Venezuela (IPA: ; Spanish: Venezuela, IPA: or ) is a country on the northern tropical Caribbean coast of South America. Venezuela borders Brazil to the south, Guyana to the east, and Colombia to the west. North of the Venezuelan coast lie the islands of Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, and Trinidad and Tobago.

A former Spanish colony, Venezuela is a federal republic. Historically, Venezuela has had territorial disputes with Guyana, largely concerning the Essequibo area, and with Colombia concerning the Gulf of Venezuela (Gulf of Coquibacoa according to Colombia). This issue is not yet resolved. Today, Venezuela is known widely for its petroleum industry, the environmental diversity of its territory, and its sheer natural beauty. Some have claimed that Christopher Columbus was so enthralled by Venezuela's landscape, when arriving to its coast in 1498, that he referred to the land as Tierra de Gracia (Land of Grace), which has become the country’s nickname.

Origin of name

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The name Venezuela is believed to have originated from the cartographer Amerigo Vespucci who, together with Alonso de Ojeda, led a 1499 naval expedition along the northwestern coast (known today as the Gulf of Venezuela). On reaching the Guajira Peninsula, the crew observed the distinctive stilt villages (palafitos) that the indigenous Añu people had built over the water. This reminded Vespucci of the city of Venice ("Venezia" in Italian) and as a result the region was named Veneziela; some argue this meant Little Venice and later evolved to "Venezuela". Other historians (notably Francisco Herrera Luque), noted that the suffix -zuela usually has a pejorative meaning in the Spanish language (mujerzuela, cazuela, etc.) and sustain the thesis that the name implied more the notion of a second rate Venice.

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@LuisLuisillo Buenas Noches! saludOs desde Venezuela!
mariaSBreathe (maria suarez) Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:00:34 -0000
@LuisLuisillo Buenas Noches! saludOs desde Venezuela!
Venezuela,Distrito : Servicios de Enfermeria a Domicilio http://bit.ly/8X6z7C
bazar_anuncios (Anuncios bazar) Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:00:22 -0000
Venezuela,Distrito : Servicios de Enfermeria a Domicilio http://bit.ly/8X6z7C
Yo aqui pensando y put@ando a este presidente q tenemos en venezuela! Sin luz sin aguua y lo q se nos viene..sin $! http://myloc.me/2I9vP
carlosh1989 (Carlos Herrera) Fri, 08 Jan 2010 06:56:56 -0000
Yo aqui pensando y put@ando a este presidente q tenemos en venezuela! Sin luz sin aguua y lo q se nos viene..sin $! http://myloc.me/2I9vP
#NewsVine Cuban Doctors Manage to Defect Via Venezuela. Friday January 8,2010 http://bit.ly/72jDNw #How2GetRich
michaChew513 (Micha Chew) Fri, 08 Jan 2010 06:55:39 -0000
#NewsVine Cuban Doctors Manage to Defect Via Venezuela. Friday January 8,2010 http://bit.ly/72jDNw #How2GetRich
#NewsVine Cuban Doctors Manage to Defect Via Venezuela. Friday January 8,2010 http://bit.ly/72jDNw #How2GetRich
How2GetRich (How 2 Get Rich™ ) Fri, 08 Jan 2010 06:54:31 -0000
#NewsVine Cuban Doctors Manage to Defect Via Venezuela. Friday January 8,2010 http://bit.ly/72jDNw #How2GetRich
@yossejose @jars016 @jesedcastro Es que el INE reporta que hay más hombres que mujeres en Venezuela...
yossejose (Yosselyn Torres) Fri, 08 Jan 2010 06:54:27 -0000
@yossejose @jars016 @jesedcastro Es que el INE reporta que hay más hombres que mujeres en Venezuela...

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