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 Venezuela was one
of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia
in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador). For most of the
first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally
benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and
allowed for some social reforms. Democratically-elected governments
have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include: an embattled
president who is losing his once solid support among Venezuelans,
a divided military, drug-related conflicts along the Colombian
border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on
the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible
mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous
peoples. |
| Location: |
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea
and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana |
| Climate: |
Tropical;
hot, humid; more moderate in highlands |
| Borders: |
Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km |
| More... |
Venezuela
is bounded by the Caribbean, Guyana, the Atlantic Ocean, Brazil
and Colombia. Venezuela offers the tourist a great variety of
landscapes – tropical
beaches, immense plains, enormous rivers, forests, jungle, waterfalls
and great mountains. Nestling in a long narrow valley, Caracas,
the capital, is typical of the ‘new Venezuela’, despite
being one of the oldest established cities in the country (founded
in 1567). The 4000km (2800 miles) of Caribbean coastline represents
the major tourist destination in the country. The area has numerous
excellent beaches and resorts ranging from the comparatively
luxurious to the unashamedly opulent, which stretch along the
coastline.
The coastal regions to the north of the Guyana Highlands have
some fine tourist beaches and resorts. These include Higuerote
and Lecheria.
The Guyana Highlands lie to the south of the Orinoco River and
constitute half the land area of the country. The Gran Sabana
National Reserve is the largest of the Venezuelan plateaux and
has an extraordinary
array of wildlife. |
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