South AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Most of it is in the Southern Hemisphere. Commonly referred to as part of the Americas, like North America, South America is named after Amerigo Vespucci, who was the first European to suggest that the Americas were not the East Indies, but a previously undiscovered New World. more... Full country name: South America History of South AmericaSouth America is thought to have been first inhabited by people crossing the Bering Land Bridge, now the Bering strait, though there are also suggestions of migration from the southern Pacific Ocean. The Chavin established a trade network and developed agriculture by 900 BC, according to some estimates and archeological finds. Artifacts were found at a site called Chavin de Huantar in modern Peru at an elevation of 3,177 meters. Chavin civilization spanned 900 BC to 300 BC. more... Overview of South America's EconomyGDP (PPP): US$2.65 trillion Also Read: A short note on Economy of South America | People of South America | Topography and Geology of South America Climate, Vegetation and FaunaCulture: Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion. French Guiana also has a large number of Protestants. more... Facts for the TravelerHighest Point: Cerro Aconcagua Andes Mountains, Argentina 22,833 ft (6,959m).
Lowest Point: Peninsula Valdes Argentina coastline at 151 ft (40m) below sea level. Geography of South AmericaThe classification of its geographic location is subject to dispute, as in some non-English speaking regions of the world, the Americas are a continent and North, Central and South America are its subcontinents. In English-speaking and certain other regions of the world, North and South America are considered to be continents and their union is referred to as the supercontinent of the Americas. The classification given to South America, as a subcontinent in a continent or a continent in a supercontinent, depends entirely on regional preferences. more...
Climate of Venezuela
Weather
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 [...]
Activities in Venezuela
Hiking and trekking
Venezuela has 42 national parks and around 20 nature reserves (monumentos naturales) which, together, cover some 15 per cent of the total land mass. All types of walks, ranging from signposted trails to mountain climbing and jungle paths, are possible.
Visitors should note that a permit, issued by central [...]
Tourist Attractions in Venezuela
Venezuela offers a great variety of landscapes - tropical beaches, immense plains, enormous rivers, forests, jungle, waterfalls and great mountains. Unfortunately, the flash floods and mudslides which hit Venezuela in 1999 severely damaged the country’s infrastructure; some of which may still not have been fully restored. Travelers should check prior to [...]
Nightlife in Venezuela
There are many nightclubs and discos in the major cities of Venezuela. The National and Municipal Theaters offer a variety of concerts, ballet, plays, operas and operettas.
There are other theaters - some of which are open-air - in Caracas, as well as several cinemas.
Food and Dining in Venezuela
Cumin and saffron are used in many dishes but the distinctive and delicate flavor of most of the popular dishes comes from the use of local roots and vegetables. Some local specialties are tequenos, a popular hors d’oeuvres (thin dough wrapped around a finger of local white cheese and fried crisp); [...]
Shopping in Venezuela
There are many handicrafts unique to Venezuela that are made by local Indian tribes. Good purchases are gems and jewelry, cacique coins, gold, pearls, pompom slippers, seed necklaces, shoes and handbags, Indian bows, arrows, mats, pipes and baskets, alpargatas (traditional local footwear of the Campesinos), chinchorros (local hammocks) and many other [...]
Caracas: Venezuela
Caracas is the capital of Venezuela. It is located in the north of the country, following the contours of a narrow mountain valley. The valley’s temperatures are springlike, and the urbanizable terrain of the Caracas Valley lies between 2,500 and 3,000 ft (760 and 910 m) above sea level. The Valley is close to [...]
Military of Venezuela
As of 2000, the national armed forces of Venezuela (FAN Fuerza Armada Nacional) enlisted 87,500 individuals in four service branches–the Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps), Air Force, and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), commonly known as the National Guard. As of 2005, about 100,000 soldiers were integrated in the military through [...]
Foreign relations of Venezuela
Venezuela’s priorities in the international arena are:
Respect for human rights;
The right of all people to self-determination;
Nonintervention in the internal affairs of other nations;
Peaceful settlement of disputes between nations, including border disputes;
The right of all people to peace and security; and
Support for democracy.
Hemispheric cooperation and integration are two pillars of president Hugo Chavez’s [...]
Music of Venezuela
Venezuelan pop music has been largely overshadowed on the international scene by its neighbors, especially Brazil, Trinidad and Colombia. It is known for its own salsa, merengue and other imported styles, as well as the distinct llanera music.
Originally a rural form of the llanos, or plains, llanera spread to musically creative artists like [...]
Culture of Venezuela
The Venezuelan culture comes from a wide variety of heritages, mainly of the indigenous populations, Spanish and African provenance, dating from the Colony. Before this period, indigenous cultural manifestations were expressed in art (petroglyphs), crafts, architecture (shabonos) and social organization. Aboriginal culture was subsequently assimilated by Spaniards; over the years, the hybrid culture [...]
Demographics of Venezuela
The Venezuelan people comprise a rich combination of heritages. The historically present Amerindians, Spanish colonists and Africans were joined by Italians, Portuguese, Arabs, Germans, and others from neighbouring countries in South America during waves of immigration in the 20th century.
About 85% of the population live in urban areas in the northern portion [...]
Economy of Venezuela
The petroleum sector dominates the economy, accounting for roughly a third of GDP, around 80% of export earnings, and more than half of government operating revenues. The sector operates through the government-owned Petroleos de Venezuela, which among other things owns the US Citgo distributor, which has 14,000 service stations in the US.
Venezuela also [...]
Geography of Venezuela
Venezuela is home to a wide variety of landscapes, such as the north-easternmost extensions of the Andes mountains in the northwest and along the northern Caribbean coast, of which the highest point is the Pico Bolivar at 5,007 m.
The centre of the country is characterised by extensive plains known as the llanos that [...]
Subdivisions of Venezuela
Venezuela is divided into 23 states (estados), 1 Capital District (Distrito Capital) and the Federal Dependencies (Dependencias Federales de Ultramar) that consist on a large number of Venezuelan islands.
Historical States
Prior to the Federal War (1859-1863), Venezuela was divided in provinces, rather than states. The winners were supposed to grant more autonomy to the [...]
Politics of Venezuela
The Venezuelan president is elected by a popular vote, with direct and universal suffrage, and functions as both head of state and head of government. The term of office is six years, and a president may be re-elected to a single consecutive term.
The president appoints the vice-president and decides the size [...]
History of Venezuela
Venezuela was the site of one of the first permanent Spanish settlements in South America in 1522, and most of the territory eventually became part of the viceroyalty of New Granada. Parts of what is now eastern Venezuela became New Andalusia. After several unsuccessful uprisings, the country declared independence from Spain on July [...]
Origin and history of the name : Venezuela
The name “Venezuela” is believed to have originated from the cartographer Amerigo Vespucci, who together with Alonso de Ojeda led a 1499 naval expedition along the northwestern coast (known today as the Gulf of Venezuela). On reaching the Guajira Peninsula, the crew observed the distinctive stilt villages (palafitos) [...]
Introducation of Venezuela
Venezuela, officially named the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish language: Venezuela or Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela), is the northernmost country in South America and part of Caribbean South America. It borders the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the [...]
Music of Uruguay
Uruguay has a number of local musical forms. The most distinctive ones are candombe, an Afro-Uruguayan percussion-based form, and murga, a form of musical theatre, which both occur yearly during the Carnival period.
There is also milonga, a folk guitar and song form deriving from Spanish traditions and related to similar forms found [...]
Travel Mantra: South America Destination Guide |
South America Travel Guide
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