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 Venezuela
is a country of epic proportions and incredible beauty. Located
entirely in the tropics the country occupies the north eastern part
of South America and is bordered by Brazil to the south, Colombia to
the west and Guyana to the southeast. Its coastline meets the waters
of both the Caribbean sea in the north and the Atlantic Ocean in the
east.
 Venezuela
does not only
has South America's largest lake and third-longest river,
it also has Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world, and the
longest of all snakes, the Anaconda. Its wildlife is
amazing, there are jaguars, armadillos and some of the most
spectacular landscapes you'll ever see. The country covers an area
of 566,383 square miles ( 912,050 square kilometers), and extends up
to 801 miles (1,290 kilometers) east to west and 652 miles (1,050
kilometers) north to south. Elevations range from sea level to 8,200
feet (2,500 meters) in the Guiana Highlands and up to 16,427 feet
(5,007 meters) in the Andes mountains.
Venezuela has an incredibly diverse landscape encompassing 10 broad
geographical regions. Off the north coast lie numerous Caribbean
Islands, of which the biggest is Isla Margarita. The Andes in the
west continue in the north with the Cordillera de la Costa, a
mountain chain which runs along the Caribbean coast. The Andes also
continue south to Los Llanos, a giant plain extending east as far as
the Caura River, which flows through Venezuela's second largest
forest reserve after Amazonas and only recently became known to
adventure tourism.
Located south of Los Llanos is the Amazon Basin, the largest rain
forest in the world. East of the Caura River forest is the beginning
of the Gran Sabana, part of the Guayana Highlands which extend up to
the rainforests of the Orinoco Delta in the north east and the
Brazilian border in the south.
Venezuela's capital,
Caracas, and the majority of developed land is situated in the
Central region. Grasslands occupy half of the country, and forests
cover about two-fifths, varying from true rainforest to
semi-tropical evergreens. Only a small portion (less than 4 per
cent) of land in Venezuela is cultivated. |
