TOPOGRA PHY. The area may be divided into three fairly definite regions: (1) the ral and mountainous district of the north and northwest: (2) the district between this region and the Orinoco; and (3) the Guiana highlands of the southeast. The mountains of the first re gion may he classed under two great systems. The first. the Venezuela Andes, starts from the Nido de Pamplona in Colombia and runs northward in two branches. The westernmost, passing directly north, forms the boundary between Colombia and Venezuela and ends in the Goajira Peninsula, its highest point being in the Sierra de Perija (10.000 feet) ; the other runs to the northeast, subdivid ing north of the highlands of Trujillo into the two chains of the Coro system. This eastern range has the loftiest mountains of Venezuela, with five peaks above the limit of perpetual snow, the highest. the Sierra Nevada de Mfrida ('oncha), attaining an altitude of 15,400 feet. in closed between these two ranges is the low land region of Lake Maracaibo. The eastern range of the Venezuelan Andes is separated by the valleys of the Yaracui and Cojede• rivers from the Caribbean Mountains—the other sys tem of this region—which run eastward from Lake Maracaibo, with a break at the plain of Barcelona. to the Paria Peninsula. These mountains form two parallel ranges—the Coast Range (Sierra de Mar) proper (in many places rising precipitously from the sea), and a some what more southerly range, paralleling it about thirty miles distant. Between these two ranges run spurs inclosing valleys and lakes, of which Lake Valencia is the most important. The western portion contains the highest peaks—Nai guata (9127 feet) and Silla ; the largest peak of the eastern portion is Turtnniquire.
South and southeast of the Cordillera and Car ibbean systems and extending to the Orinoco Itivi.r lies the second great topographical region of the Bepab)ie—the Orimioeo Valley—whieb may conveniently be divided into two distinct areas: the lower, commonly designated by the Mine of //aaos (q.v.), and the upper, consisting of that
portion lying above the junction of the Meta with the Orinoco. This latter region is largely unex plored, but is supposed to consist of plains, traversed by hills and low mountains, and largely covered by forests. The third region be longs topographirally to Guiana, and consists of plateaus and generally low mountains, which reach in Roraima an altitude of over S000 feet, and are varied by open areas and forests. A eon siderable part of the Brazilian lamaarc is formed by the Parima and Paeam'loin 11101111 0111., :ago 110 :letiV(` VOIN1110PS among the mountains of Venezuela, but destructive earth quakes (C'arfieas destroyed in 1812) are common. The coast-line of Venezuela is some 1700 miles long, with numerous gulfs and bays, of which Maracaibo, Paria, and Coro are the most im portant. The northern coast is generally short and steep, but the plains of Maracaibo and Coro are low and in some places marshy. Of the nu merous islands belonging to Venezuela, Margarita (q.v.) is the only one of importance. The outlet of Lake Maracaibo forms an important harbor, and Puerto Cabello and Cumanii are also good natural ones, but the shipping of La Guayra ren ders it the chief port of the Republic.
IhratooftAnur. The fluvial system of Venezue la, with six rivers navigable for large vessels, is probably the most important of South America. Of its thousand or more streams the larger num ber are affluents of the Orinoco (q.v.), which, with its great tributaries—the Apure. Meta. and Negro (the latter united by the Cassiquiare to the Amazon system)—forms the great outlet for the interior of Colombia, as well as of Vene zuela. The other important drainage areas are those of the Caribbean Sea, of Lakes Maracaibo and Valencia, and the Gulf of Paria. In ad dition to the lakes mentioned, there are about 200 others of small importance. Few countries are so well watered as Venezuela.