CHAPTER I

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF VENEZUELA 25

Situation—Area—Population—Main physical divisions—The Guayana Highlands—Mountains, rivers, and forests The Llanos—_Selvas_—_Mesas_—Rivers and _cienagas_—The Delta—_Caños_—The Caribbean Hills—Serrania Costanera—Serrania Interior—Rivers—Segovia Highlands—Drainage—Vegetation—The Andes—Portuguesa Chain—Cordillera of Mérida—The Sierra Nevada—Mountain torrents—Vegetation—_Páramos_—The coastal plain—Lake of Maracaibo—Coro and Paraguana lowlands—Climate—“White-water” and “black-water” rivers—Seasons—_Tierra caliente_, _templada_, and _fria_—Temperature and seasons—“St. John’s little summer”—Health.