Monday, May 7, 2012


Introduction



A recent movie titled “Up” depicted the landscape of the country Venezuela in South America. If you look on a map between 60 and 74 degrees West Latitude and between 13 and 2 degrees North Longitude you will find the beautiful country Venezuela.  This country is a neighbor of Columbia and its capital is Caracas. Places like Angle Falls, Andes Mountains, or the Orinoco River are just to name a few that are remarkable landforms and places to see.
People everyday make assumptions and misperceptions about places or people they don’t know about. One misconception is that the country of Venezuela is unstable and corrupt. Another misconception is that this country is dangerous, because there are a large number of kidnappings.  There is also a misconception on oil markets and how Chaves keeps the prices low for his country. This country has its good things and bad things just like every other country.

Caracas Venezuela
http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/country_information.php?Pays=VEN
Misconception 1: Danger in Venezuela

                Many people visit this country year round. Most of the time people think that you have to watch everywhere you go and what you do. In some places it’s very dangerous but in others you will find it to be the most beautiful place you have ever been to. Caracas which is the capital of Venezuela has the world's highest murder rate. Caracas  has become the deadliest city in the world. A total of 7,676 people were killed in the Metropolitan Area of Caracas in 2009. That is near one murder every hour and a half. There have been 43,792 homicides in Venezuela since 2007, according to the violence observatory. As research has shown, the capital is a very violent place, but if you move to the farm lands or communities in rural areas it’s very different.  


            If you come to Venezuela you have to visit the remarkable landforms and natural landmarks. Angels Falls is the world’s highest waterfall (Canaima) at 979 meters (3,212 feet) tall. Angel Falls is located in the state of Bolívar in Venezuela. This is a remarkable place to visit, but for many it’s a challenge to get to. You have to fly to a camp and go on a river to travel there. The Andes Mountains and Orinoco River are also incredible to see. If you are careful and visit the right places, it’s a different experience then going to the towns in Caracas. Misperceptions are all over, it’s knowing and accepting their culture and way of life before we make a perception.

                                                                                                                                            Angel Falls

Misconception 2: Unstable and Corrupt


                We can assume that Venezuela is unstable because of the government and its president. Venezuela has been ranked as one of the most corrupt (World) countries since the survey for the country started in 1995. In 2010 it was ranked 164, out of 178 countries. There are two major reasons one is oil and the other is cocaine. This is because there is a large area of drug producing regions. President Hugo Chávez knows how to keep his country happy. He keeps his oil prices to a minimum. This is part of the reason, Chávez has made it this long. Also, people might think this because in some parts of the country, there isn’t a lot of money so it appears to be broken down or not taken care of.

Image 3

            Relations between the United States and Venezuela have been harsh for some time. Since taking office, Chávez has sold oil to Cuba. Cuba is a longtime adversary of the United States - and resisted U.S. plans to stop narcotics trafficking in nearby Colombia. He has been a major oil supplier to our country. We struggle and need the oil so get most of our supply from Venezuela. This country is always changing and that’s why some people think it’s not a stable country. Chávez plays a huge role in the country and has made a lot of changes. For example, the money currency is Bolivar("Bolívar). It’s easy to see how people think this country is unstable and corrupt but in many cases it’s not. If you look at it from a different perspective many other countries have the same problems and make just as many decisions and changes.


Misconception 3: Oil and Gas


            For many countries, it’s not easy access to oil and gas. We get our supply from other countries. In the United States, one of our largest oil suppliers comes from Venezuela.  Statistics show that Venezuela is the United States’ fifth largest supplier of imported petroleum. They had 211 billion barrels of proven oil reserves (Country) in 2011, the second largest the world. Last year the same publication listed the country’s reserves at 99.4 billion barrels. They produce so much oil but at the same time give it to other places also. The United States imports from Venezuela have declined in recent years. In 2010, the United States imported 987,000 bbl/d of crude oil and petroleum products. That’s 8.3 percent of total American imports.


            Besides the United States, other important places of Venezuelan petroleum exports include the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. One of the fastest growing destinations of Venezuelan crude oil exports has been China. In 2010, China imported 125,900 bbl/d of crude oil from Venezuela (Country), the number increased from 39,000 bbl/d in 2005. As you can see, Venezuela produces an incredible amount of oil and supplies it to several other countries. If you convert their gas prices to ours, it is about 8.5 cents a gallon. It’s ironic to see how our gas supply comes from a country whose gas is so cheap for most Americans.


Oil and Gas Graph




Conclusion


                Venezuela is a beautiful place to live and visit with strong points, and downfalls, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There are many misconceptions that add to its reputation. Some things are true but many things are also false. People can assume many things from newspapers, travels, TV or other media sites. The citizens of the country are the only ones who actually know what it’s like to live here. There are not only misconceptions on what we think but there is also what they think of America. Venezuela is a beautiful place to live and visit. I’m really glad I was able to learn and experience the true Venezuela. I would love to visit this wonderful country one day, and be able to experience it for myself.

Works Cited
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