National symbols of Venezuela
Encyclopedia
The national symbols of Venezuela are the flag
, the coat of arms
, and the national anthem
. Since Venezuela
's diversity of flora
and fauna
is remarkable, the government also officially declared these national symbols:
Flag of Venezuela
The current flag of Venezuela was introduced in 2006.The basic design includes a horizontal tricolor of yellow, blue, and red, dating to the original flag introduced in 1811, in the Venezuelan War of Independence....
, the coat of arms
Coat of arms of Venezuela
The current coat of arms of Venezuela was primarily approved by the Congress on April 18, 1836, undergoing small modifications through history, reaching the present version....
, and the national anthem
Gloria al Bravo Pueblo
Gloria al Bravo Pueblo was adopted as Venezuela's diverse national anthem by President Antonio Guzmán Blanco on May 25, 1885. The lyrics were written by the physician and journalist Vicente Salias in 1810. The music was later composed by musician Juan José Landaeta...
. Since Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
's diversity of flora
Flora of Venezuela
The flora of Venezuela consists of a huge variety of unique plants; around 38% of the estimated 21,000 species of plants found in the country are endemic to Venezuela. Overall, around 48% of Venezuela's land is forested; this includes over 60% of the Venezuelan Amazon...
and fauna
Fauna of Venezuela
The fauna of Venezuela consists of a huge variety of unique animals; some 23% of reptilian and 50% of amphibian species that inhabit the country are endemic to Venezuela...
is remarkable, the government also officially declared these national symbols:
- The national flower is the orchid (Cattleya mossiae). This kind of orchid is also known as Flor de Mayo (May Flower). It was first discovered in the northern land in 1849 and was given the status of National emblem, National Flower on 23 May 1951.
- The national tree is the araguaneyTabebuia chrysanthaTabebuia chrysantha , known as cañaguate in northern Colombia , as tajibo in Bolivia, and as ipê-amarelo in Brazil, is a native tree of the intertropical broadleaf deciduous forests of South America above the Tropic of Capricorn...
(Tabebuia chrysantha). Called aravanei by the caribes, it can be found mostly in regions with temperate weatherWeatherWeather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
. It can reach a height between 6 and 12 m. The araguaneyTabebuia chrysanthaTabebuia chrysantha , known as cañaguate in northern Colombia , as tajibo in Bolivia, and as ipê-amarelo in Brazil, is a native tree of the intertropical broadleaf deciduous forests of South America above the Tropic of Capricorn...
flourishes within the period following a rainy season, mostly in the first months of the year. Rómulo GallegosRómulo GallegosRómulo Ángel del Monte Carmelo Gallegos Freire was a Venezuelan novelist and politician. For a period of some nine months during 1948, he was the first cleanly elected president in his country's history....
referred to these months as "La primavera de oro de los araguaneyes" (the golden spring of the 'araguaneyes'). Declared National TreeNational emblemA national emblem symbolically represents a nation. Most national emblems originate in the natural world, such as animals or birds, but another object may serve. National emblems may appear on many things such as the national flag, coat of arms, or other patriotic materials...
on 29 May 1945.
- The national bird is the turpial (Icterus icterus). Fully coloured with yellow-orange tones except in the head and the wings, which are black with a few tones in white; also has a blue spot surrounding the eyes. It can be found in woodsWoodlandEcologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
, the llanosLlanosThe Llanos is a vast tropical grassland plain situated to the east of the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela, in northwestern South America. It is an ecoregion of the Flooded grasslands and savannas Biome....
, at the shores of jungles, and in northern and southern OrinocoOrinocoThe Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3% of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia...
. The turpial is fairly appreciated due to its singing and was declared the National BirdNational emblemA national emblem symbolically represents a nation. Most national emblems originate in the natural world, such as animals or birds, but another object may serve. National emblems may appear on many things such as the national flag, coat of arms, or other patriotic materials...
on 23 May 1958.