Venezuela

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Flag of Venezuela with horizontal yellow, blue, and red stripes, an arc of white stars in the center, and the national coat of arms in the upper left.

Political map of Venezuela showing international boundaries, state boundaries, and major cities. The national capital, Caracas, is marked, along with state capitals and other cities. Neighboring countries Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana are shown, as well as nearby Caribbean islands. An inset locator map highlights Venezuela's position in northern South America.

Angel Falls cascades from a high, sheer cliff surrounded by lush green vegetation in the La Gran Sabana region of Bolivar state, Venezuela.

Map of northern South America highlighting Venezuela in orange, with surrounding countries labeled, including Colombia, Guyana, Brazil, and nearby nations. The capital city, Caracas, is marked within Venezuela. Major bodies of water such as the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean are also shown.

Physical map of Venezuela highlighting major mountain ranges, highlands, plains, rivers, and national parks. The Andes and Cordillera de Merida run in the west, the Coastal and Interior Ranges parallel the northern coast, and the Guiana Highlands occupy the southeast, featuring Angel Falls and Mount Roraima. Major national parks are numbered and listed. A locator globe in the corner shows Venezuela's position in northern South America.

Wide waterfall cascading over rocky cliffs into a river, surrounded by green vegetation and flat-topped mountains in the distance.

Tour the fog forests atop tepui summits and waterfalls near Angel Falls in Venezuela's Guiana Highlands

Orinoco River, Venezuela

Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela

At a Glance

default image

Venezuela summary

Venezuela: Media

country, South America

Videos

Tour the fog forests atop tepui summits and waterfalls near Angel Falls in Venezuela's Guiana Highlands

Tour the fog forests atop tepui summits and waterfalls near Angel Falls in Venezuela's Guiana Highlands

The cloud forests and Angel Falls of Venezuela.

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Delve into Venezuela's hydroelectric plants on the Orinoco River

Delve into Venezuela's hydroelectric plants on the Orinoco River

Learn about the use of hydroelectric plants on the Orinoco River in Venezuela, which...

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Watch cattle ranchers in Llanos, Venezuela, perform controlled burns to make grazing possible for their herds

Watch cattle ranchers in Llanos, Venezuela, perform controlled burns to make grazing possible for their herds

Ranchers in Venezuela raising cattle on the Llanos.

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Images

Flag of Venezuela with horizontal yellow, blue, and red stripes, an arc of white stars in the center, and the national coat of arms in the upper left.

Venezuela

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Political map of Venezuela showing international boundaries, state boundaries, and major cities. The national capital, Caracas, is marked, along with state capitals and other cities. Neighboring countries Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana are shown, as well as nearby Caribbean islands. An inset locator map highlights Venezuela's position in northern South America.

Venezuela

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Angel Falls cascades from a high, sheer cliff surrounded by lush green vegetation in the La Gran Sabana region of Bolivar state, Venezuela.

Angel Falls, Venezuela

Angel Falls, a waterfall in the Guiana Highlands of southeastern Venezuela.

© Vadim Petrakov/Shutterstock.com

Map of northern South America highlighting Venezuela in orange, with surrounding countries labeled, including Colombia, Guyana, Brazil, and nearby nations. The capital city, Caracas, is marked within Venezuela. Major bodies of water such as the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean are also shown.

Venezuela

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Physical map of Venezuela highlighting major mountain ranges, highlands, plains, rivers, and national parks. The Andes and Cordillera de Merida run in the west, the Coastal and Interior Ranges parallel the northern coast, and the Guiana Highlands occupy the southeast, featuring Angel Falls and Mount Roraima. Major national parks are numbered and listed. A locator globe in the corner shows Venezuela's position in northern South America.

Physical features of Venezuela

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Wide waterfall cascading over rocky cliffs into a river, surrounded by green vegetation and flat-topped mountains in the distance.

tablelands, southern Venezuela

Tablelands called tepuis rise behind Hacha Falls on the Carrao River, in...

©Tony Morrison/South American Pictures

Orinoco River, Venezuela

Orinoco River, Venezuela

Orinoco River near Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela.

Carl Purcell

Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela

Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela

Houses on stilts on Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela.

Karl Weidmann—Photo Researchers

Angel Falls cascades from a high cliff into lush green forest below, surrounded by dramatic rock formations in Canaima National Park, Venezuela.

Angel Falls, Canaima National Park, Venezuela

Angel Falls, Canaima National Park, Venezuela.

© Amazing Aerial Premium/Shutterstock.com

Caracas, Venezuela

Caracas, Venezuela

Caracas, Venezuela.

Jeremy Woodhouse—Digital Vision/Getty Images

The Church of San Francisco in Coro, Venezuela, features a tall yellow bell tower with white trim and pointed spire, arched windows, and a long nave along a brick plaza.

church of San Francisco, Coro, Venezuela

Church of San Francisco in Coro, Venezuela.

© Don Perucho/stock.adobe.com

Maracaibo, Venezuela

Maracaibo, Venezuela

Street scene in Maracaibo, Venezuela.

© Wilfredo Rodríguez (A Britannica Publishing Partner)

Don Quixote ballet

Don Quixote ballet

Don Quixote ballet, Teresa Carreño Theater, Caracas.

© Wilfredo Rodríguez (A Britannica Publishing Partner)

Caribbean Series

Caribbean Series

The Caracas (Venezuela) Lions baseball team celebrating a victory in the Caribbean...

© Eduardo Morales—EPA/REX/Shutterstock.com

bullfighting; matador

bullfighting; matador

A matador wearing a colourful traje de luces, or suit of lights, at a bullfight...

© Wilfredo Rodríguez (A Britannica Publishing Partner)

Simón Bolívar

Simón Bolívar

Simón Bolívar, contemporary English stipple engraving.

North Wind Picture Archives

Gen. José Antonio Páez

Gen. José Antonio Páez

Gen. José Antonio Páez.

Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Panoramic view of Caracas, Venezuela at night, with city buildings lit against a dramatic purple and orange sky and mountains in the background.

Caracas, Venezuela

Caracas, Venezuela, at night.

Jeremy Woodhouse—Digital Vision/Getty Images

Aerial view of the Caracas skyline with numerous high-rise buildings and a dramatic sunset sky with colorful clouds in the background.

Caracas, Venezuela

Caracas, Venezuela.

© Douglas Olivares/Dreamstime.com

Venezuela

Venezuela

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Smoke over South America on March 27, 1998.In South America fires burned out of control in the state of Roraima, Brazil, as well as in Colombia and Venezuela.

Smoke over South America on March 27, 1998.In...

Goddard Space Flight Center/NASA

Physical map of the northern Andes and the Orinoco River basin, covering parts of Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and northern Brazil. The map uses color shading to indicate elevation, highlights major mountain ranges, rivers, and drainage networks, and marks international and political boundaries as well as key cities. An inset locator map shows the region's position in northern South America.

Northern Andes and the Orinoco River basin

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Flag of Venezuela (1864–2006).

Flag of Venezuela (1864–2006).

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Audio

National anthem of Venezuela

The instrumental version of the national anthem of Venezuela.

Interactives

Venezuela: Urban-rural

Venezuela: Urban-rural

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Venezuela: Ethnic composition

Venezuela: Ethnic composition

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Venezuela: Age breakdown

Venezuela: Age breakdown

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Venezuela: Religious affiliation

Venezuela: Religious affiliation

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Venezuela: Major export destinations

Venezuela: Major export destinations

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Venezuela: Major import sources

Venezuela: Major import sources

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

VIEW MORE in these related Britannica articles: