VENEZUELA: PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The configuration of Venezuela is simpler than that of Colombia; the
country has four distinct sections:
First, a mountain region including the Venezuelan Andes, which is a
branch of the East Cordillera of Colombia; and a range called the
Maritime Andes extending along the coast.
Second, lying east and south of the mountains, the great plain of the
llanos occupying a large part of the Orinoco Basin.
Third, the Guiana or Guayana Highlands south of the Orinoco, extending
to the eastern and southern boundaries and occupying a great extent of
unexplored territory.
Fourth, the coastal plain around Lake Maracaibo.
FIRST SECTION
The Andes coming in from Colombia cross the northwestern portion of
Venezuela in two or more ranges, separating the great Orinoco Basin
from the lowlands lying between this chain and that part of the
Colombian East Cordillera called the Sierra de Perija. A number of the
mountains are above 13,000 feet, the highest, La Columna, is 16,522
feet. Though none of the mountains are volcanoes, earthquakes are
common. The general height of the range decreases on the south towards
Colombia, and north towards the Caribbean Sea, till at one point at the
north, near where the city of Barquisimeto is located in the valley
between the two ranges, the Rio Cojedes goes through to the Orinoco
Basin. Beyond the Cojedes River the Maritime Andes stretch along the
coast in two parallel ranges, the high valley between them being the
most densely populated part of the country. The peak above Caracas,
called the Silla de Caracas, one of the highest of this section, has an
altitude of 8650 feet; Naiguatá passes 9000. After a considerable break
at Cape Codera the mountains continue to the Gulf of Paria.
The western branch of the Venezuelan Andes, turning north, continues
towards the coast in low ranges called the Segovia Highlands, with the
Maracaibo district on the west.
SECOND SECTION
East and south of this mountainous country is the vast region, thinly
populated and not well known, of the great Orinoco Basin, occupying
three fourths of the country; first come the llanos, followed by a
forested district, with hilly, mountainous country beyond. The llanos,
covering 87,000 square miles on the north side of the great river, are
grassy plains broken by islands of trees. Near the mountains north
and west are extensive forests. The llanos are of slightly varying
altitude, in parts rising imperceptibly, but often by terraces or banks
a few feet high. In the western section there are large tracts in the
Portuguesa Valley but 300 feet above the sea; in other places the land
rises to 650 feet, and to a still greater height on the mesas which
form the watershed between the Orinoco and the rivers Unare and Aragua
flowing into the Caribbean Sea.
THIRD SECTION
South and east of the Orinoco River are the Guiana Highlands, said to
cover 200,000 square miles, for the most part a plateau 1000 feet and
upwards in elevation, from which rise several mountain chains connected
by lower hills, the Parime Range separating the Orinoco and Amazon
Basins. A few peaks rise 8000 feet; the highest known is Mt. Roraima,
8500 feet, at the southeast corner, where the boundaries of British
Guiana, Brazil, and Venezuela come together.
FOURTH SECTION
This region, much smaller, occupies the northwest part of the Republic,
which may be considered as a coastal plain. It includes the alluvial
area around Lake Maracaibo, the Coro and the Paraguana lowlands, with
open sandy hills extending along the shore of the Gulf of Venezuela
to the end of the Paraguana Peninsula, and some islands of the same
character.
The Lake district is somewhat similar to the Orinoco Delta, with many
rivers coming in at the south, and with open lagoons and swamps; it
is bordered by dense forests often inundated by rains. East and west
towards the north between the swamps are higher lands with some grassy
plains. At the west is the Sierra de Perija on the Colombian frontier.
RIVERS AND LAKES
Venezuela is said to have 72 large and more or less navigable rivers,
of which the Orinoco is the chief. Its length, variously stated, may be
1570 miles and the area of its basin 370,000 square miles.
The =Orinoco=, rising near the Brazilian boundary, first flows
northwest, then northerly forming the boundary line with Colombia, and
from the entrance of the Meta River, northeast and east to the Atlantic
Ocean. Its low forested delta covers 8500 square miles. Boca de Navios,
the largest mouth, is 20 miles wide with a depth of 17 feet at the bar.
Among the 400 or more tributaries the most important are the Caroni,
the Caura, and the Ventuari, draining the mountainous and forested
section at the south; and the Guaviare, Vichada, Meta, and Apure
coming in from the west, the first three from Colombia. The Casiquiare,
previously mentioned, connects the Orinoco with the Rio Negro.
Among other rivers of importance are the Catatumbo and the Escalante
flowing into Lake Maracaibo and the Tocuyo into the Caribbean.
Among the 205 lakes, Maracaibo, covering 8392 square miles, is
obviously the largest and most important. Other lakes are Valencia,
Zulia, Laguneta, and Camaguán, but many of the 200 are mere shallow
lagoons which serve as breeding places for mosquitoes.
CLIMATE
As might be expected, the climate of the country is similar to that
of Colombia, with corresponding variations for altitude: tropical to
about 2000 feet; above that to 7000 temperate; still higher, cold, with
mean annual temperatures ranging from 60° to zero or less on the high
mountains. The hot region, _tierra caliente_, includes the coastal
plains with the Maracaibo district, the llanos, a large part of the
Guayana Highlands, and a few of the lower mountain valleys. The islands
are the coolest, the llanos the warmest part of the tropical region;
the hottest section of the latter is south and west, the farthest
from the sea. Along the coast the temperature ranges from 64°-68°
to 93°-95°. The temperate region includes the most thickly settled
sections at moderate elevation, while the cold mountain heights have
comparatively few inhabitants. On the llanos the dry season is from
November to May, or June, the rainy following to November. The coast
has two rainy seasons, December and January, and April to July. The
Orinoco Delta and parts of the Guiana section are the most unhealthful;
the lowest death rate, rather strangely, is in the cities of the
llanos, the next lowest in the regions of the Andes and the Caribbean
Mountains.