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Venezuela, known since 1999 as the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a petroleum-rich country on the northern coast of South America. Beginning in the 1970s, the oil wealth's penetration throughout society grew increasingly limited. The current president is Hugo Chavez Frias, elected in 1998 and has since then governed the state. The country comprises a continental mainland and numerous islands in the Caribbean Sea, It borders Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the west. Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Curaçao, Bonaire, Aruba, and the Leeward Antilles lie just north, off the Venezuelan coast. Falling within the tropics, Venezuela sits close to the Equator, in the Northern Hemisphere. A former Spanish colony, Venezuela is a federal republic. Historically, Venezuela has had territorial disputes with Guyana, largely concerning the Essequibo area, and with Colombia concerning the Gulf of Venezuela. Today, Venezuela is known widely for its petroleum industry, the environmental diversity of its territory, and its natural features. Venezuela is among the most urbanized countries in Latin America; the vast majority of Venezuelans live in the cities of the north, especially in the largest metropolis, Caracas. Other major cities include Maracaibo, Barquisimeto, Valencia, Maracay, and Ciudad Guayana. Although living standards are generally rising, Venezuela continues to battle high levels of poverty and environmental degradation. A pluralistic, multi-lingual, and multi-ethnic nation, Venezuela is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats.
How places in Venezuela are organizedAll places in VenezuelaFurther information on historical place organization in VenezuelaResearch Tips
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