Political Overview
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a federal presidential republic with Caracas as its capital, administratively it is made up of 23 states, a Capital District and various federal dependencies. Since the late 1990s Venezuelan politics have been dominated by the Bolivarian movement started under Hugo Chávez; the era that followed has been marked by deep political polarization, severe economic crisis and contested elections Nicolás Maduro has held the presidency since 2013 and his most recent terms and the electoral processes around them remain disputed both domestically and internationally.
Cultural Heritage and Identity
Venezuela’s identity is a lively fusion of Indigenous, Spanish and African influences that shows in its food, music and festivals: staples like arepas and pabellón criollo sit alongside musical traditions such as joropo and regional genres like gaita zuliana, while baseball and popular urban music play large roles in national life. Its cultural landscape also includes important colonial towns, striking public art and UNESCO-recognized sites (for example parts of the historic centres and university architecture), all of which reflect regional diversity from the Andes to the Caribbean coast.
Geographical Landscape, Area and Climate
Covering roughly nine hundred sixteen thousand square kilometres, Venezuela stretches from the Caribbean coast south into Amazonian rainforest and east to the Guyana highlands; major geographic regions include the Andean highlands, the vast Llanos plains, the Guiana Shield (home to tepuis) and an extensive Caribbean archipelago. The country’s climate ranges from tropical coastal weather to cool mountain conditions in the highlands. Its spectacular natural attractions notably Canaima National Park and Angel Falls, the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall plus beach destinations such as Margarita Island and the Los Roques archipelago, make Venezuela internationally famous for biodiversity and dramatic landscapes. Venezuela is also widely known around the world for its very large proven oil reserves, a factor that has shaped its economy and global profile for decades.
