Pasta Traditions

• Venezuelans consume the second-largest amount of pasta per person in the world, second only behind Italy! Annual pasta consumption in Venezuela keeps growing, in part because many people of Italian heritage live in Venezuela.
• Potato pasta, called Ñoquis by Venezuelans, is more prominent in the Central region of Venezuela.
• At the present time, pasta is part of the basic food basket in Venezuela, and the average annual per capita consumption is 13 kilograms.
• Pasta is one of the staples of the Venezuelan home and is served over 2 to 3 times per week.

Food Facts

• Venezuelan cuisine varies greatly from one region to another. The European influence is especially noticeable in the central region. In the western region, food is more influenced by the local people. Seafood and fish are common in most of the northern parts of the country.
• The national dish of Venezuela is pabellon, made up of rice, shredded beef, black beans; and tajadas (fried plantains). Other foods from various regions include soft white cheeses such as guayanés and crineja.
• Arepas, which is a type of flat bread made of corn flour, water, and salt, is sometimes filled with cheese and cooked on a griddle. It can be eaten with almost anything!

Fun Facts

• The term Venezuela literally means ‘Little Venice’. The country was so named by its explorers, who saw houses built on stilts in a lake here, reminding them of Venice.
• Venezuela is one of the oldest democracies in South America.
• The world’s highest waterfall, the Angel Falls, was named after American aviator Jimmy Angel, who landed his plane at the top of the falls in 1936.