Usar p⁄gs xvii-134 - ResearchGate

CHAPTER 1An Overview of Venezuela’s Geography, Population,Economy, and Forest LegislationGeographyVenezuela has a land area of approximately 890,000 square kilometers, of which half is forested.Venezuela can be divided into three physical regions:• The coastal and Andean mountain chains have maximum altitudes ranging from 2700 meters(near the coast) to over 5000 meters (in the Andean highlands) above sea level. Vegetation in themountain region varies from cloud forests to alpine scrub (páramos), including mountain savannaand xerophytic ecosystems.• The Orinoco plains encompass much of the central part of the country north of the Orinoco Riverand reach 250 meters above sea level. This region covers approximately one fifth of the national territoryand includes dry savanna shrub land and evergreen and semi-deciduous forests in the Westernplains (llanos) closest to the Andean mountain range.• The Guayana region is the largest of the three physical divisions, consisting of half of the nationalterritory. Characterized by a diverse topographical landscape (from sea level to over 3000 metersabove sea level), this region is comprised primarily of evergreen forests, especially in the south.Semi-deciduous forests can be found in the north, near the Orinoco River; and savanna vegetationdominates near the Guri Reservoir and in the southeast, near the border of Brazil and Guyana.The Guayana region is part of the larger Guiana Shield, an ancient geological structure covering partsof Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. The Venezuelan Guayanaregion is characterized by unique geological features known as tepuyes, or table-top mountains,which can reach above 2000 meters in altitude. Many plant species living on the tops of these mountainsare found nowhere else in the world.1