The delta of the Orinoco in Venezuela looks like the delta of the Po in Venice. Therefor the country was named Venezia, which means Small Venice. The name Venezuela was derived from this. In 1513 the country was a Portuguese colony and after this became part of the Spanish empire. Thereafter the provinces in Venezuela became part of the viceroyalty of New-Granada in 1717, and in 1777 the country separated under the name of Capitanía General de Venezuela.
Years later the Venezuelan War of Independence took place and the country became independent from Spain in 1821. This happened under the leadership of Simón Bolívar. Until 1830, Venezuela formed the Republic of Great-Colombia together with Ecuador and Colombia and thereafter the country became an independent republic. Untill now it is called a Bolivian Republic and it can give thanks to Simón Bolívar for having this name.
The original inhabitants of Venezuela are the Native American Indians. Nowadays this native tribe primarily lives in the jungle and the Venezuelan population consists of different ethnicities. Descendants of the Indians and the Spanish colonists - the so called Mestizos - form the biggest ethnic group.
The population of Venezuela consists furthermore of people of Indian and African descent. In the twentieth century a big number of people have immigrated to this country, under which Germans, Italians and Portuguese. Spanish is the official language that is spoken in the country, but there are also big groups of people that speak Caribbean-Spanish or Indian languages.
The landscapes in Venezuela are very varied. You will find the Guiana Highlands in the south and also the highest waterfall in the world - Angel Falls. The middle of the country primarily consists of wide plains, that are also called the Llanos. These plains go up to the river delta of the Orinoco one one side and the Colombian border on the other side.
Furthermore you will find endings of the Andes mountains along the northern coast. The highest point of the Andes Mountains - the Pico Bolívar - is also found along this coast. Besides this the landscape in the north west consists of lowlands that you can find along the Gulf of Venezuela and around Lake Maracaibo. Most of Venezuela knows a humid and warm tropical climate, but in the highlands the climate is more temperate.
Venezuela, with her sunny climate and beautiful landscapes, is an ideal destination for travelling. A visit to the Angel Falls is a unique experience, but it is also fantastic to go to one of the National Parks. Besides these activities you can enjoy the sun on one of the sandy beaches or visit caves. Here we will give you a few tips for travelling to Venezuela.
The Canaima National park is located on the east side of the Guiana Massif and is the biggest national park of Venezuela. You will find different landscapes here, such as jungles and savannahs. The highlight of this park a beautiful number of waterfalls. The famous Angel Falls are also to be found in the Canaima National Park.
If you want to enjoy the amazing mountainous landscape in Venezuela, you should definitely visit the Andes Mountains. These are situated in the west of the country. There are different routes that go through the mountain range and in the National Park Sierra Nevada you see the beautiful snow peaked mountain tops. The town Merida, that is built in colonial style, is definitely worth visiting.
The city Caracas is the capital of Venezuela and you will find historical buildings but also skyscrapers here. If you want to visit this city during your tour through Venezuela, you should definitely visit Casa Natal de de Bolívar and the cathedral Plaza Bolívar from the seventeenth century. Furthermore the Sofia Imber Museum and the Teresa Carreno building are worth visiting.
Real nature lovers can not mis the Amazon basin during their trip to Venezuela. This area is also worth going for other people on a holiday. The Amazon basin consists of a tropical rainforest and you can find may species of animals during a hike under guidance of a local guide.
Besides Caracas, the city of Coro is a beautiful city to visit during your travels. The buildings and streets built with bricks date back from the eighteenth century and the city gives a wonderful impression because of the coloured buildings. Do not forget to visit the Church of Francisco, the Cathedral and the close by situated sand dunes while you are in Coro!
Isla Margarita is the biggest and most popular island that belongs to Venezuela. Here you can visit the beautiful sand beaches that are surrounded by palm trees. Playa El Aqua is the most beautiful beach on the island and here you really get the feeling you are on a holiday. Do you rather go windsurfing? You can also find different beaches on Isla Margarita that cater for this.
In the middle of Venezuela you can find the magnificent Los Llanos, a savannah. The area is endless and stretches into Colombia. With a canoe you can enjoy the beautiful nature of the savannah. In the swamp area live different species of animals and it is also possible to spot rare animals.
