Venezuela

American  

[ven-uh-zwey-luh, ve-ne-swe-lah] / ˌvɛn əˈzweɪ lə, ˌvɛ nɛˈswɛ lɑ /

noun

1. a republic in northern South America. 352,143 sq. mi. (912,050 sq. km). Caracas.

2. Also called Maracaibo.  Gulf of Venezuela. a gulf of the Caribbean Sea between northwestern Venezuela and northern Colombia, connecting with Lake Maracaibo. 75 miles (120 km) long and up to 150 miles (240 km) wide.

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Venezuela British  

/ ˌvɛnɪˈzweɪlə /

noun

1. Official name: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.  a republic in South America, on the Caribbean: colonized by the Spanish in the 16th century; independence from Spain declared in 1811 and won in 1819 after a war led by Simón Bolívar. It contains Lake Maracaibo and the northernmost chains of the Andes in the northwest, the Orinoco basin in the central part, and the Guiana Highlands in the south. Exports: petroleum, iron ore, and coffee. Official language: Spanish. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: bolívar. Capital: Caracas. Pop: 28 459 085 (2013 est). Area: 912 050 sq km (352 142 sq miles)

2. an inlet of the Caribbean in NW Venezuela: continues south as Lake Maracaibo

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Venezuela Cultural  

1. Republic in northern South America, bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the southwest and west. Its capital and largest city is Caracas.

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Discover More

Venezuela became independent from Spain in 1821.

Venezuela is rich in oil, which accounts for about ninety percent of its export income. Because of its revenue from oil, Venezuela has the highest per capita national income in Latin America. It was a founder of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Venezuela

Jorge Rodríguez, who is the brother of interim president Delcy Rodríguez, cited the devastation created by the recent twin earthquakes which struck the north of Venezuela on 24 June as the reason behind the talks.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

After 17 years with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, departing music and artistic director Gustavo Dudamel will play a final benefit concert for Venezuela at the Hollywood Bowl on Aug. 23.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

He has struck seven times against Venezuela and Ecuador from 13 and 11 matches respectively.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

For years, as Venezuela fell into economic depression, hospitals operated without basic medication, reliable power and even disinfectants.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026

In August 1967 a missionary’s two-year-old daughter came down with measles in a village on the Toototobi River in Brazil, near the border with Venezuela.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann