Lake Maracaibo, << `mar` uh KY boh, >> is the trade waterway of the farming and rich petroleum region of northwestern Venezuela. Lake Maracaibo is the largest lake in South America. It covers 5,217 square miles (13,512 square kilometers).
Lake Maracaibo is connected with the Caribbean Sea by a short channel and the Gulf of Venezuela. A bridge 51/2 miles (8.9 kilometers) long crosses the channel. The bridge is high enough to allow oceangoing ships to move under it. There are many oil wells in the lake and along its shores. Wetlands along the shores provide a habitat for wildlife.
