Venezuela

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The territory of Venezuela was colonized by Spain in 1522, amid resistance from Indigenous peoples. In 1811, it became one of the first Spanish American territories to declare independence from the Spanish and to form part of the first federal Republic of Colombia (Gran Colombia). It separated as a fully sovereign country in 1830. During the 19th century, Venezuela suffered political turmoil and autocracy, remaining dominated by regional military dictators until the mid-20th century.

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Etymology

According to the most popular and accepted explanation, in 1499, an expedition led by Alonso de Ojeda visited the Venezuelan coast. The stilt houses in the area of Lake Maracaibo reminded the Italian navigator, Amerigo Vespucci, of the city of Venice, Italy, so he named the region Veneziola, or "Little Venice". The Spanish version of Veneziola is Venezuela.

Martín Fernández de Enciso, a member of the Vespucci and Ojeda crew, gives a different account. In his work Summa de geografía, he states that the crew found Indigenous peoples who called themselves the Veneciuela. Thus, the name "Venezuela" may have evolved from the native word.

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History

Evidence exists of human habitation in the area now known as Venezuela from about 15,000 years ago. Tools have been found on the high riverine terraces of the Rio Pedregal in western Venezuela. Late Pleistocene hunting artifacts, including spear tips, have been found at a similar series of sites in northwestern Venezuela; according to radiocarbon dating, these date from 13,000 to 7,000 BC.

It is estimated that one million people lived in the region before Spanish conquest.

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Geography

Venezuela is located in the north of South America. Geologically, its mainland rests on the South American Plate. It has a total area of 916,445 km2 (353,841 sq mi) and a land area of 882,050 km2 (340,560 sq mi), making Venezuela the 32nd largest country in the world. The territory it controls lies between latitudes 0° and 16°N and longitudes 59° and 74°W.

Shaped roughly like a triangle, Venezuela has a 2,800 km (1,700 mi) coastline in the north, which includes numerous islands in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean.

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Government and politics

Two major blocs of political parties are in Venezuela; the incumbent leftist bloc United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), its major allies Fatherland for All (PPT) and the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV), and the opposition bloc grouped into the electoral coalition Mesa de la Unidad Democrática. This includes A New Era (UNT) together with allied parties Project Venezuela, Justice First, Movement for Socialism (MAS) and others.

The Venezuelan president is elected by a vote, with direct and universal suffrage, and is both head of state and head of government.

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Economy

Almost 82 per cent of Venezuelans live in poverty, with 53 per cent in extreme poverty, unable to buy even basic foodstuffs.– A UN special rapporteur said in February 2024 after visiting the country.

Venezuela has a market-based mixed economy dominated by the petroleum sector, which accounts for roughly a third of GDP, around 80% of exports, and more than half of government revenues. Per capita GDP for 2016 was estimated at US$15,100, ranking 109th in the world. Historically, Venezuela had the least expensive petrol in the world because the consumer price of petrol was heavily subsidized.

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Demographics

Venezuela is among the most urbanized countries in Latin America. About 93% of the population lives in urban areas in northern Venezuela, especially in Caracas, which is the largest city. 73% of people live less than 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the coastline. Though almost half the land area lies south of the Orinoco, only 5% of Venezuelans live there. The largest and most important city south of the Orinoco is Ciudad Guayana, which is the sixth most populous conurbation. Other major cities include Barquisimeto, Valencia, Maracay, Maracaibo, Barcelona-Puerto La Cruz, Mérida and San Cristóbal.

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Culture

The culture of Venezuela is a melting pot made up of three main groups: the Indigenous Venezuelans, the Spanish, and the Africans. The Spanish influence predominates due to the colonization process and the socioeconomic structure it created. Spanish influences can be seen in the country's architecture, music, religion, and language. The Africans brought in many musical influences, especially introduction of the drum.

Carlos Raúl Villanueva was the most important architect of the modern era; he designed the Central University of Venezuela, (a World Heritage Site) and its Aula Magna.

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