The data from the new collection (2000–2024) reveal significant changes in the country’s hydrological dynamics. The long-term average surface water extent in Venezuela is estimated at 3.31 million hectares (Mha); in 2024, the mapped extent was slightly lower, at approximately 3.2 Mha. For the second half of the period, and particularly from 2014 onwards, surface water area remained below the historical mean, with 2016 standing out as the year with the lowest values, showing a 12% reduction relative to the mean, a situation associated with a strong El Niño meteorological event. In contrast, the years between 2000 and 2013 were above the historical average, with 2006 recording the highest values, corresponding to an increase of 6.05%.

In 2024, the largest share of surface water in Venezuela was concentrated in the Amazon biome, which accounted for 38.75% of the national total, followed closely by the Lake Maracaibo biome, with 38.13%. Compared to 2023, the Deserts and Xeric Shrublands biome showed the largest relative loss of surface water area, with a decrease of 3.97%, while the Andes biome recorded the largest gain, with a 6.5% increase in surface water extent.

In the historical record of Collection 3, the overall trend of Venezuelan biomes has been a decrease in surface water area. The largest cumulative losses are observed in the Amazon and Lake Maracaibo biomes which, despite being the regions with the greatest water reserves in the country, have undergone significant reductions. However, from 2022 onwards, the Lake Maracaibo, Orinoquia, and Andes biomes show a sustained trend towards gains in surface water area.

Between 2023 and 2024, the states that recorded the greatest loss of surface water were Bolívar, with a decrease of 18.7 thousand hectares (kha), followed by Amazonas, with a loss of 12.3 kha. Likewise, when comparing the values with the average for the 2000–2024 period, the states that exhibit the largest cumulative losses in surface water area are Zulia, Amazonas, Apure, and Bolívar.

In contrast, the largest increases in surface water area between 2023 and 2024 were observed in the state of Zulia, with a gain of 11.7 kha (thousand hectares), followed by Táchira (4.9 kha) and Guárico (2.1 kha). When analyzing the variation with respect to the historical mean for the period studied, the states with the largest cumulative gains are Táchira, Guárico, and Carabobo.

In terms of trends, out of the country’s 24 federal entities, 14 states show a sustained tendency toward loss of surface water area.

In relation to the analysis by river basins within the Venezuelan territory, level‑1 basins generated by the Ministry of People’s Power for Ecosocialism were used. The basins that show the largest net loss of surface water area are the Lake Maracaibo basin, with a decrease of 52.7 kha, followed by the Caroní River (33.9 kha) and Caura River (10.7 kha) basins. Conversely, the largest gains in surface water area were recorded in the Unare (8.0 kha) and Upper Apure (3.7 kha) basins.

With regard to Indigenous territories, these play a fundamental role in water dynamics and in the sustainable use of water resources, acting as key stakeholders in environmental conservation and protection. The Indigenous territory with the largest gain in surface water area is Puerto Amador, in Delta Amacuro state; however, its total surface water extent does not exceed 3 ha and, since 2000, it has lost 34.66% of its area. The largest losses of water between 2023 and 2024 were recorded mainly in the Indigenous Territories of the states of Zulia and Anzoátegui, with the Pachaquito Indigenous Territory standing out as the one that showed the greatest decreases during this period.

In Collection 3, the legend incorporates a higher level of detail, with 11 categories of water body types classified according to their origin and use. Natural water bodies include rivers, lakes, ponds/lagoon systems, oceans, and glacial lakes. In turn, anthropogenic water bodies comprise those associated with hydroelectric generation, drinking water supply, agricultural irrigation, aquaculture, mining, and mixed uses (irrigation and supply).

Between 2000 and 2024, water bodies associated with mining activities increased by 50%, mainly concentrated in the Amazon biome, south of the Orinoco River. Similarly, water bodies linked to aquaculture showed a 54.22% increase in 2024 compared to 2000, distributed primarily across the Caribbean Tropical Forest and Deserts and Xeric Shrublands biomes. In contrast, water bodies associated with hydroelectric production showed a 2.21% decrease in 2024 relative to 2000. Notable among these are the El Guri reservoir, the country’s most important hydroelectric facility, located in the Amazon biome, as well as the Uribante–La Honda and Onia reservoirs, located in the Andes biome.

In 2024, natural water bodies accounted for approximately 80% of all mapped classes, while anthropogenic water bodies represented the remaining 20%. Natural water bodies, however, show a 7% reduction in 2024 compared to 2000. At the biome scale, Lake Maracaibo concentrates 40% of all natural water bodies, followed by the Amazon biome with 23%, which also has the highest percentage of water bodies associated with hydroelectric use (13%), the highest at the national level.

With regard to the dynamics of solid water surface (glaciers), the La Corona glacier on Pico Humboldt, located in the Andes biome at 4,942 m a.s.l. within Sierra Nevada National Park and considered the last remnant of Venezuela’s tropical glaciers, has lost almost all of its surface area. By 2024, a remaining area of only 1.59 ha was estimated, with an average loss rate of 2.2 ha per year since 1985. The years with the greatest decreases in glacier area were 2003 (–4.86 ha), 2016 (–1.94 ha), and 2024 (–0.62 ha).

Venezuela is among the ten countries with the largest freshwater reserves on the planet; however, in the main cities of the country, restrictions in access to and quality of water persist. In this context, the data generated by the MapBiomas Venezuela Network constitute a key tool for understanding surface water dynamics and supporting decision-making in water management and planning.

The MapBiomas Water Venezuela Collection 3 provides monthly and annual surface water maps for rivers, lakes, lagoons, reservoirs, and glaciers, as well as for areas associated with aquaculture, mining, and hydroelectric uses. The data are generated from Landsat satellite imagery, with a spatial resolution of 30 meters, incorporating methodological improvements aimed at increasing spatial accuracy and expanding the legend classes.

The data produced by the MapBiomas Venezuela Network are publicly available and free of charge. Through the website https://venezuela.mapbiomas.org/ users can access technical documents, codes, maps, and outreach materials. Likewise, the platform https://plataforma.venezuela.mapbiomas.org/ allows users to analyze trends, understand the dynamics of surface water loss and gain, and identify different types of water use. In the contact section, users can submit inquiries or provide feedback to contribute to the improvement of future collections.

In 2025, the MapBiomas Venezuela Network is composed of Provita, Wataniba, the Geographic Information Systems and Environmental Modeling Laboratory of Simón Bolívar University (LSIGMA-USB), and the Amazon Network of Georeferenced Socio- environmental Information (RAISG), with support from specialists from various non- governmental organizations, universities, and research centers in the country.