Relocating to Venezuela

The Land and Its People

The collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 saw three countries emerge, Venezuela being one of them. Home to just under 30 million people, Venezuela is said to be one of the most diverse countries in the world. Although known for its many natural features, the wide variance of its territory and its petroleum industry, Venezuela is also home to many protected habitats of a wide selection of wildlife.

Located on the northern coast of South America, Venezuela comprises many islands in the Caribbean Sea and a continental mainland. To the east it borders Guyana, to the west is Colombia, and to the south it borders Brazil. Off its northern coast are the Caribbean islands of Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba and the Grenadines to name a few.

Venezuela is one of most urbanized places in Latin America. A huge proportion of the country’s population lives in the north of Venezuela, predominantly in the capital city of Caracas.

Because of decreases in infant mortality rates, a very high percentage of Venezuelan people are young. Approximately 30% of the population are aged 14 or below, but only 4 % are aged 65 and above. The main language spoken by Venezuelans is Spanish.

Famous Venezuelans include fashion designer Carolina Herrera and actress Eva Mendes. The main religion in Venezuela is Roman Catholic. Around 92% of the population there are Catholic and the other 8% protestant or other religion.

Climate in Venezuela

There are four temperature zones in Venezuela, and whilst annual temperatures tend not to fluctuate that much, humidity does make a difference to the climate.

• Tropical Zone – This is below 800 meters, and the average temperature in this zone is between 26 and 28°C
• Temperate Zone – Between 200 and 800 meters, average temperature is between 12 and 25°C. It’s worth noting that most of the cities in Venezuela are situated in this zone.
• Cool Zone – Where altitudes fall between 2,000 and 3,000 meters, the average temperature is around 10°C.
• Páramos – High mountainous areas over 3,000 meters have average temperatures below 8°C.

As Venezuela is situated in the Southern Hemisphere, winter or better said the wet season is from May to November, and the dry season, i.e. summer, from December till April.

Getting to Venezuela

Simon Bolivar International Airport, also called Maiquetia airport, is the main international airport in Venezuela. Located in the Vargas state it is situated about 30 minutes from the capital city of Caracas.

There are many daily direct flights from Europe and the USA to Venezuela, which makes the country very accessible for expats who are looking to move here. Although Venezuela has road links with Brazil and Colombia we would not recommend driving long journeys in this country. The traffic is very bad and drivers can be aggressive and not respectful to other road users. Expats who are moving to Venezuela should stick to traveling by air.