Overview

Venezuela is situated on the northern coast of South America. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea to the north, Brazil to the south, Colombia to the west and southwest, and Guyana to the east. The capital of Venezuela is Caracas, and other major cities include Valencia, Barquisimeto, Maracaibo, and Ciudad Guayana. Venezuela is the sixth-largest country in South America and has a population of about 10,800,000. The land of Venezuela can be divided into three main regions: coastal mountains, plains, and forest. The coastal mountains are confined to a small part of the north of the country, while the plains and forest areas make up most of the landscape. The Orinoco River divides the country between north and south.

History

Archaeologists estimate that the first people arrived in present-day Venezuela around 14,000 B.C. By the time the Spanish arrived at the end...