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Venezuela
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Location:
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Map references:
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Area:
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Land boundaries:
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Coastline:
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Maritime claims:
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International disputes:
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Climate:
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Terrain:
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Natural resources:
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Land use:
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Irrigated land:
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Environment:
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Note:
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Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
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South America
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total area:
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912,050 sq km
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land area:
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882,050 sq km
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comparative area:
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slightly more than twice the size of California
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total 4,993 km, Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
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2,800 km
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contiguous zone:
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15 nm
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continental shelf:
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200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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exclusive economic zone:
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200 nm
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territorial sea:
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12 nm
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claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo River; maritime boundary dispute
with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela
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tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
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Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains
(llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
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petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower,
diamonds
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arable land:
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3%
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permanent crops:
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1%
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meadows and pastures:
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20%
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forest and woodland:
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39%
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other:
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37%
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2,640 sq km (1989 est.)
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current issues:
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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
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natural hazards:
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subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
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international agreements:
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party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Hazardous Wastes, Marine
Dumping
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on major sea and air routes linking North and South America