Venezuela: history, population, symbols and characteristics

We explain everything about Venezuela, its physical and cultural characteristics, as well as its economy, religion and history.

Venezuela was the first South American nation to declare its independence.

Venezuela

Venezuela is a national state whose official name is Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Its capital is the city of Caracas. It is located in the north of South America, and borders to the east with Guyana, to the south with Brazil and to the west with Colombia. It is the sixth largest country and the fifth most populated in South America.

Venezuela is a democratic, republican and presidential stateIt was part of the former Spanish colonies in America and was one of the first South American nations to proclaim its independence in 1811, when it formed part of Gran Colombia along with New Granada (today Colombia), Panama and Ecuador.

Its constitution dates back to 1999 and according to it it is a democratic federal state whose demonym is “Venezuelan.” It is a full member of the United Nations (UN) and is part of Mercosur, CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) and ALBA-TCP (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Trade Treaty of the Towns).

Why is it called “Venezuela”? The name Venezuela comes from Venice and literally means “Little Venice,” a pseudonym often used in tourist promotions and local songbooks. It is attributed to Américo Vespucio, who would have thought of the Italian city when he saw the indigenous stilt houses suspended over the waters of Lake Maracaibo, in the west of the country.

See also: Brazil

Characteristics of Venezuela

Some characteristics of this country are:

• Its population is 28,500,000 inhabitants. The majority is concentrated in the northern coastal regions of the country.
• It has an area of ​​916,000 km2.
• Its capital is Caracas, which has 3,100,000 inhabitants. Its metropolitan area exceeds 5 million inhabitants.
• Its predominant climate is warm tropical.
• Its relief is very varied: mountains and volcanoes in the west and north, an ancient elevated massif in the south, and the Orinoco River plain in the center of the country.
• Venezuelan culture is influenced by the Spanish conquest, indigenous peoples and African culture.
• Its majority religion is Catholic.
• The official language is Spanish.
• Its official currency is the sovereign bolivar.
• Its main economic activity is the production and export of oil.

Area, population and capital of Venezuela

The capital of Venezuela is the city of Caracas

Venezuela has an area of ​​916,000 square kilometers and a population of 28,500,000 inhabitants. Its population density is 31.1 inhabitants per square kilometer.

The capital of Venezuela is the city of Caracas. Its official name is Santiago de León de Caracas. Its metropolitan area has a population of 5,400,000 inhabitants, which represents 18.9% of the country’s total.

The population is concentrated in the north of the country, on the coasts of the Caribbean Sea. The south of the country, in the regions bordering Guyana, Brazil and Colombia, is much less populated. With the Republic of Guyana, Venezuela maintains territorial disputes over the Essequibo region.

The Venezuelan territory is divided into 23 federal states. —each endowed with capital and under the administration of a governor— and a federal district in which the city of Caracas is located (the “Great” Caracas, to cover its entire metropolitan area), under the mandate of a metropolitan mayor.

The three most populated states are Zulia, with 3,600,000 inhabitants, Miranda with 2,800,000 and Carabobo with 2,300,000. The most sparsely populated are Amazonas, with 84,000 inhabitants, Delta Amacuro with 116,000 and Cojedes with 315,000.

Besides, It has twelve federal agencies outside the continental territory, which include 216 islands, islets and cays. One of the best known is the Los Roques archipelago, located in the Caribbean Sea, one of the most important tourist destinations in the country.

Climate, relief and hydrography of Venezuela

Venezuela’s climate is mostly warm tropicalThe north of the country has a warm tropical savanna climate, while the south has a warm tropical equatorial climate.

Both climates are characterized by having high temperatures all year roundwith the difference that the tropical savannah has a marked dry season in winter, while the equatorial has abundant rainfall throughout the year.

In some regions of the Andes, a temperate subhumid mountain climate can be found, which is characterized by abundant rainfall but with lower temperatures due to the influence of altitude.

Regarding the relief, three geologically different regions can be identified:

• The Andes Mountains. It forms a mountain range that is located in western Venezuela and bifurcates to form the Perijá and Motilones mountain ranges to the north and the Mérida mountain range to the west. In addition, it has two mountain ranges parallel to the coast, the Litoral and the Interior.
• The Guyana Massif. It is made up of an extensive elevated plateau that occupies almost half of the Venezuelan territory. It is formed by very old rocks that belong to the Precambrian and Paleozoic era.
• The Orinoco Plain. It is located between the two previous regions. It is formed by the Orinoco River and its altitude does not exceed 200 meters above sea level.

With more than 2000 kilometers of extension, The Orinoco River is the most important in Venezuela. It rises in the south of the country and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in the form of a delta. Other important rivers are the Caroní, the Apure and the Meta.

The flora and fauna of Venezuela are characterized by their rich biodiversity. The abundant rainfall and high temperatures favor the development of dense humid forests and jungles that are home to a large number and variety of species of plants and animals.

Mainly in the south of the country, where part of the Amazon rainforest is located, biodiversity is very abundant. Species such as the orchid and the cocoa plant, essential for the country’s economy, and animals such as snakes and crocodiles stand out.

Culture of Venezuela

Catholicism is the predominant religion of Venezuela.

The Venezuelan population is diverse and is made up of European, African, indigenous and Asian ethnic groups, as well as a mixed-race majority resulting from the colonial era. The predominant religion in Venezuela is Catholic Christianity.but there are also religious minorities such as Judaism, Islam and Buddhism.

In the field of music, Venezuela stands out for a variety of traditional and folkloric rhythms with influences from pre-Columbian, European and African culture. One of the most recognized genres is the joropooriginating from the Orinoco plains region. Other traditional rhythms include Venezuelan merengue and calypso.

Among the leading exponents of Venezuelan visual art are the painter and sculptor Armando Reverón and Carlos Cruz-Diez, a renowned exponent of kinetic art. In the field of literature, the writer Andrés Eloy Blanco and the writers Teresa de la Parra and Miyó Vestrini stand out.

Venezuelan gastronomy reflects the country’s cultural diversity. The arepa is one of the most emblematic dishes, made from corn dough, which can be filled with a wide variety of ingredients such as meat, chicken or cheese. Other traditional dishes are pabellón criollo and hallaca.

National symbols of Venezuela

The Venezuelan flag has three stripes and a semicircle with eight stars.

The Venezuelan national symbols are:

• The flag of Venezuela. Just like the other countries that were part of Greater Colombia (Colombia and Ecuador), the Venezuelan flag is made up of three stripes, one yellow, one blue and one red, with eight stars in a semicircle in the middle strip that represent the provinces that They formed the American Confederation of Venezuela during the independence era.
• The anthem of Venezuela. The Venezuelan anthem is titled “Glory to the Bravo People!” It was written in 1810 as a patriotic war anthem and was officially established in 1881 during the government of Antonio Guzmán Blanco. Its composition, lyrics and music are attributed to Vicente Salias and Juan José Landaeta, although its current version corresponds to the one modified by Jan Bautista Plaza (1947).
• The coat of arms of Venezuela. The current shield bears the colors of the flag in its three dividing fields, called barracks, in which there are: a white horse racing to the left; a bunch of corn with as many ears as there are states of the republic; and two national flags crowned by a laurel, along with a machete, a spear, a sword, a bow and an arrow inside a quiver.

Economic activities of Venezuela

The official currency of Venezuela is the sovereign bolivar. The most important economic activities in Venezuela are:

• The AgricultureCrops such as cocoa, coffee, corn, rice, sugar cane and tropical fruits stand out.
• MiningIt is a fundamental economic activity for the Venezuelan economy, and constitutes one of the country’s main export sectors. Minerals such as iron, bauxite and gold stand out.
• The petrochemical industryOil production is the main activity of the Venezuelan economy. It is the main producer in South America and one of the most important in the world with almost one million barrels of oil per day.
• The tourismThe Caribbean beaches are a major tourist attraction for visitors to Venezuela. The Los Roques archipelago and Margarita Island, among others, are some of the most important tourist sites in the country. Angel Falls is also very popular, as it is the highest waterfall in the world.

Venezuela’s history

Simón Bolívar led the war of independence against Spain.

The Venezuelan territory was inhabited by Arawak and Carib peoples when the Spanish arrived at the end of the 15th century.Colonization was carried out throughout the 16th century through the encomienda system and a system of provinces governed by the Royal Court of Santo Domingo was established. Caracas was founded in 1567.

In 1717, Venezuelan territory became part of…