Which desert occupies the northernmost part of Colombia and Venezuela?

The desert occupying the northernmost part of Colombia and Venezuela is the La Guajira Desert.

It covers most of the La Guajira Peninsula, at the northern tip of South America. Most of the desert lies in Colombia’s La Guajira Department, while a smaller section extends into Venezuela’s Zulia state. Its position near the Caribbean Sea gives it a hot, dry climate, and much of the landscape is xeric scrub rather than endless dunes.

La Guajira is also the homeland of the Wayuu people, who have traditionally practiced herding and fishing. The region contains major coal reserves at El Cerrejón, one of Colombia’s best-known mining areas. A striking natural contrast appears in Macuira National Natural Park, established in 1977: its mountains capture moisture and create a tropical oasis within the surrounding desert.

A common mix-up is confusing this desert with Colombia’s Tatacoa Desert, which lies much farther south near the Magdalena River. La Guajira is the larger and more northerly desert, and it is the major desert associated with the Colombia–Venezuela border region.