Venezuela

Quick Facts

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Capital

Caracas

Population

24,000,000

Government

Republic

Religions

Christianity (Catholic)

Languages

Spanish

Calling Code

+58

Nationality

Local name

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Introduction

Archipielago de Los Roques

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Bordered on the north by the ever-popular Caribbean Sea, Venezuela offers travellers the best of two worlds: beautiful sandy beaches along the warm blue waters of the Caribbean; and the stunning diversity of South America's inland. Indeed, if you care to venture beyond the beaches, Venezuela has a wealth of fantastic destinations. A trip to the world's tallest waterfall, Angel Falls, is unmissable. Nor is one to the impressive Andean range in Venezuela's western reaches. And for those adventurous travellers, the Venezuelan Amazon jungle boasts a remarkable set of exotic animals, including the tapir, jaguar, armadillo, anteater and the fearful anaconda.

Brief History

Geography

Venezuela shares international borders with Colombia, Brazil, Guyana and has ferries to Trinidad and Tobago. For more information on ferries read the article Caribbean ferries.

Regions

Venezuela is grouped into 23 states, which are grouped into 9 administrative regions.

• The Andean Region includes the states of Barinas, Mérida, Táchira, Trujillo and the Páez Municipality of Apure
• The Capital Region includes Miranda, Vargas and the Capital District
• The Central Region includes Aragua, Carabobo, Cojedes
• The Central-Western Region includes Falcón, Lara, Portuguesa, Yaracuy
• The Guayana Region includes Bolívar, Amazonas, Delta Amacuro
• The Insular Region includes Nueva Esparta, Federal Dependencies
• The Llanos Region includes Apure (excluding Paez Municipality), Guárico
• The North-Eastern Region includes Anzoátegui, Monagas, Sucre
• The Zulian Region only includes the state of Zulia

Cities

• Caracas
• Maracaibo
• Ciudad Bolívar
• Valencia
• Barcelona
• Mérida
• Ciudad Guayana

Sights and Activities

Los Llanos

Los Llanos is a vast grassy and swampy plain covering parts of the centre and south of Venezuela. This is one of the best places in the country to see wildlife, including anacondas, capybaras (the world's largest rodents) and caimans. Numerous birds live here as well, and with some luck you might even spot predators like jaguars. This area is thinly populated and several of the ranches are your best bet regarding sleeping and taking tours.

Canaima National Park

Canaima National Park is located in the southeast of the country and is one the UNESCO World Heritage list. It covers a vast table mountain landscape, with some parts covered in thick rainforest. It is also of interest for geologists and those keen on visiting on of the most Famous Waterfalls, the Angel Falls. La Gran Sabana is also part of this park.

Coro and its Port

One of the sights on the UNESCO list, this port town is located northwest of the capital Caracas along the coast and is one of the best examples regarding colonial architecture with over 600 significant buildings to admire. Building styles include Spanish and Dutch influences.

Los Roques Archipelago

This beautiful chain of islands is located about 170 kilometers from the mainland of Venezuela and is the perfect place in the country to enjoy the Caribbean style life with beaches, diving, snorkelling and relaxing being your main activities here. Apart from around 40 islands there are approximately 250 coral reefs to choose from. The turtle sanctuary is of special interest as well.

• Isla Margarita: one of the beach destinations, but heavily developend and mainly visited by package tourists from North America and Europe.
• Merida and surroundings: great mountain atmosphere with the Andes in the background. Home to the highest funicular in the world at over 4700 meters above sea level. Many outdoor activities to choose from.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Getting there

Plane

Simón Bolívar International Airport of Maiquetia (CCS) near the capital Caracas is the main international airport, with a second one near Maracaibo: La Chinita International Airport (MAR). Aero Postal offers flights from both airports to Florida, Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic, Aruba and Curacao. Iberia has flights to and from Madrid, while Lufthansa serves Frankfurt and Air France serves Paris. Other destinations are mainly within the region, Havana and a few American cities.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

There are several options of getting to and from Colombia. There are direct buses between Caracas and Bogota, the capital of Colombia. If you want to visit the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia from Venezuela, there are direct buses from Caracas all the way to Santa Marta and Cartagena. These buses also travel to and from Maracaibo in Venezuela. It is often cheaper to use only domestic services in both countries and cross borders on foot.

To and from Brazil, the main crossing is between Santa Elana de Uairen and Pacaraima in Brazil. There are direct connections between Manaus and Boa Vista in Brazil to Ciudad Bolivar further north in Venezuela.

Boat

Venezuela - Trinidad and Tobago vv
There is supposed to be a weekly car ferry travelling between La Guiria in Venezuela and Chaguaramas in Trinidad and Tobago but check the port authorities if this option is still available for travellers. The ferry arrives late in Trinidad and onward transport to Port of Spain can be hard to find.
Venezuela - Colombia vv
In the west of Venezuela there are several river crossings to and from Colombia, but they are mostly used by travellers that want to visit Colombia on a daytrip from Venezuela. The most used crossing is from the Venezuelan town of Puerto Ayachucho in the Amazon/Orinoco area of Venezuela. Onward travel further into Colombia is either impossible by land or not recommended due to drug traffic and other hazards. Best to fly onwards.

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Red Tape

Money

Work

Study

Language

Related article: Spanish: Grammar, pronunciation and useful phrases

Spanish is the official language of Venezuela, but the native indigenous languages are officially recognized by the Constitution.

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

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