The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in South America is a wildlife paradise, with 43 national parks covering 15% of the country. In addition to wildlife, it is home to stunning waterfalls and some of the most beautiful women in the world.
Curious facts about Venezuela that you should know
With low gas prices, it’s also a great place to take a road trip. You probably know some general facts about Venezuela, such as that it is a Spanish-speaking country that was colonized by the Spanish.
Venezuela has the biggest oil reserves
Venezuela has been an oil producer since 1914 and has the largest oil reserves in the world with 300.9 billion barrels. Gasoline prices in Venezuela are among the cheapest in the world thanks to its oil reserves.
It is home to the world’s tallest waterfall
Venezuela is home to Angel Falls. The indigenous and official name is Kerepakupai merú, which means “waterfall of the deepest place”. With a height of 979 meters and a drop of 807 meters, it is the highest continuous waterfall in the world.
Angel Falls falls over the edge of the Auyán-tepui mountain, located in the Canaima National Park. This 30,000 km2 area, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is the sixth largest national park in the world. It is equal in size to Belgium.
Venezuela is home to the largest rodent in the world
The capybara, also known as the chigüire in Venezuela, is the world’s largest rodent and is native to the Venezuelan savannas. Capybaras are friendly herbivores that feed primarily on grasses, fruits and tree bark. They are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater for up to five minutes, an ability they use to escape predators.
It is a country where not all mountains have peaks
A unique feature of Venezuela and its neighboring countries, Brazil and Guyana, are the tepuis, high table mountains (there are no peaks) with high slopes. They range in height from 1,000 to 3,000 meters. They are also home to a unique variety of plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world.
Some of the best-known plants that live on the tops of the plateaus are of the carnivorous type. Auyantepui is the largest tepui, with an area of 700 km2 and is home to the Angel Falls, which fall from a crevice in the summit. The largest tepuis in Venezuela are found in the Canaima National Park.
Home of the eternal thunderstorm
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has declared Maracaibo the thunderstorm capital of the world. An average of 300 thunderstorms and a total of 1.6 million lightning strikes occur here each year.
Venezuelans know this phenomenon as the Catatumbo Lightning, an impressive display of blue and white lightning that scientists, tourists and visitors can enjoy throughout the year, especially from November to April (rainy season).
Home to one of the best-preserved colonial cities in South America
In northwestern Venezuela, the port city of Coro welcomes visitors with charming colonial buildings and cobblestone streets dating back to the 16th century. Coro is a unique example of Spanish, West Indian, Dutch and indigenous architectural influences.
Families have a great time strolling through the old town while enjoying the traditional dulce de leche made with goat’s milk and sugar and the delicious arroz con coco (rice with milk, coconut and sugar). The port city of Coro was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993.
It has the sweetness that is exported to other corners of the world
Venezuela’s regional farmers produce some of the best cocoa in the world. The climate, the unique combination of minerals in the soil and the harvesting techniques give Venezuelan cocoa beans a distinctive, rich and aromatic flavor.
The meticulous and labor-intensive process of producing high-quality beans has attracted the attention of many renowned chocolatiers from around the world, who travel to Venezuela to purchase cocoa to bring back to their home countries. Today, it is easier to find Venezuelan cocoa in many countries around the world.
