Editing Geography of Venezuela (section)

==Topography==
Most observers describe Venezuela in terms of four fairly well-defined regions: the [[Maracaibo Basin|Maracaibo lowlands]] in the northwest, the northern mountains extending in a broad east–west arc from the [[Colombia–Venezuela border|Colombian border]] along the Caribbean Sea, the wide Orinoco plains ([[Llanos]]) in central Venezuela, and rank highly dissected [[Guiana highlands]] in the southeast.<ref name=":0"/>

The Maracaibo lowlands form a large spoon-shaped oval bounded by mountains on three sides and open to the Caribbean on the north.<ref name=":0"/> The area is remarkably flat with only a gentle slope toward the center and away from the mountains that border the region.<ref name=":0"/> [[Lake Maracaibo]] occupies much of the lower-lying territory.<ref name=":0"/> Areas around the southern part of Lake Maracaibo are swampy, and, despite the rich agricultural land and significant petroleum deposits, the area was still thinly populated as of 1990.<ref name=":0"/>{{Update inline|date=November 2021}}

The mountains bordering the Caribbean Sea are actually the northeasternmost extension of the [[Andes]] chain.<ref name=":0"/> Broken by several gaps, these high mountains have peaks over {{Convert|4500|m}}; the fertile valleys between the ranges contain most of Venezuela's population, industry, and agriculture.<ref name=":0"/> The discontinuous westernmost range runs along the Colombian border and is the least densely populated part of this region.<ref name=":0"/> The ranges southeast of Lake Maracaibo contain some of the highest peaks in the country ([[Pico Bolivar]] reaches {{Convert|4978|m|abbr=on}}), a few of which are snowcapped year-round.<ref name=":0"/><ref name=":1"/>

A broad gap separates this mountainous area from another rugged pair of ranges that parallel the north-central coast.<ref name=":0"/> The series of valleys between these two parallel ranges constitute the core area of the country; as the site of burgeoning metropolitan [[Caracas]], this comparatively small area hosts the country's densest population, the most intensive [[Agriculture in Venezuela|agriculture]], and the best [[Transportation in Venezuela|transportation network]].<ref name=":0"/> Another broad gap separates this area from the easternmost group of mountains, a series of dissected hills and uplands that rise steeply from the Caribbean and extend eastward almost to Trinidad.<ref name=":0"/>

The great expanse of lowlands known as the Orinoco plains extend westward from the Caribbean coast to the Colombian border between the northern mountains and the [[Orinoco|Rio Orinoco]].<ref name=":0"/> This region is commonly known as the llanos, although it also contains large stretches of [[Orinoco Delta swamp forests|swampland]] in the [[Orinoco Delta]] and near the Colombian border.<ref name=":0"/> The area slopes gradually away from the highland areas that surround it; elevations in the llanos never exceed {{Convert|200|m}}.<ref name=":0"/> North of the [[Rio Apure]], rivers flowing out of the northern mountains cut shallow valleys, leaving [[Erosion|eroded]] ridges that give the land a gently rolling appearance.<ref name=":0"/> South of the Apure, the terrain is flatter and elevations lower.<ref name=":0"/>

One of the oldest landforms in South America, the Guiana highlands rise almost immediately south and east of the Rio Orinoco.<ref name=":0"/> Erosion has created unusual formations in this region.<ref name=":0"/> Making up over half of the country, the highlands consist primarily of plateau areas scored by swiftly running tributaries of the Orinoco.<ref name=":0"/> The most conspicuous topographical feature of the region is the [[Gran Sabana]], a large, deeply eroded high plateau that rises from surrounding areas in abrupt cliffs up to {{Convert|800|m}}.<ref name=":0"/> Above the rolling surface of the Gran Sabana, massive, flat-topped bluffs emerge; many of these bluffs (referred to as [[tepui]]s by the Venezuelans) reach considerable altitudes.<ref name=":0"/> The most famous tepui contains [[Angel Falls]], the world's highest waterfall.<ref name=":0"/>