Venezuela's Geography: Landscape, Features, and Transformation
Fundamental Geographic Concepts
Geographic Area
A combination of physical elements (ground, sea, and sky territories) that constitute the natural characteristics of the various regions of the Earth and form the material basis upon which states are established.
Geographic Landscape
A set of physical and natural elements, with their own characteristics, present in a particular territory.
Geographical Landscape Types
- Natural Geographical Landscapes: The elements of the landscape are natural, but their formation involved human interaction. Examples include relief, geological features, climate, soil, water and ideographs, vegetation, and fauna.
- Cultural Landscapes: Man is the creator and former of the main elements, such as population, housing, production, and communications.
Orogenic Forces
Geographical landscape transformation that occurs in any land area.
Division of Venezuelan Geographical Space
Venezuela's geographical space is traditionally divided into three main regions:
- Ocean Littoral: Entrenched agriculture served to feed the largest population concentration, which developed around the most important agricultural centers.
- Depression and Central Plains: Cattle ranching was the dominant economic force. The center of these activities consisted of numerous herds scattered throughout the vastness of the plain, resulting in no significant population clustering.
- Venezuelan Guayana: To a great extent, the jungle prevailed. There was no large population; only isolated groups of miners or loggers flourished.
Transformation of Venezuelan Geography in the 20th Century
Until the first decade of the twentieth century, farming resisted change, but the discovery of oil originated a profound transformation of the Venezuelan landscape. The consequences were significant:
- Rural Area Impact: People left crop and livestock production to move toward improved oil centers.
- Urban Area Growth: Near the oil areas, masses of workers concentrated, which led to shortages of all kinds.
- Socio-Economic Strata Changes: The salaried proletariat and the professional and commercial bourgeoisie appeared.
Physical Features of Venezuela
The Venezuelan landscape is made up of several component elements that shape and give it its characteristic pattern: mountains, plains, rivers, seas, and lakes. These are the physical features of the country which structure its relief. This relief is characterized by two very distinct areas: the hill and the plains region. These two areas make up a large land unit measuring 916,445 square kilometers.
Consequences of Venezuela's Geographical Position
- Facilitation of trade relations with developed and less developed countries across the European, African, and American continents.
- The equidistance between the North and South American continents made Venezuela a point of scale (stopover), which facilitates inter-American communications and connections with other countries around the globe.