| Area |
916,445 sq km (353,841 sq miles). |
| Population |
25,549,084 |
| Capital |
Caracas - population 1,975,787 (2000). |
| Climate |
The climate varies according to altitude. Lowland areas have a tropical climate. The dry season is from December to April and the rainy season from May to December. During the rainy season, there is the possibility of flooding in certain low-lying areas, such as the Llanos and in some valley of the Andes. Various parts of Venezuela, including Caracas and the eastern part of Sucre, are vulnerable to earthquakes, although there have been no serious earthquakes for many years. The best time to visit is between January and April. |
| Language |
Spanish is the official language. English, French, German and Portuguese are also spoken by some sections of the community. |
| Religion |
86 per cent Roman Catholic. |
| Time |
GMT - 4.
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| Highlights |
Venezuela has one of the most spectacular contrasts between the fast growing urban centres and majestic countryside in the world. The country also offers visitors a chance to experience some of the most diverse terrain in South America; impenetrable rain forests, silt-laden rivers and strange honeycomb shaped mountain formations that rise up high above the dense jungle. The vast expanse of natural jungle has been untouched for thousands of years. Highlights include the Morrocoy National Park, in the Caribbean, with its abundance of sandy beaches, clear lagoons, tropical islands, interesting caves and mango-lined bays. The Canaima National Park, located 500 miles southeast of Caracas in the heart of Venezuela's Grand Sabana, is the biggest park in Venezuela and home of the world's highest waterfall Angel Falls. Here you will find mesetas or tepuis (high steep sided rock plateaus springing out from the forest floors like huge honeycomb mountains, powerful rivers and thick rainforest, all combining to give some of the most exciting jungle scenery in the world. Merida, in the Andes is the perfect base from which to explore the mountains whether on a trek or in the highest cable car in the world.
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| Country Facts |
Venezuela is bordered by the Caribbean in the north, Guyana and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Colombia in the west and finally Brazil borders to the south. The country is divided into four distinctive regions: the Venezuelan Highlands situated in the west, the Maracaibo Lowlands in the north, the huge central plain of the Llanos and lastly the Guiana Highlands, which cover about half of the country. |