Surrounded by the turquoise Caribbean waters and treasuring the breathtaking Andes Mountains, Venezuela is a paradise for travel junkies.
Apart from its incredible beauty, Venezuela offers so much more through its history and culture, as you’re about to discover through my list of fun facts.
1. The Highest Number Of Beauty Pageant Crowns
The country is not only passionate about competing in beauty pageants, it’s also fiercely competitive and victorious too. The country has claimed 6 Miss World titles, 7 Miss Universe titles, 8 Miss International titles and 2 Miss Earth titles in their kitty.
Venezuela remains the only country to win each of these 4 titles multiple times.
2. There’s A Unique Place Known As The “House Of Lightning”
The Relampago del Catatumba witnesses roughly 160 nights of thunder storming nights per year, which results in 1.2 million lightning discharges! The place even has a record in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most electric place on earth.
Thankfully the breathtaking lightning show isn’t typically accompanied by loud noises. Many tourists take tours to this place just to see the lightning travel from one cloud to another.
3. The Country Is Known For Having The Most Extensive Oil Reserves In The World
In 2021, the country produced around 304 billion barrels of crude oil, almost triple the number it made a decade ago! With vast reserves of oil, the petrol prices in the country are incredibly low.
4. Home To The Tallest Waterfall In The World
The famous Angel falls, aka Salto Angel, is one of the biggest tourist attractions of Venezuela. With a height of 3,211 ft, this is the world’s tallest uninterrupted waterfall.
The park in which the waterfall is located, the Canaima National Park, is also a UNESCO World Heritage site and the 6th biggest national park in the world! The place is so huge that it can fit the country Belgium within it!
5. Venezuela Is Rich In Biodiversity
The country is ranked 17th for megadiverse countries and ranks 7th for the highest number of wildlife species. Venezuela features more than 21,000 plant species and more than 8000 endemic animal species!
Wildlife enthusiasts are in for a treat, with more than 1400 species of birds, 351 species of mammals, and around the same number of amphibian and reptile species!
6. Kids In Venezuela Experience Traditional And Modern Worlds
Unlike many countries, kids in Venezuela still play with traditional toys that are handmade out of wood. They still get to experience normal western toys, including western computer games in their teenage years, but childhood traditions remain prominent in the country.
7. Home To Peakless Mountains That Feature Carnivorous Plants
When we think of mountains, we naturally imagine an enormous rock mass with a pointy top. But in Venezuela, you will find many mountains that don’t have the typical mountain appearance.
The tops are actually flat, and the sides are instead very steep. These mountains are tabletop mountains and usually have an elevation of 1000 to 3000 meters, and are home to many plants, some of which are carnivorous.
8. The Country Produces Some Of The World’s Finest Cacao
A tropical climate, mineral-rich soil and paired with traditional harvesting techniques makes Venezuela perfect for growing cacao. This combination leads to cacao beans that contain a very distinct and rich aroma.
These cacao beans attract many famous chocolatiers to the country, with the beans widely exported around the globe. I’m personally never without cacao in my pantry!
9. Venezuela Preserves Its Colonial Style
Situated in the northwest side of the country, Coro City welcomes many visitors who are eager to explore its well-preserved colonial-style buildings.
The 1500s architecture of the place is an amalgamation of Spanish, Dutch, Antillean, and indigenous styles. With cobblestone streets, the city has become a UNESCO heritage site.
10. Slavery Was Abolished More Than A Decade Before The US
Despite so many colonizations, Venezuela is one of the first few countries to successfully abolish slavery. In 1854, the country officially outlawed slavery, 11 years before the United States.
11. Venezuelians Roller Skate To Church On Christmas Mornings!
In big cities like Valencia, Barquisimeto, and Caracas, many people will travel to the early morning church services on their roller skates!
Known as Patinatas, this practice started in the 1920s in Caracas city to represent the happy and festive mood of the season. While not mandatory, many people look forward to this custom.
12. A Unique Way Of Celebrating The Day Of The Holy Innocents
On every 28th of December, Venezuelans gather in the church and participate in traditional dances.
Amongst all the usual enjoyment, there is an unusual festival addressed to children, named the party of the “Locos and Locainas.”
Role reversal is the theme of the festival. Men dress like women and women as men. Children disguise themselves as elders and vice versa. All of this role-play is accompanied by food, dance, and music!