Venezuela, officially known as the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a nation located on the northern shores of South America. It covers 912,050 square kilometers. Caracas is the capital city and its largest. Let’s explore some more Facts About Venezuela below!
Spanish is the official language. There is a currency called the Venezuelan Bolivar (VEF), the country’s currency. The countries that border its land are Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana.
Venezuela’s diverse and diverse geographically South American country has a northern shoreline with the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, which attracts tourists with its beautiful scenery every year. Explore some interesting facts about Venezuela.
Information regarding its environment, geography, and the climate
1. Venezuela is blessed with amazing, diverse geographical features. It has Caribbean islands, rivers, marshlands, mountains, glaciers, grasslands, highlands (Los llanos), mesas, canyons, forests, and the jungles.
2. The country’s habitats vary across the Andes Mountains (west) to the Amazon Basin rainforest (south) up to the Caribbean coast (north) through the vast llanos plains (central) up to The Orinoco River Delta (east).
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3. The northern edge of the Amazon Basin is located in southern Venezuela.
4. The largest lake in South America is located in Venezuela. Lake Maracaibo, aged 20-40 million years of age, is among the oldest lake on Earth.
5. Catatumbo lightning is a meteorological phenomenon that is only seen near the mouth of the Catatumbo River at the point where it connects to Lake Maracaibo. Up to 160 days per calendar year, lightning hits the water in a series of strikes for up to 10 hours at night.
6. Entirely located in the tropics of the world, the country has two distinct weather patterns that change with the seasons: the hot-humid season and the hot, dry season. The distinction is in the amount of rainfall received in the course of the season.
7. Venezuela is one of the 17 biodiverse countries (a megadiverse nation).
8. The scrublands, cloud forests and mangroves, and rainforests are abundant in biodiversity.
9. Venezuela is one of the top 20 nations in the world. Its plants and animals are indigenous (unique) to the country.
10. Fifty percent of the amphibians and 23 percent of the reptiles belong in Venezuela. Three-quarters of plant species, as well as 48 percent of birds, are.
11. Venezuela’s cloud forests contain more than the 25,000 orchid species, such as the “flor de Mayo,” Venezuela’s national flower.
12. Over 3,900 species of fungi have been identified and documented in Venezuela.
13. Venezuelan animal life includes three-toed and two-toed sloths, Amazon river dolphins, Orinoco crocodiles (which grow up to 22 ft/6.6 meters in length), and giant anteaters, capybaras, and jaguars.
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14. More than half of all bird and mammal species from Venezuela are located within the Amazon forests that lie south and south of the Orinoco River basin, including the troupial, Venezuela’s national bird.
15. Venezuela has 43 national parks, and 33 percent of its forest areas are protected.
16. In the country’s southernmost part is a 32,000-square-mile (82,880 kilometers) reserve reserved for people belonging to the Yanomami tribes, which is closed to farmers, miners, and other non-Yanomami residents.
Facts About Venezuela History
17. Before Europeans came to the country, the ancient Timoto-Cuica culture had permanent settlements, irrigation, and terraced fields. They even stored water inside tanks. After the war, many of them died from illnesses brought by Europeans.
18. In 1497, during his third trip to the Americas, Christopher Columbus sailed to the Orinoco Delta and declared he had discovered “Heaven upon Earth.” Christopher Columbus christened the area “Land of Grace,” and it remains the country’s name today.
19. In 1499, Alonso de Ojeda’s group toured the country’s coast and found the houses built on stilts near Lake Maracaibo. Because they reminded navigator Amerigo Vespucci of the cities of Venice, he named the region Veneziola (“Little Venice”).
20. The territory was colonized by Spain in 1522. It was one of the initial colonies in Spain that declared independence in 1811 and eventually gained it after 1821, under Simon Bolivar as part of Gran Columbia.
21. In 1830, the nation separated from Colombia to become an autonomous republic. Paez was one of the presidents.
Venezuela on the world map
22. From 1830 until the restoration of democracy after 1958, Venezuela witnessed rebellions, dictatorships, counter-revolutions, and military juntas.
23. Hugo Chavez attempted two coups in 1992. He was jailed after both failed.
24. Chavez was elected president with a landslide victory in December 1998. He quickly began to defy Congress and the Constitution to manage the economy and extend his presidency.
25. In 2000, Chavez was reelected in a second landslide. However, the turmoil grew worse with coups, general strikes, recall efforts, and sanctions from other nations. In 2006, he was reelected and again in 2012, but was killed in office in March of 2013.
26. President Nicolas Madura removed U.S. diplomats in September 2013. U. S. President Obama put sanctions on Venezuela and categorized them as a threat to national security in March of 2015.
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Flag of Venezuela
Flag of Venezuela It is believed that yellow represents the country’s riches, blue represents the strength of its citizens, and red represents the bloodshed to achieve independence.
Economy
27. Venezuela is one of the countries with the highest population density in Latin America. Its capital city is Caracas.
28. Local currency is the Bolivar Fuerte. When you convert your money into this currency, you can’t convert it back to euros or dollars. Make sure you are aware of the facts and plan accordingly.
Red barrels of oil.
29. Since the discovery of huge oil deposits within the Lake Maracaibo area during the early 20th century, Venezuela has been one of the world’s top oil exporters.
30. Venezuela has the largest oil reserves on the planet and is an original participant in OPEC.
31. The country consistently is among the most prolific crude oil producers. It also boasts the eighth-largest reserve of natural gas.
32. The petroleum sector is the largest economic force and accounts for most of their exported goods. Price controls introduced under Chavez and maintained by President Maduro have resulted in massive shortages of essential supplies such as milk and diapers across the country.
33. The Guri Dam is one of the largest globally and generates all the hydroelectric power that the nation relies on.
Guri Dam, Venezuela. Opened in 1978, the dam is 162 m (531 ft) high and 7,426 m (24,364 ft) wide. The dam has an installed capacity of 10,235 MW.
34. After declaring an economic emergency in January of 2016 because of the shortage of food and other necessities, Maduro declared the constitution-wide emergency in May, after a drought had caused an energy shortage. The president imposed blackouts on a rolling basis and reduced working hours nationwide.
35. According to some experts, the rate of inflation in Venezuela could exceed 2000 percent by 2017 amid a long-running shortage of food and medicines, products, and other items.
36. President Nicolas Maduro removed the 100 bolivar note from circulation on 12 December 2016, providing those only 72 hours to exchange their old currency for the new one at the bank. The president has accused U.S.-based ‘mafias of trying to destabilize the economy by keeping Venezuelan currency notes.
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People and Culture
37. The majority of the Venezuelan population is of mestizo or mixed ethnic ancestry. Minorities of ethnic origin in Venezuela are groups that originate in African and indigenous populations.
38. According to an analysis of DNA genetics conducted in 2008 at the University of Brasilia, the population composition is approximately the same as 61 percent European Indigenous, 23 percent, and slightly more than 16.5% African.
39. Spanish is the nation’s official language, but the Constitution also recognizes over thirty indigenous dialects for people’s use. Additionally, the immigrants have their language.
40. The population is 88 percent Christian, predominantly Roman Catholic. There are tiny but powerful Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist communities.
41. The Spanish influence is evident in the Spanish language and bullfights and food, architecture, religion, and even food.
42. The African influence is apparent in the food and the art forms, specifically dance, music, and song. The United States has an interest in baseball the nation.
Sports
43. The sport of baseball was played in Venezuela in the latter part of the 19th century. North American immigrants employed in the oil industry of the 1930s contributed to its popularity during the 20th century.
Stadium Maracaibo Venezuela.
44. Venezuela has had a National Professional Baseball League since 1945, and today, baseball is the most-watched sport in the country.
45. Famous Venezuelans who have played baseball in the U. S. include Bo Diaz, Manny Trillo, Cesar Tovar, Luis Sojo, and Dave Concepcion.
46. Basketball is also very popular. Venezuela hosted the 2012 Basketball World Olympic Qualifying Tournament and hosted the 2013 FIBA Basketball Americas Championship.
47. Football (soccer) is also a popular sport.
It is the Arts, Festivals, and Beauty Pageants
48. Venezuelan music results from a mix of African and Spanish musical styles, with the use of percussion instruments and guitars.
49. The national instrument is a type of small guitar called “cuatro” (for the four-stringed instrument).
50. A waltz-like dance known as Joropo is Venezuela’s national dance.
51. The richness and diversity of its musical styles and dances include the bamboo and the calypso.
52. For immersion in the visual arts, visit Fundacion Bigott in Petare to participate in workshops in the most popular arts and crafts and artisanal crafts.
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53. The annual Red Devils of Yare Festival on Corpus Christi Day simulates Christianity beating Satan.
54. Venezuela is known around the world for its gorgeous females. Its beauty pageant winners are awarded 7 Miss Universe crowns, six Miss World crowns, seven Miss International crowns, and two Miss Earth crowns. It is the Miss Venezuela Pageant. It is popular every year in the country.
Food
55. Venezuelans eat their most substantial meals between noon and three afternoons. Most go home to have lunch with their family members. In the evening, they have a super light around eight or later.
56. ‘Arepas’ are well-known throughout Colombia in both Venezuela and are served for breakfast or any other meal of the day. Made from thick corn tortillas filled with cheese and a range of meats, shredded, and other fillings, these are very popular worldwide.
56. Traditional lunches include the ‘pabellon‘ (black rice beans, rice, and meat served with a garnish of plantain strips) and ‘reinapepiada.’
38. ‘Cachapas’ are corn pancakes topped with a salty cheese known as “queso of mano” or “telita.”
Hallacas and Pan de Jamon, a traditional Venezuelan entree during Christmas dinner.
59. ‘Hallacas’ is the national version of Tamales. They are made up of olives, meat, and raisins encased in cornmeal and covered in plantain leaves before being steamed.
60. A popular local drink is Chicha Andina, made of corn or rice flour. Venezuelan coffees are fantastic.
Tourism
61.1. Venezuela’s northern coastline in the Caribbean is the longest stretch of Caribbean coastline of any nation. Enjoy a relaxing day on the white sandy beach with a clear blue sea or dive and swim, snorkel paragliding, kite surfing, and many other activities in the ocean.
62.2. Favorite and recommended beaches include Cayo de Aqua, Cayo Francisqui, Isla Coche, Playa El Yaque, Praia Crasky, and Cayo Sombrero. They are situated at Los Roques National Park, Margarita Island, Merida, and Isla el Gran Roque.
363. The Los Roques archipelago is one of the country’s main tourist attractions. The archipelago is home to Morrocoy National Park, with islets and mangrove groves. You can see turtles, birds, dolphins, thousands of Pelicans, etc.
64. Canaima National Park is the sixth-largest national park, covering more than thirty thousand sq km. There are many plateaus in the rock mesa known as tepuis within the park with geological significance. The cliffs, waterfalls, and lagoons offer breathtaking views.
The Angel Falls. It is 150 meters wide at its base and ten times taller than South America’s most famous waterfalls, the Iguazu Falls.
65. Canaima is the home to Angel Falls, the world’s most high continuous waterfall (979 meters) that can only be reached via the curiae (canoe), airplane, or helicopter. It’s sixteen times higher than Niagara Falls and is named for Bush pilot Jimmy Angel who crashed landed there in the 1930s.
. The Sierra Nevada National Park is home to half of the highest mountains in Venezuela, including Pico Bolivar, the highest (5007m/16,427 feet). You can sign up on Pico de Aguila to enter the park to hike and put on a jacket. Get a guide. The climate turns polar towards the highs.
Only in Venezuela
. The Venezuelan president had ordered women across the country to stop using hair dryers due to the lack of power within the nation. The country was experiencing a complete power blackout in April of 2016.
. Christopher Columbus is the first European to discover this country.
. In Venezuela, mothers are required to keep their child’s birth certificate to buy diapers and other baby products.
70. Sometimes, Venezuelan police need to hire security since several cops have died working.
71. Coke Zero was banned in Venezuela in 2009.
72. The Venezuelan population enjoys the lowest gasoline (petrol) cost around the globe because the government supports its oil production. With a price of a penny per one-liter bottle, you can refill your tank using the tiny change you have in your wallet. Oil is cheaper than drinking water in Venezuela or Saudi Arabia.
73. In Venezuela, children can decide the time they attend school. They may attend school in the mornings, after school, or in the evening.
74. Venezuela abolished slavery in 1854, releasing about 25,000 slaves. This was 3 percent of all the people living there at the moment.
Information on the social and criminal life in Venezuela
75. Criminality is commonplace in cities, both during the day and at night and on the streets after it gets dark. Abductions are not uncommon.
76. The murder rate in Venezuela is the highest anywhere globally. Robbers are quick to kill their victims.
77. The government has stopped producing or releasing crime statistics because many violent crimes have become frequent in Venezuela.
778. There are approximately 33 prisons, which house about 50 000 prisoners. Its prisons have capacities of only 14,000.
79. Venezuela ranks fourth in the world regarding cocaine seizures, which is the same category as Colombia, the United States, and Panama. It is a major participant in the trafficking of drugs, including Colombian cocaine.
80. Quite a few Venezuelan graduates look to their future in other countries due to the nation’s poor economy and high crime rate. It is estimated that nearly 12 percent of Venezuelans reside in other countries.
81. Violent crime, the uncertain economic and political environment, and the deterioration of basic living conditions, like an insufficient supply of medicine, food, and drinking water, have caused social tensions across all parts of the nation.
82. The CDC has identified Venezuela as a region affected by Zika. Zika epidemic.
Venezuela has stunning national beaches, national parks, waterfalls, and mountains to visit and explore, an extensive tradition, delicious cuisine, and a multicultural people to meet.
