Factories on account of high tariffs make excellent profits. Cattle and sheep raising offer good prospects. Public works including drainage, water supply, sewers, road and railway construction, bridges, and development of electric power should afford many and varied opportunities.
CHAPTER VII
VENEZUELA: AREA, HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, POPULATION, ETC.
East of Colombia is the only other Republic on the north coast of South America, Venezuela.
Area, Population, Boundary
Area. Next to Colombia in position, Venezuela is also next in size. Sixth of the South American Republics in area, her territory covers about 394,000 square miles, equal to that of California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Population. With approximately 3,000,000 inhabitants, Venezuela is entitled to the same rank in population, for though Chile with smaller area surpasses her in this respect, Bolivia with greater extent of territory probably has fewer inhabitants. As neither country has accurate statistics to consult there is some uncertainty about the matter.
Boundary. Venezuela is irregular in outline, but in general her boundary is as follows. The Caribbean Sea is on the north, the Atlantic northeast, British Guiana east; also a part of Brazil is east of a southern projection of Venezuela; Brazil is on the south, with Colombia also south of a western projection; Colombia alone is on the west.
History
The land of Venezuela was sighted by Columbus in 1498; in 1499 it was explored to some extent by Alonzo de Ojeda, who gave the country its name (Little Venice), the Indian dwellings on piles in Lake Maracaibo reminding him of the famous Italian city. Settlements were made early in the 16th century, the first especially for the sake of the rich pearl fisheries. On account of the bad faith and cruelty of the Spaniards and the warlike spirit of the natives, many disorders and atrocities occurred, accompanied by quarrels among the Spaniards themselves.
In 1810 the citizens of Caracas deposed the Governor; the following year independence was declared, but it was not secured until the Royalists were defeated in the battle of Boyacá in 1819. The Great Colombian Republic was then formed by General Bolívar, though the last royalist adherents did not give up until 1823. Venezuela withdrew from the Union in 1830; the hero and patriot Bolívar died the same year. Many internal difficulties and changes of government have characterized the period of independence, though comparative quiet has succeeded the exit of Castro in 1909.