evidence: The Gulf of Venezuela, also known as Golfo De Venezuela, is an inland sea located between Venezuela on the east, south, and west, and Colombia on the northwest. The gulf opens into the Caribbean Sea on the north and exchanges water with a tidal bay on the south known as Lake Maracaibo. Some segments of the gulf are the subject of a longstanding dispute between Venezuela and Colombia. Although the contested areas are relatively small, the possible presence of petroleum deposits has made it difficult to resolve the dispute, despite the involvement of a bilateral commission. The Gulf of Venezuela is an important shipping route for vessels transporting petroleum from the Lake Maracaibo region. The Gulf of Venezuela is one of the inlets of the Caribbean Sea located on the northernmost boundary between Venezuela and Colombia. The gulf separates the Paraguana Peninsula on the east and Guajira Peninsula on the west. The Paraguana Peninsula is wholly under Venezuela’s jurisdiction and contained within the Falcon State. The Guajira Peninsula (known as La Goajira Peninsula in Colombia) is shared by Guajira Department (Colombia) and Zulia State (Venezuela) countries. Much of the gulf’s coastline is within Venezuela’s sovereignty, while Colombia has a short coastline on the northeastern tip of the Guajira Peninsula.