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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 882,050 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 30,000 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 34

Area - comparative:
almost six times the size of Georgia; slightly more than twice the size of California
Area comparison map: almost six times the size of Georgia; slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
total: 5,267 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (3): Brazil 2,137 km, Colombia 2,341 km, Guyana 789 km

Coastline:
2,800 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 15 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
More Climate Details

Terrain:
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Elevation:
mean elevation: 450 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Bolivar 4,978 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Land use:
agricultural land: 24.5% arable land 3.1%; permanent crops 0.8%; permanent pasture 20.6%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 52.1%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 23.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
10,550 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
most of the population is concentrated in the northern and western highlands along an eastern spur at the northern end of the Andes, an area that includes the capital of Caracas

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

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 (979 m)