Venezuela's landscape is an entrancing one. From tropical waters and the Andes in the north, to rich Amazonian forests in the south, the country’s geographic diversity is nothing less than dazzling. No wonder, then, that one of its national symbols is a stunning natural specimen, a microcosm of Venezuela’s kaleidoscopic coloring: the araguaney. Indigenous to the country, this tree’s leaves explode into shades of gold, similar to the bold yellow hue striped across the Venezuelan flag.

With today’s Doodle, we celebrate the nature, culture and people that call Venezuela home on this Cinco de Julio, Venezuela’s day of independence.

Initial doodle sketches, each highlighting aspects of Venezuela’s national identity, by Robinson Wood.