Venezuela

Venezuela is a country in South America with its capital in Caracas and about 28.5 million people. Venezuela is known for Angel Falls, the world’s highest waterfall, and holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves.

Venezuela in purple, with Caracas marked. Outline from the same detailed coastlines the games use.

Capital: Caracas
Continent: South America
Population (2025): 28.5 million
Land area: 882,050 km² (340,561 sq mi)

Find it among 12 South America countries →Explore Venezuela on the map

The story of Venezuela

Where the name comes from

Venezuela means “little Venice”, from Italian Venezuola; explorers compared Indigenous stilt houses on Lake Maracaibo with Venice’s waterfront.

First people

Indigenous societies lived here for thousands of years.¹

Known for

Venezuela is known for Angel Falls, the world’s highest waterfall, and holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves.²

Outside contact

Spain settled at Cumaná in 1521.¹

The modern country

Independence was declared in 1811 and won through battles including Carabobo in 1821, led by Caracas-born Simón Bolívar; Venezuela left Gran Colombia as a separate republic in 1830.^3,4