When we talk about Venezuela, what comes to mind?
The capital of Caracas, its national bird, its oil exports to the United States, etc. But before we move on, it's important to understand a few facts about Venezuela. This article will help you learn about the country's capital, its people, and its natural resources. Listed below are some facts about Venezuela that may surprise you.
The population of Venezuela is about 24 million, and its oil is worth a gazillion dollars.Venezuela's capital is Caracas. Founded by Diego de Losada in 1567, Venezuela's capital is situated in a long valley about 3000 feet above sea level. Surrounding the city is the uninhabited Avila National Park. The mountains rise steeply above the city like green waves, and the climate is almost unbeatable. You can easily spend a couple of days exploring this city. Here are some tips to make the most of your trip to Venezuela's capital.
Its national bird is the araguaney.
The Araguaney is the country's national bird, and its name comes from the tree it grows on. The tree, or Tabebuia chrysantha, is a tropical hardwood that grows in forests and savannahs. Its flowers are yellow, and its seeds are grey flying seeds. This tree is only in bloom for a few days a year, following the rainy season.
Its population is 24 million.
Venezuela's population is about twenty-four million, and growing. The most important demographic measure is life expectancy at birth, which indicates how many years a newborn infant should expect to live, assuming that birth and death rates remain constant. In Venezuela, the total life expectancy at birth was 73.9 years, which was higher than the global average of 70.6 years. Similarly, male life expectancy at birth was 70.8 years, well above the world average of 64.4 years.
Its oil exports to the United States.
The United States will once again import Venezuelan crude oil this year, after reducing imports from this country just once in the past three years. In the first quarter of 2018, the U.S. imported 404 kb/d of Venezuelan oil, with 85 percent of that coming to five refineries. The number of imports is expected to continue to fall in May, as preliminary data shows. Imports of Venezuelan oil will likely drop further in the months ahead, but the U.S. will likely remain one of the world's biggest buyers of oil.
Its political climate is polarized.
The partisan nature of Venezuela's political debate is affecting the country's social media. Researchers at Universidad Politecnica de Madrid have created a model that measures polarization on Twitter. They define polarization as two groups of the same size with opposite opinions. The recent death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez provided a case study to test their model. In the end, they found that Venezuelans were increasingly divided in their views.
Its national tree.
The guayacan is Venezuela's national tree. The tree is indigenous to Venezuela and has been designated a national tree since 1948. Its canopy can grow to a height of six to twelve meters and is 60 centimeters in diameter. Its canopy is only present for a short period of time each year, during which the flowers and fruits are produced. The guayacan is an important source of timber and is a great choice for shade.
