Venezuela is a country
of striking natural beauty and dramatic contrasts: the snowcapped
peaks of the Andes in the west; steamy Amazonian jungles in
the south; the hauntingly beautiful Gran Sabana plateau, with
its strange flat-topped mountains, in the east; and 3000km (1860mi)
of white-sand beaches fringed with coconut palms lining the
Caribbean coast. South America's largest lake, Lake Maracaibo,
and third-longest river, the Orinoco, are also here, and the
country boasts the world's highest waterfall, Angel Falls. It
is also home to a wide variety of exotic plants and animals,
including the jaguar, ocelot, tapir, armadillo, anteater, and
the longest snake in the world, the anaconda.
StudyGlobal offers
2 completely different programs in order to meet our different
customer needs. Isla Margarita, the pearl of the Caribean for
the beach bums and surfers, Merida, the city in the Andes for
the outdoor lovers and adventurers.
Geography
Venezuela is located
in north eastern part of South America, it is bordered by
Brazil to the south, Columbia to the west and Guyana to the
southeast. Its coastline meets the waters of both the Caribbean
sea in the north and the Atlantic Ocean in the east. It has
an area of 912,050 km² (566,383 miles²).
Venezuela has an incredibly
diverse landscape encompassing 10 broad geographical regions.
Off the north coast lie numerous Caribbean Islands, of which
the biggest is Isla Margarita. The Andes in the west continue
in the north with the Cordillera de la Costa, a mountain chain
which runs along the Caribbean coast. The Andes also continue
south to Los Llanos, a giant plain extending east as far as
the Caura River, which flows through Venezuela's second largest
forest reserve after Amazonas and only recently became known
to adventure tourism. Located south of Los Llanos is the Amazon
Basin, the largest rain forest in the world. East of the Caura
River forest is the beginning of the Gran Sabana, part of the
Guayana Highlands which extend up to the rainforests of the
Orinoco Delta in the north east and the Brazilian border in
the south.
Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, and the majority of developed
land is situated in the Central region. Grasslands occupy half
of the country, and forests cover about two-fifths, varying
from true rainforest to semi-tropical evergreens. Only a small
portion (less than 4 per cent) of land in Venezuela is cultivated.
Currently estimated
at 22 million and increasing at a rate of over 2.5% per year,
Venezuela’s population is the fastest growing in South
America. Half the population is under the age of eighteen. The
vast majority of Venezuelans lives in urban areas, and Caracas
is home to about 20% of the population. Population density varies
according to region. While cities of the central coastal region
have a high concentration of people, areas such as Los Llanos,
the Amazon and Guyana are inhabited by very few. Owing to the
constant migration of people from country to city, this distribution
seems likely to continue.Venezuela has a mixed ancestry. About
67% of the population are of Mulatto-Mestizo descent, with the
remainder made up of Whites (21%), Africans (10%), and Indians
(2%).
Language
Spanish is the main
language of Venezuela. However, Venezuelan Spanish differs in
pronounciation from the Spanish spoken in Spain. There are also
some variations in vocabulary. Venezuelans call their language
castellano. Besides Spanish, there are over 30 native Indian
languages, of which several have common origins. In more remote
areas, some Indians still only speak their own language and
have no knowledge of Spanish. Generally, the knowledge of foreign
languages in Venezuela is very basic. Even in better hotels
the receptionists don't always speak English. It is therefore
useful to learn at least some common phrases before your departure
to Venezuela, or to carry a phrasebook.
Currency
TThe Venezuelan currency
is the Bolívar (Bs). Locals sometimes call it the ‘Bolo’.
It can be exported and imported in unlimited quantities. You
can buy Bolívares before coming to Venezuela, but it
can take time for them to be ordered and you will get a better
exchange rate in Venezuela. Please check Currency
Converter for current exchange rates.
Time Zone
Venezuela is exactly
five hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. In summer there is
six hours difference as Venezuela has no daylight savings time
Climate
Venezuela is located
entirely in the tropics. The temperature varies very little
during the year and most parts of the country maintain an average
of over 25°C (77°F). Its capital, Caracas, has an average
annual temperature of 22°C (72°F) and varies by only
4°C (8°F) over the year. However, the temperature drops
with altitude. The mountainous regions can get cold, especially
at night, and there is even snow in the highest parts of the
Andes.
Like all tropical countries, Venezuela only has two seasons,
the dry season, known as verano, and the rainy season, known
as invierno, which are marked by the difference in rainfall
rather than temperature. Generally, the dry season is from December
to April/May, and the rainy season lasts for the rest of the
year. Rainfall, however, can occur during the dry season, and
the rainy season often has dry months
Government and
Constitution
The creation of two
new powers, the Citizens Power and the Electoral Power, apart
from the already existing Executive, Legislative and Judicial
Powers, is just one of the most important innovations contained
in the Magna Charta. The new Constitution also includes the
possibility of immediate presidential reelection, substitutes
the national Congress for a single-chamber National Assembly,
grants vote for the military and consecrates the pre-eminence
of human rights as part of the superior values defended by the
State and guaranteeing the rights of the indigenous people.
Another remarkable innovation is the change in the name of the
country: as stated in the Transient Resolutions, "the name
of the Republic, once this Constitution is approved, shall be
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela," as prescribed in its
Article 1. And this is so since last January 1st, when the Constitution
was enforced.
Actually the President of the country is the Tnte. Cnel. Hugo
Chavez Frías who assumed this labor after election in
December 1998 replacing in his charge at the Dr. Rafael Caldera.
Salsa has become popular
all over the world, but is mostly danced and originating in
Latin American countries. Most famous Salsa music and singers
come from Cuba such as the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz.
We offer Salsa courses together with Spanish courses as extracurricular
activity.
If you are interested in taking Salsa courses while studying
Spanish please contact us.
We offer Salsa courses
in Venezuela, Argentina, Chile and Spain.
Venezuela has a variety
of traditional dishes which are found in nearly all local restaurants.
Most are fried maize or wheatflour based pancakes or breads.
The most common meat dishes in Venezuela are fried and grilled
fish and meats usually served with rice. Generally, beef and
chicken are most popular, though other meats such as goat are
preferred in certain regions. Pork is eaten mostly at Christmas.
The huge variety of fish includes trout, red snapper, dorado,
parrot fish, catfish and the baby shark (cazon). Oysters, clams
and other shellfish are also widely enjoyed.
There is an abundance of fruits in Venezuela. Mango, papaya
(lechosa), avocado (aguacate) oranges (naranja), banana (cambur)
coconut (coco), passionfruit (parchita), melon (melón),
pineapple (piña), guava (guayaba) and soursap (guanábana)
are just a few.
Besides all the traditional Venezuelan dishes, a wide variety
of world cuisines are available in the country. Caracas has
everything from Italian to Chinese. Generally, a 10% service
charge is added to restaurant bills, and it is usual to give
an additional tip of around 5%. Several fast-food chains are
common in larger towns, and burger and hot-dog vendors are
found on many street corners.
Some traditional Venezuelan dishes are:
Arepa
A plain fried or baked
corn pancake. They are filled with almost anything, including
eggs and tomato for breakfast, beef, chicken, ham, sausage,
shrimp, cheese, salad and even baby shark.
Empanada
Deep-fried cornmeal
turnover filled with chicken, ham, cheese, fish (baby shark
included) or meat.
Cachito
Hot croissant filled
with chopped ham and or cheese.
Cachapa
Thick, slightly sweet
pancake made with maize and served with mozzarella-type cheese
(queso guayanesa).
Hallaca
Traditional christmas
dish made from chopped beef, pork and chicken with green peppers,
onion, garlic, tomatoes, raisins, olives and various herbs and
spices all mixed into maize dough. It is then wrapped in banana
leaves and steamed.
Pabellón
Criollo
Venezuela’s national
dish, consisting of shredded beef, black beans (caraotas negras)
and cheese, served with fried plantain (cooking banana) and
rice.
Drinks
Fresh fruit juices
are readily available, as are batidos, a thicker juice, and
milkshakes (merengada).
Sugar cane juice with lemon (papelón con limón)
and fresh coconut milk are also on offer. Beer is ubiquitous,
and the most popular brand is Polar. Rum, the commonly found
spirit, comes in several varieties and is mixed with coke
to make Cuba Libre, a favourite drink amongst Venezuelans.
Coffee is domestically produced in Venezuela and is the most
common hot beverage. It is always offered to visitors as a
welcome drink
Au début
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