Venezuela

[ven-uh-zwey-luh, ve-ne-swe-lah]

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.

Venezuela

/ 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

Venezuela

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.

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

—Oil prices climbed after OPEC+ members decided to leave output steady and as traders monitor geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe and Venezuela.

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Traffickers are flying at least one cargo a week from Venezuela to West Africa, say current and former Western officials.

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On Sunday, Venezuela's National Assembly condemned the boat strikes and vowed to carry out a "rigorous and thorough investigation" into the accusations of a second attack that allegedly killed two survivors.

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Appeared in the December 1, 2025, print edition as 'The High Stakes in Venezuela'.

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Seventy percent of Americans oppose the U.S. military taking action in Venezuela, according to a CBS News/YouGov poll released this week.

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