Venezuela Becomes the first Nation to lose all of its Glaciers

Venezuela is thought to be the 1st nation in modern times to have completely lost all of its glaciers.

Background:

If you think climate change is a problem of the future, think again. Venezuela, for example, has become possibly the first country in modern history to lose all of its glaciers – it certainly won't be the last. It comes after scientists earlier this month reclassified Humboldt Glacier, Venezuela's last remaining glacier, as an ice field.

1. Venezuela used to be home to 6 glaciers, located at about 5,000 metres above sea level in the Andes mountains.
2. By 2011, 5 of them had vanished.
3. Scientists expected the Humboldt glacier to last another decade.
4. But it melted at a faster rate than expected, and has shrunk to an area of less than 2 hectares, leading to its downgrade from a glacier to an ice field.

About Venezuela:

1. Situated on the northern coast of South America, this country spans a total area of 916,445 sq km.
2. To the north, it is bounded by the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, while on the east, south, and southwest, it shares borders with Guyana, Brazil, and Colombia, respectively.
3. The capital city of Venezuela is Caracas.
4. Venezuela encompasses the northern Andes Mountains and interior highlands, a significant portion of the Orinoco River Basin with its extensive Llanos (plains), Lake Maracaibo, the largest lake in South America, and Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world.

6. Venezuela governs numerous Caribbean islands and archipelagos, including Margarita Island, La Blanquilla, La Tortuga, Los Roques, and Los Monjes.
7. Since the early 19th century, Venezuela has laid claim to Guyanese territory, totaling roughly 53,000 square miles (137,000 square kilometers), which comprises almost two-thirds of Guyana's land area, west of the Essequibo River.
8. Natural Resources: Venezuela possesses the world's largest oil reserves and substantial quantities of coal, iron ore, bauxite, and gold.
9. Languages: Spanish (official) 98.2%, indigenous languages 1.3%, Portuguese 0.1%, others 0.4% (2023 est.)
10. Currency: Venezuelan bolívar

Conclusion:

The loss of Venezuelan glaciers emphasises the urgent need for global action against climate change. As temperatures continue to rise, glaciers around the world are facing a similar fate, causing devastating impacts on the ecosystems and communities dependent on their freshwater reserves.

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