What animals live in Venezuela?

Venezuela is packed with wild creatures! The Orinoco River is home to giant river otters, freshwater dolphins called toninas, and enormous anacondas. In the forests you can spot jaguars, tapirs, and sloths hanging from the trees. The birds alone could fill a whole notebook — Venezuela has more than 1,400 species, including the scarlet macaw and the bright red cock-of-the-rock. Up on the flat-topped mountains called tepuis, you find animals that live nowhere else on earth. God filled this country with creatures that show off His creativity in wild and detailed ways.

What do kids eat in Venezuela?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Kids in Venezuela often start the day with an arepa — that's a thick, round cake made from cornmeal, split open and stuffed with cheese, beans, or shredded meat. It's a little like a sandwich, but made of corn instead of bread, and families have been eating them for hundreds of years. Rusty's favorite fact: a popular dish called pabellón criollo has four parts on one plate — black beans, white rice, shredded beef, and sweet fried plantains. Plantains look like big bananas but are cooked before eating. For a sweet treat, kids might enjoy bienmesabe, a thick coconut cream dessert whose name means 'tastes good to me' in Spanish. Food is one of the ways God gives people a shared table, and in Venezuela that table is full of rich flavors!

How do people say hello in Venezuela?

In Venezuela, most people speak Spanish, so the most common greeting is '¡Hola!' — which just means 'Hello!' People there also say 'Buenos días' in the morning, which means 'Good morning,' and 'Buenas tardes' in the afternoon, which means 'Good afternoon.' Spanish greetings feel warm and friendly, kind of like the people themselves. Venezuelans are known for being very welcoming. Close friends and family often greet each other with a kiss on the cheek — just one — which is the custom across much of South America. If you ever met a Venezuelan Christian, they might greet you with 'Dios te bendiga,' which means 'God bless you.' That's a greeting that carries something real inside it.

What sports or games do kids play in Venezuela?

Hey there, explorer! Venezuelan kids are serious about baseball — it is by far the most popular sport in the country. Venezuela has sent many talented players to the major leagues in the United States, and kids grow up playing on neighborhood fields with real passion for the game. Beyond baseball, you will find Venezuelan kids playing fútbol, which most of the world calls soccer, along with basketball and a traditional game called bolas criollas. Bolas criollas is a lot like bocce ball — players toss heavy balls and try to land them closest to a small target ball. It is a favorite at family gatherings and parks across the country.

What's the weather like in Venezuela?

Venezuela has some of the most varied weather you can find in one country! Near the coast and in the lowland plains called the Llanos, it is hot and humid almost all year long. But up in the Andes Mountains, the air gets cool and crisp the higher you climb. Venezuela has two main seasons instead of four like some places have — a rainy season and a dry season. The rainy season runs roughly from May to November, when afternoon thunderstorms roll in fast and hard. The dry season, called 'verano' by locals, brings sunshine and drier air. And way up on the tepuis — those flat-topped rocky mountains — it can actually get cold and foggy, almost like a different world from the beaches below!

Tell me a fun fact about Venezuela.

Herman here, with Rusty nodding right beside me! Venezuela is home to Angel Falls, the tallest waterfall on Earth. Water drops nearly 3,200 feet straight down from a flat-topped mountain called a tepui — that is taller than two Empire State Buildings stacked on top of each other. Those tepuis are some of the oldest rock formations on the planet, rising like giant stone islands above the jungle. Explorer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was so struck by stories of them that he wrote a whole adventure novel imagining dinosaurs living on top. No dinosaurs up there, as far as we know — but the plants and frogs found on tepuis are so unique that scientists have never seen them anywhere else on Earth.

What is school like for kids in Venezuela?

School in Venezuela has become quite hard in recent years. Many school buildings are in poor shape, and sometimes there is no electricity or running water. Textbooks are scarce, and some children walk a long way just to get to class. A lot of Venezuelan families have had to move to other countries to find food and work, so many children have missed months or even years of school. Still, many Venezuelan kids are eager to learn, and there are faithful teachers and Christian organizations working hard to help children keep studying and hear about Jesus too.

Who are the unreached people in Venezuela?

Great question to dig into! Venezuela is home to hundreds of indigenous groups living deep in the rainforest and along mighty rivers like the Orinoco. Many of these groups — like the Yanomami, the Warao, and the Piaroa — have very little access to the gospel of Jesus. Some have never heard His name at all. These groups often speak their own languages, which means the Bible has not been translated for them yet. Missionaries have to learn difficult languages and travel far into remote areas just to share the good news. Pray that God would send brave workers, open doors, and one day give each of these peoples His Word in their own language so they can read about Jesus for themselves.

How can I pray for the people of Venezuela?

Venezuela is a country where many people are going through hard times — food is scarce, and a lot of families have had to leave their homes. But God sees every person there, and prayer is one of the most real things you can do for them. Ask God to bring the good news about Jesus to people who have never truly heard it, so they can find lasting hope in Him. There are faithful Christians and churches in Venezuela who keep trusting God even when life is very difficult. Pray that those believers grow stronger in their faith and that God raises up Venezuelan leaders to teach and shepherd their own people. Pray also for missionaries serving there — that they stay safe and find open doors to share the gospel. And pray that every person in Venezuela, especially children and families, gets the chance to know Jesus as their Savior.

What is a holiday or celebration in Venezuela?

One of the biggest celebrations in Venezuela is Carnival, which happens in February before the season of Lent begins. For two days, towns fill with music, dancing, colorful costumes, and parades. It is loud, lively, and something most Venezuelans look forward to all year. Venezuela also celebrates Semana Santa, which means 'Holy Week' — the week leading up to Easter Sunday. Many Venezuelans attend church services that tell the story of Jesus dying on the cross and rising from the dead. For believers, this is not just a tradition but the heart of everything — the good news that Jesus conquered death and offers real life to anyone who trusts in Him.

What language do people speak in Venezuela?

Spanish is the official language of Venezuela, and almost everyone there speaks it. It is the same language spoken across most of South America and Central America, though each country has its own fun words and expressions that make their Spanish a little unique. But here is something worth knowing: Venezuela is also home to many Indigenous peoples who speak their own languages, like Wayuu, Pemón, and Yanomami. Some of these groups have never had the Bible translated into their language, which means missionaries and Bible translators have important work to do so those friends can read about Jesus in their heart language.

What's a famous place to visit in Venezuela?

One of the most jaw-dropping places in all of Venezuela is Angel Falls — the tallest waterfall on Earth! It drops 3,212 feet off a flat-topped mountain called Auyán-Tepui, deep in the jungle of southeastern Venezuela. The water falls so far that some of it turns to mist before it even hits the ground. The indigenous Pemón people have lived near those mountains for generations, and they call the waterfall 'Kerepakupai Merú,' which means 'waterfall of the deepest place.' Many Pemón people have heard about Jesus, but there is still much gospel work to be done among them. Missionaries and local believers are working to share the good news in that remote corner of the world, which takes real courage and dedication.

Venezuela — Kids Missions Explorer

Capybara

The capybara is the world's largest rodent, about the size of a large dog, and it swims expertly through Venezuela's rivers and wetlands.

Scarlet Macaw

Scarlet macaws are brilliantly colored parrots that fly in pairs or small flocks across Venezuela's forests and savannas, mating for life.

Giant Anteater

The giant anteater can flick its sticky tongue up to 150 times per minute to catch termites and ants across the Venezuelan grasslands.

Arepa

An arepa is a thick, round cornmeal patty that Venezuelan families eat at almost every meal, stuffed with cheese, black beans, or shredded beef.

Pabellón Criollo

Pabellón criollo is considered Venezuela's national dish, combining white rice, black beans, shredded beef, and sweet fried plantains on one plate.

Tequeño

Tequeños are warm, doughy bread sticks wrapped around a stretchy white cheese, and Venezuelans bring them to nearly every celebration and gathering.

Venezuela

Things you should know about Venezuela

Wildlife you might meet

What’s on the table

Did you know?

Life in Venezuela

Missions in Venezuela

Pray for Venezuela