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 2137 km, Colombia 2341 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 ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 15 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous 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 ]
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% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 3.1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.8% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 20.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 52.1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 23.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use 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:

note 1: the country lies on major sea and air routes linking North and South America

note 2: Venezuela has some of the most unique geology in the world; tepuis are massive table-top mountains of the western Guiana Highlands that tend to be isolated and thus support unique endemic plant and animal species; their sheer cliffsides account for some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world including Angel Falls, the world's highest (979 m) that drops off Auyan Tepui