[ven-uh-zwey-luh, -zwee-; Sp. be-ne-swe-lah] 
| 1. | a republic in N South America. 22,396,407; 352,143 sq. mi. (912,050 sq. km). Capital: Caracas. |
| 2. | Gulf of. Also called Gulf of Maracaibo. a gulf of the Caribbean Sea between NW Venezuela and N Columbia Colombia, connecting to with Lake Maracaibo. 75 mi. (120 km) long and up to 150 mi. (240 km) wide. |
Ven·e·zue·la (věn'ə-zwā'lə, -zwē'-)  (click for larger image in new window) A country of northern South America on the Caribbean Sea. Inhabited by a variety of Arawakan and other peoples, the region was discovered by Columbus in 1498 and settled beginning in the 1520s, becoming part of the Spanish colony (later viceroyalty) of New Granada. Venezuela won independence in 1821 in federation with Colombia and Ecuador and broke away to form a separate country in 1830. Caracas is the capital and Maracaibo the largest city. Population: 26,000,000. Ven'e·zue'lan adj. & n. |
| Venezuela, Gulf of An inlet of the Caribbean Sea between northwest Venezuela and northern Colombia. It extends southward as Lake Maracaibo. |
Republic in northern South America, bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the southwest and west. Its capital and largest city is Caracas.
Note: Venezuela is rich in oil, which accounts for about ninety percent of its export income. Because of its revenue from oil, Venezuela has the highest per capita national income in Latin America. It was a founder of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Note: Venezuela became independent from Spain in 1821.
əˈzweɪ