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 South America

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 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Coastline 2,800 km

Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 15 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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: 3%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 96% (1998 est.)

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

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

NOTE: The information regarding Venezuela on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Venezuela Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Venezuela Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.