<p><br> A land of great contrasts, Venezuela boasts wide beaches and sharp mountains; a booming oil industry and a struggling working class; ages-old cultures and a yearning for modernization. In the balance hangs a nation bursting with potential and endless opportunities to explore.</p>

Canaima National Park


A land of great contrasts, Venezuela boasts wide beaches and sharp mountains; a booming oil industry and a struggling working class; ages-old cultures and a yearning for modernization. In the balance hangs a nation bursting with potential and endless opportunities to explore.

Photograph by Sergio Pitamitz

Venezuela Photos

See photos of Venezuela (including Caracas, the Andes, Angel Falls, and more) in this travel photo gallery from National Geographic.

Read This Next

'World’s worst shipwreck' was bloodier than we thought
World’s first ultrasounds of wild manta rays reveal a troubling truth
Titanic was found during secret Cold War Navy mission

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet