[Country Profile]

Venezuela, the full name of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, has an area of ​​916,700 square kilometers. Located in the northern part of the South American continent. It borders Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, Colombia to the west, and the Caribbean Sea to the north. Except for the mountains, the whole territory is basically a tropical grassland climate. The temperature varies with the altitude. The mountains are mild and the plains are hot. The rainy season is from June to November each year, and the dry season is from December to May. The Angel Falls, which has the largest drop in the world, is a famous tourist attraction. Lake Maracaibo is the largest lake in Latin America. It is located in the northwest with an area of ​​14,300 square kilometers and is connected to the Gulf of Venezuela. The marshland around the lake area is a world-famous oil producing area.

The country is divided into 21 states, 1 capital region, 2 border regions (the Amazon and Amacuro delta border regions) and 1 federal territory (composed of 72 islands). There are special districts (191) and cities (736) under the state.

In ancient times, it was the residence of the Arawa and Caribbean Indians. It became a Spanish colony in 1567. Independence was declared on July 5, 1811, and then under the leadership of the liberator of South America, Simon Bolivar, he completely freed himself from Spanish colonial rule in June 1821. In 1822, it formed the "Greater Colombian Republic" with Colombia, Ecuador and Panama. Exited in 1829. The Federal Republic of Venezuela was established in 1830. In 1864 it was renamed the United States of Venezuela. In 1953, the country was renamed the Republic of Venezuela. In 1958, the constitutional government was implemented and the literati regime was established. According to the constitution that came into effect in December 1999, the name of the country was changed to "Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela".

National flag: It is rectangular with a ratio of length to width of 3:2. From top to bottom, it is formed by connecting three parallel and equal horizontal rectangles of yellow, blue, and red. There are seven white five-pointed stars in the center of the flag, arranged in an arc; the upper left corner is painted with the national emblem. The three colors of yellow, blue and red come from the colors of the original flag of the Republic of Colombia. The seven five-pointed stars represent the seven provinces of the Venezuelan Federation in 1811 (the original flag). Under the promotion of President Chavez, on March 7, 2006, the National Assembly passed amendments to the national flag and national emblem, and decided to increase the flag from 7 stars to 8 stars. The newly added star represents the province of Guyana, which emerged from Spanish rule in 1817 and merged into Venezuela. Government agencies use the national flag with the national emblem, and civilians use the national flag without the national emblem.

The population of Bolivia is 26.56 million (2005). Indo-European mixed races accounted for 58%, whites 29%, blacks 11%, and Indians 2%. The official language is Spanish. 98% of residents believe in Catholicism, and 1.5% of residents believe in Christianity.

Bolivia is one of the more developed economies in Latin America. The petroleum industry is the lifeblood of the national economy, the world's fifth largest crude oil exporter, and the only Latin American country among the members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. The industrial sectors of metallurgy, mining, electric power, manufacturing, construction, petrochemical and textile have developed rapidly. Agriculture is developing slowly, and food cannot be self-sufficient. Rich in mineral resources. The proven oil reserves are 87.621 billion barrels, the emulsified oil (natural asphalt) reserves are 3.1 billion barrels, the natural gas reserves are 4.19 trillion cubic meters, the iron ore reserves are 4.222 billion tons, the bauxite reserves are 5 billion tons, and the coal reserves are 1 billion tons. , The gold reserves are 10,000 tons. In addition, there are mineral resources such as nickel and diamond. Water power and forest resources are also abundant, with a forest coverage rate of 56%. The main industrial sectors include petroleum, iron ore, construction, steelmaking, aluminummaking, electric power, automobile assembly, food processing, textiles, etc. Among them, the petroleum sector is a pillar industry of the national economy, with a daily output of 3.378 million barrels.

[Main cities]

Caracas: Caracas is the capital of Venezuela and the capital of the Federal District. It is not only the country’s political, economic, cultural, and financial The center is also a famous historical city in South America. It is a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides at the southern foot of Mount Avila on the coast of the Caribbean Sea. It is located in the tropics, 1000 meters above sea level, and has a mild climate, like spring all year round. It is known as the "Spring City". It has beautiful scenery and is also known as the "Capital of Tianfu". The urban area covers an area of ​​1930 square kilometers with a population of 3.22 million (2000).

Caracas was founded in 1567, and the city was designated the capital after Venezuela became independent in 1811. The urban area runs east-west, following the majestic Avila Valley; to the north is the northern foot of the Avila Mountain, which is close to the coast, and to the south is gentle slopes and low hills. In addition to ancient buildings and "castles", there are many modern high-rise buildings, museums, and colleges in the city, making it one of the modern metropolises in South America and the largest city in the country.

Caracas is the hometown of Simon Bolivar, the hero of South America's struggle for national independence in the 19th century and the father of Venezuela. In the center of the tree-lined Bolivar Plaza, there stands a bronze statue of Bolivar with a knife and a hat. To the west of the city is the "Bolivar Center", as well as the scenic Bolivar University and the busy Bolivar Avenue. Wait. There is a parliament building in the downtown area, which people call the "Capitol Hill". Not far away is the famous "Golden House" with all kinds of jewelry. A 50-story skyscraper in Central Park is the seat of the central government ministries. There are street gardens everywhere in the city. Among them, the Redwood Park is located in the triangle area where two highways intersect. The green trees, lawns and fountains in the park constitute a scene. There are Makudu, Azul, Naiguada and Xiaojia nearby. Lagas Beach is a tourist attraction.