Kings and cabbages or the history of venezuela. Venezuela - general information Opening hours of institutions

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, or simply Venezuela, is located on the northern coast of South America.

Despite resistance local residents, in 1522 Venezuela was colonized by the Spaniards. It is the first Spanish colony to declare independence in 1811. But until 1830, Venezuela was part of the Republic of Colombia.

Venezuela consists of 23 states, some of which are part of the Federal (capital) district, and some belong to the Federal possessions (including offshore islands).

Although 92% of the country's population identify themselves as Roman Catholic, relations between the government and the Catholic Church are extremely tense. Some even predict a further break in relations between the Vatican and Venezuela. Since 2006, the Reformed Catholic Church of Venezuela has been operating here. The remaining 8% of the population are either undecided, or Protestants, or representatives of other faiths.

Since the discovery of huge oil reserves here at the beginning of the 20th century, Venezuela has been one of the world's exporters of petroleum products. Oil exports account for most of the state's income. Along with petroleum products, Venezuela exports coffee and cocoa to the world market.

Capital	Caracas
Population	27 150 095 people
Population density	30.2 people/km2
	Spanish
Religion	Christianity
Form of government	presidential republic
	Venezuelan bolivar (VEB)
Timezone
International dialing code
Internet domain zone
Electricity

Climate and weather

The north of the country is located in the zone of tropical trade wind climate. Here the weather is hot all year round. As we move inland, the climate changes to subequatorial. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are warm and dry. In general, in the country, the temperature does not make sharp changes throughout the year and stays at around +21…+26 °С. average temperature January - +19 °С, July - +23 °С. Temperature is also affected by altitude. In flat areas and on the coast, the air can warm up to +32 °С. And with increasing altitude, the temperature decreases, in the mountains its average value is +8 °С. The same thing happens with precipitation. On the plain, their number is 250 mm, and in the mountains it falls up to 3000 mm precipitation per year. Venezuela is located away from the zone of formation and movement of tropical hurricanes, thereby not being exposed to their destructive power.

The best time to visit Venezuela is from November to May, after the end of the rainy season.

Nature

Venezuela can be divided into four regions that differ in relief, climate and vegetation: mountainous areasAndes, depression in the area lake maracaibo, the plain Apure and Orinoco rivers, Guiana Highlands. Due to this division and the different conditions in the regions, the flora of the country is diverse. There are more than 7,000 varieties of wild plants alone. More than 600 tree species grow in the forests - three times more than in Europe. Here you can find black, red, iron, cinchona, coffee trees. Cypresses, various types of palm trees, tree ferns, agaves, and cacti are widespread. Mangroves grow in flooded areas.

extremely rich animal world forests, plains, lakes and rivers of Venezuela. About 20 species of chain-tailed monkeys live here, Andean bear and coati are found in the forests. Also here you can meet anteater, tree porcupine, armadillo. On the banks of the rivers you can see grazing tapirs. Large and small rodents, various types of wild goats, small deer, fallow deer are found in the savannah. Predators are represented by the South American raccoon, puma, jaguar and other types of small wild cats. The country has a huge number of poisonous snakes, other reptiles and amphibians. In freshwater rivers, there are electric eels, piranhas, and amphibian fish. Dolphins can be seen in the lower reaches of the Orinoco.

Attractions

Heart of Venezuela Caracas. The city has a long and rich history, parts of which are preserved in its architecture. famous place in the city - Simon Bolivar Square. Located on the square Cathedral, built in the 17th century, and the remains of Bolivar himself are kept in the National Pantheon. Another interesting place to see is the chapel of St. Rose, where the independence of the state was proclaimed in 1811. Caracas is full of museums, for example:

• Museum of Colonial Art;
• Gallery of National Art;
• Museum of Fine Arts;
• the Bolívar Museum;
• transport museum.

City Merida located at an altitude of 1640 meters above sea level. The main attraction of the city is Bolivar Peak, the top of which is crowned with a monument to the national hero of Venezuela.

City Guanare considered the spiritual capital of the state. There is a temple of the patroness of the country, Virgen de Koromoto, and a monument that was erected in her honor in 1996.

There is something to see in Venezuela and outside the cities. You can go to national park Canaima. The territory of the park is an ancient plateau, or tepui. Some of them rise thousands of meters high. The world's tallest waterfall is also located here. Somersault Angel. Tourists are given the opportunity to walk around the park sightseeing tour by plane. Another beautiful place Venezuela - Canaima Lagoon with numerous waterfalls, near which you can swim on an Indian boat.

Great Savannah located in the southeast of the state of Bolivar. Here you can admire untouched nature. Los Roques National Park is located 168 km off the coast of Venezuela on the archipelago. Most of the park is closed to the public, but open areas are considered the best for diving.

Food

The basis of Venezuelan cuisine is legumes, rice, potatoes, meat, various spices and other vegetables. A popular dish here is flatbread. arepa". The flatbread is served with various fillings, ranging from vegetables to meat.

Since the country has access to the sea, seafood is widespread here. Be sure to try the avocado stuffed with shrimp or real crab meat with white sauce. Oysters in wine sauce and rice with clams are widespread.

For dessert, fruit is usually served, of which there is a huge abundance. It can be guava or strawberries with cream, mangoes, watermelon, papaya, bananas, guava, oranges. Also for dessert you can enjoy caramel, pastries or sweets. Despite the fact that Venezuela is one of the leading exporters of cocoa to the world market, it is extremely difficult to find it in the country along with chocolate.

Alcoholic drinks are mainly represented by strong beer, rum, as well as moonshine made from wheat and rice. There is a large selection of juices from papaya, mango, pineapple, melon. Coconut juice is popular, which is most often drunk through a straw directly from the nut.

All this is eaten by the civilized population of the country. The Indians have their own dietary habits. For example, they may eat snakes, cockroaches, and beetle larvae.

Accommodation

Arriving in Venezuela, tourists prefer to rent a hotel room, apartment or house at a local resort. margarita island. Hotels here are quite expensive, have 4-5 "stars" and work on an "all inclusive" system. It is also popular to rent apartments in a place called Rio Chico. Here in the residential complex Los Flamingos» you can rent a two-room apartment for only $490 per week. House in a small coastal town Tukakas next to the national park will cost $ 480 per week. Lovers of life in the colonial style can rent a house for $ 380 in fishing village Choroni on the shore caribbean. And everything is included in the price, even beach towels.

Entertainment and recreation

Venezuela is suitable for recreation and lovers of beach idleness and those who like an active lifestyle.

The coast of the country is indented with small and cozy bays with white sandy beaches. The best of them are located on the skeleton of Margarita - Manzanillo, Juan Griego, Caribe. A distinctive feature of the beaches is their large area and length.

Large resorts offer tourists canoeing and catamaran trips, horseback riding, sailing, diving, and also have golf courses. In the mountains Sierra Nevada de Merida ski resorts offer their services from December to May.

Since the country is replete with national parks and reserves, ecotourism lovers will love excursions to them. Popular places are Guiana Plateau, Angel Falls, Orinoco River, Andes.

Venezuela is a colorful country, the people here are cheerful, and accordingly the holidays are the same. New Year January 1st is celebrated here. In Venezuela, it is associated with good luck, luck and the beginning of a new life. As in any other country in Latin America, people in Venezuela love carnivals. The main one is held forty days before Easter, is the most anticipated holiday and is celebrated on a grand scale. Bright outfits, incendiary rhythms, joyful cries and general fun - all this must be seen for yourself. April 19 is celebrated throughout the country as Venezuela's Declaration of Independence Day.

The country's capital has more restaurants and bars than any other Latin American city. Restaurants and cafes are the center social life. People come here not only for food, but also to discuss business matters or just to talk. Tips are 5-10% of the bill.

Purchases

Many shops in the country are open from Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 18:00. The lunch break is usually taken from 14:00 to 15:00. The work of major shopping centers extended until 21:00, sometimes until 22:00.

The tax free system is not practiced here, and the value added tax is included in the price of the goods and is equal to 16%. Sometimes a local tax is added to the amount.

Margarita Island is located in a free trade zone, so prices for goods are lower here. The most popular souvenirs among tourists are rum, cocoa, coffee, chocolate, things made by Indians, and jewelry.

Transport

Venezuela is connected with the world by air and sea transport. The country has two major international airports - International Simón Bolivar airport near Caracas and international Airport La Chinita in Maracaibo. Main seaports located in Maracaibo, La Guaira and Puerto Cabello. Communication between the major cities of the country is also carried out using air travel.

Railway communication in the country is practically not developed, so bus transportation is very popular. There are bus stations in major cities. All is not well in the provinces. It uses old technology, there are no bus stations, the schedule changes often and for no good reason, and during the rainy season the roads are washed out, which makes traveling by bus dangerous. Caracas and Maracaibo have subways.

Minibuses and taxis are also widespread in the country. In minibuses, the fare is equal to the fare on the bus, but on weekends and holidays it can increase by 10-20%. When calling a taxi, it is necessary to agree on payment even before the trip, because tourists are often cheated by choosing the longest route to their destination.

The country also has car rentals. To rent a car, you need to have an international driver's license and be over 21 years old.

Connection

The telecommunication system of Venezuela is quite well developed. The streets of the city are full of pay phones, from which you can make calls even abroad. Payment is made with a phone card. The cost of a call to Europe will be $1.25, to the USA - $1, to local settlements - $0.2.

There are several operators in the country mobile communications, the coverage is quite good, a SIM card and payment cards can be purchased at any store, post office, newsstand.

The Internet in Venezuela is developed even better than mobile communications. You can go online even when you are in the village. There are three major Internet service providers providing a full range of services. In large cities, Internet cafes are located on almost every block. The cost of the connection is approximately $1 per hour.

Safety

In recent years, the crime rate has increased significantly in the country. This is especially noticeable in the capital of Venezuela, where even in the evening it is dangerous to be in the city center. However, outside the capital, the crime rate is not so high and the farther from the city, the lower it is. The country has created a special Tourist Police Brigade, which is obliged to help tourists in case of problems with the local population.

It is advisable to immunize against hepatitis B and D, measles, tetanus and cholera before traveling to Venezuela. If you are planning to visit the valley Orinoco or areas south of lake maracaibo yellow fever vaccination is required. It is important to know that you will not be allowed out of the country unless you have a rubella and measles vaccination certificate. You can get vaccinated at the airport health department.

You should not swim in freshwater reservoirs because of the danger of catching some kind of infection. Also, you should not drink running water and eat vegetables and fruits without washing them and removing the peel.

The country is full of insects, so you should take care of the availability of special protective sprays and creams.

Business climate

Venezuela is currently experiencing rapid economic growth. The country provides ample opportunities to start your own business. Moreover, this business does not have to be connected with the tourism industry.

Before opening a business in Venezuela, it is necessary to obtain the so-called residence - the status of a foreign citizen permanently residing in Venezuela. You can get a residence only after three years of permanent residence in the country.

It should be noted that not all activities require a special license. To deal with all the legal intricacies of registering a business, you can use the services of lawyers who specialize in working with foreign citizens.

To establish business contacts, it is better to involve a local intermediary. Such services are widely provided by private and public financial companies. The use of an intermediary will help bring the services or goods of a novice businessman to the consumer market.

As for taxation, it is very low in Venezuela. For example, only 13% is tax on annual income, and an experienced accountant can reduce it to 7-9%.

Real estate

Compared with other countries and regions Caribbean real estate in Venezuela can be purchased at a very low price. So, the cost of a two-room apartment with an area of ​​70-80 m² in the capital will be about $100,000-120,000. A six-bedroom house here will cost $550,000. But a bungalow somewhere in the country, away from major cities, will cost only $ 25,000-30,000.

Since brokerage activities in Venezuela are not licensed, anyone can deal with housing sales / purchase transactions, so care should be taken. There is a rule that the intermediary is paid a certain percentage of the transaction. Usually it is 5% and is paid by the real estate seller. There is one more feature of the conclusion of the transaction - the contract must be concluded in handwritten form. Only in this case it has legal force. Therefore, even if the contract is typed on a computer, exactly the same handwritten copy is required for it. As for taxes related to real estate, here they are under the jurisdiction of the municipal authorities, so there is no single rate here.

In Venezuela, there is a parallel exchange rate: when buying local currency from hand, its exchange rate is twice as high as the bank offers.

In restaurants and cafes there is a service charge of 10% and it is customary to leave another 10% “for a tip”. You should only tip the taxi driver if he is carrying your suitcase.

It is important to remember that when leaving the country, the tourist must pay a government tax of 21%. Passengers who leave the country on the same day as they arrived and do not leave the airport, as well as children under 15 years of age, crew members and diplomats are exempt from paying the tax.

Official name - Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela . It has had its current official name since 2000.

Square- 916.5 thousand km 2

Population - 27 730 469 people (2007).

Official language- Spanish.

Capital- Caracas

National holiday - Independence Day July 5 (1811).

Currency unit- bolivar.

Geography.Venezuela is located in the northern part of South America, between Brazil in the south (the total length of the border is about 2200 km), Colombia in the west (2050 km) and Guyana (743 km) in the east. From the north it is washed by the Caribbean Sea (the length of the coastline is about 2800 km). Venezuela also owns the islands of Aves, Orchila, Los Hermanos, Los Testigos, margarita, La Tortuga, Los Roques and Blanquilla, as well as a number of small coral islands (about 72) and reefs (about 200) in the southern Caribbean.

Attractions

Venezuela is one of the most colorful countries in South America. Here, the snowy peaks of the Andes and the Amazonian jungle, the beautiful Gran Sabana plateau and almost 3,000 km of sandy shores coexist, the most big lake South America - Maracaibo and the third longest river of the planet - Orinoco, the highest waterfall of the planet - Angel and the longest cable car in the world. And all this is surrounded by a luxurious and diverse flora, under whose shelter more than 3,000 varieties of exotic animals live, including the jaguar, ocelot, tapir, armadillo, anteater and the longest snake in the world - the anaconda.

Noisy capital of Venezuela, multi-million dollar Caracas, lies at an altitude of about 1000 m, in a picturesque valley on the northern coast of the country. The city was founded by Captain Diego de Lozada in 1567 and originally bore the name of Santiago de Leon de Caracas, which was composed of the names of the patron saint of Spain - Santiago, governor Pedro Ponce de Leon and the name of the Indian tribal group that inhabited these land - "caracas".

Most of the cultural and architectural attractions of Caracas are concentrated in the old part of the city, which is called El Centro here. The area surrounding Plaza Bolívar is replete with historical monuments - on the south side of the square rises the building of the Caracas Museum, on the ground floor of which is the Conchejo Municipal (Municipal Council). The museum's collection includes numerous paintings and documents related to the struggle for independence and other significant events of the past. On the east side of the square rises a colorful cathedral in the colonial style - Catedral de Caracas (built in 1575, restored in 1666 after the earthquake of 1641).

Just two blocks west along Avenida Universidad lies complex El Capitolio Nacional(1873), in which the country's parliament sits (inside there is a small gallery of all the presidents of the country). Directly opposite rises the most recognizable church of the city - Iglesia de San Francisco ( XVI c, one of the oldest churches in Venezuela). The church's quaint interior contrasts sharply with its neoclassical façade, which was remodeled in XVIII century, but Iglesia de San Francisco gained its fame as the place where in 1813 Bolivar was declared "liberator". Now the church and its altar of San Onofre serve as a real place of pilgrimage. Also within the central part of the city, around the Plaza Morellos, which is often called the "Plaza of Museums", are the Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Colonial Art and the Museum of Transport. Also noteworthy is the neo-Gothic church of Santa Capilla ( XIX c), the monumental palace of the Palacio de Miraflor, the colonial district of Petares, the bustling nightlife districts of Las Mercedes, El Rosal, La Floresta and La Castellana, as well as the largest and most modern hippodrome in South America - La Rinconada.

There are also many around Caracas interesting places. First of all, it's famous Avila National Park, stretching along the spurs of the ridge of the same name a little north of the city. The uninhabited emerald slopes of Ávila rise above the city like a huge green wave frozen in motion. And just 15 km to the north, behind the ridge, stretches the luxurious Caribbean coast - the focus of beaches and resort areas.

Andes mountain rangecrosses the entire western part of Venezuela, from the Colombian border to the Caribbean coast. The ridges form three main branches - the Sierra Nevada, the Sierra de la Culata and the Sierra de Santo Domingo, rising almost 5,000 meters above sea level (the country's highest point, Bolivar Peak, has a height of 5,007 m, and the rest are only slightly -slightly below this mark). The green mountains of the Sierra Nevada de Mérida are the northernmost tip of the Andes system. Here, small villages stretch for hundreds of kilometers, whose inhabitants still live in a traditional way of life, and the mountains themselves, whose foothills practically bathe in the warm waters of the sea, serve as a well-known bait for all lovers active rest.

colorful city Merida, lying in the mountains just 12 km from the high peak country - Pico Bolívar, is one of the most popular tourist centers in Venezuela, from where many trails and routes for hiking, trekking and other outdoor activities run. The picturesque and bustling student city of Merida was founded in 1558 by the Spaniard Juan Rodriguez Suarez, who named it Santiago de Los Caballeros de Merida. It is now a university city (with about 40,000 students), widely known for the proverbial politeness of its people and for its parks (there are 28 city parks, more than any other city in Venezuela).

Its attractions include the old district of La Parocchia, the colorful colonial-style airport building, the Jardin Acuario Park, the Museum of Science and Technology, the monument to Juan Rodriguez Suarez, the Plaza de Los Geronas, the colorful church in the Plaza Rangel del Llano , University (the largest in the country), Plaza de Toros, Flower Clock, Albarregas Park with the Museum of the sculptor Mariano Pisin Salas, Miranda viaduct (there are a lot of viaducts and bridges in the city, which stands at the intersection of several rivers), colorful Mercada street market -Principal de Mérida, Mercado Artesanal Manuel Rojas Guillen and Mercado Murache market, Mukubahi lagoon, the well-known "Black Lagoon", and numerous churches and chapels scattered throughout the area in abundance.

And the hallmark of Merida is the longest and highest mountain cable car on the planet - Teleferico de Merida (1958). It stretches from the city center (height 1639 m above sea level) to the top of the second highest peak in Venezuela - Espejo (4765 m), forming a thread of three cables with a length of 12.6 km.

10 km from the town of Apartaderos is the "condor park" Estacion Biologica Juan Manuel Paz, widely known for its research work on the protection of famous birds.

The world's highest waterfall - Angel (Salto Angel ) is located on one of the branches of the Carrao River (Churun, a tributary of the Caroni River), in the very center of the Canaima National Park. With a total height of a huge ledge mountain range Auyantepui, from which water erupts, at 979 m, the highest free fall height of water is 807 m, which is 20 times higher than Niagara and 15 times higher than Iguazu. The waterfall was officially opened in 1935 by American pilot James Angel ( James Crawford Angel ), who conducted reconnaissance of these places from the air. However, to the local Indians, the pemon waterfall has been known from time immemorial under the name Kerepakupai Meru ( Kerepakupai-Meru - "falls into the deep place "). They believed that a "mawari" (a spirit in human form) lived on the mountain, which steals the souls of people, and for this reason the Indians never climbed to the top of the "tepui" and never told Europeans about the waterfall.

Roraima Plateau("big blue-green mountain") stretches along the border of Venezuela with Guyana and Brazil for 280 square meters. km. This is the southern part of the Guiana Highlands, which includes huge areas occupied by a fantastic hodgepodge of "tepui" and "simas". Described as far back as Arthur Conan Doyle's novel The Lost World, the plateau is considered by the Indians " the center of the earth", for it is here, according to their mythology, that lives Goddess Queen - progenitor of people. The plateau got its name from the highest mountain of the massif - Roraima (2772 m), however, there are many other famous mountains in the vicinity, such as Cerro Autana (the sacred mountain of the Piaroa Indians, who believe that this massif, indented with caves, is about 1220 m high). m, is a tree trunk through which the juices of the Earth flow), Cerro Pintado, or "Painted Mountain", (several dozen petroglyphs were found on the surface of the rock, many of which have no analogues on the continent), Serra de la Neblina ("Mountain of Mists", up to 3014 m), Cerro-Sarisarinama with huge canyons on its top (1670 m, "sari-sari" - this is how the local Indians imagine the clanging of the jaws of a demon living on top, which supposedly swallows people).

margarita island located 40 km from the northern coast of the country, forming, together with the islands of Coche and Cubagua, a small archipelago (3 islands, about 70 reefs), which is an independent state of Nueva Esparta. The first European to see the island was Christopher Columbus, whose ships approached the coast of Margarita on August 15, 1498, and the first inhabitant of the Old World to set foot on its land was Pedro Alonso Niño, who exchanged 38 kg of pearls from the Indians, which became the most expensive booty of the Spaniards in XV in. Pearls, which this island has always been famous for, became the reason for its rapid colonization. Since then, pearl banks have faded into the background, although the title "Pearl of Venezuela" has remained, and tourism has become the main source of income for the islanders - more than a hundred luxury hotels have been built on Margarita, long beaches (about 315 km) are considered among the best in the country, and the absence manifestations and political conflicts so characteristic of the continental part of the country make the rest here calm and serene.

In the northwest of the country, at the base of the narrow isthmus of Medanos, which connects the Paraguana peninsula with the continent, is located city ​​of Koro. The city was founded under the name of Santa Ana de Coro in 1527 by the Spaniard Juan de Ampies. Thus, Coro competes with Cumano for the title of the oldest Spanish city on the continent. The first land expeditions in search of the legendary Eldorado set off from Coro. It also became the first capital of the new Spanish province of Venezuela, although it was quickly leased to Germany and, after the end of the Coro treaty, became an ordinary provincial town, repeatedly plundered by corsairs. Smuggling of goods and advantageous geographical position each time led to the fact that the city rose from ruins. And now it is a perfectly preserved colonial city - the only locality Venezuela, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List (1950).

Maracaibo attracts few tourists. Founded in 1574, it has retained a rather limited number of colonial-era monuments, and even those, for the most part, are located outside the city limits. The lake-lagoon of the same name, Maracaibo, lying near the city, is known as the main base area for pirates in XV - XVII centuries, is the largest freshwater body of the continent (the area of ​​the water surface is about 12,800 sq. km), but oil pollution prevents its use for recreation. However, almost all routes through the region inevitably pass through the Rafael-Urdaneta bridge, which spans the throat of the lake (total length 8679 m - the most long bridge South America), through the coastal village of Santa Rosa de Agua, famous for its fish restaurants, and past Sinamaic, the place where Amerigo Vespucci named new land discovered by him, Venezuela.

Spanish colonization

Making his third voyage to the shores of the New World, he discovered the northern coast of South America, and already in 1499, the Spanish conquistador Alonso de Ojeda arrived there. In the Maracaibo lagoon, the conquerors saw two dozen Warao Indian huts built on stilts and interconnected by bridges. Amerigo Vespucci, a native of Italy, who arrived with the Spaniards, they reminded the city of the lagoons - Venice, and he called the pile village a small Venice, in Spanish, Venezuela. In the middle of the 16th century, the name Venezuela worn only by the city of Loro, located at the entrance to the Gulf of Maracaibo. Later, the whole country began to be called that.

By the time of the Spanish conquest, the territory of Venezuela was occupied by semi-nomadic Indian tribes who lived in a primitive communal system and were engaged in hunting, fishing, gathering, and slash-and-burn agriculture. Their tools were very primitive and made of wood and bone. Most of the country was occupied by the Arawak Indians, but shortly before the arrival of Europeans, the Arawaks were ousted from northern regions to the south are the tribes of the Carib Indians.
In 1520, the first Spanish settlement was founded in Venezuela and in general in South America- Kumana. In the second half of the 16th century, Caracas, Valencia, Merida and other cities were founded. In the 18th century, having mastered the north and northwest of the country, the Spaniards moved south - to the Llanos and the Orinoco. By that time, many of the Indians who resisted were exterminated, many died out from epidemics of measles and smallpox, most of the surviving Indians had gone deep into the jungle.

The conquistadors and early Spanish settlers took Indian women as their wives. The offspring from these marriages - mestizos - had greater immunity to diseases introduced by Europeans. In connection with the development of the plantation economy from the end of the 16th century until the beginning of the 19th century, Negro slaves were imported into the areas of sugar cane, tobacco and indigo plantations. The mixing of blacks with whites led to the appearance of mulattoes, and the mixing of blacks with Indians led to the appearance of sambo. Thus, a rather variegated composition of the country's population was formed in its anthropological type.

In 1528, Emperor Charles V sold the right to colonize the Venezuelan coastline from Cape Vela to Maracapan to the Bavarian bankers Welsers of Augsburg, to whom he owed large sums. Under the terms of the agreement, the Welsers were to develop the area and establish several settlements. However, instead, their agents were looking for the mythical El Dorado, and along the way they robbed and enslaved the Indians. In 1556, the rights of the Welsers were annulled, and the area again came under the rule of the Spanish crown. After that, the process of colonization of the coast by the Spaniards intensified significantly. In 1567, Diego de Losada founded Caracas.

The economy during the colonial period was limited to agriculture, mainly the cultivation of cocoa and tobacco, and to a small extent cattle breeding. Venezuela has become one of the centers of piracy and smuggling; the English and the Dutch were most actively involved in this activity. In 1546, East Coast was included in the captaincy general of Santo Domingo and was under the jurisdiction of the corresponding administrative-judicial collegium - audience. When the Viceroyalty of New Granada was created in 1718, it included the western and southern provinces of Venezuela; in 1777, the territory of present-day Venezuela was reunited under the newly formed Captaincy General of Caracas.

Independence

The first decisive attempt to achieve independence from Spain was made by Venezuela. In 1810, the Creoles (i.e., Spaniards born in the New World), who were part of the city council of Caracas, overthrew the Spanish captain general and created the Supreme Government Junta. At first, this junta nominally ruled on behalf of King Ferdinand VII of Spain, who was deposed by Napoleon in 1808. However, after the rebels were declared rebels, and the colony of Venezuela was subjected to a blockade, the National Congress convened in Caracas threw off the pretense of loyalty to the Spanish crown and officially declared independence on July 5, 1811.

The first attempt at independence ended in defeat in July 1812, when Spanish troops began to reassert their dominance over the area. The defeat of independent Venezuela was greatly facilitated by the natural disaster that struck it in March 1812 - a strong earthquake, after which the clergy, who for the most part opposed the ideas of independence, did not hesitate to declare it God's punishment for disobeying the legitimate authorities. Francisco Miranda, commander-in-chief of the revolutionary army, tried to negotiate peace with the Spanish command, but betrayed and framed by Simón Bolivar, fell into the hands of the Spanish and was taken to Spain, where he died in prison.

Spanish rule in Venezuela was restored after the arrival of a large Spanish force there in 1815. Bolívar, who could not resist the strong Spanish army, fled to Haiti. However, in 1816, having collected money from sponsors a strong army, he returned to the continent and captured the area downstream the Orinoco river. Bolivar's position was consolidated in October 1818, when a congress convened in the city of Angostura (now Ciudad Bolivar) proclaimed him President of the Republic of Venezuela. After the liberation of the Spaniards of New Granada (modern Colombia), the congress met again in December 1819, and announced the unification of New Granada and Venezuela under the name of Great Colombia (in 1822, Ecuador joined the federation). Bolivar was proclaimed president of the united republic. In June 1821, the Spanish army was defeated in a decisive battle in the Carabobo valley, which sealed the success of the Republican government.

Republican period

In 1830, shortly before Bolívar's death, Venezuela seceded from Gran Colombia to form independent republic with its capital in Caracas. The hero of the revolution, General José Antonio Páez, became the first President of the Republic and remained the most prominent figure on the Venezuelan political scene until 1846. He maintained good relations with the Catholic Church and promoted trade, agriculture and education. The political history of Venezuela was relatively calm until the late 1850s, when the Federal War of 1859-1863 broke out, between conservatives and liberals. In 1870, the representative of the Liberal Party, Antonio Guzmán Blanco, came to power and ruled until 1887.

In 1887, general dissatisfaction with the rule of Guzmán Blanco forced him to step down as president. After that, for several years there was a struggle between various applicants for this post, until the accession to power of General Joaquín Crespo began a relatively short (1892-1899) period of peace and order. Most important event this period marked the end of a 50-year border dispute between Venezuela and British Guiana. The disputed territory had no value until gold was discovered in the area in 1895. US President Grover Cleveland said that British claims to Venezuelan territory were a violation of the Monroe Doctrine; under the threat of war, Britain was forced to agree to international arbitration. The proceedings ended with the annexation of most of the disputed territory to British Guiana, and Venezuela received the Orinoco Valley.

Soon after this crisis, power in Venezuela passed into the hands of Cipriano Castro, who established a personal dictatorship (1899-1908). He inherited a huge national debt from the previous administration. And by entering into new loan agreements, he further increased the burden of external debt. In 1902, Venezuela refused to recognize the claims of foreign creditors seeking the payment of public debts. In response, Great Britain, Germany and Italy, with the tacit consent of the United States, blockaded Venezuelan ports. Faced with such an open show of force, Venezuela was forced to give in, and the creditors' claims were settled by transferring 30% of the customs duties of La Guaira and Puerto Cabello to them.

Dictatorship of Gomez (1908-1935). In 1908, taking advantage of the absence of Castro, who had gone to Europe for medical treatment, Vice President Juan Vicente Gómez staged a coup d'état; from that moment until his death in 1935, he remained in office as head of state. Gomez achieved stability in the government and began to pay off the huge public debt. When huge oil reserves were discovered in Venezuela, Gomez took into account the experience of Mexico, which experienced great difficulties in a similar situation, and turned to various foreign oil companies with a request to submit proposals for the joint development of oil wealth in order to choose the most profitable from them. Calling on the help of experts, he managed to conclude such agreements that ensured the prosperity of Venezuela and made it possible to fulfill all its financial obligations. Venezuela has become the only country in the world without any debt. Nevertheless, the death of Gomez, which followed in 1935, caused universal rejoicing. He was succeeded as head of state by the former Minister of War, General Eléazar López Contreras.

Period of progress

Lopez Contreras led the country to a new life, while avoiding any violent measures. Work has begun in the country to implement education, health programs and improve the organization of public works. Unlike his predecessors, López Contreras refused to run for a second term, and in 1941 General Isaias Medina Angarita succeeded him as president. Under him, the unhurried movement towards agrarian reform continued, more lucrative contracts were concluded with foreign oil companies, and even the Communist Party of Venezuela was allowed. However, the program of Medina Angarita did not satisfy young reformers from the liberal Democratic Action (DA) party, founded in 1941, in many ways. Despite changes in the upper echelons of the executive branch, many of those who gave tacit support to the Gomez regime retained their posts.

Revolution of 1945 and its aftermath

On October 18, 1945, a revolution took place in the country, marked by armed clashes in Caracas. A new government was created, headed by the young leader of the DD Romulo Betancourt. The government he formed was composed of young men, with seven of the eleven cabinet members educated in the United States. For the first time, an expert in this field has taken the post of Minister of Agriculture, who has directed his efforts towards the introduction of efficient land use practices. It is in this area that the government has encountered difficulties. The oil companies paid the workers high wages, which forced the peasants to abandon their farms. The need to import food has made the cost of living in Venezuela one of the highest in the world. At one time, Gomez confiscated small farms in order to create huge cattle ranches in their place. The new government announced that these ranches would be divided into small farms, the owners of which would be trained in the most efficient farming methods, which should benefit the country as a whole.

In October 1946, nationwide elections were held for members of the Constituent Assembly. Both in this election and in the subsequent elections (in December 1947), the DD candidates won a decisive victory. In 1947, Romulo Gallegos, a well-known writer and staunch reformer, was elected president. The period of his stay in power was marked by the active political activity of parties and groups. At the same time, the impressive electoral victories of the DD, the aggressive rhetoric of its leaders and far-reaching reform programs caused a growing alienation of influential groups, including part of the clergy and the military. This resulted in a military coup that overthrew President Gallegos in November 1948. A military junta came to power, led by former Defense Minister Colonel Carlos Delgado Chalbo. He was assassinated in 1950, but had previously outlawed both DD and the free press. His place was taken by Germán Suárez Flamerich, but the actual control of the government was in the hands of Colonel Marcos Pérez Jiménez.

To maintain a semblance of democracy, the junta drew up an elaborate plan to hold elections for a Constituent Assembly, which in turn would elect a president. Electoral colleges were appointed to register voters and draw up lists. However, the voters themselves showed no interest in this. In the end, after direct government threats to inflict terrible punishment on those who did not register and vote, elections were scheduled for 1952. When the preliminary results already clearly showed the leadership of the opponents of the junta, the military authorities suspended the elections and declared Pérez Jiménez president. In 1953, the Constituent Assembly confirmed him in this post for a five-year term.

Pérez Jimenez's reign

The dictator severely suppressed any attempt to criticize his regime. Liberals were forced to go underground or leave the country, and the secret police carried out mass arrests and torture of political prisoners. However, until the end of 1957, Pérez Jiménez's rule seemed to be quite stable. As the time for the national elections approached, Pérez Jiménez imprisoned every opposition figure known to him, including the leader of the Social Christian Party, Rafael Caldera Rodriguez. In December 1957, a plebiscite was held with Pérez Jiménez as the only candidate. By the end of January 1958, unrest began in the streets of Caracas, which ended in two days of terror, when about 300 people were killed by the police. Power was seized by a group of officers led by Admiral Wolfgang Larrasabal, commander of the navy, and Perez Jimenez fled to the United States.

Larrasabal put the country at the head of the Provisional Government Junta, which included military and civilians, which was supported by the leader of the underground, Fabricio Ojedo. The leaders of the opposition parties Romulo Betancourt and Jovito Villalba, as well as Rafael Caldera, returned from exile. An interim government junta led by Larrasabal exercised executive power in the country until the presidential elections in December 1958. This election was won by former President Romulo Betancourt, leader of the JD, ahead of Caldera and Larrasabal.

Democratic rule

The new administration restored the country's credibility in the international arena, undermined by the Jimenez regime, social welfare and public education programs were launched, and measures were taken to attract foreign investment. In 1960, a land reform law was passed, according to which 700 thousand peasants received their own land plots. During Betancourt's five years in power, right-wing and left-wing extremists constantly tried to overthrow the government, with support from abroad. In 1960, the Organization of American States (OAS) voted to impose sanctions against Dominican Republic, then under the rule of dictator Rafael Trujillo, for helping right-wing extremists who organized the assassination attempt on President Betancourt.

Despite the unrest and terrorism, in December 1963, regular elections were held, in which about 90% of the voters took part. Dr. Raul Leoni, the DD candidate and a longtime associate of Betancourt, was elected President. In 1968, Rafael Caldera Rodríguez, candidate of the Social Christian Party, succeeded Leoni as president, his electoral victory predetermined by a split in the ranks of the DD. In 1974, the DD returned to power with the victory in the 1973 presidential election of its candidate, Carlos Andrés Pérez. The Peres government carried out in 1975-1976, the nationalization of iron ore and oil companies. Thanks to a significant increase in government revenues, mainly due to rising oil prices in world markets, and also due to the fact that the DD controlled both houses of the National Congress, Perez was able to launch a number of new programs. In 1978, the candidate of the Social Christian Party, Luis Antonio Herrera Campins, was elected president. During his reign, the country's economy fell into a prolonged decline, despite the fact that government revenue from oil exports almost doubled. Venezuela's external debt has tripled to over $34 billion, and the cost of living has nearly doubled. In 1983, JD candidate Jaime Lusinchi won the presidential election by a wide margin. Faced with falling world oil prices and having to pay large sums in the form of interest on external debt and repayment of debt obligations, Lusinchi introduced an austerity regime in the country, which extended the period of recession, but allowed Venezuela, the only one among Latin American countries, to fully and timely pay off foreign creditors. However, no new loans could be obtained from foreign banks, and when economic growth resumed in 1986, the need to finance enterprises created inflation that doubled prices within two years.

In the 1988 elections, JD's candidate, former President Carlos Andrés Pérez, was elected by a large majority. By this time, the country's per capita income was less than 77% of its 1977 level, and the value of the Venezuelan currency was international market decreased by almost 90% in 5 years. Since the country's foreign exchange reserves were almost completely depleted, Peres had to agree to the requirements of the IMF and immediately after taking office to introduce an austerity regime. The unpopular measures he took caused riots in Caracas; according to official figures, about 300 people died, and according to unofficial figures, more than a thousand. The introduction of the austerity regime had the desired effect - foreign creditors agreed to provide Venezuela with new loans, but this did not affect the prevailing negative attitude of the population towards the government as a whole and personally towards Perez.

Unsuccessful economic policy gave rise to general discontent, with manifestations of which the government struggled with forceful methods. In this situation, various political currents arose, both right and left, and fermentation began in the armed forces. In 1990-1991, anti-government protests increased, culminating in a general strike on November 7, 1991. Encouraged by the popular enthusiasm, patriotic elements among the junior officers rallied under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Hugo Chávez. On February 4, 1992, Chávez led a failed coup attempt.

Fearing a second coup attempt, the leaders of the parties DD and KOPEI in April 1992 formed the government of "National Unity", but three months later the representatives of the KOPEI left the cabinet. The second, also unsuccessful, coup attempt was made on November 27 of the same year. Since 1990, there has been some economic recovery, partly due to feverish privatization. In 1991, economic growth reached 10%, and in 1992 - 9%. However, by the end of 1992, growth slowed down and inflation remained at 30%. In March 1993, the Attorney General of Venezuela applied to Supreme Court with a request to bring the president to trial on charges of misappropriation of public funds in the amount of $ 17 million. The court issued a positive decision, and in May 1993, the National Congress decided to remove Perez from the duties of the head of state, which were transferred to the interim president.

In December 1993, another presidential election was held, which was won by Rafael Caldera Rodriguez. This old man caused dissatisfaction with the leadership of his own party - KOPEY, by the fact that in his speeches and statements he supported and encouraged the political activity of the military. In June 1993, he was expelled from the party because he insisted on running for president in competition with KOPEI's intended candidate. As a result, he ran as an independent candidate, receiving support from the Convergence coalition, which united small left-wing or populist parties. However, DD and KOPEY, forced to unite in the legislative field, retained their majority in Congress.

When Caldera Rodriguez took office in early 1994, he faced the thankless task of satisfying the conflicting demands of his impoverished and disillusioned voters on the one hand, and investors and creditors on the other, who could plunge the country into an even deeper economic crisis. by delaying payments or withdrawing investments from banks. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the National Congress (in which the three main parties - DD, SPOKES and IAU) agreed, granted emergency powers to the new president to implement tax reforms and a number of other economic measures.

However, the crisis continued to deepen. There was an outflow of capital, a number of banks declared their insolvency. Crime rose sharply, in overcrowded prisons every now and then there were riots of prisoners. Ex-president Jaime Lusinchi, accused in 1993 of corruption, was acquitted, but former President Pérez was placed under house arrest, and in 1996, the Supreme Court found him guilty of misappropriation of public funds. In 1995, both houses of Congress passed a law allowing the participation of foreign multinational companies in the oil sector. The coalition supporting the president failed in the municipal and local government elections. The economic crisis continued, and despite popular protests in the form of mass demonstrations, in 1996 Caldera Rodriguez agreed to the demands of the IMF and began restructuring the economy, securing loans of $1.4 billion. New loans were received from the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, and private investment increased sharply. All of these capital inflows, along with a short-lived rise in oil prices, made it possible to overcome the economic downturn, followed by a recovery in 1997.

Meanwhile, Hugo Chávez, who spent two years in prison after his failed military coup attempt, has been released and is building his own constituency, appealing mainly to the poor for support. His supporters united in the so-called "Movement of the Fifth Republic" (DPR). Chávez's candidacy in the December 1998 presidential election was supported, in addition to the DPR, by the IAU and a coalition of small left-wing factions.

In the November 1998 parliamentary elections, the Patriotic Pole coalition that supported Chávez, as part of his Fifth Republic Movement (DPR), the Movement to Socialism (MAS), the Motherland Party for All and other groups, won about 34% of the vote and won 76 out of 189 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 17 of the 48 seats in the Senate. The DD remained the largest of the individual parties (55 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 19 in the Senate). KOPEY received only 27 deputy and 7 Senate seats. In the elections of governors of the states and the capital district, Patriotic Pole and DD won 8 posts each, KOPEI - 5. The presidential elections that followed in December 1998 turned out to be a real political earthquake. They showed the decline of the influence of DD and SPOKES, which dominated the country for almost 40 years. The result of their rule was corruption, an increase in poverty and a sharp deterioration in basic public services including healthcare and education. Despite the oil wealth of Venezuela, more than 80% of the population lived in poverty, 40% - even below the subsistence level.

The reign of Hugo Chavez

In the wake of general discontent, Hugo Chavez won the presidential election (56.2% of the vote), far ahead of his rivals - banker and former governor Enrique Salas Römer (39.9%) and Miss Universe 1981 Irena Saez (2.8% ). The traditional parties DD and KOPEY refused to nominate their own candidates and expressed support for Salas. Having assumed the presidency on February 2, 1999, Hugo Chavez refused to take an oath on the 1961 constitution, declaring it "dead". He announced his intention to achieve the adoption of a new constitution, which was supposed to provide for a profound reform of the entire political, legal and economic system, to combat poverty and corruption. Chavez proclaimed the start of a "peaceful revolution" and threatened to dissolve Congress and the Supreme Court if they resisted the planned reforms. Chavez's socio-economic policy did not provide for a fundamental rejection of market mechanisms, "austerity" and economic orientation towards the United States, did not involve the nationalization of the main industries and finances.

At the same time, the new authorities sought to increase state intervention in the economic and social sphere. Chavez launched the "Plan Bolivar 2000", according to which 70,000 military personnel and 80,000 civil servants were sent to projects for infrastructure development, health care, agricultural education and road construction. At the same time, the government continued its policy of further reducing public spending, including for social needs, limited wage increases in the public sector, so that it lagged significantly behind inflation, introduced a tax on banking operations, etc. The coming to power of Chavez led to a sharp polarization of political forces. A sharp struggle unfolded between his authoritarian regime and the old party, legal, business and trade union elites. The President immediately went on the offensive against the legislative and judicial authorities of Venezuela. On February 17, 1999, he demanded the adoption of a law granting him emergency powers. At the end of March, Congress was forced to recognize the president's right to legislative measures to improve the budget for a period of 180 days, and on April 15 - after Chavez's threats to introduce a state of emergency - additional emergency powers in the field of the economy.

In April 1999, Chavez held a referendum, during which 90% of the participants (only 47% of voters voted) were in favor of convening a Constituent Assembly to develop a new constitution for the country. Elections to the Assembly were held in July, 120 of the 128 seats (three more seats were reserved for the Indian communities) were won by supporters of the president, and he was reappointed in his post. The Supreme Court tried to limit the powers of the Constituent Assembly by ruling that it had no right to dissolve democratically elected bodies. However, on August 12, the meeting, ignoring the opinion of the judiciary, announced the adoption of emergency powers to reform state bodies, and on August 19, introduced a "state of emergency" in the field of justice. It also decided to conduct an investigation into the activities of all judicial instances of the country, including the Supreme Court, as well as to purge them of persons involved in corruption. After that, the resistance of the Supreme Court was broken, and its chairman, Cecilia Sosa Gomez, resigned. The authorities opened cases against 75 judges of various levels on charges of abuse of office and corruption.

Now the main blow of the Chavez government was directed at the opposition National Congress. On August 25, 1999, the Constituent Assembly decided to strip Congress of its legislative powers; its meetings were banned and a commission was appointed to investigate the activities of deputies and senators. The severity of the conflict was mitigated by the mediation of the Catholic Church (Hugo Chavez himself is a deeply believing Catholic). According to the compromise reached, the congress was able to resume its meetings on October 1, 1999, but was forced, in essence, to accept its own disenfranchised position. The Supreme Court dismissed the claim of parliamentarians who sought the abolition of the emergency laws adopted by the Constituent Assembly. Finally, both the assembly and the congress approved the text of the new constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and on December 15, it was approved by a popular referendum. The provisions contained in the text, which provided for the expansion of state intervention in the economy, aroused dissatisfaction with business organizations.
Following the entry into force of the constitution in January 2000, the Constituent Assembly was dissolved and replaced by an interim congressional committee until new elections.

The next conflict arose between the Chavez government and the press. An opposition TV magazine was shut down by the authorities, prompting violent demonstrations by journalists who accused the regime of violating press freedom. Venezuelan private television channels openly opposed the president. The presidential elections on July 30, 2000 were won by Hugo Chavez with over 59% of the votes and began his new term of office on August 19. The president's main rival this time was his former comrade-in-arms in the 1992 military uprising, Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Arias Cardenas, who has now gone over to the opposition against Chavez. Having united around himself the opponents of the incumbent president, Arias Cardenas collected more than 37% of the vote. 3% went to the share of another opposition candidate - Claudio Fermin. The patriotic pole also won parliamentary and gubernatorial elections, winning 99 seats in the National Assembly and 13 governorships.

In the field of foreign policy, Chavez sought to expand contacts with oil-producing countries and establish cooperation with Cuba, but at the same time did not want to worsen relations with the United States, the main consumer of Venezuelan oil. Throughout 2001, the standoff between President Chávez and his old elite opponents escalated and escalated into open confrontation the following year. The dissatisfaction of some of the highest military circles increased, some of whose representatives publicly called for Chavez to resign. In April 2002, the government replaced the entire leadership of the state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, in response, opposition leaders of the Confederation of Workers of Venezuela called for an indefinite general strike. The performance of the oil workers and trade unions was supported by the unions of entrepreneurs. After clashes between hundreds of thousands of supporters and opponents of the president took place in Caracas, during which there were dozens of dead and wounded, the commanders of the armed forces carried out a military coup on April 11. Chavez was forced to resign, after which he was arrested. The rebellious generals put the President of the Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Associations (the largest association of entrepreneurs) Pedro Carmona at the head of the transitional government. However, most of the army remained loyal to the president, moreover, many hundreds of thousands of his supporters took to the streets, who were mobilized by the "Bolivarian Committees", mainly in the poor quarters of the cities. As a result of the counter-coup, Chávez returned to power and his leading opponents were arrested.

The failure of the April coup did not end political crisis in Venezuela. During the year, the opposition, taking advantage of the growing economic difficulties and inflation, organized four general strikes against the government of President Chavez. The largest of them began in early December 2002 and lasted more than 2 months. The protests were organized by the leaders of the Trade Union Confederation of Workers of Venezuela and the Democratic Coordination political bloc. They demanded the resignation of Chavez and a referendum on his presidency. But this strike (like the previous one, in October 2003) ended in failure.

After becoming President Hugo Chavez, he gradually moved away from the policy of good neighborliness with the United States and wanted to carry out the so-called "Bolivarian Revolution" in the country, named after his idol, the liberator of South America, Simon Bolivar. Consistent Bolivarianism is one of the distinctive features the reign of Chavez. Bolivarianism is a left-wing political movement that aims to unite the countries of Latin America into one state based on popular democratic and anti-capitalist values ​​(democratic socialism). The ideology of this movement is to fight against the global dominance of the United States and American corporations, for the establishment of economic sovereignty (anti-imperialism), economic self-sufficiency (which naturally became one of the causes of antagonism), the fight against corruption, direct democracy - all decisions in the country must be made under participation of the people. In foreign policy, Chavez took a firm anti-American stance.

Countries:
The states and the largest cities in Venezuela are presented to your attention.

Venezuela

State in northern South America. The population of Venezuela is 27,635,743 people. Venezuela is administratively divided into 23 states, 1 federal district and 1 separate administrative-territorial unit of federal possessions, which includes most of the islands belonging to Venezuela. The capital is Caracas. The area of ​​the territory is 916,445 km².

federal district Venezuela

The territorial unit of Venezuela includes the capital of Venezuela - the city of Caracas. Formed in 1999. The area is 433 km². Population - 1,943,901 people.

Cities:

• Caracas - capital of Venezuela. The city, together with the territory adjacent to it, is allocated to the federal capital district, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich is 1900 km². Population 3,051,000 people.

Federal possessions of Venezuela

A separate administrative-territorial unit of Venezuela, uniting most of its islands (12 island groups) in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Venezuela. The administrative center is the archipelago of Los Roques. Population 2,155 people. The total area of ​​the territory is 342 km².

Island group

• Archipelago of Los Monjes
• La Tortuga Island
• La Sola Island
• Archipelago of Los Testigos
• Archipelago of Los Frailes
• Patos Island
• Archipelago of Los Roques
• La blanquilla island
• Los Hermanos Islands
• Orchila Island
• Las Aves Archipelago
• Aves Island

States

Amazonas

One of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is the city of Puerto Ayacucho. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the city of San Fernando de Atabapo was the administrative center. The name of the state comes from the Amazon River, which flows here. The area of ​​the state is 180,145 km², the population is 146,480 people. The most Indian state of Venezuela. Indians make up half of the state's population.

Cities:

• Puerto Ayacucho - since 1928, the capital of the Venezuelan state of Amazonas. A city with a population of 80 thousand inhabitants, located on the Orinoco River.

Ansoategi

The state capital is the city of Barcelona. The area of ​​the state is 43,300 km², the population is 1,469,747 people.

Cities:

• Barcelona - capital of the Venezuelan state of Anzoategui. The population is 424,819 inhabitants.
• Anako - city ​​in the Venezuelan state of Anzoategui. The city is located near a natural gas field and lives primarily at the expense of the state oil and gas company PDVSA. Incomes in this region are the largest in Latin America. They have a decisive influence on the economic direction of the region. The population is 124,431 people.

Apure

State of Venezuela. It got its name in honor of the river of the same name. The state capital is the city of San Fernando de Apure. The area of ​​the state is 76,500 km², the population is 459,025 people.

Cities:

• San Fernando de Apure - a city in Venezuela, the capital of the state of Apure.

Aragua

State in northern Venezuela. Area - 7014 km². The administrative center is the city of Maracay. The area is 7,014 km².

Cities:

• Maracay - city ​​in northern Venezuela. Capital and The largest city state of Aragua. Population - 396 thousand inhabitants. The city is located 25 km from the coast of the Caribbean Sea, from which it is separated by a mountain range, 80 km west of Caracas, 3 km east of Lake Valencia.

Barinas

State of Venezuela. The state capital is the city of Barinas. The area of ​​the state is 35,200 km², the population is 816,264 people.

Cities:

• Barinas - capital of the Venezuelan state of Barinas. The population is 271,535 inhabitants.
• barrancas - city ​​and municipality in the northeast of Colombia, in the territory of the department of Guajira. Population 32,254.

Bolivar

State in southeastern Venezuela. Area 238,000 km². Population 1,410,964 people.

Cities:

• Ciudad Bolívar - city ​​in Venezuela. Capital of the state of Bolivar. Population - 338 thousand inhabitants, the second largest city in the state after Ciudad Guayana. The city is located on the right bank of the Orinoco River, 330 km from its mouth, 450 km southeast of Caracas.

carabobo

One of the 23 states of Venezuela, located in the north of the country, about 2 hours from Caracas. The administrative center of the state is the city of Valencia, which is the main industrial center of the country. The state covers an area of ​​4,650 km² and has a population of 2,245,744.

Cities:

• Valencia - city ​​in northern Venezuela. Capital and largest city of the state of Carabobo. Population - 830 thousand inhabitants (1.3 million within the urban agglomeration). The city is located 30 km from the Caribbean coast (port of Puerto Cabello), 125 km west of Caracas, on a hill 11 km west of Lake Valencia.
• Guacara - city ​​in Venezuela, state of Carabobo, the center of the urban district of the same name. Population 142,227 people.
• Los Guayos - a city in Venezuela, the center of the urban district of the same name, is located in the Valencia agglomeration. Population - 30 thousand inhabitants.
• Puerto Cabello - city ​​in Venezuela, state of Carabobo. Population - 173 thousand inhabitants. The city is located on the shores of the Triste Gulf of the Caribbean Sea, 30 km north of the capital state of Valencia.

Cohedes

One of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state of Cohedes is divided into 9 municipalities, which in total consist of 15 districts. Population 323,165 people. Area 14,800 km².

Cities:

• San Carlos - the capital of the state of Cohedes.

Delta Amacuro

One of the 23 states of Venezuela, located in the northeast of the country. The state of Delta Amacuro is divided into 4 municipalities, which in total consist of 22 districts. Population 167,676 people.

Cities:

• Tucupita - the state capital of Delta Amacuro.

Falcon

State in Venezuela. Area - 24,800 km². Population - 902,847 people. The state is named after President Juan Falcon. The administrative center is the city of Koro. The area of ​​the territory is 24,800 km².

Cities:

• Koro - a city in northwestern Venezuela, the administrative center and largest city of the state of Falcon.
  Population - 174 thousand inhabitants. The city is located on a sandy plain at the base of the Paraguana Peninsula. The port of La Vela de Coro on the Caribbean coast is located 12 km northeast of the city center.

Guarico

One of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is the city of San Juan de los Morros. The area of ​​the state is 64,986 km², the population is 747,739 people.

Cities:

• San Juan de los Morros - city ​​in central Venezuela, capital of the state of Guarico. San Juan de los Morros is the fourth largest city in Venezuela, but the population density is much lower. According to the census conducted in 2001, the population of the city was 103,706 people.

Lara

State in northwestern Venezuela. Area - 19,800 km². Population - 1,774,867 people. The administrative center is the city of Barquisimeto.

Cities:

• Barquisimeto - a city in northwestern Venezuela, the capital and largest city of the state of Lara.
  Population - 1,018,900 inhabitants. Located in mountain valley Ridge Cardillera de Merida, 260 km west of Caracas, which is connected by rail and highway.
• El Tocuyo - city ​​in Venezuela, in Lara. Population - 41 thousand inhabitants. This city is one of the oldest cities in Venezuela.

Merida

A state in western Venezuela in the Andes. Area - 11,300 km². Population - 828 592 people. The administrative center is the city of Merida, located at an altitude of 1630 m above sea level.

Cities:

• Merida - city ​​in western Venezuela. Capital and largest city of the state of Merida. The population is about 300 thousand inhabitants, with suburbs - more than 500 thousand.
• Ejido - It is the third largest city in the state of Merida. The population is 120,000 people. Together with the cities of Tabay and Merida, it forms the Greater Merida agglomeration, in which more than 350,000 people live. Ejido is the administrative center of the municipality of Campo Elias.
• Bayladores - city ​​with adjacent territory in Venezuela. The administrative center of the municipality of Rivas Davila. Population - 16,001 people, employed mainly in agriculture and tourism.

Miranda

One of the 23 states of Venezuela. Enrique Capriles Radonsky - Governor. The area of ​​the state is 7950 km², the population is 2,675,165 people.

Cities:

• Los Teques - the capital of the state of Miranda.

Monagas

One of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is the city of Maturin. The area of ​​the state is 28,930 km², the population is 905,443 people.

Cities:

• Maturin - city ​​in Venezuela. The city of Maturin is the capital of the Venezuelan state of Monagas. The population is 283,318 people. It is located at an altitude of 67 meters above sea level.

Nueva Esparta

One of the 23 states of Venezuela. Consists of 3 islands: Margarita, Coche and Cubagua. The administrative center of the state - the city of La Asuncion - is located on the island of Margarita. Population 491,610 people. The area of ​​the territory is 1,150 km².

Cities:

• La Asuncion - a city in Venezuela, the capital of the state of Nueva Esparta. Located on the island of Margarita, north of the city of Porlamar. Population - 36 806 thousand inhabitants.

portugues

State in northwestern Venezuela. Area - 15,200 km². Population - 876 496 people. The administrative center is the city of Guanare.

Cities:

• Guanare - a city in northwestern Venezuela, part of the state of Portuguesa, municipality of Guanare. The population is 113,000 people.

Sucre

State in northern Venezuela. Area - 11,800 km². Population 896 291 inhabitants. The state capital is Cumana.

Cities:

• Koeman - city ​​in northeastern Venezuela. Capital and largest city of the state of Sucre.
  Population - 270 thousand inhabitants. The city is located on the Caribbean coast, at the eastern entrance to the Gulf of Cariaco, 300 km east of Caracas, northeast of the cities of Barcelona and Puerto la Cruz.

Tachira

One of the 23 states of Venezuela. The name of the state comes from "tachure", the name of a plant in the Chibcha language. The state capital is the city of San Cristobal. The area of ​​the territory is 11,100 km². Population 1,168,908 people.

Cities:

• San Cristobal - a city in western Venezuela, the capital and largest city of the state of Tachira. Population - 307 thousand inhabitants. The city is located on the eastern slopes of the southern part of the Cordillera de Merida, which is part of mountain system Andes.

Trujillo

One of the 23 states of Venezuela. The area of ​​the state is 7,400 km², the population is 686,367 people.

Cities:

• Trujillo - the capital of the state of Trujillo.

Yarakuy

One of the 23 states of Venezuela. It is located in the north of the country and borders the federal states of Falcon, Lara, Portuguesa, Cohedes and Carabobo. The state capital is the city of San Felipe. The area of ​​the state is 7,100 km², the population is 600,852 people.

Cities:

• San Felipe - capital of the Venezuelan state of Yaracuy. The population is 103,121 inhabitants. The city is the seat of the Catholic Diocese of San Felipe.

Vargas

State of Venezuela. The state capital is the city of La Guaira. The area of ​​the state is 1,496 km², the population is 352,920 people.

Cities:

• La Guaira - city ​​in northern Venezuela. It is the capital of the coastal state of Vargas. Population 275,000 people.

sulia

One of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is the city of Maracaibo. The area of ​​the state is 63,100 km², the population is 3,704,404 people.

Cities:

• Maracaibo - city ​​in northwestern Venezuela, capital of the state of Zulia. Population - 1,220,000 inhabitants, the second largest city in the country after Caracas.

Once upon a time, Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the science fiction novel " lost World”, which described the adventures of an English scientific expedition in South America. Few people know that Conan Doyle was inspired to write this novel by the Canaima National Park, located in Venezuela. Now Venezuela can hardly be called a “lost world”. Thanks to large oil reserves, the infrastructure of recreation on the Caribbean coast is actively developing in this country.

Geography of Venezuela

Venezuela is located on the northern coast of South America. Venezuela borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south. In the north, the country is washed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea. Total area - 916,445 sq. km., and the total length state border- 4,993 km.

Venezuela includes numerous small islands, the largest of which is Margarita Island, which is now a popular South American resort.

The territory of Venezuela can be divided into four physiographic regions: the lowlands of Maracaibo in the northwest, mountains in the north, plains in the central part, and the Guiana Highlands in the southeast. The highest local peak is Peak Bolivar, whose height reaches 4,979 meters.

In the south of the country in the Canaima National Park is the world's highest waterfall - Angel Falls, whose total height is 979 meters.

There are about 1,000 rivers in Venezuela, but most of them are very small. The largest and most important local river is the Orinoco, with a length of 2,500 kilometers.

Capital

Caracas is the capital of Venezuela. More than 3.2 million people now live in this city. Caracas, like many other South American cities, was founded by the Spaniards (this happened in 1567).

Official language of Venezuela

The official language is Spanish.

Religion

About 92% of the population are Catholics.

State structure of Venezuela

According to the Constitution, Venezuela is a federal presidential republic, headed by a President elected for 6 years. Executive power is vested in the President, as well as the Vice President and Ministers.

The unicameral local parliament is called the National Assembly and consists of 162 deputies.

The main political parties are the ESPV (United Socialist Party of Venezuela), the Coalition of Democratic Unity and the Communist Party.

Administratively, the country is divided into 23 states, one Federal District (Caracas region) and Federal possessions (islands in the Caribbean). The states, in turn, are divided into 335 municipalities.

Climate and weather

The climate varies from alpine to humid tropical, air temperature changes are insignificant (the country is located near the equator). Therefore, you can relax in Venezuela all year round.

Cool weather is observed from November to February, especially in the highlands. The hottest months are July and August. The average annual air temperature is +30C.

The rainy season is from May to mid-November. However, heavy rains sometimes occur during the dry season, which lasts from December to April.

Sea in Venezuela

In the north, the country is washed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea. Length sea ​​coast– 2,800 km. The average sea temperature near the coast from January to March is + 26C, and from July to September - + 28C.

Rivers and lakes

There are about 1,000 rivers in Venezuela. The largest of them is the Orinoco River, with a length of 2,500 kilometers. Orinoco is considered the eighth longest river in the world and the second in South America (in the first place is the Amazon).

culture

The culture of Venezuela was formed under the influence of local Indians and immigrants from Africa and Europe. For example, after the arrival of the Spaniards in this country, violins and guitars began to be used as folk musical instruments, and after the appearance of Africans, drums.

The traditional local folk dance is "Joropo", which has 36 variations of the basic steps (this is a pair dance).

The main religious holiday is Christmas, its celebration begins on December 16 and lasts until January 6. Until now, at Christmas time, local musicians go from house to house and perform traditional songs "aguinaldos".

In February, a grandiose Carnival is held in Venezuela, which, according to some tourists, is no worse than in Brazil.

Venezuelan cuisine

The cuisine of Venezuela was formed under the influence of the culinary traditions of local Indians, French, Italians and Spaniards. Near the sea coast, the menu of Venezuelans is dominated by fish and seafood, and in the interior of the country - corn and rice. A very important part of Venezuelan cuisine is meat (beef, lamb, chicken, etc.).

Tourists are recommended to try "Pabellon" (beef stew with rice, black beans and banana), "Hallaca" (beef, chicken or fish soup with potatoes and vegetables), "Pernil" (fried pork with garlic, vinegar and oregano), " Chivo al coco" (goat meat in coconut milk, served with green banana puree), "Empandas" (fried cornmeal patties with various fillings), "Tequeños" (long little buns filled with hot cheese or chocolate).

Traditional without alcoholic drinks- "Batido" (very thick fruit juice), "Cocada" (milkshake made from coconut milk, common in seaside areas), "Frescolita" (similar to cream soda).

Traditional alcoholic drinks are Chicha (a fermented drink made with rice, milk and sugar), rum and beer.

Attractions

The most important tourist attraction in Venezuela is the Angel Falls, which is the highest waterfall in the world. Tens of thousands of tourists come to see it every year. different countries peace. True, to get to this waterfall, you must first overcome the road through the jungle, about 3 kilometers long.

Venezuelan national parks are of great interest to tourists, the best of them are the National Parks of Avila, Mochima, Medanos de Colo, Morokoy, Canaima, Enri Pitié, La Mucuy, El Avila and Sierra Nevada.

In the Medanos de Colo National Park, tourists can see real sand dunes characteristic of Asian and African countries. It is very unusual to see them in a tropical country. But the strangest thing is that the height of these dunes often reaches 40 meters, and they disappear very quickly. The reason for this is the constant wind.

We also recommend visiting the Canaima National Park. Many of us have read The Lost World by Conan Doyle. So, it was the Venezuelan Canaima National Park that inspired the famous Englishman to write this novel.

Pay attention to the Orinoco Delta with the untouched nature of the rainforest. There is no other country in the world with such beautiful jungles with unique flora and fauna.

Cities and resorts of Venezuela

The largest big cities are Maracaibo, Caracas, Valencia, Ciudad Guayana, Maracay, Barquisimeto and Barcelona.

Most famous place in Venezuela for beach holiday Margarita Island is located in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea. On Margarita, the infrastructure of a beach holiday is well developed, beautiful white sandy beaches, palm trees and excellent conditions for water sports.

There are also excellent beaches in the Mochima National Park. There, sandy bays, numerous small islands, white and red sandy beaches await tourists. This place is great for water sports including diving and sailing.

North of Caracas are the coral islands of the Los Roques archipelago, where the tourism industry has been actively developing in recent years.

Beautiful, secluded beaches can be found in the Morokoy National Park, near which, by the way, there is a rare bird sanctuary.

Souvenirs/Shopping

Typical souvenirs from Venezuela are handicrafts, hammocks, dolls, jewelry, figurines of Indian chiefs, traditional Indian clothing, sandals, Indian bows and arrows, coffee and cocoa.

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