Venezuela

South
8 00 N,
66 00
LOCATI
ON
COORDIN
ATES

LAND:
882,050 sq. km
WATER:
30,000 sq. km
TOTAL:
912,050 sq. km
AREA

Brazil
2,137km
Colombia
2,341km
LAND
BOUNDARIES
Total : 5,267 km

Regions & States
of Venezuela
The country has four
distinct geographic regions:
 the Northern Mountains
 the Maracaibo Lowlands
 the Llanos (plains) of the
north central region
 the Guiana Highlands to the
south.
It is also divided into .
23
STATES

CARACAS
 Caracas is Venezuela’s
largest urban city.
 It has an area of 777 km²
 It is also the country’s
primary center of
industry, commerce,
education, and culture.
Nickname:
‘The City of
Eternal Spring’

CLIMATE
Tropical on the
Llanos (plains).
Moderate in the
highlands.
Hot and Humid in
coastal areas.

SEASONS
Venezuela is a tropical country with two very
well defined seasons:
Rainy or Wet Season
(May-October)
Dry or Sunny Season
(November-April)

HIGHEST & LOWEST POINT
Carribean
Sea
Pico Bolivar
(5,007 m above sea level)

The very first inhabitants of
Venezuela were the Amerindians
with a population of more than
400,000 people.
VENEZUELA AT A
GLANCE
They are subdivided into
three groups: Caribs, Arawaks,
and Chibchas. For centuries, they
lived by farming, hunting and
fishing.

Then in August 1498, Christopher
Columbus became the first European to
reach Venezuela when he landed at the
mouth of the Orinoco on his 3rd voyage
of discovery.
In 1499, a Spaniard named Alonso de
Ojeda and an Italian Explorer named
Amerigo Vespucci led another expedition to
the area. The Spaniards colonized Venezuela
in 1520 and founded their first town in 1521.
They also began importing African slaves.

In 1806, Francisco de Miranda
led the first rebellion against
Spanish rule. However, he was
soon defeated.
15 years after, Venezuela was finally
liberated by Simon Bolivar through a
revolution on July 5, 1821
(Independence Day from Spain).

At first, Venezuela was joined
with Colombia and Ecuador as part
of a state called Gran Colombia.
However, Gran Colombia soon
broke up and Venezuela became
completely independent in 1830.
During the 19th century
Venezuela was ruled by military
dictators called Caudillos.
VENEZUELA
COLOMBIA ECUADOR
The first was José Antonio Paez. He ruled Venezuela
until 1848. Venezuela then suffered civil wars.

In 1902 Venezuela failed to pay
interest on loans from Britain, Germany
and Italy. As a result those 3 nations sent
their navies to block Venezuelan ports.
However in 1914 oil was discovered
in Venezuela. Oil became Venezuela's
most important export.
Then in 1945 a dictator was overthrown and the
temporary government promised to hold elections. A new
constitution was introduced in Venezuela in 1947 and elections
were held.
Oil Reserves

Marcos Pérez Jiménez became
dictator of Venezuela. He was
overthrown in turn in 1958.
After 1958, Venezuela became
a democracy. However in 1998,
Hugo Chávez was elected president
and was re-elected in 2006.
He allied Venezuela with Cuba. However,
Chavez died in 2013. He was replaced by
Nicolás Maduro.

In the year 1499, the early
explorers, Alonso de Ojeda and
Amerigo Vespucci, found Native stilt-
houses built on lake Maracaibo and it
reminded them of the buildings in
Venice and so they named it.
ETYMOLOGY
The name of the region
“VENEZUELA” came from an
Italian word ‘Veneziola’
meaning “Little Venice”.

THE OFFICIAL NAME & ITS
MOTTO
OFFICIAL NAME:
Republica Bolivariana de
Venezuela
or
Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela
or
Republica de Venezuela
MOTTO:
“Dios y
Federation”
or
“God and
Federation”

The National Colors
Blue for the
ocean separating
Venezuela from
Spain.
Yellow for the
nation’s wealth.
Red for the
blood and courage
of the people.
 Yellow
 Blue
 Red

The Venezuelan
Flag• The flag was designed by a Venezuelan
Independence Leader Francisco de
Miranda on April 20, 1836.
VENEZUELA
COLOMBIA ECUADOR

The Venezuelan
Flag• The current version was adopted on
March 12, 2006.
• Their flag is a national icon and is
respected and admired.
• The colors of the flag
are based on primary
color theory: Yellow,
Blue, & Red.

The Flag Colors &
SymbolismYellow stands for the
wealth of the land.
Blue symbolizes the
courage of its people.
Seven Stars represent the 7 united
provinces that united in the war of
independence while the 8th Star represents the
historic province of Guyana.
Red stands for the
blood shed in
attaining
independence.
Coat of Arms
as the
National
Symbol.
Eight
Stars
A tricolor band of…

The National Emblem
Venezuela’s Coat
of Arms
• The Shield is divided into colors of
National Flag.
• The Red displays wheat, which
represents the union of the 20 States of
the Republic and the wealth of the
Nation.
• The Yellow depicts weapons (a sword, a
sabre and three lances) and two National
Flags, which are tied by a branch of
laurel, as a symbol of triumph in war.
• The Blue shows a wild white horse
running free, as an emblem of
independence and freedom.

The National
Emblem
Venezuela’s Coat
• Above the shield are the two crossed
cornucopias (horns of plenty),
pouring out wealth.
• The shield is bordered by an olive
branch and another of palm, both
tied at the bottom of the coat with a
large band that represents the
national tricolor - Yellow for the
nation’s wealth, Blue for the ocean
separating Venezuela from Spain,
and Red for the blood and courage
of the people.

The National
Anthem•National Anthem: “Gloria al bravo pueblo”
(Glory to the brave people).
•It was adopted as Venezuela's National
Anthem by President Antonio Guzmán
Blanco on May 25, 1881.
•The lyrics were written by the physician and
journalist Vicente Salias in 1810.
•The music was later composed by musician
Juan José Landaeta.

The National Anthem
GLORIA AL BRAVO PUEBLO

The National Bird
Venezuelan Troupial

The National Flower
Cattleya Trianae [Orchid]
(Flower of May)

The National
Costume
Liqui Liqui
consists of trousers and a jacket.
MEN:
Alpargatas
(shoes)
Llanero Hat
(Cowboy Hat)

The National
Costume
Long-flowing Ruffled Skirts &
Blouses with one or both off-the-
shoulder sleeves.
WOM
EN:
It is coupled with a lot of
flowers and simple jewellery pieces
(beaded necklaces and bracelets,
large earrings, flower hair clips) to
add some Hispanic flavour.

The National Dance & Music
Joropo

NATIONALITY:
VENEZUELAN/S
POPULATION:
31,762,515
as of February 6, 2017
Equivalent to 0.42% of
the total world population
and ranks 43rd.

AVERAGE HEIGHT
Male 5' 6.5“ ft. & Female 5' 2.5” ft.
HAIR
COLOR
Dark
Brown/
Blonde
SKIN COLOR
Light Brown
(Latin Skin)
EYES
Brown
Sparkling Eyes
NOSE
broad, wide, drooping
tip w/ a dorsal hump LIPS
Slender lips
Latin
aBeau

LANGUAGE and
TONGUESSpanish is considered Venezuela’s official
& primary language, but there are over 40
languages spoken by the wide mix of
Venezuela’s indigenous people.
The most widely spoken indigenous
tongues are Wayuu, Warao, Piaroa, Yanomami,
Kahlihna, Manduhuaca, Panaré, Pemón,
Guahibo and Nhengtu.
Venezuelans also speak English, French,
Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Catalan, and other
languages.

RELIGION
Freedom of Religion
is guaranteed by the
Venezuelan Constitution.
Roman
Catholicism 96%
Venezuelans are
primarily roman catholic.

ETHNIC
GROUPS
Venezuela is home to
approximately 31 million
people with groups of
European, Amerindian,
African, Asian, and Middle
Eastern heritage.
Mestizos 69%
Whites/
Europeans 20%
Black
Africans
10%
Amerindians
1%
You can also find
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese,
Arab, German, African &
Indigenous people.

FORM OF
GOVERNMENTVenezuela is a Federal Presidential
Republic where the President is both the
head of state and the head of government.
It is governed under a constitution adopted on
December 30, 1999. All citizens may vote starting at the age
of 18.
Unlike any country, the Venezuelan
Government has Five (5) Branches: Executive,
Legislative, Judiciary, Electoral, and the Citizens.

EXECUTIVE
President – implements
or approves laws. LEGISLATIVE
Congress (Senators)
– enact laws.
JUDICIAL
Supreme Court
(Judges) – decide
cases. ELECTORAL
Commissioners –
conduct elections.CITIZENS
Venezuelans
- the voters.
1
2
3
4
5
BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

MEET THE
PRESIDENT…
Nicolas Maduro Moros,
more commonly known as
Nicolas Maduro, is a Venezuelan
politician who has been the 65th
President of Venezuela since
April 14, 2013.
He was born on November
23, 1962 (age 54 years).

Palacio de Miraflores (Miraflores Palace)
Urdaneta Avenue, Libertador, Caracas City
PRESIDENT’S RESIDENCE

DEFENSE & MILITARY
SERVICES
All Venezuelan males between the
ages of 18 and 45 are liable for 30
months of military service.
Venezuela maintained its
combined armed forces, made up
of the army, navy, air force, and
the national guard.
All citizens of ages (18-60 years
old) are obligated to register for military
service for 12 months (minimum).

Venezuela remains
highly dependent on
oil revenues, which
account for almost all
export earning and
nearly half of the
government’s revenue.
ECONOMY

Venezuela has the
largest oil reserves on
Earth. 
Unfortunately,
VENEZ
UELA
has the
WORS

INDUSTRI
ESAgricultural products,
livestock, raw materials,
machinery and equipment,
transport equipment,
construction materials,
medical equipment,
pharmaceuticals, chemicals,
iron and steel products,
crude oil and petroleum
products.

AGRICULTUR
AL
PRODUCTSCorn
Sorghum
Sugarcane
Rice
Bananas
Vegetables
Coffee
Beef
Pork
Milk
Eggs
Fish

NATURAL
RESOURCES
Petroleum Hydropower Natural Gas
Iron Ore Gold Bauxite Diamond

EXPORT
COMMODITIESOil & Petroleum Products
Bauxite,
Aluminum
Minerals
Chemicals
 Agricultural
Products

EXPORT
PARTNERS
USA (26.6%) INDIA (13.7%)
CHINA (11.7%) CUBA (6.4%)

IMPORT
COMMODITIESAgricultural Products
Livestock
Raw Materials/Natural Resources
Machinery & Transport Equipment
Construction Materials
Medical Equipment
Pharmaceuticals
Chemicals & Petroleum Products
Iron and Steel Products.

IMPORT PARTNERS
USA (18.4%) CHINA (15.3%)
BRAZIL (9.7%)
COLOMBIA (5.9%) MEXICO (4.2%)

CURRENCY/MONET
ARY UNITCurrency - Venezuelan Bolívar
or Bolivares de Venezuela
Currency Code
- VEF (Venezuelan Fuerte).
Currency Symbol - Bs
CONVERSION
1 Venezuelan Bolívar =
4.99 Philippine Peso
1 Philippine Peso =
0.20 Venezuelan Bolivar

Venezuela has a wide array
of pharmacies, clinics and
hospitals. Good medical care is
available in Caracas, but may be
difficult to find in rural areas.
HEALTHCARE
SYSTEM
Public hospitals and clinics are free, but the quality of
medical care is better in private facilities. If you need
hospital treatment in Venezuela, by far, the best facilities
are in Caracas.

Food or Waterborne Diseases:
Bacterial Diarrhea and Hepatitis A
Degree
of Risk:
HIGH
Vectorborne Diseases:
Dengue Fever and Malaria
Other diseases include Hepatitis E, Typhoid fever,
Yellow fever, Japanese Encephalitis, African Trypanosomiasis,
Plague, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Rift Valley fever,
Chikungunya, Leptospirosis, Schistosomiasis, Meningococcal
meningitis, and Rabies.

BIRTH RATE
19.2 births/1,000 population
DEATH RATE
5.2 deaths/1,000 population
LIFE
EXPECTANCY
MALE: 72.7 years
FEMALE: 78.9 years
TOTAL: 75.8 years
TOTAL
FERTILITY
RATE
INFANT MORTALITY
RATE
Male: 13.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births

SYSTEMATIC
EDUCATIONVenezuela’s Education is
very organized, systematic and
is provided to all.
It is mandated by the
government to offer free and
compulsory education for the
first nine (9) years.
Though it is mandatory, some poor children
do not attend school because they must work to
support their families.

The school year extends from September to June-July.
Public school students usually attend classes in shifts.
Morning Session starts from 7:00 a.m. until 1:30pm and
the Afternoon Session starts from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00pm.
All schoolchildren are required to wear uniforms.
The Venezuelan Education
System is administered by the
Ministry of Education.
Though not mandatory,
still, many children under five
(5) attend preschool.

PRIMARY
EDUCATIONThe Primary education is
consist of 6 mandatory years.
It lasts from grade 1 up to
grade 6. Children are required
to attend school from the age
of six (6) until they are eleven
(11).
Basic skills like reading, writing and simple arithmetic
are taught in the lower years while complicated-like
subjects are offered in the higher grades.

MIDDLE
EDUCATIONAfter receiving their basic
education certificate, pupils
attend middle school to
complete their mandatory
education comprising 3 more
grades.
It starts from grade 7 to grade 9 of ages 12 -14, while in
9th grade, they must choose between following either
humanities or sciences under the nation’s diversified
education policy.

SECONDARY
EDUCATIONTwo years of non-
compulsory secondary school
may follow as the diversified
education program follows.
Upon completion, students receive the title of
either Bachiller en Ciencias or Bachiller en Humanidades.
Some schools include professional education too, in which
case their certificate reads Técnico en Ciencias (Science
Technician).

VOCATIONAL
EDUCATIO
N
Due to the steadily
growing industrial
economy, an increasing
number of young people
continue their professional
education at a range of
technical schools.
They are given
certificates after the
completion of their
program.

CULTURE
Due to strong Asian, African,
American, & European
Influences, Venezuela maintains
its Diverse
Culture.
The dominant influence on the culture of Venezuela
was that of the Spanish conquerors. The Native Amerindians
of the country had only a slight influence on the national
culture.

Men greet with an abrazo (a full embrace, while patting
each other on the back
Women greet with an abrazo and a kiss on the cheek.
Otherwise a handshake is usual.
Common greetings include ¡Buenos días! (“Good
morning”), ¡Buenas tardes! (“Good afternoon”), and
¡Buenas noches! (“Good evening”). Young people
generally use the more casual ¡Hola! (“Hi”). Greetings
often include inquiries about a person’s health.
Among close friends and relatives…

► Venezuelans stand very close when speaking. One to
two feet is normal. It can be considered rude to back up
or away from someone while they are speaking.
► There is a fair amount of touching between men and
men, and women and women while
conversing. Touching between men and women is
limited.
PERSONAL SPACE &
TOUCHING

 Seating posture is important. Try to keep both feet on
the floor, and avoid slouching. Don't put your feet on
furniture.
 The “ch-ch” sound is used to get someone's attention or
to get a bus to stop.
 The North American “O.K.” sign is extremely rude.
 Pointing with your index finger can be considered rude.
Motioning with your entire hand is more polite.
 Always maintain eye contact when talking.
GESTURE & BODY LANGUAGE

 Any violation of rules is punishable by law.
 The legal drinking age in is 18, but it is not heavily
enforced. .
 The legal smoking age is 18 but it is somewhat enforced.
 Being in possession or caught trafficking, pushing, and
taking of small quantities of drugs results in a minimum
10 year jail sentence.
 As in any country, it is highly advisable to practice safe
sex and use condoms.
LAW & ORDER

 Appearances count. It is important to be neat, clean and
properly groomed. Your watch and jewelry will be
noticed.
 For business, Men should wear conservative, dark suits.
 Women should wear feminine business suits, dresses,
skirts and blouses.
DRESS ETIQUETTE

 For social events, always arrive at least half an hour to
an hour later than the invitation reads.
 VIPs arrive very late for social occasions in order to
“make an entrance.”
 Meals are for socializing. Discuss business only if your
host initiates it.
 You will normally be served a great deal of food and
drink; Venezuelans enjoy both, but do not abuse either.
DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT
ETIQUETTE

 Don’t be too punctual for dinner meetings. Arriving on
time can be interpreted as over eager or even greedy.
 Try not to refuse an offer of coffee. It is a symbol of
hospitality.
 Dress smartly for dinner.
 Let the host show you where to sit.
 Hold a fork in your left hand and the knife in your right.
 You can start eating after the host says ‘buen provecho’.
 Keep your hands visible above the table.
DINING, FOOD & TABLE
ETIQUETTE

 Do not put your elbows on the table.
 The host makes the first toast with the word ‘salud!’ and
then you may begin drinking.
 Leave a small amount of food on your plate after you
have finished.
 Indicate you have finished eating by placing your cutlery
together on your plate with the handles facing right.
 Never eat with your hands.
 Don’t be surprised if Venezuelans make physical contact
with you. They are open, physical and friendly.
ETIQUETTE

• Do not slouch at table and keep both feet on the floor
while seated.
• Do not discuss politics or business at table unless
discussion of said topics was the original purpose of the
meal.
• Venezuelans like to eat and drink a lot, so expect a large
meal with lots of carbohydrates.
• Do not overeat as you will appear greedy.
• Do not get drunk during dinner.
ETIQUETTE

OFFICIAL
HOLIDAYS
and
CELEBRATIONSNew Year’s Day (1
January)
Carnaval (two days
before Ash Wednesday)
Holy Week
Declaration of
Independence (19 April)
May Day (1 May)
Battle of Carabobo (24
June)
Independence Day (5 July)
Simón Bolívar’s Birthday
(24 July)
Public Officials’ Day (first
Monday in September)
Columbus Day (12
October)
Christmas Eve, Christmas
Day (25 December)

VENEZUELAN
FOODVenezuelan food is one
of the country’s best kept
secrets.
They usually eat Pabellón
criollo, their national dish,
made of black beans, rice,
shredded meat, and plantains.
Sometimes, even fried eggs and
fried plantain slices like banana
are served with it.
Venezuelans eat
thrice a day. Their
important meal is
breakfast. They also
take snacks.

Arepa – The all-time
favorite appetizer
Hallaca – The Venezuelan
Christmas dish
Pabellon Criollo – The
meaty national dish
Asado Negro – An
authentic cultural food
Pisca Andina – A
sumptuous soup
Perico – A typical, tangy
breakfast dish

Polvorosa de pollo – A
fulfilling main dish
Cachitos – A Latin-
American croissant variant
Empanada – A spicy
Venezuelan patty
Pasticho – Their lasagna
Chivo-en-coco – A
common beach food
Mandocas – A cheesy
donut served at breakfast

VENEZUELAN COURTSHIP &
ENGAGEMENTVenezuelan engagements are very important. Most
Venezuelans live at home until they are married so family
plays an important role in the engagement and wedding
process.

COURTSHIP &
ENGAGEMENT
Couples choose their own partners
but family approval is highly
valued.
It is customary for the groom to
approach the father of the bride-to-
be and ask for his permission and
blessing before proposing to his
daughter.

WEDDING
CEREMONIESMost Venezuelan couples hold
two ceremonies for the wedding. First,
they hold a small civil ceremony, then a
much bigger and grander religious
ceremony.
The larger more faith-based ceremony
usually takes place in a religious or spiritual
venue like a chapel or a church. Only after
the large religious ceremony is the couple
considered to be “officially” married.

COMMON WEDDING
TRADITIONSGiving of Arras - This consists of 13 gold coins
representing Jesus and his apostles. This is symbolic that he
will always provide for her.

COMMON WEDDING TRADITIONS
La Hora Loca or ‘the crazy hour’ -
It begins with the distribution of
special wedding favors including
special masks, wigs, specially
decorated hats, noisemakers and
whistles.
This hour is supposed to add
an extra element of fun to the
party. Everyone is expected to
dance for the entire hour.

5
Canaima
National Parkand the GRAND SABANA

Caracas, the capital city of
Venezuela, is the most murderous
city in the world.
It ranks first as the
city with the most
number of cases of
murder and homicide.
1 person is
murdered in every 21
minutes.

Venezuela has the cheapest oil
in the world followed by Saudi
Arabia.
In Venezuela, Oil is
cheaper than water.
Because the
government subsidizes the
oil industry, Venezuelans
enjoy the cheapest petrol in
the world (about $0.01 per
litter).
People just pay with the
loose change they find in their
cars.

There is a persistent storm at
Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Lightning storms
occur for about 10
hours a night, 140 to
160 nights a year, for a
total of about 1.2
million lightning
discharges per year.

The world’s tallest
uninterrupted waterfall, Angel
Falls, is located in Venezuela.
It has
a height
of 3,212
feet.
It is 15 times taller than the Niagara Falls.

Venezuelan Men are engaged
into penis enlargement surgery.
In Venezuela, 4 in
100,000 adult males opt
for penis enlargement surgery.
It is the second highest rate
in the world after Mexico.

Venezuelan women are not just the most
beautiful women in the world but also in the
universe.
Their beauty queens have
won 7 Miss Universe crowns, 6
Miss World crowns, 6 Miss
International crowns, and 2 Miss
Earth crowns till date, for a total
of 21 major beauty pageant titles.
It is followed by USA (14
crowns) and Philippines (12 crowns).

Venezuela

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