Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

victims from a hiding spot. It then

chased them down when they tried to

escape. Velociraptor hunted in packs to

bring down larger dinosaurs as well. It

also may have been a scavenger, meaning

that it fed upon dead animals.

#More to explore

Dinosaur

Velociraptor was not much taller than a modern chicken.

62 Velociraptor BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Venezuela

Venezuela is a country on the northern

coast of South America. In the 1800s

Venezuela led the fight for South America’s

independence from Spain. The capital

of Venezuela is Caracas.

Geography

Venezuela shares borders with Colombia,

Brazil, and Guyana. Venezuela

claims that western Guyana belongs to

it, but Guyana does not agree. The Caribbean

Sea lies north of Venezuela, and

the Atlantic Ocean lies to the northeast.

Some islands in the Caribbean belong to

Venezuela.

Both high mountains and low plains run

along Venezuela’s coast. The Andes

Mountains rise in the northwest. Also in

the northwest is Lake Maracaibo, the

largest lake in South America. The

Orinoco River flows through the center

of the country. Along the Orinoco is the

Llanos, a huge area of grasslands. In the

southeast there are rugged highlands and

the world’s highest waterfall, Angel Falls.

Venezuela has a warm climate with rainy

and dry seasons.

Plants and Animals

Tropical rain forests grow in parts of

Venezuela. Grasslands cover about half

of the country. Mangrove trees grow in

swampy areas of the coast. The highest

parts of the Andes have only shrubs and

lichens.

Venezuela’s forests are home to jaguars,

tapirs, armadillos, deer, monkeys, and

The water of Angel Falls drops 3,212 feet

(979 meters), making it the highest waterfall

in the world.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Venezuela 63

 

snakes. Turtles, piranhas, and crocodiles

live in the country’s waters.

People

Most Venezuelans are mestizos, or

people with both American Indian and

European roots. There are also large

groups of whites and blacks. American

Indians make up only a small part of the

population. Spanish is the main language,

but Indian groups speak more

than 25 other languages. Most people

are Roman Catholics. Almost 90 percent

of the people live in cities and towns.

Few people live in the area south of the

Orinoco River.

Economy

Venezuela’s economy is based mainly on

the production of oil and natural gas.

The country is one of the top oil producers

in the world. Venezuela’s other

minerals include iron ore, coal, bauxite

(which is used to make aluminum),

gold, and diamonds. Factories produce

iron and steel, aluminum, clothing, processed

foods, and chemicals. Banking,

tourism, and other services are also

important to the economy.

Agriculture is a small part of the

economy. The main crops include

sugarcane, corn, bananas, sorghum, and

rice. Cattle raising is common on the

grasslands.

History

Arawak and Carib Indians lived in what

is now Venezuela when Christopher

Columbus reached the coast in 1498.

Later European explorers saw houses on

stilts that the Indians had built. This

reminded them of Venice, the Italian

city built on islands. They named the

land Venezuela, which means “Little

Venice.”

The Spanish began settling the area in

the 1520s. Spain ruled Venezuela for the

next three centuries. In 1811 Venezuelans

declared their independence. The

Spanish crushed the Venezuelan revolution,

but the Venezuelan leader Simon

Bolivar continued the fight. His forces

defeated the Spanish in 1821.

Venezuela was a part of a country called

Gran Colombia until 1829. In 1830 it

became an independent country. Military

leaders ruled Venezuela for many

years. In 1958 Venezuela’s navy and air

force forced out the military ruler. After

that date Venezuela elected presidents to

lead the country.

In 2002 army leaders arrested Venezuela’s

president. However, the president

returned to power only two days later.

..More to explore

Bolivar, Simon • Caracas

Venezuela is home to many different kinds

of birds, including flamingos.

Facts About

VENEZUELA

Population

(2008 estimate)

27,884,000

Area

353,841 sq mi

(916,445 sq km)

Capital

Caracas

Form of

government

Republic

Major cities

Caracas, Maracaibo,

Valencia,

Barquisimeto,

Ciudad Guayana

64 Venezuela BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Venice

Population

(2007 estimate)

268,930

The city of Venice is a major center of

culture and tourism in Italy, a country in

southeastern Europe. It is famous for its

beautiful canals, palaces, and art. The

city is built on more than 100 small

islands. They lie in a body of water called

a lagoon at the edge of the Adriatic Sea.

Cityscape

Canals and about 400 bridges link the

islands of Venice. People travel through

the city by boat or by walking. A type of

long, flat-bottomed boat called a gondola

is a traditional symbol of Venice.

The Grand Canal is like the city’s main

street.

The Piazza San Marco is the main

square in Venice. A magnificent church

called the San Marco Basilica is located

there. It is famous for its golden domes

and the golden tile decorations inside.

Also on the square is the Doges’ Palace,

which was once home to the city’s

rulers.

Economy

The economy of Venice is based mainly

on tourism. In addition, craftspeople