Venezuela has some of the world’s largest oil and natural gas reserves, plus significant minerals (iron ore, bauxite, gold, diamonds), coal, hydroelectric potential, and fertile land for agriculture.

Main natural resources

  • Vast proven petroleum reserves, the largest in the world, concentrated in areas like the Maracaibo basin and the Orinoco Belt.
  • Large natural gas reserves that complement the oil sector and are also considered among the world’s larger proven gas holdings.
  • Important mineral deposits including iron ore, bauxite (for aluminum), gold, diamonds, and other non‑ferrous metals.

Energy and mining

  • Petroleum and natural gas traditionally make up around nine‑tenths of Venezuela’s export earnings and a large share of government revenue.
  • Coal deposits (notably in areas northwest of Lake Maracaibo and the Guasaré River basin) add to the country’s fuel resource base.
  • Hydroelectric power potential is high, especially on rivers in the Guiana Highlands such as the Caroní, where dams like Guri provide major generation capacity.

Agriculture and land

  • Venezuela has arable land suitable for crops like coffee, cocoa, corn, rice, sugarcane, and livestock, though agriculture is a smaller share of GDP compared with hydrocarbons.
  • The country’s geography offers diverse ecological zones, from plains suitable for cattle ranching to tropical regions for fruits and other cash crops.
  • Water resources support both irrigation and hydropower, making them a strategic asset alongside mineral and energy wealth.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.