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Constitution of the Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela - English Version
Constitution of the Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela - French Version
Geographic Location
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the most northerly country in South America. It has an area of 916.445 Km² and its neighbours are Colombia to the West, Brazil to the South, Guyana and the Atlantic Ocean to the East and, through the territorial waters in the Caribbean Sea, Dominican Republic, Aruba, Curazao, Bonaire, USA (Puerto Rico and St. Croix) France (St. Martin, Guadeloupe and Martinique), Dominica, St. Kitts & Nevis, the Netherlands (St. Martin) and Trinidad and Tobago, all to the North.
Physically, Venezuela is divided in nine regions:
- Central Range (Cordillera Central)
- East Range (Cordillera Oriental)
- Coro System (Sistema Coriano)
- Lake of Maracaibo ( Lago de Maracaibo)
- The Andes (Los Andes)
- The Flat Lands (Los llanos)
- Orinoco Delta (Delta del Orinoco)
- The Islands (Las islas)
Climate
Venezuela is a country of natural beauty and contrasts. The snow capped mountains of the Andes; the steamy Amazonian Jungles; the beautiful Gran Sabana plateau with flat top mountains (tepuis) and 3000 kilometres of white - sand beaches lining the Caribbean coast. Venezuela has the largest South America’s lake, Maracaibo Lake, the fourth largest river, the Orinoco, and the world’s highest waterfall, Angel Falls.
The country’s climate is predominantly tropical. Temperatures rarely vary more than a few degrees. Venezuela’s climatic zones are defined by rainfall rather than by differences in temperature.
There are regional variations in rainfall, while the Caribbean Islands and the northern coastal region remain dry, the mountain slopes of northern Venezuela are normally wet, the Amazons remain wet for most of the year and in the Llanos (vast plains) extensive floods during the rain period are followed by severe droughts in the dry season.
Like all tropical countries, Venezuela has two seasons, the dry season known as verano (from December to April/ May) and the rainy season known as invierno (from May to November).
Political Division
Venezuela is divided in 23 states, one capital district, and various federal dependencies.
National Symbols
Flag
 The Venezuelan flag has been, with some changes, the same one than Francisco de Miranda designed in 1806. The yellow represents the richness of the land, the blue the seas that bath the coasts and the red, the blood shed by the National Heroes on the war of independence. It’s officially the same flag since April 20th, 1836.
The eight stars represent the provinces that joined the American Confederation of Venezuela: Caracas, Cumaná, Margarita, Barcelona, Barinas, Mérida Trujillo and Guayana.
Coat of Arms
 The Coat of Arms is partitioned in three sections: yellow, red and blue. The bands of the ribbon have equal width and have the inscriptions: “República de Venezuela; Independencia, 19 de Abril de 1810; Federación, 20 de Febrero de 1859”. Two crossed cornucopias, symbols of abundance, crown it.
The red section has a sheaf of wheat, which represents the union of the Venezuelan States.
The yellow section shows two crossed swords and two flags twined by a laurel wreath symbolizing victory.
The blue section shows a untamed white horse, symbol of liberty.
National Anthem
The National Anthem of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is known with the traditional name of ‘Glory to the brave people’.
With lyrics of Vicente Salias and music of Juan José Landaeta, ‘Glory to the brave people’ evokes the days that followed the April 19th 1810 declaration of Independence from Spain.
A Presidential Decree of Antonio Guzmán Blanco officially established it as the Venezuelan National Anthem on May 25th, 1881.
Choir
Glory to the brave nation
which shook off the yoke,
Respecting law, virtue and honour
I
"Off with the chains!
Cried the Lord,
And the poor man in his hovel
Implored freedom.
Trembled at this holy name,
The vile selfishness that had triumphed.
Choir
II
Let's cry out aloud:
Down with oppression!
Faithful countrymen, your strength
Lies in your unity;
And from the heavens
the supreme Creator
Breathed a sublime spirit
Into the nation.
Choir
III
United by bonds
Made by heaven,
All America exists
As a Nation;
and if tyranny
raises its voice,
follow the example
given by Caracas.
Choir
NATIONAL REPRESENTATIONS
The National Bird
 It is represented by the ‘turpial’, known scientifically as ‘Icterus Icterus’. The turpial was declared ‘National Bird’ on May 23rd 1958. Its attractive colours characterize it, as the yellowed-orange in its body; black and white in its head and wings and small blue spots around its eyes.
The turpial has as natural habitat warm places as the plains, thorny scrubs and forests.
The National Tree
 It is represented by the ‘araguaney’, known scientifically as ‘Tabebula Chrysantha’. It was declared ‘National Tree’ on May 29th, 1948. Its scientific name is of indigenous origin, and is known as well as acapro, araguán or cañada, yellow flower and puy.
The National Flower
 It is represented by the orchid, known scientifically as ‘Catleya Mossiae’, and was declared ‘National Flower’ on May 23rd 1951. Its scientific name pays homage to the Englishman William Cattley, who cultivated the first bulbs of this plant in the year of 1818, through some species sent from Brazil. The Catleya was found in Venezuela in 1839.
The orchid is also known as ‘May flower’.
Brief History
More than 25 indigenous ethnics groups inhabited the northern tip of South America when the Spanish arrived on these shores in 1498, during Columbus’ Third Voyage. Local buildings, constructed on poles, reminded the Spaniards of the appearance of Venice, so they named the country Venezuela.
In the early colonial period, what is today Venezuela were different provinces that depended alternatively from the Crown in Madrid, the Viceroyalty of New Granada or the Royal Audience of Santo Domingo and had certain autonomy. In 1777, the province of Venezuela became a Captaincy General, and assumed the central government of the provinces of Margarita, Trinidad & Guayana, Mérida-La Grita and Cumaná or New Andalusia. At the end of the 18th century it became the most important farming colony, producing mainly coffee and cocoa. A local landowning class of European extraction developed, using African slave labor on their plantations. The mestizo, who constitute the overwhelming majority of the population today, are the descendants from the mix between the Africans, the Indians and the Europeans.
Two of the greatest leaders of the Latin American Independence were born in Venezuela: Francisco de Miranda and Simón Bolívar. On April 19th 1810, the war of Independence broke out after the constitution of a Cabildo or Assembly. Miranda became the commander of the army, envisaging a vast American Confederacy, but his dreams did not come to fruition as the Spaniards captured him in 1811, dying in prison in La Carraca (Cádiz, Spain) in 1816.
Bolívar took up Miranda’s project for American liberation and was backed, in principle, by his peers, the landowners. In a swift campaign (1812-13) he took over the country, and was able to install a government in Caracas. In 1814, Bolivar was defeated by the Spanish loyalist General José Tomás Boves, and in 1815 had to flee to Haiti, where President, Alexandre Sabés Petión, helped him return to Venezuela in 1816.
Accompanied by other important military leaders like Antonio José de Sucre, Santiago Mariño, José Antonio Páez, Rafael Urdaneta and Juan Bautista Arismendi, he carried out successful military campaigns in the northern half of the continent. He subsequently founded Bolivia in what had hitherto been known as «Upper Peru».
In 1819, the Angostura Congress created the new republic of «Gran Colombia», uniting Colombia (Panama was still part of it), Ecuador, and Venezuela.
The resounding victory of the Republicans, commanded by The Liberator Simon Bolivar, at the Battle of Carabobo, on June 24th 1821, turns the fate of the War of Independence, which ended with the Naval Battle of the Lake of Maracaibo, on July 24th 1823.
The internal struggle for power between Bolivar and Páez, leads to the exile of the first to Colombia and the dissolution of the Gran Colombia, in 1830, which worsened Bolivar’s frail health leading to his death on December 17th of the same year, in San Pedro Alejandrino, near Santa Marta, Colombia.
In that same year of 1830, a political period called “El Caudillismo” started in Venezuela with the ruling of two major parties, the Conservatives and the Liberals. This situation ended with the Federal War, fought between 1859 and 1863, which devastated the country, leaving it in very precarious economic and social conditions.
Liberals and Conservatives fought for their own privileges. In 1863, the Liberals won the war, consolidating democratic principles and rights in the Constitution of 1864. A sequence of governments followed during the period between 1863 and 1908, giving the country an unstable political climate.
In 1908, Juan Vicente Gomez seized the Presidency through a Coup d’Etat, marking the beginning of Venezuela’s longest dictatorship, until his death in 1935.
From 1935 to 1948 there was a political transition to democracy, but in November 1948, Lieutenant Colonel Marcos Perez Jimenez led a military regime that held the government until January 23rd 1958, when a popular movement toppled him.
Since 1958, Venezuela has had democratic governments elected by the people. Democratic principles and public rights have been consolidated through civic participation, opening the country to social advancements and economic progress.
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