Biodiversity Venezuela (VEN)
 
  FishBase Complete Literature Reference
Species Families Species Families
Marine 828 174 No
Freshwater 950 69 No 512 McAllister, D.E., A.L. Hamilton and B. Harvey, 1997
Total 1764 220 No
Conservation List of freshwater species completed using CLOFFSCA work. The following information is to be sought: - Status of knowledge of the freshwater fauna; - Existence of conservation plans; - Information on major aquatic habitats or sites within the country; - Current major threats to species; - Future potential threats to species; - Contact(s) for further information.
Geography and Climate Venezuela is located in Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana. Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California. Total land boundary is 4,993 km, border countries are Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km. Climate is tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands. Terrains consist of Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast. Elevation extreme has the lowest point in Caribbean Sea 0 m and highest point in Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m. Natural resources are petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds. Land use: arable land: 4%, permanent crops: 1%, permanent pastures: 20%, forests and woodland: 34%, other: 41% (1993 est.). Irrigated land: 1,900 sq km (1993 est.). Natural hazards are subject to floods, rockslides, mud slides; 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. Geography—note: on major sea and air routes linking North and South America.

Ref.  Anonymous, 1999
Hydrography
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