¡Hola! Welcome to the land of the Orinoco and the Caribbean breeze—Venezuela!
Our journey brings us to Venezuela, a country on the northern coast of South America known for its dramatic landscapes and immense natural wealth. There are around 29,000,000 people living here, and the capital is Caracas, a valley city nestled at the foot of the majestic Avila Mountain. The official language is Spanish, spoken with a rhythmic Caribbean flair.
Venezuela covers about 912,050 square kilometers (352,144 square miles). To imagine its size, the country is roughly the same size as the state of Texas and Oklahoma combined or about four times the size of the United Kingdom. It features an incredible geographic variety, from the snow-capped Andes Mountains in the west to the vast central plains (Los Llanos) and the ancient tepui tablelands of the south.
The most popular sport is Baseball, which is a national obsession, though Football has gained massive popularity in recent years. Their national animal is the Turpial (Troupial), a striking orange and black bird with a beautiful song, while the Araguaney is the national tree, famous for its vibrant yellow blossoms.
The flag consists of three horizontal stripes of yellow, blue, and red with an arc of eight white stars in the center, where the yellow represents the wealth of the land, the blue symbolizes the sea separating the country from Spain, the red stands for the blood of those who fought for independence, and the eight stars represent the original provinces that signed the Act of Independence.
The food is a flavorful mix of indigenous, African, and European traditions. You must try the Arepa, a versatile cornmeal cake that is grilled or fried and stuffed with everything from shredded beef to cheese and avocado. Another favorite is Pabellón Criollo, the national dish consisting of shredded beef, black beans, white rice, and fried plantains. For a unique snack, look for Tequeños, which are fried cheese sticks wrapped in a thin dough. During the holidays, the table is incomplete without Hallacas, a complex dish of corn dough filled with a stew of meat and olives, wrapped in plantain leaves and boiled.
Venezuela is home to Angel Falls (Salto Ángel), the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall, which drops a staggering 979 meters (3,212 feet) from the Auyán-tepui mountain. The country features Los Roques, an archipelago of over 300 islands and cays with some of the most pristine turquoise waters in the Caribbean. You can visit the Medanos de Coro, a desert of massive shifting sand dunes that looks like it belongs in the Sahara. For a scientific marvel, head to Lake Maracaibo, which experiences the “Catatumbo Lightning”—a phenomenon where lightning strikes the water up to 280 times per hour for several months of the year. Interestingly, Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, exceeding even those of Saudi Arabia!
From the colonial streets of Coro to the mysterious “Lost World” of Mount Roraima, Venezuela is a land of breathtaking contrasts and resilient spirit. ¡Gracias! That means “Thank you!”