Venezuela

Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is located on the northern coast of South America. It is bordered by Colombia on the west, Brazil on the south, and Guyana on the east.

Venezuela's territory covers around 916,445 km2 (353,841 sq mi) with an estimated population around 33,221,865. Venezuela is considered a state with extremely high biodiversity, with habitats ranging from the Andes Mountains in the west to the Amazon Basin rain-forest in the south, via extensive llanos plains and Caribbean coast in the center and the Orinoco River Delta in the east.

The capital of Venezuela is Caracas, and the official language is Spanish.

Culture

The culture of Venezuela is a melting pot, which includes mainly three different families: The indigenous, African, and Spanish. The first two cultures were in turn differentiated according to the tribes. Acculturation and assimilation, typical of a cultural syncretism, caused an arrival at the current Venezuelan culture, similar in many respects to the rest of Latin America, although the natural environment means that there are important differences.

Corruption in Venezuela is high by world standards. It is also a very violent place to be. There is high risk for foreign travellers of kidnap and violence.

Magical Culture

Magice in Venezuela has roots in indigenous practice and Africa.

Venezuela has black-magic practitioners known as "paleros," who use skulls and other human bones to initiate members.

At Absit Omen

• Orion Gamp had to be rescued from the country in the summer of 2010 while attempting to write about the country for Devia Orbis. The British Ministry of Magic assisted.

• Kendall Fleetfoot spent nearly three years between Brazil and Venezuela.