial rule carried European influence across the land, yet it also meant the exploitation of native peoples, while African slaves were forced onto hot, humid plantations to labor from dawn to dusk.From 1810 to 1821, Venezuela fought to break free from Spain, starting with a bold declaration in the spring of 1810.Their fight was just one spark in a sweeping push for independence that lit cities and hillsides across Latin America.Simón Bolívar, the Venezuelan military leader, drove the fight for independence, leading daring campaigns that sent Spanish troops scrambling through the dusty streets.In 1821, Venezuela won its independence alongside several neighboring nations, then joined Gran Colombia-a brief republic under Bolívar’s leadership, where fresh flags still smelled of dye.In 1830, Venezuela broke away from Gran Colombia and declared itself independent, its new flag snapping in the wind.In the 19th century, after gaining independence, Venezuela was rocked by political turmoil.Liberal and conservative factions clashed in wars and uprisings, sometimes spilling into the streets with the smell of smoke hanging in the air.The country faced territorial disputes with Guyana and Colombia, sparring over borders that cut through dense jungle.In the mid-1800s, Antonio Guzmán Blanco seized power as a dictator, paving roads and raising railways while shaping a political legacy built firmly in his own name.In the early 1900s, Venezuela’s economy shifted dramatically when massive oil reserves were discovered, shimmering beneath its sun-baked soil.The country grew into a major oil exporter, a change that fueled its economy and steered its ties abroad, much like the scent of crude drifting from busy port docks.From 1908 to 1935, Juan Vicente Gómez tightened his grip on Venezuela, keeping the streets calm and politics steady, yet never loosening his iron-fisted rule.In the mid-20th century, after Gómez fell from power, Venezuela entered a stretch of democratic rule and prosperity, driven by its booming oil fields and the smell of crude drifting from the ports.During this time, the Democratic Action Party and COPEI held a tight grip on politics, filling campaign posters and headlines across the country.In the mid-20th century, the country’s economy surged, filling its cities with new buildings and busy markets, and it rose to become one of the wealthiest in Latin America.By the 1980s, Venezuela was mired in political and economic upheaval as oil prices plunged, corruption spread, and poverty deepened, leaving store shelves half-empty.In 1998, Hugo Chávez won the presidency and launched his Bolivarian Revolution, rolling out a socialist agenda that promised change as bold as the red banners waving in the streets.Chávez pushed to cut poverty, grow social programs, and loosen Venezuela’s reliance on oil, the lifeblood of its economy.Chávez’s time in power brought sweeping and often contentious reforms, from nationalizing key industries to policies that split the nation, while opposition groups accused him of chipping away at democracy.In the 21st century, after Hugo Chávez died in 2013, his successor Nicolás Maduro confronted a brutal economic collapse-hyperinflation soared, store shelves sat half-empty, and public services ground to a halt.Venezuela’s political turmoil deepened as massive crowds filled the streets, opposition leaders demanded Maduro step down, and voices around the world condemned his government’s human rights abuses.The country is in the grip of a humanitarian crisis, with millions leaving Venezuela as political turmoil deepens and store shelves sit empty.In Venezuela, people speak Spanish as the official language, from bustling Caracas markets to quiet mountain towns.Some communities still speak Indigenous languages, including Wayuu, Yekuana, and Pemon, their words carrying the sound of river water over stones.Venezuela’s home to a rich mix of voices, with over 30 indigenous languages still spoken from the misty Andes to remote Amazon villages.Most Venezuelans-about 70 to 80 percent-are Roman Catholic, but you’ll also find many Protestants, especially Evangelicals, as well as smaller communities like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Buddhists.Catholicism shapes many national holidays and traditions, from the solemn processions of Semana Santa to the warm glow of Christmas celebrations.Music and dance thrive in Venezuela, where lively joropo from the wide, windswept plains, festive gaita from the Caribbean coast, and the quick beat of merengue fill streets and celebrations.Salsa and reggaeton fill city streets with rhythm, drawing big crowds in today’s urban scene.Venezuelan markets spill over with bright mangoes and the sound of street vendors calling out their prices.
