The Orinoco River flows across the llanos and produces hydroelectricity . The Climate - tropical rainforest, but cool, dry winds from the northeast moderate temperatures. Altitudes also affect the temperatures. The Economy - Venezuela has become a leading oil produces since the 1920's. Bauxite, coal, diamonds, and gold are also mined.
Agriculture produces beef and dairy cattle, bananas, coffee, corn, and rice.
The Past - Spanish explorers named Venezuela after Venice, Italy. It was a Spanish colony until 1821, when Simon Bolivar led a revolution for their freedom. Harsh military rulers called caudillos governed in the 1800's and 1900's. A stable democracy has been in place since the 1960's. The People - 22 million people are a mix of European, African, and Native American cultures.