South America

Venezuela

Discover Venezuela - home to the world's highest waterfall, the birthplace of Simon Bolivar, and a Caribbean coastline backed by Andean peaks and ancient table-top mountains.

Where Is Venezuela?

Venezuela is a country in South America. Its capital is Caracas.

Where Venezuela isSouth America · Capital Caracas

Capital Caracas
Population 28.5M
Area 916,445 km²

Venezuela sits at the top of South America where the Andes meet the Caribbean, a country of staggering natural beauty and outsized historical importance. This is where Simon Bolivar was born - the man who liberated six countries from Spanish rule and whose name is stamped on everything from the currency to the country's official title, the Bolivarian Republic. The world's highest waterfall, Angel Falls, drops 979 meters from a flat-topped mountain into the jungle below.

The landscape ranges from Caribbean beaches and coral islands to Andean snowfields, from the vast Orinoco plains to the ancient tepui mountains of Canaima - the flat-topped geological formations that inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World. Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves on Earth, has produced more beauty queens than almost any other country, and gave the world the arepa - a corn pocket that Venezuelans will argue about with the passion most countries reserve for religion and football.

At a glance

Language

Spanish

Currency

Venezuelan Bolivar (VES)

Calling Code

+58

Drives On

Right

Internet

.ve

Timezone

VET (UTC-4)

Script

Latin

Government

Federal Presidential Republic

Independence

1811

By population

Largest cities in Venezuela

Caracas

Capital nestled in a narrow valley at 900 meters, a high-energy city surrounded by the lush green Avila mountain

2,900,000

Maracaibo

Oil capital on the shores of Lake Maracaibo, one of the hottest cities in South America with its own distinct dialect

1,600,000

Valencia

Industrial heart of Venezuela and the country's third largest city, near the Caribbean coast

1,400,000

Barquisimeto

Musical capital of Venezuela, known for its sunsets, its cathedral, and the Tamunangue folk dance tradition

1,100,000

Ciudad Guayana

Planned industrial city where the Caroni River meets the Orinoco, gateway to the Gran Sabana and Angel Falls

900,000

Maracay

Garden City of Venezuela in the fertile Aragua valley, surrounded by Henri Pittier National Park

750,000

People

Famous people from Venezuela

Simon Bolivar
Politics
The Liberator who freed six South American nations from Spanish rule, one of the most influential figures in Latin American history
Francisco de Miranda
Politics
Precursor of Latin American independence who fought in the American and French Revolutions before leading Venezuela's first republic
Carolina Herrera
Business
Fashion designer who built a global luxury brand, dressing First Ladies and Hollywood stars from her start in Caracas
Gustavo Dudamel
Music
Conductor of the New York Philharmonic, a product of Venezuela's El Sistema youth orchestra program
Miguel Cabrera
Sport
MLB Triple Crown winner (2012), the first player to achieve the feat in 45 years, one of baseball's greatest hitters
Romulo Gallegos
Literature
Author of Dona Barbara, the most important Venezuelan novel and a cornerstone of Latin American literature
Teresa Carreno
Music
19th century piano virtuoso who performed for Abraham Lincoln at age nine, one of the greatest pianists of her era
Andres Bello
Literature
Polymath, poet, and educator who codified Latin American Spanish grammar and founded the University of Chile

Food

Traditional cuisine of Venezuela

Arepa: Grilled cornmeal pocket stuffed with cheese, shredded beef, black beans, or avocado - the cornerstone of Venezuelan eating
Pabellon Criollo: The national dish - shredded beef, black beans, white rice, and fried plantains on one plate, a complete Venezuelan meal
Cachapa: Sweet fresh-corn pancake folded around soft white queso de mano cheese, a street food staple
Tequenos: Crispy fried dough sticks wrapped around white cheese, the must-have appetizer at every Venezuelan party
Hallaca: Christmas tradition - corn dough stuffed with a stew of pork, chicken, olives, and raisins, wrapped in banana leaves
Empanadas: Deep-fried corn turnovers filled with cheese, shredded beef, or shark, eaten for breakfast with a cafe con leche
Asado Negro: Beef roast braised in a dark sauce of papelón (raw cane sugar) until nearly black, sweet and deeply savory
Mandoca: Fried rings of corn dough mixed with ripe plantain and cheese, a Maracaibo specialty eaten for breakfast

Nature

Nature and landmarks in Venezuela

Angel FallsRiver: The world's highest uninterrupted waterfall at 979 meters, plunging from the summit of Auyantepui in Canaima National Park
Canaima National ParkNational Park: UNESCO World Heritage Site of ancient tepui table-top mountains rising from the jungle, the landscape that inspired The Lost World
Orinoco River DeltaRiver: Vast labyrinth of channels and mangroves where the Orinoco meets the Atlantic, home to the indigenous Warao people
Los RoquesIsland: Coral archipelago of 350 islands and cays in the Caribbean, one of the largest marine parks in the world
Margarita IslandIsland: Venezuela's Caribbean pearl, a duty-free island of beaches, colonial forts, and mangrove lagoons
Merida AndesMountain: Venezuelan stretch of the Andes reaching 4,978 meters at Pico Bolivar, home to the world's highest and longest cable car
Lake MaracaiboLake: One of the oldest and largest lakes in the world, connected to the Caribbean and site of the world's most persistent lightning
Morrocoy National ParkCoast: Coastal park of mangroves, coral cays, and turquoise waters on the Caribbean, a weekend escape from Caracas

Sport

Sports in Venezuela

Baseball: The national passion, Venezuela has produced more MLB players than any country except the US and the Dominican Republic
Football: The Vinotinto has grown into a competitive South American side, with increasing youth development success
Boxing: Rich boxing tradition with multiple world champions across weight divisions
Basketball: Competitive in South American basketball with players reaching the NBA and European leagues

Facts

Did you know?

Angel Falls is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall at 979 meters - about 15 times the height of Niagara Falls
Venezuela has won more international beauty pageants (Miss Universe, Miss World) than almost any other country
The Catatumbo Lightning over Lake Maracaibo produces lightning up to 280 times per hour, the most in the world
Venezuela was named 'Little Venice' by European explorers who saw indigenous stilt houses on Lake Maracaibo
Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves, surpassing even Saudi Arabia
Simon Bolivar liberated six countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Panama
El Sistema, Venezuela's free classical music program, has trained over a million children and produced world-class conductors
The world's highest cable car, the Mukumbari Teleferico in Merida, reaches 4,765 meters above sea level