The Venezuelan people have a very rich and very diverse cultural heritage. A sort of melting pot culture has been created by wide influences, from the original American Indians to the Spanish and Africans who arrived after the Spanish conquest, the 20th century waves of immigration brought many Italians, Portuguese, Arabs, Germans, and others from the bordering countries of South America. About 85% of Venezuelans live in urban areas in the northern part of the country. Even though almost half of the land area is south of the Orinoco River, only 5% of the population live in that area. About 96% of the population call themselves Roman Catholic. The rest belong to other churches, mainly the Protestant church. Alternate meaning: crucible (science) The melting pot is a metaphor for the way in which heterogenous societies develop, in which the ingredients in the pot (iron, tin; people of different backgrounds and religions, etc. ... A Hupa man. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second_largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... Spanish colonization of the Americas began with the arrival in the Americas of Christopher Columbus in 1492. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... The Arabs (Arabic: عرب ) are an ethnic group found throughout the Middle East and North Africa. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... This page is about the Orinoco River, for the Aphra Behn novel see Oroonoko With a length of 2140 km, the Orinoco is one of the largest rivers of South America. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

A Cultural Melting Pot

Venezuelan culture is indeed a sweet of three main cultures: Indigenous, African, and Spanish. The first two also had different tribes within them, with various cultures. The Indigenous influence is found mostly in the typical food of the country (like arepas), in the vocabulary and in many place names. The capital of Caracas is named after the tribe of indigenous people that lived in the valley where the city now stands. The African influence was mostly found in the dancing, food, language and musical instruments such as the drums. The Spanish influence was of course the heaviest, and in particular the influence of the regions of Andalucia and Extremadura from which most of the colonial people came. Examples of the Spanish influence is easily found in the religion, language, architecture, music, food and other aspects of Venezuelan culture. Motto: Dominator Hercules Fundator Andaluc a por s , para Espa a y la humanidad (Andalusia for herself, for Spain, and for humanity) Capital Seville Area  - total  - % of Spain Ranked 2nd 87 268 km 17,2% Population  - Total (2003)  - % of Spain  - Density Ranked 1st 7 478 432 17,9% 85,70... Capital Mérida Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 5th  41 634 km²  8,2% Population  â€“ Total (2005)  â€“ % of Spain  â€“ Density Ranked 12th  1 083 879  2,5%  26,03/km² Demonym  â€“ English  â€“ Spanish  â€”  extremeño/a, castúo Statute of Autonomy February 26, 1983 ISO 3166-2 EX Parliamentary representation...

Venezuela was also enriched by other European cultures during the 19th Century, especially the French. Most recently, the large cities and oil-rich regions saw a large influx of Italian, Spanish and Portuguese immigration, alongside American influences. Adding to the already complex cultural landscape, American influence gave Venezuelan culture things such as baseball, the national sport of Venezuela, cinema, arts and architecture. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

As is seen in the rest of Latin America, the cultural influences have not created racial divides with in the country. Venezuela is so racially rich and mixed that there is no real differentiation alongside racial lines (except for the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon and other regions) but along social classes (which are themselves heavily influenced by racial background). It can be noted that the higher-income groups enjoy pop music, heavily influenced by USA, brand-name clothes, and European fashion. The lower-income classes often listen to musica llanera, merengue and salsa (although this also occurs in the high classes but to a lesser degree) and wear simpler clothes. The difference between urban and rural areas is also important, as it is elsewhere in the world.