南美洲:
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| 委內瑞拉 Venezuela 首都:加拉加斯 國家代碼: ve |
 委内瑞拉（Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela） 獨立日：7月5日（１８１１年） 國慶日：７月５日（１８１１年） 國旗：呈長方形，長與寬之比為３：２。自上而下由黃、藍、紅三個平行相等的橫長方形相連而成。旗面中央有七顆白色五角星，呈弧形排列；左上角繪有國徽圖案。黃、藍、紅三色來自原大哥倫比亞共和國國旗顔色。七顆五角星代表１８１１年委內瑞拉聯邦的七個省。政府機構使用帶國徽的國旗，民間使用了不帶國徽的國旗。在查韋斯總統的推動下，2006年３月７日，委內瑞拉國民議會通過了對國旗和國徽的修改意見，决定把國旗上７顆星增加為８顆。新增加的一顆星代表１８１７年擺脫西班牙統治、並入委內瑞拉的圭亞那省。 國徽：中心圖案為盾徽。盾面左上方為一捆緊束的２０穗麥穗，象徵該國２０個州的團结和國傢的財富；右上方為兩面國旗和武器，象徵軍事上的勝利；下方為藍天緑地中一匹白色駿馬，象徵獨立和自由。盾徽上端為緑葉，水果和兩衹羊角，象徵豐饒；兩側由棕櫚葉和橄欖枝環繞。下端為三色綬帶，左邊用西班牙文寫着“ １８１０年４月１９日 獨立”，為紀念委內瑞拉成立政府；右邊寫着“１８５９年２月２０日 聯邦”，意在紀念聯邦共和國革命打響第一炮；中間寫着“委內瑞拉共和國”。 國歌：《英勇人民的光榮》《Gloria al Bravo Pueblo 》 國傢格言：Como vaya viniendo vamos viendo 國樹：美麗黃鐘花樹，木質堅硬，開黃花，生長在幹旱地區。 國鳥：吐皮亞爾鳥，黃色，背部有黑色花紋，可馴養。 國花：五月蘭 面積：916,490平方公裏 人口：2520萬（2002年），其中主要為印歐混血種人（60％左右），此外，也有白人、黑人和印第安人。人口年增長率為2.5％，平均壽命70歲。城市人口占77％。 民族： 民族構成復雜，印歐混血種人占人口的一半以上，餘為白人、黑人和印第安人等 語言：官方語言為西班牙語。 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） 獨立日：7月5日（1811年） 與北京的時差:--12:30 國傢代碼:58 貨幣： 玻利瓦爾 （Bolivar) 與我國關係：1974年6月28日與我國建交 委內瑞拉駐華大使館 地址：北京朝陽區三裏屯路14號 自然地理：９１６７００平方公裏。位於南美洲北部。東與圭亞那交界，南與巴西接壤，西與哥倫比亞為鄰，北臨加勒比海。全境從北嚮南分成三大地形區：西北和北部為安第斯山脈和馬拉開波低地，中部是奧裏諾科衝積平原，南部為圭亞那高原。全境處於熱帶。除山地外大部分地區屬熱帶草原氣候，年平均氣溫24—27℃，年降水量1，400毫米，有明顯的幹季和雨季。北部沿海年降水量不足800毫米，為幹旱、半幹旱氣候；圭亞那高原南部、馬拉開波低地和阿馬庫羅三角洲年降水量在2，000毫米以上，為熱帶雨林氣候。主要河流是奧裏諾科河。石油和天然氣儲量占南美洲首位，鐵礦藴藏量20多億噸，還有金剛石、金、銅、鋁土、煤等礦藏。森林占國土面積的52％。水力資源豐富。內河和沿海富水産。全境除山地外基本上屬熱帶草原氣候。境內擁有世界上落差最大的安赫爾瀑布，是著名的遊覽勝地。馬拉開波湖是拉美最大的湖泊，位於西北部，面積１．４３萬平方公裏，與委內瑞拉海灣相連。湖區周圍的沼澤地為世界著名的石油産區。 世界文化和自然遺産：◆科羅及港口 ◆卡奈馬國傢公園 ◆加拉加斯的大學城 經濟：石油工業是經濟發展支柱。1983年原油生産約1.5億噸，為世界主要石油生産國和出口國之一。輕工業較發達，七十年代以來重點發展了鋼鐵、石油化工、煉鋁等工業。耕地面積衹占可耕地面積的7.1％，主産玉米、稻米、咖啡、可可、甘蔗、棉花等，畜牧業以養牛為主，農牧産品不能自給。原油及其産品占出口總值的90％以上，其次為鐵礦砂、鋁材、咖啡、可可等；進口機器設備、原材料、糧食、日用品等。國內交通以公路運輸為主，主要分佈於西北部和北部；空運發達。 人口：２３７０萬（１９９８年）。印歐混血種人占５８％，白人占２９％，黑人占１１％，印第安人占２％。官方語言為西班牙語。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） 馬拉開波（Maracaibo） 瓦倫西亞（Valencia） 巴塞隆納（Barcelona） 拉瓜伊拉（La Guaira） 拉剋魯斯港（Puerto La Cruz） 庫馬納（Cumana） 梅裏達（Merida） 科羅（Coro） 巴基西梅托（Barquisimeto） 聖剋裏斯托瓦爾（San Cristobal） 梅塞德斯（La Mercedes） 提格雷（El Tigre） 馬圖林（Maturin） 圖庫皮塔（Tucupita） 玻利瓦爾城（Ciudad Bolivar） 阿亞庫齊港（Puerto Ayacucho） 聖費爾南多·阿塔巴波（San Fernando Atabapo） 簡史：原為印第安人阿拉瓦族和加勒比族居住地。１５６７年淪為西班牙殖民地。１８１１年７月５日宣佈獨立，後在南美解放者西蒙·玻利瓦爾的領導下，於１８２１年６月徹底襬脫西班牙殖民統治。１８２２年同哥倫比亞、厄瓜多爾和巴拿馬組成大哥倫比亞共和國。１８２９年退出。１８３０年建立委內瑞拉聯邦共和國。１８６４年改名為委內瑞拉合衆國。１９５３年重新定國名為委內瑞拉共和國。１９５８年實行憲政，建立文人政權。根據１９９９年１２月生效的憲法，國名改為“委內瑞拉玻利瓦爾共和國”。 憲法：１９９９年１２月３０日生效，共分９章３５０款。憲法規定將國名更改為“委內瑞拉玻利瓦爾共和國”；兩院製國會被一院製的“國會議會”取代；總統任期由５年延至６年，允許連選連任；增設副總統一職並規定總統有權解散“國民議會”。 外交：奉行獨立自主和民族主義的外交政策。強調維護主權和領土完整，反對外來干涉，主張國與國之間和平共處。積極發展同拉美、加勒比地區各國的關係，主張加快拉美全國一全化進程。加強同歐盟的政經關係，增進與發展中國傢聯繫，實現外交多元化。１９７４年６月２８日，委內瑞拉同中國建交。 現任總統：查韋斯．現已連任兩次，積極發展經濟，受到了窮人的支持 2006年3月7日，委內瑞拉國民議會通過了對國旗和國徽的修改意見，决定把國旗上7顆星增加為8顆，並將國徽上駿馬飛奔的方向由嚮右改為嚮左。 體育:棒球是委內瑞拉最流行的體育運動項目之一，當地有不少人前往美國職棒大聯盟發展，為美國職棒大聯盟第二大的海外球員來源地（僅次於多明尼加共和國，多於波多黎各）。委內瑞拉也擁有職業棒球聯盟。2006年，以六勝零敗的佳績獲得加勒比海大賽的冠軍。 相較於其他南美洲國傢，足球在委內瑞拉較不盛行，是南美洲足球協會中最弱的一國，從未踢進世界杯决賽周，但最近進步神速，其明星球員鬍安·阿朗戈目前效力於西甲皇傢馬洛卡俱樂部。2007年美洲國傢杯在委內瑞拉舉行。 【行政區劃】 全國劃分為22個州、1個聯邦區和1個聯邦屬地（由72個島嶼組成）。首都加拉加斯。 【民族節日】 節日 日期 新年 1月1日 主顯節 1月6日 狂歡節 2月19-20日 拉瓜伊拉日 3月10日 聖約瑟日 3月19日 復活節 4月5-8日 獨立宣言日 4月19日 勞動節 5月1日 卡拉沃沃戰役日 6月24日 聖彼得和聖保羅日 6月29日 獨立日 7月5日 國慶日 西蒙.玻利瓦爾誕生日 7月24日 也是馬拉開波湖戰役日 聖母升天節 8月15日 美洲發現日 10月12日 馬拉開波日 10月24日 萬聖節 11月1日 聖母懷孕日 12月8日 聖誕節 12.24-25 除夕 12月31日 【經濟文化】 該國屬拉丁美洲地區經濟較為發達的國傢之一，是世界上重要的石油生産國和出口國。石油工業在經濟中具有極其重要的地位，其收入占財政總收入的70%以上，原油産量居南美洲的前列。此外還開採鐵砂、金、金剛石、煤等。其他工業有石油化工、鋼鐵、製鋁、電力、化學製品、建材、紡織、食品加工、煙草、橡膠、木材等。農業在經濟中所占比重較小，主要農産品有甘蔗、棉花、大米、高粱、咖啡、可可等。主要飼養牛、豬等牲畜。旅遊業收入在經濟中占重要地位，主要旅遊地區是安赫爾瀑布和瑪格麗塔島等。主要出口石油及其副産品、鐵砂等，主要進口機器、工業原料、運輸設備、化工産品、食物等。主要貿易對象是美國、哥倫比亞、德國、日本、加拿大等。 公路總長約95 663千米；鐵路長439千米。航空事業相當發達，有7個國際機場。原油運輸管道6 370千米。天然氣管道3 690千米。 全國統一教材和課程。對6—15歲兒童實行義務教育。有100多種報刊和雜志，主要報刊雜志是《國民報》、《宇宙報》、《塞塔》等。委內瑞拉通訊社為國營通訊社。有400多傢電臺和27傢電視臺，多為私營和商業臺。 【旅遊指南】 馬拉開波：全國第二大城市，是世界上著名的石油産區中心和石油、咖啡輸出港。原油輸出量占全國一半，有石油化工、水泥、木材加工、食品等工業部門。有國際機場。原為梅裏達山區的咖啡輸出港，1918年隨馬拉開波湖石油的開發而大力發展起來。舊城區保留着殖民時期的建築，城市風格古樸、典雅。新城區的面貌呈現代化城市的風貌，街道寬闊，商業發達。 巴倫西亞：重要的工業城市，位於西中部海岸山脈南麓的巴倫西亞𠔌地，海拔不到500米。城市始建於1555年。有汽車裝配、化工、水泥、造紙、木材加工等工業部門，和鄰近的馬拉凱市共同構成工業姊妹城市。四周廣種棉花和甘蔗等經濟作物，是全國最富庶的農業區域。老城內保留着西班牙殖民時期的建築，有古老的大教堂、歷史博物館等。這裏的鬥牛場是南美洲最大的鬥牛場，經常舉行盛大的鬥牛活動。梅裏達：位於西部，是梅裏達州首府。城市建築在懸崖峭壁之上，有“委內瑞拉屋脊”之稱。這裏是安第斯山區引人註目的城市，是宗教和教育的中心。有小巧精緻的西班牙藝術博物館、著名的玻利瓦爾廣場、1785年建立的安第斯大學、古老的西班牙教堂和寺院等。附近山峰是滑雪、登山勝地，阿萊羅村是按照30年代安第斯山區的農村修建而成的。 馬拉開波湖：位於境內的西北部，南北長155千米，東西寬95千米，是世界上産量最高、開採最悠久的“石油湖”。湖區儲油量約50億桶。由於儲量大，原油源源不斷從湖畔的裂縫中溢出，浮在水面上。從湖的東西兩岸眺望湖面，衹見井架林立、油管密佈、油塔成群，景色十分壯觀。湖上大橋是南美洲跨度最大的橋梁之一。湖畔建有許多石油城鎮。 安赫爾瀑布：世界最高、落差最大的瀑布。位於東南部的丘倫河上，當地印第安人管它叫“出竜”。1935年首次被發現，1937年美國探險傢安赫爾進行空中考察時發現其為多級瀑布，故瀑布是以他的名字命名的。安赫爾瀑布隱藏在高山密林裏，最高落差979米，最高一級長807米、寬150米。衹有乘飛機才能看到它那全部的雄姿，乘飛機通過瀑布的上空，可得到“勇敢的探險者”證書。遊人可乘船逆流而上觀看瀑布。瀑布下遊地區是著名的世界自然遺産“卡奈馬國傢公園 ”，這裏有不少姿態美麗的瀑布，還有印第安人的茅捨。 海洋公園：自然保護區，世界著名的海洋公園之一。位於加勒比海南部，距大陸北部海岸約120千米。由海底山脈露出海面形成的300多個小島和附近海域組成。這裏魚蝦富饒，水鳥成群。主島上有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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