Venezuela

Venezuela was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include: drug-related conflicts along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations which are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples. When the first explorers arrived, they saw houses over the Sinamaica lagoon (Zulia State), close to Maracaibo; those houses reminded them of the city of Venice. They called the region "Little Venice", which in Spanish would be Venezuela.