Día de la Independencia Venezolana

On this day in 1811 Venezuela officially declared its independence from Spain. While recent political conflicts have claimed most of the attention of the media, I want to take a moment to highlight the country itself. Venezuela is an extremely diverse nation geographically, ethnically, and culturally. The country boasts a rich history of early settlements, historical figures such as Simón Bolívar, and indigenous peoples. Venezuela also possesses natural resources including gold, iron, copper, diamonds, and natural gas, in addition to the better-known oil reserves. The Venezuelan people are proud, patriotic, and friendly.

Venezuela is a beautiful country. To get to know this South American nation a little better, see the photo slide show below. ¡Feliz Día de la Independencia!