Bolívar

Bolívar, estado (state), southeastern Venezuela. It is bounded to the north by the Orinoco River and the Venezuelan states of Delta Amacuro, Monagas, Anzoátegui, and Guárico, to the south by Brazil and the Venezuelan territory of Amazonas, to the east by Guyana, and to the west by the Orinoco River, the Venezuelan state of Apure, and Colombia.

It is the largest and potentially one of the richest states of Venezuela. Northern Bolívar consists of rolling hills; in the far south are groups of high plateaus and mesas, including the region of La Gran Sabana, the site of Angel Falls. In between is jungle, largely uninhabited and unexplored, pierced by the valleys of the Caroní, Paragua, Caura, and many smaller rivers.

The Caroní River is one of the world’s largest sources of hydroelectric power. A large power project is in operation at the Macagua Dam, near the mouth of the Caroní; at Guri, 80 miles (130 km) upstream, is one of the world’s largest hydroelectric projects. Other projects on the Caroní have been planned.

At the confluence of the Caroní and the Orinoco lies the planned industrial and commercial city of Ciudad Guayana, which has a steel mill, an aluminum plant, and several other mills. The Pijiguaos mine has been an important factor in the development of the local aluminum industry. The city is the largest urban complex in the southern three-fourths of the country.

Bolívar contains most of Venezuela’s iron ore deposits (see Bolívar, Cerro). Other minerals exploited are gold, bauxite, and ferrosilicon. A small amount of farming is carried on in the north. Transportation is poorly developed in most of the state. The navigable waterways, railroads, and nearly all the first-class highways are in the north, near Ciudad Guayana and Ciudad Bolívar, the state capital. Area 91,892 square miles (238,000 square km). Pop. (2001) 1,214,846; (2011) 1,410,964.