Visit Venezuela

Location

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Venezuela is located in the Northern part of South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana.

At 352,121 mi² (912,050 km²), Venezuela is the world's 33rd-largest country (after Nigeria). It is comparable in size to Namibia, and is about half the size of the US state of Alaska.

Venezuela is home to a wide variety of landscapes, such as the north-easternmost extensions of the Andes mountains in the northwest and along the northern Caribbean coast, of which the highest point is the Pico Bolívar at 4,981 metres (16,341 ft).

The center of the country is characterized by extensive plains known as the llanos that stretch from the Colombian border to the river delta of the Orinoco east. To the south are found the dissected Guiana Highlands, home to Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall, and the northern edge of Amazonia. Venezuela's forests are being depleted at the rate of about 200,000 hectares per annum through logging and shifting cultivation.

The country can also be divided into nine geographical areas, some corresponding to the natural regions, one being the Andes Range. The Lake Maracaibo region comprises the lowlands near the Gulf of Venezuela. The Coro System, a mountainous block in the northern occidental territory, is the fount of several sierras and valleys. The Central Range is tied up with the coast and the hills surrounding Caracas, while the Eastern Range, separated from the Central by the Gulf of Cariaco, covers all of Sucre State and northern Monagas. The Llanos Region involves a third part of the country's area, above the Orinoco River. Under it, is the South Orinoco Region (the Guianas, above described). The Insular Region is formed by Nueva Esparta and the Federal Dependencies. The last geographical region is the Deltaic System which forms a pantanous triangle, covering Delta Amacuro, with the Atlantic platform branching off the coast.

The Orinoco River is the largest and most important river of the country, originating one of the biggest watersheds in Latin America. Other important rivers are the Caroní and the Apure.

The local climate is tropical and generally hot and humid, though more moderate in the highlands. The capital, Caracas is also the country's largest city. Other major cities include Maracaibo, Barquisimeto, Valencia, Maracay, and Ciudad Guayana.

Venezuela is one of the seventeen megadiverse countries, for the great number of animal and vegetable species that habitate there. It also has one of the most endangered environments.

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Attractions

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Venezuela has epic proportions: it has South America's largest lake and third-longest river, the highest waterfall in the world, and the longest of all snakes. It also has jaguars, armadillos and some of the most spectacular landscapes you'll ever see.

The great architect of the Venezuelan Modern era was Carlos Raúl Villanueva, who designed and built the Universidad Central de Venezuela, (World Heritage Site) and its Aula Magna. Venezuelan architectural examples are the Capitol, the Baralt Theatre, the Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex, and the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge.

The southern Amazonas region is thick with tropical rain forest, crisscrossed by rivers, and home to a number of isolated Indian tribes. The charming, balmy town of Puerto Ayacucho is rife with tour operators ready to whisk you deep into the Venezuelan Amazon on the Orinoco, Sipapo or Autana rivers.

Los Roques is a group of nearly 300 shimmering, sandy islands and islets that l aquamarine waters. Unlike other Caribbean islands, there are no high-rise hotels, no massie in tourism and no cruise ships. However, for those who appreciate beaches, snorkeling and diving, the trip is worth every bolivar.

The whole archipelago, complete with the surrounding waters (2211 sq km), was made a national park in 1972. The great majority of the islands is uninhabited except by pelicans and can be visited by boats from Gran Roque. The surrounding waters are known for their sealife, particularly lobsters (which can be trapped from November through April and account for 90% of national production).

Salto Ángel is the world's highest waterfall and Venezuela's number-one tourist attraction. Its total height is 979m (3211ft), of which the uninterrupted drop is 807m (2646ft), about 16 times the height of Niagara Falls. The

cascade spills off the heart-shaped Auyantepui, one of the largest of the tepuis (sandstone-capped mesa), into Devil's Canyon.

With 10.2km (6.3mi) of caverns, the Guácharo Cave is Venezuela's longest and most

magnificent cave. It is inhabited by the guácharo (oilbird), which lives in total darkness and

leaves the cave only at night in search of food. From August to December, there are around 10,000 of them in the cave, along with a maze of stalactites and stalagmites.