Venezuela
/ˌveneˈzweɪlə/- a republic on the north coast of South America, with a coastline on the Caribbean Sea; pop. 26,814,800 (est. 2009); official language, Spanish; capital, Caracas. Official name Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.委内瑞拉（南美洲北部临加勒比海的一个共和国, 2009年估计人口26,814,800, 官方语言西班牙语, 首都加拉加斯; 官方名委内瑞拉玻利瓦尔共和国）。
Colonized by the Spanish in the 16th century, Venezuela won its independence in 1821 after a ten-year struggle, but did not finally emerge as a separate nation until its secession from federation with Colombia (1830). It is a major oil-exporting country, with the industry based on the area around Lake Maracaibo in the north-west.
派生词
Venezuelan
adjective & noun词源
Spanish, literally 'little Venice', named by early explorers when they saw native houses built on stilts over water.