南美洲:
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| 委内瑞拉 Venezuela 首都:加拉加斯 国家代码: ve |
 委内瑞拉（Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela） 独立日：7月5日（１８１１年） 国庆日：７月５日（１８１１年） 国旗：呈长方形，长与宽之比为３：２。自上而下由黄、蓝、红三个平行相等的横长方形相连而成。旗面中央有七颗白色五角星，呈弧形排列；左上角绘有国徽图案。黄、蓝、红三色来自原大哥伦比亚共和国国旗颜色。七颗五角星代表１８１１年委内瑞拉联邦的七个省。政府机构使用带国徽的国旗，民间使用了不带国徽的国旗。在查韦斯总统的推动下，2006年３月７日，委内瑞拉国民议会通过了对国旗和国徽的修改意见，决定把国旗上７颗星增加为８颗。新增加的一颗星代表１８１７年摆脱西班牙统治、并入委内瑞拉的圭亚那省。 国徽：中心图案为盾徽。盾面左上方为一捆紧束的２０穗麦穗，象征该国２０个州的团结和国家的财富；右上方为两面国旗和武器，象征军事上的胜利；下方为蓝天绿地中一匹白色骏马，象征独立和自由。盾徽上端为绿叶，水果和两只羊角，象征丰饶；两侧由棕榈叶和橄榄枝环绕。下端为三色绶带，左边用西班牙文写着“ １８１０年４月１９日 独立”，为纪念委内瑞拉成立政府；右边写着“１８５９年２月２０日 联邦”，意在纪念联邦共和国革命打响第一炮；中间写着“委内瑞拉共和国”。 国歌：《英勇人民的光荣》《Gloria al Bravo Pueblo 》 国家格言：Como vaya viniendo vamos viendo 国树：美丽黄钟花树，木质坚硬，开黄花，生长在干旱地区。 国鸟：吐皮亚尔鸟，黄色，背部有黑色花纹，可驯养。 国花：五月兰 面积：916,490平方公里 人口：2520万（2002年），其中主要为印欧混血种人（60％左右），此外，也有白人、黑人和印第安人。人口年增长率为2.5％，平均寿命70岁。城市人口占77％。 民族： 民族构成复杂，印欧混血种人占人口的一半以上，余为白人、黑人和印第安人等 语言：官方语言为西班牙语。 宗教：78％的居民信奉天主教，15％的人信奉基督教新教。 首都：加拉加斯（Caracas） 独立日：7月5日（1811年） 与北京的时差:--12:30 国家代码:58 货币： 玻利瓦尔 （Bolivar) 与我国关系：1974年6月28日与我国建交 委内瑞拉驻华大使馆 地址：北京朝阳区三里屯路14号 自然地理：９１６７００平方公里。位于南美洲北部。东与圭亚那交界，南与巴西接壤，西与哥伦比亚为邻，北临加勒比海。全境从北向南分成三大地形区：西北和北部为安第斯山脉和马拉开波低地，中部是奥里诺科冲积平原，南部为圭亚那高原。全境处于热带。除山地外大部分地区属热带草原气候，年平均气温24—27℃，年降水量1，400毫米，有明显的干季和雨季。北部沿海年降水量不足800毫米，为干旱、半干旱气候；圭亚那高原南部、马拉开波低地和阿马库罗三角洲年降水量在2，000毫米以上，为热带雨林气候。主要河流是奥里诺科河。石油和天然气储量占南美洲首位，铁矿蕴藏量20多亿吨，还有金刚石、金、铜、铝土、煤等矿藏。森林占国土面积的52％。水力资源丰富。内河和沿海富水产。全境除山地外基本上属热带草原气候。境内拥有世界上落差最大的安赫尔瀑布，是著名的游览胜地。马拉开波湖是拉美最大的湖泊，位于西北部，面积１．４３万平方公里，与委内瑞拉海湾相连。湖区周围的沼泽地为世界著名的石油产区。 世界文化和自然遗产：◆科罗及港口 ◆卡奈马国家公园 ◆加拉加斯的大学城 经济：石油工业是经济发展支柱。1983年原油生产约1.5亿吨，为世界主要石油生产国和出口国之一。轻工业较发达，七十年代以来重点发展了钢铁、石油化工、炼铝等工业。耕地面积只占可耕地面积的7.1％，主产玉米、稻米、咖啡、可可、甘蔗、棉花等，畜牧业以养牛为主，农牧产品不能自给。原油及其产品占出口总值的90％以上，其次为铁矿砂、铝材、咖啡、可可等；进口机器设备、原材料、粮食、日用品等。国内交通以公路运输为主，主要分布于西北部和北部；空运发达。 人口：２３７０万（１９９８年）。印欧混血种人占５８％，白人占２９％，黑人占１１％，印第安人占２％。官方语言为西班牙语。９８％的居民信奉天主教，１．５％的居民信奉基督教新教。 首都：加拉加斯（Caracas） 主要城市： 加拉加斯（Caracas） 马拉开波（Maracaibo） 瓦伦西亚（Valencia） 巴塞隆纳（Barcelona） 拉瓜伊拉（La Guaira） 拉克鲁斯港（Puerto La Cruz） 库马纳（Cumana） 梅里达（Merida） 科罗（Coro） 巴基西梅托（Barquisimeto） 圣克里斯托瓦尔（San Cristobal） 梅塞德斯（La Mercedes） 提格雷（El Tigre） 马图林（Maturin） 图库皮塔（Tucupita） 玻利瓦尔城（Ciudad Bolivar） 阿亚库齐港（Puerto Ayacucho） 圣费尔南多·阿塔巴波（San Fernando Atabapo） 简史：原为印第安人阿拉瓦族和加勒比族居住地。１５６７年沦为西班牙殖民地。１８１１年７月５日宣布独立，后在南美解放者西蒙·玻利瓦尔的领导下，于１８２１年６月彻底摆脱西班牙殖民统治。１８２２年同哥伦比亚、厄瓜多尔和巴拿马组成大哥伦比亚共和国。１８２９年退出。１８３０年建立委内瑞拉联邦共和国。１８６４年改名为委内瑞拉合众国。１９５３年重新定国名为委内瑞拉共和国。１９５８年实行宪政，建立文人政权。根据１９９９年１２月生效的宪法，国名改为“委内瑞拉玻利瓦尔共和国”。 宪法：１９９９年１２月３０日生效，共分９章３５０款。宪法规定将国名更改为“委内瑞拉玻利瓦尔共和国”；两院制国会被一院制的“国会议会”取代；总统任期由５年延至６年，允许连选连任；增设副总统一职并规定总统有权解散“国民议会”。 外交：奉行独立自主和民族主义的外交政策。强调维护主权和领土完整，反对外来干涉，主张国与国之间和平共处。积极发展同拉美、加勒比地区各国的关系，主张加快拉美全国一全化进程。加强同欧盟的政经关系，增进与发展中国家联系，实现外交多元化。１９７４年６月２８日，委内瑞拉同中国建交。 现任总统：查韦斯．现已连任两次，积极发展经济，受到了穷人的支持 2006年3月7日，委内瑞拉国民议会通过了对国旗和国徽的修改意见，决定把国旗上7颗星增加为8颗，并将国徽上骏马飞奔的方向由向右改为向左。 体育:棒球是委内瑞拉最流行的体育运动项目之一，当地有不少人前往美国职棒大联盟发展，为美国职棒大联盟第二大的海外球员来源地（仅次于多明尼加共和国，多于波多黎各）。委内瑞拉也拥有职业棒球联盟。2006年，以六胜零败的佳绩获得加勒比海大赛的冠军。 相较于其他南美洲国家，足球在委内瑞拉较不盛行，是南美洲足球协会中最弱的一国，从未踢进世界杯决赛周，但最近进步神速，其明星球员胡安·阿朗戈目前效力于西甲皇家马洛卡俱乐部。2007年美洲国家杯在委内瑞拉举行。 【行政区划】 全国划分为22个州、1个联邦区和1个联邦属地（由72个岛屿组成）。首都加拉加斯。 【民族节日】 节日 日期 新年 1月1日 主显节 1月6日 狂欢节 2月19-20日 拉瓜伊拉日 3月10日 圣约瑟日 3月19日 复活节 4月5-8日 独立宣言日 4月19日 劳动节 5月1日 卡拉沃沃战役日 6月24日 圣彼得和圣保罗日 6月29日 独立日 7月5日 国庆日 西蒙.玻利瓦尔诞生日 7月24日 也是马拉开波湖战役日 圣母升天节 8月15日 美洲发现日 10月12日 马拉开波日 10月24日 万圣节 11月1日 圣母怀孕日 12月8日 圣诞节 12.24-25 除夕 12月31日 【经济文化】 该国属拉丁美洲地区经济较为发达的国家之一，是世界上重要的石油生产国和出口国。石油工业在经济中具有极其重要的地位，其收入占财政总收入的70%以上，原油产量居南美洲的前列。此外还开采铁砂、金、金刚石、煤等。其他工业有石油化工、钢铁、制铝、电力、化学制品、建材、纺织、食品加工、烟草、橡胶、木材等。农业在经济中所占比重较小，主要农产品有甘蔗、棉花、大米、高粱、咖啡、可可等。主要饲养牛、猪等牲畜。旅游业收入在经济中占重要地位，主要旅游地区是安赫尔瀑布和玛格丽塔岛等。主要出口石油及其副产品、铁砂等，主要进口机器、工业原料、运输设备、化工产品、食物等。主要贸易对象是美国、哥伦比亚、德国、日本、加拿大等。 公路总长约95 663千米；铁路长439千米。航空事业相当发达，有7个国际机场。原油运输管道6 370千米。天然气管道3 690千米。 全国统一教材和课程。对6—15岁儿童实行义务教育。有100多种报刊和杂志，主要报刊杂志是《国民报》、《宇宙报》、《塞塔》等。委内瑞拉通讯社为国营通讯社。有400多家电台和27家电视台，多为私营和商业台。 【旅游指南】 马拉开波：全国第二大城市，是世界上著名的石油产区中心和石油、咖啡输出港。原油输出量占全国一半，有石油化工、水泥、木材加工、食品等工业部门。有国际机场。原为梅里达山区的咖啡输出港，1918年随马拉开波湖石油的开发而大力发展起来。旧城区保留着殖民时期的建筑，城市风格古朴、典雅。新城区的面貌呈现代化城市的风貌，街道宽阔，商业发达。 巴伦西亚：重要的工业城市，位于西中部海岸山脉南麓的巴伦西亚谷地，海拔不到500米。城市始建于1555年。有汽车装配、化工、水泥、造纸、木材加工等工业部门，和邻近的马拉凯市共同构成工业姊妹城市。四周广种棉花和甘蔗等经济作物，是全国最富庶的农业区域。老城内保留着西班牙殖民时期的建筑，有古老的大教堂、历史博物馆等。这里的斗牛场是南美洲最大的斗牛场，经常举行盛大的斗牛活动。梅里达：位于西部，是梅里达州首府。城市建筑在悬崖峭壁之上，有“委内瑞拉屋脊”之称。这里是安第斯山区引人注目的城市，是宗教和教育的中心。有小巧精致的西班牙艺术博物馆、著名的玻利瓦尔广场、1785年建立的安第斯大学、古老的西班牙教堂和寺院等。附近山峰是滑雪、登山胜地，阿莱罗村是按照30年代安第斯山区的农村修建而成的。 马拉开波湖：位于境内的西北部，南北长155千米，东西宽95千米，是世界上产量最高、开采最悠久的“石油湖”。湖区储油量约50亿桶。由于储量大，原油源源不断从湖畔的裂缝中溢出，浮在水面上。从湖的东西两岸眺望湖面，只见井架林立、油管密布、油塔成群，景色十分壮观。湖上大桥是南美洲跨度最大的桥梁之一。湖畔建有许多石油城镇。 安赫尔瀑布：世界最高、落差最大的瀑布。位于东南部的丘伦河上，当地印第安人管它叫“出龙”。1935年首次被发现，1937年美国探险家安赫尔进行空中考察时发现其为多级瀑布，故瀑布是以他的名字命名的。安赫尔瀑布隐藏在高山密林里，最高落差979米，最高一级长807米、宽150米。只有乘飞机才能看到它那全部的雄姿，乘飞机通过瀑布的上空，可得到“勇敢的探险者”证书。游人可乘船逆流而上观看瀑布。瀑布下游地区是著名的世界自然遗产“卡奈马国家公园 ”，这里有不少姿态美丽的瀑布，还有印第安人的茅舍。 海洋公园：自然保护区，世界著名的海洋公园之一。位于加勒比海南部，距大陆北部海岸约120千米。由海底山脉露出海面形成的300多个小岛和附近海域组成。这里鱼虾富饶，水鸟成群。主岛上有700多人居住。 The country comprises a continental mainland and numerous islands located off the Venezuelan coastline in the Caribbean Sea. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela possesses borders with Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the west. Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St. Lucia, Barbados, Curaçao, Bonaire, Aruba, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Leeward Antilles lie just north, off the Venezuelan coast. Falling within the tropics, Venezuela sits close to the equator, in the Northern Hemisphere. A former Spanish colony, which has been an independent republic since 1821, Venezuela holds territorial disputes with Guyana, largely concerning the Essequibo area, and with Colombia concerning the Gulf of Venezuela. In 1895, after the dispute over the Guyana border flared up, it was submitted to a neutral commission, which in 1899 decided it mostly in Guyana's favour. Today, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is known widely for its petroleum industry, the environmental diversity of its territory, and its natural features. Venezuela is considered to be among the world's 17 most biodiverse countries. Venezuela is among the most urbanized countries in Latin America; the vast majority of Venezuelans live in the cities of the north, especially in the capital Caracas which is also the largest city. Other major cities include Maracaibo, Valencia, Maracay, Barquisimeto, Ciudad Guayana and the popular tourist city of Mérida. Venezuela is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats. The name "Venezuela" is believed to have originated from the cartographer Amerigo Vespucci who, along with Alonso de Ojeda, led a 1499 naval expedition along the northwestern coast's Gulf of Venezuela. On reaching the Guajira Peninsula, the crew observed villages (palafitos) that the people had built over the water. This reminded Vespucci of the city of Venice (Italian: Venezia), so he named the region "Venezuola", meaning "little Venice" in Italian. In Spanish, the suffix -zuela is used as a diminutive term (e.g., plaza / plazuela, cazo / cazuela); thus, the term's original sense would have been that of a "little Venice". Martín Fernández de Enciso, a member of the Vespucci and Ojeda's crew, states in his work Summa de Geografía that the indigenous population they found were called "Veneciuela", suggesting that the name "Venezuela" may have evolved from a native word. The Vespucci story, however, remains the most popular and accepted version of the origin of the country's name. In English, the word Venezuela is pronounced as IPA: /ˌvɛnɨzˈweɪlə/. The Venezuelan Spanish is IPA: [beneˈswela]. History Human habitation of Venezuela is estimated to have commenced at least 15,000 years ago from which period leaf-shaped flake tools, together with chopping and plano-convex scraping implements, have been found exposed 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 known as "El Jobo"; according to radiocarbon dating, these date from 13,000 to 7,000 BC. In the 16th century, when the Spanish colonization of Venezuela began, indigenous peoples such as the Mariches, themselves descendants of the Caribs, were systematically killed. Indian caciques (leaders) such as Guaicaipuro and Tamanaco attempted to resist Spanish incursions, but were ultimately subdued; Tamanaco himself, by order of Caracas' founder Diego de Losada, was also put to death. Detail of Martín Tovar y Tovar's La Batalla de CaraboboVenezuela was first colonized by Spain in 1522, when it hosted the Spanish Empire's first permanent South American settlement[citation needed] in what is now Cumaná. These portions of eastern Venezuela were incorporated into New Andalusia. Administered by the Audiencia of Santo Domingo since the early 16th century, most of Venezuela became part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in the early 18th century, and was then reorganized as an autonomous Captaincy General starting in 1776. After a series of unsuccessful uprisings, Venezuela—under the leadership of Francisco de Miranda, a Venezuelan marshal involved in the French Revolution—declared independence on 5 July 1811. This began the Venezuelan War of Independence. However, a devastating earthquake that struck Caracas in 1812, together with the rebellion of the Venezuelan llaneros, helped bring down the first Venezuelan republic. A second Venezuelan republic, proclaimed on 7 August 1813, lasted several months before being crushed as well. Sovereignty was only attained after Simón Bolívar, known as El Libertador ("The Liberator") and aided by Alexandre Petion of Haiti,José Antonio Páez and Antonio José de Sucre, won the Battle of Carabobo on 24 June 1821. José Prudencio Padilla and Rafael Urdaneta's victory in the Battle of Lake Maracaibo on 24 July 1823 helped seal Venezuelan independence. New Granada's congress gave Bolívar control of the Granadian army; leading it, he liberated several countries and founded Gran Colombia. Sucre, who won many battles for Bolívar, went on to liberate Ecuador, and later become the second president of Bolivia. Venezuela remained part of Gran Colombia until 1830, when a rebellion led by Páez allowed the proclamation of a new Republic of Venezuela; Páez became its first president. Much of Venezuela's nineteenth century history was characterized by political turmoil and dictatorial rule. During first half of the 20th century, caudillos (military strongmen) continued to dominate, though they generally allowed for mild social reforms and promoted economic growth. Following the death of Juan Vicente Gómez in 1935 and the demise of caudillismo (authoritarian rule), pro-democracy movements eventually forced the military to withdraw from direct involvement in national politics in 1958. Since that year, Venezuela has had a series of democratically elected governments. The discovery of massive oil deposits, totaling some 400 million barrels,[citation needed] during World War I prompted an economic boom that lasted into the 1980s; by 1935, Venezuela's per capita GDP was Latin America's highest,. After WWII the globalization and heavy immigration from Southern Europe (mainly from Spain, Italy, Portugal) and poorer Latin American countries markedly diversified Venezuelan society. The huge public spending and accumulation of internal and external debts by the government and private sector during the Petrodollar years of the 1970s and early 80s, followed by the collapse of oil prices during the 1980s, crippled the Venezuelan economy. As the government devalued the currency in order to face its mounting local and non-local financial obligations, Venezuelans' real standard of living fell dramatically. A number of failed economic policies and increasing corruption in government and society at large, has led to rising poverty and crime and worsening social indicators and increasing political instability,[opinion needs balancing] resulting in two major coup attempts in 1992. In the February 1992 coup, Hugo Chávez, a former paratrooper, attempted to overthrow the government of President Carlos Andrés Pérez as anger grew against the President's economic austerity measures. Chávez was unsuccessful and landed in jail. In November of that year, another unsuccessful coup attempt occurred, organized by other revolutionary groups in the Venezuelan Armed Forces and those that remained from Chávez’s previous attempt. In 1998, Hugo Chávez (who led the first unsuccessful coup in 1992) was elected president as a reaction against the established political parties and the corruption and inequalities their policies created. He remains president today. Since coming to power, Chávez has attracted some controversy through his reforms of the Constitution, the implementation of his "Bolivarian Revolution", and in 2002 (though now a democratically elected president) Chávez was temporarily ousted from power by right-wing elements in the army and the business sector. Government The National Assembly, CaracasThe Venezuelan president is elected by a vote with direct and universal suffrage, and functions as both head of state and head of government. The term of office is six years, and a president may be re-elected to a single consecutive term. The president appoints the vice-president and decides the size and composition of the cabinet and makes appointments to it with the involvement of the legislature. The president can ask the legislature to reconsider portions of laws he finds objectionable, but a simple parliamentary majority can diminish these objections. The unicameral Venezuelan parliament is the National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional. Its 167 deputies, of which three are reserved for indigenous people, serve five-year terms and may be re-elected for a maximum of two additional terms. They are elected by popular vote through a combination of party lists and single member constituencies. The highest judicial body is the Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, whose magistrates are elected by parliament for a single twelve-year term. The National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral, or CNE) is in charge of electoral processes; it is formed by five main directors elected by the National Assembly. Politics There are currently two major blocs of political parties in Venezuela: the incumbent leftist bloc United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and its major allies Fatherland for All (PPT), and the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV); and the opposition bloc lead by A New Era (UNT) together with its allied parties Project Venezuela, Justice First, Movement for Socialism (Venezuela) and others. Following the fall of Marcos Pérez Jiménez in 1958, Venezuelan politics was dominated by the center-right Christian democratic COPEI and the center-left social democratic Democratic Action (AD) parties; this two-party system was formalized by the puntofijismo arrangement. However, this system has been sidelined following the initial 1998 election of current president Hugo Chávez, which started the Bolivarian Revolution. The voting age in Venezuela is 18 and older. Voting is not compulsory. Most of the political opposition boycotted the 2005 parliamentary election. Consequently, the MVR-led bloc secured all 167 seats in the National Assembly. Then, the MVR voted to dissolve itself in favor of joining the proposed United Socialist Party of Venezuela, while Chávez requested that MVR-allied parties merge themselves into it as well. The National Assembly has twice voted to grant Chávez the ability rule by decree in several broadly defined areas, once in 2000 and again in 2007. This power has been granted to previous administrations as well. Chavez has also established aliance with Bolivias recently elected president Evo Morales. Public health See also: Water supply and sanitation in Venezuela Infant mortality in Venezuela stood at 16 deaths per 1,000 births in 2004, much lower than the South American average (by comparison, the U.S. stands at 5 deaths per 1,000 births in 2006). Child malnutrition (defined as stunting or wasting in children under age five) stands at 17%; Delta Amacuro and Amazonas have the nation's highest rates. According to the United Nations, 32% of Venezuelans lack adequate sanitation, primarily those living in rural areas. Diseases ranging from typhoid, yellow fever, cholera, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis D are present in the country. Only 3% of sewage is treated; most major cities lack treatment facilities. 17% of Venezuelans lack access to potable water. Travelers to Venezuela are advised to obtain vaccinations for a variety of diseases including typhoid, yellow fever, cholera, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis D. In a cholera epidemic of contemporary times in the Orinoco Delta, Venezuela's political leaders were accused of racial profiling of their own indigenous people to deflect blame from the country's institutions, thereby aggravating the epidemic. As had previous administrations, the government is attempting to create a national universal health care system that is free of charge. The current vehicle for this idea is Misión Barrio Adentro. Foreign relations Soil from Venezuela and four other countries—Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru—liberated by the Venezuelan leader Simón Bolívar is buried at the Parque de las Cinco Repúblicas in Mérida.Throughout most of the 20th century, Venezuela maintained friendly relations with most Latin American and Western nations. Relations between Venezuela and the United States worsened in 2002, when the U.S. government helped to instigate the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt and recognized the short-lived unconstitutional regime of Pedro Carmona. Correspondingly, ties to various leftist-led Latin American and Middle Eastern countries not allied to the U.S. have strengthened. Venezuela seeks alternative hemispheric integration via such proposals as the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas trade proposal and the newly launched pan-Latin American television network teleSUR. Venezuela was a proponent of OAS's decision to adopt its Anti-Corruption Convention, and is actively working in the Mercosur trade bloc to push increased trade and energy integration. Globally, it seeks a "multi-polar" world based on strengthened ties among Third World countries. Military Venezuela's national armed forces include roughly 100,000 personnel spread through four service branches: the Ground Forces, the Navy (including the Marine Corps), the Air Force, and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), commonly known as the National Guard. As of 2008, a further 600,000 soldiers were incorporated into a new branch, known as the Armed Reserve; these troops bear more resemblance to a militia than the older branches[original research?]. The President of Venezuela is the commander-in-chief of the national armed forces. Subdivisions Venezuela is divided into twenty-three states (Estados), a capital district (distrito capital) corresponding to the city of Caracas, the Federal Dependencies (Dependencias Federales, a special territory), and Guayana Esequiba (claimed in a border dispute with Guyana). Venezuela is further subdivided into 335 municipalities (municipios); these are subdivided into over one thousand parishes (parroquias). The states are grouped into nine administrative regions. (regiones administrativas), which were established by presidential decree. Historically, Venezuela has also claimed all Guyanese territory west of the Essequibo River; this 159,500 square kilometres (61,583 sq mi) tract was dubbed Guayana Esequiba or the Zona en Reclamación (the "zone to be reclaimed"). States Name Capital 1 Amazonas Puerto Ayacucho 2 Anzoátegui Barcelona 3 Apure San Fernando de Apure 4 Aragua Maracay 5 Barinas Barinas 6 Bolívar Ciudad Bolívar 7 Carabobo Valencia 8 Cojedes San Carlos 9 Delta Amacuro Tucupita 10 Falcón Coro 11 Guárico San Juan De Los Morros 12 Lara Barquisimeto Name Capital 13 Mérida Mérida 14 Miranda Los Teques 15 Monagas Maturín 16 Nueva Esparta La Asunción 17 Portuguesa Guanare 18 Sucre Cumaná 19 Táchira San Cristóbal 20 Trujillo Trujillo 21 Vargas La Guaira 22 Yaracuy San Felipe 23 Zulia Maracaibo Dependencies Name Capital • Federal Dependencies (none) Administrative regions Name Subregions Andean Barinas, Mérida, Táchira, Trujillo, Páez Municipality of Apure Capital Miranda, Vargas, Capital District Central Aragua, Carabobo, Cojedes Central-Western Falcón, Lara, Portuguesa, Yaracuy Guayana Bolívar, Amazonas, Delta Amacuro Insular Nueva Esparta, Federal Dependencies Llanos Apure (excluding Paez Municipality), Guárico North-Eastern Anzoátegui, Monagas, Sucre Zulian Zulia Geography Monte Roraima, a tepui in Canaima National Park in southeastern Venezuela. The park lies atop the Guiana Shield; its Precambrian geological formations rank among the world's oldest.Venezuela's mainland rests on the South American Plate; With 2,800 kilometres (1,740 mi) of coastline, Venezuela is home to a wide variety of landscapes. The extreme northeastern extensions of the Andes reach into Venezuela's northwest and continue along the northern Caribbean coast. Pico Bolívar, the nation's highest point at 4,979 metres (16,335 ft), lies in this region. The country's center is characterized by the llanos, extensive plains that stretch from the Colombian border in the far west to the Orinoco River delta in the east. To the south, the dissected Guiana Highlands is home to the northern fringes of the Amazon Basin and Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall. The Orinoco, with its rich alluvial soils, binds the largest and most important river system of the country; it originates in one of the largest watersheds in Latin America. The Caroní and the Apure are other major rivers. Pico Bolívar in the northwestern state of Mérida.The country can be further divided into ten geographical areas, some corresponding to climatic and biogeographical regions. In the north are the Venezuelan Andes and the Coro region, a mountainous tract in the northwest, is home to several sierras and valleys. East of it are lowlands abutting Lake Maracaibo and the Gulf of Venezuela. The Central Range runs parallel to the coast and includes the hills surrounding Caracas; the Eastern Range, separated from the Central Range by the Gulf of Cariaco, covers all of Sucre and northern Monagas. The Llanos region comprises a third of the country's area north of the Orinoco River. South of it lies the Guiana Shield, a massive two billion year old Precambrian geological formation featuring tepuis, mysterious table-like mountains. The Insular Region includes all of Venezuela's island possessions: Nueva Esparta and the various Federal Dependencies. The Deltaic System, which forms a triangle covering Delta Amacuro, projects northeast into the Atlantic Ocean. Though Venezuela is entirely situated in the tropics, its climate varies substantially; it varies from that of humid low-elevation plains, where average annual temperatures range as high as 28 °C (82 °F), to glaciers and highlands (the páramos) with an average yearly temperature of 8 °C (46 °F). Annual rainfall varies between 430 millimetres (17 in) in the semiarid portions of the northwest to 1,000 millimetres (39 in) in the Orinoco Delta of the far east. Most precipitation falls between June and October (the rainy season or "winter"); the drier and hotter remainder of the year is known as "summer", though temperature variation throughout the year is not as pronounced as at temperate latitudes. Flora and fauna The araguaney (Tabebuia chrysantha), Venezuela's national tree.Venezuela lies within the Neotropic ecozone; large portions of the country were originally covered by moist broadleaf forests. One of seventeen megadiverse countries and among the top twenty countries in terms of endemism, some 38% of the over 21,000 plant species are unique to the country; 23% of reptilian and 50% of amphibian species are also endemic. Venezuela hosts significant biodiversity across habitats ranging from xeric scrublands in the extreme northwest to coastal mangrove forests in the northeast. Its cloud forests and lowland rainforests are particularly rich, for example hosting over 25,000 species of orchids. These include the flor de mayo orchid (Cattleya mossiae), the national flower. The golden silk orb-weaver is among the more common of Venezuela's arthropods.Venezuela's national tree is the araguaney, whose characteristic lushness after the rainy season led novelist Rómulo Gallegos to name it «[l]a primavera de oro de los araguaneyes» ("the golden spring of the araguaneyes"). Notable mammals include the giant anteater, jaguar, and the capybara, the world's largest rodent. More than half of Venezuelan avian and mammalian species are found in the Amazonian forests south of the Orinoco. Manatees, Boto river dolphins, and Orinoco crocodiles, which reach up to 7 metres (23 ft) in length, are notable aquatic species. Venezuela also hosts a huge number of bird species, a total of 1,417, 48 of which are endemic. Important birds include ibises, ospreys, kingfishers, and the yellow-orange turpial, the national bird. In recent decades, logging, mining, shifting cultivation, development, and other human activities have posed a major threat to Venezuela's wildlife; between 1990 and 2000, 0.40% of forest cover was cleared annually. In response, federal protections for critical habitat were implemented; for example, 20% to 33% of forested land is protected. Venezuela is currently home to a biosphere reserve that is part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves; five wetlands are registered under the Ramsar Convention. In 2003, 70% of the nation's land was under conservation management in over 200 protected areas, including 43 national parks. Economy The 20 Venezuelan bolívar fuerte banknote featuring a portrait of Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi.The petroleum sector dominates Venezuela's mixed economy, accounting for roughly a third of GDP, around 80% of exports, and more than half of government revenues. Venezuela contains some of the largest oil and natural gas reserves in the world. It consistently ranks among the top ten crude oil producers in the world. The country's main petroleum deposits are located around and beneath Lake Maracaibo, the Gulf of Venezuela, and in the Orinoco River basin, where the country's largest reserve is located. Venezuela is currently trying to diversify its economy to be less dependent on its petroleum industry.[citation needed] Venezuela has the least expensive petrol in the world, due to high government subsidies. Like most South American countries, Venezuela depends upon hydroelectricity for the bulk of its electricity needs. Demographics Maracaibo, 5 de Julio AreaSince 1926, Venezuelan Census does not contain information about ethnicity so only rough estimates are available. Some 70% of the population are Mestizo, defined as a mixture of any other races; another 20% are unmixed caucasians, mostly of Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and German descent. Other important groups include Afro-Venezuelans, though their numbers are unclear due to poor census data. Asians, predominantly Lebanese, Arab , Chinese and Turkish descent, make up a small percentage of the population. Only about 5% of Venezuelans are Indigenous. These groups were joined by sponsored migrants from throughout Europe and neighboring parts of South America by the mid-20th century economic boom. According to the World Refugee Survey 2008, published by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Venezuela hosted a population of refugee and asylum seekers from Colombia numbering 252,200 in 2007. 10,600 new asylum seekers entered Venezuela in 2007. About 85% of the population live in urban areas in northern Venezuela; 73% live less than 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the coastline. Though almost half of Venezuela's land area lies south of the Orinoco, only 5% of Venezuelans live there. The national and official language is Spanish; 31 indigenous languages are also spoken, including Guajibo, Pemon, Warao, Wayuu, and the various Yanomaman languages. 83% of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. Culture Basílica de La Chinita, Our Lady of Rosario of Chiquinquirá Basilica, MaracaiboVenezuela's heritage, art, and culture have been heavily influenced by its Latin American context. These elements extend to its historic buildings, architecture, art, landscape, boundaries, and monuments. Venezuelan culture has been shaped by indigenous, Spanish and African influences. Before this period, indigenous culture was expressed in art (petroglyphs), crafts, architecture (shabonos), and social organization. Aboriginal culture was subsequently assimilated by Spaniards; over the years, the hybrid culture had diversified by region. Venezuelan art was initially dominated by religious motifs, but began emphasizing historical and heroic representations in the late 19th century, a move led by Martín Tovar y Tovar. Modernism took over in the 20th century. Notable Venezuelan artists include Arturo Michelena, Cristóbal Rojas, Armando Reverón, Manuel Cabré, the kinetic artists Jesús-Rafael Soto and Carlos Cruz-Diez. Venezuelan literature originated soon after the Spanish conquest of the mostly pre-literate indigenous societies; it was dominated by Spanish influences. Following the rise of political literature during the War of Independence, Venezuelan Romanticism, notably expounded by Juan Vicente González, emerged as the first important genre in the region. Although mainly focused on narrative writing, Venezuelan literature was advanced by poets such as Andrés Eloy Blanco and Fermín Toro. Major writers and novelists include Rómulo Gallegos, Teresa de la Parra, Arturo Uslar Pietri, Adriano González León, Miguel Otero Silva, and Mariano Picón Salas. The great poet and humanist Andrés Bello was also an educator and intellectual. Others, such as Laureano Vallenilla Lanz and José Gil Fortoul, contributed to Venezuelan Positivism. The Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex in Caracas. The joropo, as depicted in a 1912 drawing by Eloy Palacios.Carlos Raúl Villanueva was the most important Venezuelan architect of the modern era; he designed the Central University of Venezuela, (a World Heritage Site) and its Aula Magna. Other notable architectural works include the Capitol, the Baralt Theatre, the Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex, and the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge. Indigenous musical styles of Venezuela are exemplified by the groups Un Solo Pueblo and Serenata Guayanesa. The national musical instrument is the cuatro. Typical musical styles and pieces mainly emerged in and around the llanos region, including Alma Llanera (by Pedro Elías Gutiérrez and Rafael Bolivar Coronado), Florentino y el Diablo (by Alberto Arvelo Torrealba), Concierto en la Llanura by Juan Vicente Torrealba, and Caballo Viejo (by Simón Díaz). The Zulian gaita is also a popular style, generally performed during Christmas. The national dance is the joropo. Teresa Carreño was a world-famous 19th century piano virtuosa. In the last years, Classical Music has had great performances. The Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra has realized excellent presentations in many European concert halls, notably at the 2007 Proms, and has received honors of the public. Baseball is Venezuela's most popular sport, although football (soccer), spearheaded by the Venezuela national football team, is gaining influence. Famous Venezuelan baseball players include Luis Aparicio (inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame), David (Dave) Concepción, Oswaldo (Ozzie) Guillén (current White Sox manager, World Series champion in 2005), Cubs Ace Carlos Zambrano, Freddy Garcia, Andrés Galarraga, Omar Vizquel (an eleven-time Gold Glove winner), Luis Sojo, Miguel Cabrera, Bobby Abreu, Félix Hernández, Magglio Ordóñez, Ugueth Urbina, Víctor Martínez, Rafael Betancourt, and Johan Santana (a two-time unanimously selected Cy Young Award winner). The World Values Survey has consistently shown Venezuelans to be among the happiest people in the world, with 55% of those questioned saying they were "very happy". |
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