Venezuela, formally known as the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela—named in honor of Simón Bolívar—is a federal republic located in the northernmost part of South America, bordered to the north by the Caribbean Sea, to the east-southeast by Guyana, to the south by Brazil, and to the southwest and west by Colombia.

The national language of Venezuela is Spanish, and its capital and largest city is Caracas. The country is predominantly Catholic. Its population is composed mainly of people of mixed race. Venezuela is a major energy power with proven reserves of 302 billion barrels of oil in 2019, making it the world’s top country in the ranking of proven oil reserves ahead of Saudi Arabia, but nearly three-quarters of these reserves (224 billion barrels) are oil sands, which are difficult to extract and highly polluting.

The country is rich in many other natural resources—gas, hydropower resources including the Guri Dam, the fifth largest in the world with an installed capacity of some 10,200 MW—and boasts significant geographical diversity and remarkable megadiversity. Its motto is Dios y Federación (“God and Federation”) and its anthem is Gloria al Bravo Pueblo (“Glory to the Brave People”).