Venezuela — map and facts

#### About Venezuela Venezuela is a country located on the northern coast of South America, bordered by Colombia to the west, Brazil to the south, Guyana to the east, and the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean to the north. Officially known as the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, it covers approximately 916,445 square kilometers and has a population of around 28 million people, though millions more have emigrated in recent years due to a severe economic and humanitarian crisis. Caracas is the capital and largest city. Venezuela was once one of South America's most prosperous nations, benefiting from the world's largest proven oil reserves. However, political instability, corruption, mismanagement under Hugo Chavez and his successor Nicolas Maduro, and heavy dependence on oil revenues have produced economic collapse, hyperinflation, food and medicine shortages, and one of the largest refugee crises in the Western Hemisphere. Venezuela is home to extraordinary biodiversity and diverse indigenous cultures.

#### Geography and Landscape Venezuela's geography is remarkably varied, encompassing the Andes mountains in the northwest, the vast Llanos grassland plains in the center, the Guiana Highlands in the southeast, and the Caribbean coastline with its islands and beaches in the north. The Orinoco River, one of South America's longest rivers, drains most of the country and forms part of the border with Colombia before emptying into the Atlantic. Lake Maracaibo in the northwest is one of South America's largest lakes and sits atop enormous oil deposits. Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, plunging 979 meters from the top of Auyán-tepui, a dramatic flat-topped mesa. The tepuis of the Gran Sabana region are ancient geological formations of global scientific significance. Venezuela's diverse ecosystems include cloud forests, tropical rainforests, mangroves, coral reefs, and open savannas, supporting extraordinary wildlife including jaguars, giant otters, harpy eagles, and freshwater dolphins.

#### History Venezuela's pre-Columbian history was shaped by numerous indigenous peoples, including the Caribs and Arawaks along the coasts and various groups in the interior. Christopher Columbus reached the Venezuelan coast in 1498 during his third voyage to the Americas, and the region was subsequently colonized by Spain. The city of Cumana, founded in 1521, is considered one of the first permanent European settlements on mainland South America. Venezuela played a central role in the independence movements of the early nineteenth century, producing Simon Bolivar, who led the liberation of much of South America from Spanish colonial rule. Venezuela declared independence in 1811 and achieved it definitively by 1821. The discovery of oil in the early twentieth century, particularly around Lake Maracaibo, transformed the country's economy and made it one of the wealthiest in Latin America. A succession of military dictatorships gave way to democratic governance in 1958, though political instability and inequality persisted. Hugo Chavez came to power in 1999, initiating sweeping political and economic changes whose consequences continue to define the country today.