Venezuela

**Venezuela**, officially the **Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela**, is a country in northern South America. The official language is Spanish, and the capital city is Caracas.

Other languages spoken in Venezuela include Carib, Guahibo, Warao, Wayuu, Pemon, and Piaroa.

In January 2026, the U.S. military took the president of Venezuela out of the country;  He gave answers in a U.S. court (January 5).

Delcy Rodríguez is in power; She is interim president (or acting president).

## Geography

The geography includes the islands in the Caribbean Sea, coastal areas, highlands, and parts of the Andes Mountains. Angel Falls is the world's tallest waterfall. It is in the Bolivar state.

## Economy

Venezuela's economy is based on oil, cotton, cocoa, sugar, coffee, and tobacco.

Venezuela has one of the largest oil supplies in the world, and it produces a large amount of oil. It also has a very large supply of fossil fuels, gasoline, and minerals.

The government's main source of income in foreign currencies, has been coming "for a while" (as of 2026's first quarter), from export of oil.

There are shortages in the country; About "80% of [the people or] residents ... live in poverty", according to estimates (2025).

There are economic sanctions against Venezuela [as of 2026's first quarter]; The sanctions are coming from the United States [and some other countries]. The sanctions are costing Venezuela, billions of euro, every year.

In regard to inflation: It is between "20% and 30% a month", according to an estimate quoted (November 2025) by a media outlet; The estimate is for the capital city.

In regard to (relatives sending money from abroad, or) remittances: About 8 million Venezuelans have moved to other countries, according to media (in 2026); Many of those Venezuelans send money to relatives (back home).

## History

Ancient Venezuelans came from the east, west, south, and north. Christopher Columbus was the first European to enter Venezuela, but there had been indigenous people living there for a long time.

### European colonialism

_Also see: Colonialism and Atlantic slave trade_

When white Europeans (like the British, Spanish, and French colonial empires) conquered territory in the Americas, they took their black African slaves to America to work. The Spanish Empire conquered Venezuela and brought in slaves from Africa.

At this time, black people had no rights; they just worked for food. Because of the colonial period, Venezuela's population today is very racially mixed.

The Spanish taught Roman Catholicism, and many native people converted. Today, almost all Venezuelans (96%) are Catholics; just 2% are Protestant.

For a long time, society was headed by white creoles: people in Venezuela who were descended from Spaniards, but considered Venezuela home. Other Venezuelans did not like that, and they started thinking about independence.

### After independence (1823)

On July 24, 1823 Venezuela won its independence, led by Simón Bolívar.

Venezuela's modern history was shaped by a number of people, including President Romulo Betancourt, who replaced a military dictatorship with a democracy.

By the 1970s, Venezuela had become rich from oil revenue, but it had problems in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1999 Hugo Chávez became president and tried to remake Venezuela into a socialist state. While popular at first, the economic changes made by Chavez and the next president, Nicolás Maduro, caused a massive economic depression in the mid-2010s. The current president is disputed.

The Crisis in Venezuela started in 2010 (and has been ongoing for .)

The 2026 United States strikes in Venezuela, happened; An invasion lasted for two hours and twenty minutes (January 3). That U.S. force left Venezuela, later that day.

## Politics

The government has interior minister, foreign minister and defense minister; The oil minister's post (or job) is held by the vice president (as of 2026's first quarter).

On January 5, 2026, the Rodríguez cabinet (or government) held its first official meeting.

## Demographics

The population of Venezuela is about 28,000,000 people. The ethnicities of the population are:
- 65%: Multiracial.
- 20%: European.
- 10%: African.
- 5%: Amerindian.

### Foreign relations

United States–Venezuela relations. The U.S. secretary-of-state and Venezuela's acting president talked [on the phone], on January 3, 2026. Earlier that day, the U.S. military did an invasion, that ended the same day. Earlier (2025), the U.S. started attacks from the air, against what was thought to be drug boats. The attacks were part of a military buildup in the Caribbean Sea. Earlier that year, the US government said that gangs such as  Cartel of the Suns, and Tren de Aragua, are terrorist organizations. Earlier (2019), the U.S.  took away its diplomats from the U.S. embassy in Caracas. Earlier that year, Venezuela's president said that the Venezuelan embassy "and all consulates in the U.S. would be closed", according to media.

## Related pages

- List of ongoing armed conflicts

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
- **common name**: Venezuela
- **image flag**: Flag of Venezuela (state).svg
- **image coat**: Coat of arms of Venezuela.svg
- **national motto**: _Dios y Federación_
("God and Federation")
- **national anthem**: _Gloria al Bravo Pueblo_<small>
Glory to the Brave People</small>
- **image map**: Venezuela Orthographic Map.svg
- frameless
- **map caption**: Venezuela on the globe. Disputed lands are shown in light green.
- **capital**: Caracas
- **latd**: 10
- **latm**: 30
- **latns**: N
- **longd**: 66
- **longm**: 58
- **longew**: W
- **largest city**: capital
- **languages type**: National language
- **languages**: Spanish language, Spanish
English language, English(unofficial)
- **ethnic groups**:

* 65% Multiracial
* 20% Europe, White
* 10% African, Black
* 5% Native American
- **demonym**: Venezuelan
- **government type**: Federal republic, Federal Presidential system, presidential constitutional republic, constitutional republic
- **leader title1**: President
- **leader name1**: Delcy Rodríguez (acting president)
- **sovereignty type**: Independence
- **established event1**: from Spain
- **established date1**: 5 July 1811
- **established event2**: from Gran Colombia
- **established date2**: 13 January 1830
- **established event3**: Recognized
- **established date3**: 30 March 1845
- **established event4**: Constitution of Venezuela, Current constitution
- **established date4**: 20 December 1999
- **area km2**: 916,445
- **area rank**: 33rd
- **area sq mi**: 353,841
- **percent water**: 0.32
- **population estimate**: 27,227,930
- **population census**: 23,232,353
- **population estimate year**: 2011
- **population estimate rank**: 43rd
- **population census year**: 2001
- **population density km2**: 30.2
- **population density sq mi**: 77
- **population density rank**: 181st
- **gdp ppp**: $346.973 billion
- **gdp ppp year**: 2010
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $11,889
- **gdp nominal**: $285.214 billion
- **gdp nominal year**: 2010
- **gdp nominal per capita**: $9,773
- **gini**: 39
- **gini year**: 2010
- **hdi**: 0.735
- **hdi year**: 2011
- **hdi change**: increase
- **hdi rank**: 73rd
- **currency**: Venezuelan bolívar, Bolívar
- **currency code**: VES
- **time zone**: Time in Venezuela, VET
- **utc offset**: – 4
- **drives on**: right
- **calling code**: +58
- **cctld**: .ve
- **footnotes**: The "Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela" has been the full official title since the adoption of the new Constitution of Venezuela, Constitution of 1999, when the state was renamed in honor of Simón Bolívar.
 The Constitution also recognizes all indigenous languages of the Americas, indigenous languages spoken in the country.
 Area totals include only Venezuelan-administered territory.
- **area magnitude**: 1 E11
- **hdi category**: <span style="color:green;">high</span>
- **gini category**: <span style="color:yellow;">medium</span>