Venezuela Geography:
Location:
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 66 00 W
Map references:
Area:
total:
912,050 sq km
land:
882,050 sq km
water:
30,000 sq km
Area - comparative:
Slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2200 km, Colombia 2050 km, Guyana 743 km
Coastline:
2,800 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 15 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:
Tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrain:
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m
Natural resources:
Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
Land use:
arable land: 2.95%
permanent crops: 0.92%
other: 96.13%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
540 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
Sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
On major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall |
