The Bolivarian republic of Venezuela is a country in South America. It has a total area of 912,050 km2. The climate is tropical, hot and humid but more moderate in the highlands. The terrain ranges from the Andesmountains to the Maracaibolowlands in the north-west with central plains (the llanos), and Guyanahighlands in the south-east. Natural resources are crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower and diamonds. The religion is 96% nominally Roman Catholic and 2% Protestant. The official language is Spanish with Indian dialects spoken by about 200,000 Amerindians in the remote interior.
Venezuela was discovered for Europe by Christopher Columbus in 1498 and was settled by the Spanish in 5120, remaining a Spanish colony until liberated through the revolt started by Simon Bolivar which culminated in Venezuela joining Colombia, Ecuador and Panama in Greater Columbia in 1819. In 1830 Venezuela ceded from Greater Colombia and became independent. Research Venezuela
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