The arepa has been eaten in Venezuela (and in Colombia next door) for hundreds of years - long before either country was called by its modern name. The indigenous people of the region ground corn into flour, mixed it with water, and cooked the dough on hot stones. The recipe has barely changed.
Each filling has its own name. An arepa with shredded chicken and avocado is called 'reina pepiada' - 'curvy queen'. An arepa with black beans, white cheese and ripe plantain is 'pabellón', named after the country's national dish. The list of stuffings is almost endless.
Most Venezuelan families have arepas for breakfast or for evening dinner, sometimes both. Special restaurants called 'areperas' open very early and very late, ready to fill arepas to order. You can walk in, choose your filling, and have a warm arepa in your hands in minutes.
Arepas are naturally gluten-free, because they are made from corn rather than wheat. That means people who can't eat wheat bread can enjoy them. Venezuelan families around the world have helped to introduce arepas to new countries, so today you can find them everywhere from Miami to Madrid.