Venezuela
8 00 N, 66 00 W
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m
total: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
arable land: 2.85%
permanent crops: 0.88%
other: 96.27% (2005)
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
The climate varies according to altitude. Lowland areas have a tropical climate. The dry season is from December to April and the rainy season from May to December. During the rainy season, there is the possibility of flooding in certain low-lying areas, such as the Llanos and in some valley of the Andes. Various parts of Venezuela, including Caracas and the eastern part of Sucre, are vulnerable to earthquakes, although there have been no serious earthquakes for many years. The best time to visit is between January and April.
time difference: UTC-4
