Americas · South America

Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

Capital: Caracas
Population: 28,435,943
Region: Americas
Languages: Spanish

Fun fact

This nation is home to the mysterious and mesmerizing Catatumbo lightning, a meteorological phenomenon that occurs over the mouth of the Catatumbo River. For up to 160 nights a year, lightning strikes thousands of times per hour, often continuing for ten hours at a stretch. This natural light show is so consistent and bright that it has been used by sailors as a navigational aid for centuries, earning it the nickname the Lighthouse of Maracaibo. Interestingly, this specific location is considered the single largest generator of tropospheric ozone in the world.

Currency

The official currency is the Venezuelan bolívar (VES), which is named after the national independence hero Simón Bolívar. Established in 1879 to replace the venezolano, it was once one of the most stable currencies in the world before undergoing several redenominations in the 21st century to account for hyperinflation.

Flag symbolism

The horizontal tricolor of yellow, blue, and red represents the nation's struggle for independence, with yellow symbolizing the wealth and abundance of the land. The central blue band stands for the Atlantic Ocean that separates the territory from its former colonizer, Spain, while the red stripe signifies the blood spilled by heroes during the liberation wars. An arc of eight white stars sits in the center of the blue band, representing the original provinces that signed the Act of Independence. A controversial change in 2006 added the eighth star to honor the historical contribution of the Guayana Province as envisioned by Simón Bolívar.

Emblem history

The coat of arms features a shield divided into three sections reflecting national pride and victory. The upper left red section contains a bundle of twenty-four wheat stalks, signifying the union of the states and the wealth of the nation’s agriculture. In the upper right yellow section, crossed swords and flags are intertwined with a laurel branch to celebrate military triumphs and peace. The blue base displays a wild white horse galloping toward the left, a symbol of freedom and independence modeled after Bolívar's own steed, Palomo. The shield is crowned by two crossed cornucopias spilling over with tropical fruits, representing the land's inherent fertility.