My World Factbook
(Learn more about the new, improved World Factbook)
Note: Most information adapted from the popular World Factbook is distributed between the websites GeoWorld (geography, people, communications & transportation), Politix (government) and Great Depression II (economy).
Geography
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
8 00 N, 66 00 W
Area: 
total: 912,050 sq km
country comparison to the world: 
33
land: 882,050 sq km
water: 30,000 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of California
total: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
2,800 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 15 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Current Weather
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar 5,007 m
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
arable land: 2.85%
permanent crops: 0.88%
other: 96.27% (2005)
5,750 sq km (2003)
1,233.2 cu km (2000)
total: 8.37 cu km/yr (6%/7%/47%)
per capita: 313 cu m/yr (2000)
subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
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
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
on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world’s highest waterfall
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism - 
