Arepa (Spanish pronunciation: [aˈɾepa]) is a type of flatbread made of ground maize dough stuffed with a filling, eaten in northern parts of South America since pre-Columbian times, and notable primarily in the cuisine of Colombia and Venezuela, but also present in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Central America.

In the 1950s, precooked arepa flour was invented by Luis Caballero Mejías [es], a Venezuelan engineer, and became an instant success.

[3] Instruments used to make flour for the arepas, and the clay slabs on which they were cooked, were often found at archaeological sites in the area.

[citation needed] Although it has not been specified in which country an arepa was cooked for the first time, it has been possible to define the oldest dates of the presence of maize in Colombia and Venezuela.

The characteristics vary by color, flavor, size, and the food with which it may be stuffed, depending on the region.

Depending on the meal, more filling varieties can be added with combinations of ingredients like beans, meat, avocados, eggs, tomatoes, salad, shrimp, or fish.

In the 1950s, precooked arepa flour was invented by Dr. Luis Caballero Mejías [es], a Venezuelan engineer, and became an instant success.

The flour is mixed with water and salt, and occasionally oil, butter, eggs, and/or milk.

[13] According to food anthropologist Ocarina Castillo of the Central University of Venezuela, the dish is likely thousands of years old and originated in the region now occupied by the two countries before colonizers of the area drew borders.

[14] In Colombia, the arepa is sold commercially in neighborhood stores, chain supermarkets, and market plazas and packaged with preservatives as a pre-molded white or yellow corn dough ready to grill or fry at home.

[22] One of its characteristics is that it is relatively thin unlike other arepas and also has a toasted and golden colored shell.

[28] In the Province of Guanacaste, arepas are prepared in the form of large, toasted sponge cakes, seasoned with Bagaces type cheese.

Crab, shrimp, and octopus stewed in sofrito, lemon, coconut milk, and ginger, among other ingredients, are the most popular.

They are found in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and rarely in the archipelago's eastern islands.

[31] It is common for Venezuelans to eat arepas throughout the day, both as snacks and as sides to meals, creating a culture where these corn products (Harina PAN) can be found almost everywhere and in specific restaurants called areperas.

[3] In Venezuela's Andes region, arepas de trigo are made with wheat flour rather than cornmeal.

[33] Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro "has tried to use arepas as a nationalist rallying point, if not a political tool, claiming the food is from his country alone", according to the New York Times.