Country Information on Venezuela

Terrain Venezuela is situated in the inner tropics and can be divided into three major geographical areas. In the east and in the north, the Andes and the Cordillera de la Costa are situated, also including Venezuela's highest elevation, Pico Bolivar with 5,007 m above sea level. In the centre of the country the Llanos (Spanish: plain) extend treeless tropical grassland, which merges into the Orinoco Lowlands (Llanos del Orinoco) towards the east. In the south-east and south the Guiana Highlands, dominated by limestone-covered rock formations, extend right into Brazil and Guyana. The north-west of Venezuela is occupied by the lowlands in the Maracaibo area. In these lowlands Lake Maracaibo is situated, an inland extension of the Gulf of Venezuela. Outstanding natural phenomena include the mountain ranges in the highland area called "Tepuyes" and the Sarisariñama depths. Angel Falls in the eastern part of the highlands is the world's highest waterfall, dropping about 1,000 m. The longest mountain ranges are the Sierra Parima and the Sierra Pacaraima near the border with Brazil. Climate In the Llanos and along the coast the Venezuelan climate is tropical, in the mountainous regions it is temperate. Mean temperatures in Caracas/Maracaibo are 18°C/27°C in January and 20°C/29°C in July. The dry season lasts from December to April. Fauna/Flora Forests containing tropical plants, such as palms, coral, mangos and brazilwood, cover more than a third of the country's surface. Above 900 m also plants grow which are typical of the temperate zone. The Llanos are covered with grassland, in the Orinoco delta mangrove swamps are common. Venezuela's fauna is multifarious and includes mammals such as the jaguar, monkey, sloth, ocelot, bear, deer, and armadillo. Common bird species are among others flamingos, herons, and ibis. Reptiles include crocodiles and large snakes, e.g. anacondas and boa constrictors. History/Politics In the area of present-day Venezuela several Native American tribes lived before the Spanish conquistadores discovered the land. The oldest finds date from approx. BC 15000. In 1498 Christopher Columbus discovered the coast on his third voyage. Since he frequently noticed the Native American buildings on stilts, he named the country Venezuela (Little Venice). Spanish settlement started around 1520. Caracas was founded in 1567 and some time later it became the seat of a governor. The colonial period saw Venezuela turn into a General Captaincy of high agricultural importance. Even before the freedom fighters Simón Bolívar and Francisco de Miranda there had been attempts to achieve independence in 1797 and in 1806. However, it was not before the revolution of 1810 that the way was paved for the declaration of independence and the proclamation of the republic on 5 July 1811. Bolivar succeeded in re-gaining the country's independence in 1819 and established Greater Colombia. The year 1930 marked the break-up of this union state consisting of Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. In 1917 petroleum was found in Venezuela, which rapidly became a decisive factor for the country's economy. The revenues from exports facilitated the transformation of Venezuela into one of the most modern South American states. In 1945, after the end of the dictatorial rule of General Isaías Medina Angarita, Dr. Rómulo Betancourt of the social democratic Acción Democrática (AD) became interim president. In 1947 a new constitution was adopted. After the first democratic elections, which were held shortly after, Rómulo Gallegos, writer and founder of the AD, became president. He took office in February 1948. In November of the same year his government was overthrown by a military coup. The leaders of this coup formed a new government which soon changed into the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez. Pérez was ousted by popular uprising in 1958, a democratic coalition government followed. The grave economic situation of the lower classes of society resulted in guerrilla movements. Economically, he pursued a policy of nationalizing foreign enterprises. In 1973 Venezuela joined the Andean Group, which had been founded five years before, an organization that had signed an agreement on economic co-operation between Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. In 1988 international oil prices plummeted, which contributed to the destabilization of the political and economic situation. Subsequent austerity programmes and price increases triggered off violent protests. An attempted coup d'état failed in 1992 and the agitators were imprisoned. One of them, Hugo Chávez, landed a victory in the 1998 presidential elections (with the highest voter turnout in 40 years). Economy The Venezuelan standard of living is among the highest in South America. The petroleum sector is the principal source of revenue. In 1993, however, an economic crisis set in, the inflation rate hit 70%, and the gross national product decreased. The government accelerated the implementation of measures to control the economy more effectively. As a result, the country's economy recovered. About 12% of Venezuela's workforce engage in agriculture. The most important commodities that are cultivated are sugar cane, bananas, maize, rice, millet, manioc, coffee, cocoa, and citrus fruits. Livestock raising is carried on chiefly on the Llanos. The raising of cattle, pigs, and goats predominates. Since the 1960s the government has given high priority to the development of the manufacturing sector. Besides Caracas, Ciudad Guayana is an important centre of manufacture. Venezuela's chief commodities are petroleum products, steel, aluminium, metal items, fertilizer, cement, tyres, motor vehicles, processed foods, beverages, clothing, and furniture. Culture The fine arts and handicrafts are popular in Venezuela, but the country's most distinctive cultural characteristic is probably its music, which is a blend of European, African and indigenous rhythms. Theatre is growing in popularity, and there is an active literary scene, especially among the younger generation. The country's most important festival is carnival, which takes place on the Monday and Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday. Characterized by music, dancing, parades and masks, the flavour of the event varies from region to region. The town of Carúpano is famous throughout the country for its elaborately staged carnival.