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90-469: Machiques is a city in Zulia State , Venezuela , located in the northwest portion of the country. It is close to the border with Colombia , and the area's main economic activity is cattle raising . On 16 August 2005 West Caribbean Airways Flight 708 , en route from Panama City to Fort-de-France , stalled and crashed in a mountainous area of the municipality, killing all 160 people on board. It

180-563: A Venezuelan citizen by birth and without any other nationality in full enjoyment of civil rights and older, to reside in the Federal Entity at least four years before the election according to Article 69 of the State Constitution, to be older than 25 years, not to be a minister of religious worship or to occupy positions in the national, state or municipal administration, and in case of being an official, to be separated from

270-409: A battle against the conquerors. Gaimaral sadly returned to his father's domains, naming rivers, towns and regions for his lost love there is little historical proof, but that is the most popular theory. Indigenous peoples have been living in the region for a long time, including Yukpa , Barí , Arawakos (Western), Timotes and Cuica , Caquetío , Wayúu , and Añú (es). The area that is now Zulia

360-461: A great diversity of landscapes plants which, according to Huber's classification, can be grouped into tree, shrub and herbaceous formations. Tree formations include coastal mangroves, dry to semi-deciduous lowland forests, lowland evergreen forests, and mountain forests. It is estimated that the total area of mangroves in Zulia State occupies an area of 116.3 km (44.9 mi ), located in

450-469: A high risk of extinction in the medium term. Among the different species of mammals, the palm tree bear ( Myrmecophaga tridactyla ), which lives especially in the northeast of the Lake Maracaibo basin, is threatened by poaching and is often rolled up on the tracks. The cunaguaro ( Leopardus pardalis ), often in thorny forests, thickets and even in mangrove forests, this species - a house today -

540-642: A horst tectonic that starts in the valley of the Intermedio river, lengthening and narrowing in a south–north direction ending in the Oca mountains, from which the lowlands of the Guajira isthmus follow. The Perijá mountain range comprises five large landscape units: Sierra de Motilones, Sierra de Perijá, Sierra de Valledupar, Montes de Oca and the foothills of mountains and valleys. Between the Perijá mountain range and

630-413: A large lake to which about 135 rivers flow that contribute water and sediment, an infinite number of lagoons, swamps and marshes that are in the lower parts. There are very arid zones with others of great humidity, very populated zones in small spaces and other extensive semi-populated areas. Very rich areas and others of great poverty. The Lake Maracaibo Basin covers the large to the north and west, from

720-632: A much drier climate than the current one, but a mechanism of dune formation that acts only in the dry season since the lowering of the water level of the Orinoco at the rivers' lowest point, especially that of those that originate in the llanos, extensive beaches of fine sand are left behind, that the trade winds very quickly will transfer to the southeast, forming what now constitutes el Parque Nacional Santos Luzardo (the Santos Luzardo National Park), which takes its name from one of

810-854: A tropical rain forest climate with an annual average precipitation of 2,556 mm, and surpassing 3,500 mm per year in the heights of Serrania de Perija . The geographical location and the diversity of natural landscapes present in the state of Zulia, in addition to the presence of Lake Maracaibo, define the great variety of climates present in the state. According to Koeppen's classification, there are desert climates (Bwhi), semi-dry tropical climates (Bshi), tropical savannah and sub-humid trophy forests (Awi), tropical rainy trophy forests and savannah (Aw "i), tropical rainy monsoon (Ami), tropical rainy jungle (Afi), very humid tropical temperate (Cfi), tropical humid temperate (Cwi) and undefined mountain climates. Lake Maracaibo and its basin are factors that complement each other to produce high rainfall. However, for

900-453: A zone where the springs, the branches, the rivers, the lagoons, and the swamps extraordinarily complicate the hydrography. Apure relies on an abundant phreatic zone that supplies the cities and towns with potable water, and a few decades ago networks of modules were created that allowed water storage for use in periods of drought. The most important rivers in the state are: the Apure for which

990-455: Is also one of the major agricultural areas of Venezuela, highlighting the region's contribution in areas such as livestock, bananas , fruits, meat, and milk. There are several competing theories about the origin of the state's name. One is that Guaimaral, son of the cacique Mara, was on pilgrimage in the Pamplona region, where he fell in love with the beautiful Zulia, but she was killed in

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1080-504: Is between 358 and 665.99 mm (14.094 and 26.220 in), with a median temperature of 28 °C (82 °F). The precipitation rates increase in the western and eastern regions of Lake Maracaibo, forming a wet tropical savanna climate, with annual average temperatures from 27 °C to 28 °C, and rainfall exceeding 1,000 mm (39 in) registered in Mene Grande. In the southern lake region, increased rainfall conforms to

1170-537: Is bordered on the north by the states of Táchira , Barinas , and Guárico , on the east and southeast by the states of Bolívar and Amazonas and on the south and west by Colombia . Originating in the Tertiary ( Neogene ) and Quaternary ( Pleistocene ) periods, the Llanos (plains) of Apure are formed by sediments of little or no consolidation, with sandy and clayey deposits built up by floods in recent times. On

1260-481: Is considered to be of high quality. The red deer ( Odocoileus virginianus gymnotis ), subspecies that has contracted by almost 50% in the arid zones of Zulia and in the basin of the Maracaibo lake due to the indiscriminate hunting to which it has been object, given the inexistence of a specific law to protect it. The yellow bat of the deserts ( Rhogeessa minutilla ) is distributed in the arid and semi-arid zones of

1350-400: Is illegally extracted. Two species of indigenous reptiles are named after Zulia: a turtle ( Mesoclemmys zuliae ) and a lizard ( Maracaiba zuliae ). In the humid and sub-humid Zulian sub-region, which includes the municipalities located to the southeast, south and southwest of Lake Maracaibo, live communities of animals that are largely the same as those living in the dry region, especially

1440-474: Is influenced by latitude , which generates an increase from north to south in the average annual precipitation of the Maracaibo (488 mm), Cabimas (528.9 mm) and Santa Barbara (1,366.5 mm) stations. This behavior is explained by the descending latitudinal order, at except for the El Tucuco station (2,032.9 mm), whose behavior is due to the altitudinal factor (205 meters above sea level), where

1530-686: Is made up of numerous river basins and sub-basins that cover the states of Zulia, Lara, Táchira, Mérida, Trujillo and part of the Republic of Colombia, the latter drained by the Catatumbo River and its tributaries. All of them flow into the area comprised by the lake itself, the Maracaibo Strait and the El Tablazo Bay. Some sources indicate that the Maracaibo system is made up of four distinct but closely related bodies of water:

1620-550: Is proposed that the city receive a railway station on the new national railway network. Zulia State Zulia State is in northwestern Venezuela, bordering Lake Maracaibo , the largest body of water of its kind in Latin America . Its basin covers one of the largest oil and gas reserves in the Western Hemisphere . Zulia is economically important to the country for its oil and mineral exploitation, but it

1710-528: Is sliced by numerous rivers of great length and breadth, all of which are part of the Orinoco river basin. The Apure River , the most important of these, is at the same time the main Venezuelan tributary of the Orinoco from its left border, and the second longest in the country: it covers some 1,000 km (620 mi) from its source to its mouth. All of the lands in the south of the state constitute

1800-486: Is that of the Catatumbo River , with a surface of 25,708.36 km and represents more than a quarter (32.60%) of the total area of Maracaibo Lake Basin. The soils of Zulia State, framed within the depression of Lake Maracaibo, are the result of the interaction of factors such as relief, climate, material origin, vegetation and soil formation processes. The edaphic diversity of the state of Zulia corresponds to

1890-408: Is threatened by distraction hunting; it is also destroying its habitat even though it is a species under an indefinite ban. There are others mammals in this sub-region that are at lower risk than those mentioned above, such as the endemic subspecies brownish-grey matacan deer ( Mazama gouazoubira ), which is distributed in arid areas and is persecuted as a source of subsistence food for its meat, which

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1980-557: The Guajira Peninsula to the Perijá Mountains . Venezuela's Andean states of Táchira , Mérida and Trujillo border Zulia State at the southern end of Lake Maracaibo . The name Venezuela comes from the lake. When Spanish conquistadors sailed into the area, they found the indigenous peoples living in communities of huts supported by stilts along the shores of the lake. They were reminded of Venice and named

2070-541: The Gulf of Venezuela , El Tablazo Bay, the Maracaibo Strait and Lake Maracaibo. Although the estuarine portion is mainly constituted by the strait and El Tablazo, it is not possible to understand the estuarine biota without taking into account the other adjacent water bodies. The Gulf of Venezuela participates in the oceanic components, hence the importance of considering the depth, movement and chemical composition of its water body. Such physical-chemical characteristics determine

2160-694: The Zulia River . The Constituent Congress of 1824 divided the territory of Colombia into four departments, one of which was Zulia, composed of the provinces of Coro, Mérida and Maracaibo; but when the Great Colombia was dissolved in 1830, Maracaibo was left with the character of Province composed of its own territory and that of Trujillo. One year later the Trujillo Section was erected in Province, separating definitively from Maracaibo. With

2250-503: The geomorphological point of view, can be defined as a depression that presents in its center a great mass of water constituted by the Maracaibo lake system, combining the heights that surround it and the flat lands that serve as coastal support. The geomorphological evolution of the state of Zulia is related to the processes generated by the collision between the South American and Pacific tectonic plates, in their interaction with

2340-658: The governor , the majority of the Municipal Councils of the State or 10% of the voters. For an Amendment or Reform created by the Legislative Branch to be approved, it needs to receive an absolute majority of the votes of the parliamentarians, nor is it necessary to submit the reform to a referendum. It is composed of the Governor of Apure State and a group of State Secretaries. The Governor is elected by

2430-407: The orography favors high rainfall. The geomorphological conformation of the state of Zulia is a semicircular depression. It defines a hydrographic pattern that can be catalogued by its shape as a radial drainage, that is, that the waters coming from the water dividers are directed towards a common outlet, Lake Maracaibo, which defines this characteristic pattern. The Zulia hydrographic network

2520-463: The 2011 Census, the racial composition of the population was: Agriculture and livestock are the main economic activities in Apure State. Sugar cane , caraota , beans , fruit trees , oil palms , bananas and cassava , among others, are grown in the agricultural areas. The livestock sector is basically specialized in the production of cattle, concentrating about 30% of the heads of cattle in

2610-520: The Andes and, therefore, its structural pattern and relief are more moderate. Likewise, the Ziruma mountain range develops towards the southeast, considered as a pre-mountain range system of relatively lower altitudes, where only tertiary rocks emerge. . According to the most recent classification, the state of Zulia presents three basic physical-natural units: the natural region of the Perijá mountain range;

2700-569: The Apure River are formed by the Uribante and the Sarare , whose lower parts are found in the state of Apure. The warm, rainy tropical savannah climate is dominant, with a severe dry season and a rainy season. Also, the temperature can be high all year round. 700 and the 1500 mm. Due to the characteristics of the state relief, the temperature presents a relative uniformity in almost all

2790-599: The Caribbean plate. Throughout its geological history, the Andes and Perijá became positive zones; however, an orogenic pulsation in the Upper Eocene and another one during the Miocene-Pliocene defined the current form of these mountainous systems, conditioning the depression of the Maracaibo and its surrounding plains. These orogenic processes made the Perijá mountain range suffer a less intense uplift than

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2880-666: The Cocinetas, Peonias, Sinamaica and Los Olivitos lagoons , and the mouth of the Limon River. For the coastal wetlands in the entire system of Maracaibo is estimated an area of 5,683 km (2,194 mi ), highlighting in the south of the lake the swamps of Juan Manuel de Aguas Claras and Aguas Negras . The mangrove vegetation is rather dense. It comprises a set of predominant species, among which are: red mangrove ( Rhizophora mangle ), black and pink mangrove ( Avicennia germinans ), white mangrove ( Laguncularia racemosa ) and

2970-564: The Constitution of 1909, gained its current borders. The territory was famous for heron plumes, which adorned European courts. At the same time, it was the scene of armed encounters that marked the evolution of the War for Independence , as well as numerous battles during the civil war. In the Apurean environs, Rómulo Gallegos was inspired to write his novel Doña Bárbara , which describes

3060-466: The Constitution of 1989, its partial amendment of 1993 and 2001. The Executive Power is represented by the Governor of Zulia State. The Governor is elected by means of direct and secret universal suffrage of all Venezuelan citizens residing in the territory of Zulia State and registered in the Electoral Roll of the State's circumscription. To occupy the position of Governor, it is necessary to be

3150-643: The Court of Madrid to modify the primitive division and by Royal Decree of September 8, 1777, the Provinces of Maracaibo, Cumaná, Guayana and the Islands of Margarita and Trinidad were incorporated into the General Captaincy of Caracas. By Royal Decree of February 15, 1785, the city of Barinas and its dependencies, which corresponded to Maracaibo, were segregated to form a separate province, and instead

3240-539: The Lake. Venezuela's federal constitution , April 22, 1864, changed the denomination of "province" to "state", creating the State of Maracaibo on the same territory as the province. At the end of the same year, the state's legislation determined to change the name to the Sovereign State of Zulia, but that lasted only a few months. In 1874, its name again became Zulia State. Federal government orders in 1881 created

3330-741: The Lora and Aricuaisá Rivers, and by the Tucuco and Río Negro Rivers, in their lower course, forming highly floodable lands, generating river arms, lagoons, lakes, among which the protected area known as Ciénagas de Juan Manuel National Park stands out. To the southeast of the Santa Ana, towards the southern area of the lake, the Catatumbo river system, to which the Socuavó, Tarra and Zulia rivers drain, also provides significant volumes of water and sediments to

3420-476: The Maracaibo lake there is a wide plain, very flat, which due to its topographic differences, drainage, edaphic and vegetal formations can be differentiated in two areas: a northwest area of less flat topography, with presence of hills in some sectors, scarce hydrographic network, sandy soils and low in organic matter. Between the southern area of the Palmar River and the northern area of the Catatumbo River,

3510-667: The Province of Maracaibo in the year of 1678 and was added, along with Mérida, to the Viceroyalty of the New Kingdom of Granada . It is entity was governed by the President of the Court, whose official seat was the city of Santa Fé de Bogotá and its jurisdiction extended, in a capricious and extravagant way, to the Provinces of Guayana, Cumaná, Maracaibo and the Islands of Margarita and Trinidad The difficulties that to its good administration offered this curious conglomerate, forced

3600-502: The State Legislative Council according to the constitution of that entity to complete the remaining government period, after Governor-elect Jesus Aguilarte Gamez presented his resignation alleging "health problems", Aguilarte's administration was being questioned even by sectors of his own party had been serving as governor since 2004 and had been re-elected in 2008. Like the other 23 federal entities of Venezuela ,

3690-648: The State maintains its own police force, which is supported and complemented by the National Police and the Venezuelan National Guard . The state legislature is the responsibility of the Legislative Council of Apure State, a unicameral parliament, elected by the people by direct and secret vote every four years, with the possibility of re-election for two consecutive periods, under a system of proportional representation of

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3780-483: The arid conditions that characterize the continental territory that borders it. The most important hydrological contributions are not located in the sector of the marabine coast, but come from the mountainous system of the state of Falcon. In the Maracaibo Lake basin, 21 major sub-basins have been identified, some of which go beyond the political-territorial limits of the State of Zulia. The most important basin

3870-639: The banks of the Orinoco one finds outcroppings of rocks, from the Archean era, which are part of the Guiana Shield and appear at heights called galleys. Likewise, in the Andean foothills, rocks from the Tertiary Period form hills and short slopes in the mountain range. A large part of the state of Apure is constituted by an extensive field of dunes (occupying some 30,000 km²), which has

3960-568: The birds. At As for mammals , there are new species, such as the spider monkey, also known as the marimonda ( Ateles belzebuth hybridus ), a species that lives in the humid forests of the Maracaibo Lake Basin (includes the forests of the Perijá mountain range). In the Perijá sub-region (mountainous area), the ecosystem is made up of a great diversity of animal communities: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Representatives of some species of mammals in this subregion are:

4050-435: The buttonwood mangrove ( Conocarpus erectus ). The category of dry semi-deciduous lowland forest occupies the largest area in the state, 18,872.7 km (7,286.8 mi ). These plant formations are located above the western coast, in the municipalities Paez, Mara, Maracaibo, Jesus Enrique Lossada, San Francisco, La Cañada de Urdaneta, Rosario de Perijá, Machiques de Perijá, part of Catatumbo and Jesus Maria Semprum. On

4140-410: The capacity to absorb and dilute the contaminating elements that may be present in this water body. The Gulf of Venezuela, with a total surface of 17,840 km , without including the bay of El Tablazo, is located to the north of the outer portion of the marabinal depression. Its shape is approximately rectangular, with the major axis in the northeast–southwest direction. The outer limit of the gulf with

4230-587: The city of Caracas; nevertheless, the negative balance thrown by that phenomenon has been reverted when receiving an important flow of immigrants from the Venezuelan Andes and Colombia. The population is mostly concentrated in urban areas and 48% is made up of young individuals between 10 and 40 years of age. Its main cities are: San Fernando and Guasdualito. Its main towns are Achaguas , Biruaca , Bruzual , Mantecal, El Amparo , Elorza , La Victoria, Puerto Paez and San Juan de Payara . According to

4320-533: The city of Trujillo was incorporated, which was part of the province of Caracas. In 1789, the province covered the territory of the current Venezuelan states of Zulia, Apure , Barinas , Táchira , Mérida and Trujillo . In 1810, Mérida and Trujillo were separated as new provinces. At the beginning of the 19th century, the province of Maracaibo had, besides the capital of its name, the cities of Mérida, Trujillo, San Cristobal, El Rosario de Perijá and San Bartolomé de Sinamaica, with their respective dependencies; but once

4410-450: The coastal area to the foothills of the Oca mountains. The fauna is distributed according to the terrestrial or aquatic habitat of fresh and marine water, lentic and lotic waters, and also ecotone fauna. The dry sub-region includes the municipalities of Paez, Mara, Maracaibo, Miranda, Jesus Enrique Lossada, Cabimas , La Cañada de Urdaneta and Lagunillas. This sub-region is home to vulnerable animal communities, considered to be taxa that face

4500-536: The colonial authorities. In 1824 the Department of Apure was created, under jurisdiction of Barinas, which laid the foundations for the current entity. In 1856 it separated from Barinas and for the first time Apure appeared as an independent province, which in 1864 acquired the status of state. In 1881, however, a new territorial division combined Apure and Guayana to form a single state named Bolívar. In 1899 it reestablished its autonomy and finally, by means of

4590-507: The combined Falcón Zulia state . Its autonomous state status continued until April 1, 1890, when congress legislated the separation of the Falcon-Zulia State. It suffered further territorial changes towards the end of the 19th century, until the current delimitation in 1899 was finally drawn. Since that time the name has remained Estado Zulia . The state of Zulia is a compendium of diverse geographical areas. Plains, mountains,

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4680-451: The dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1830, it was named Maracaibo Province and was one of the 11 provinces of Venezuela . In 1835 the territory of the Province of Maracaibo was divided into the five Cantons: Maracaibo, Perijá, Zulia, Gibraltar and Altagracia. By Decree of April 9, 1850 were added. the territory of the Province of Trujillo the parishes of La Ceiba and La Ceibita, belonging to Maracaibo, so that that Andean Province had an exit to

4770-414: The diversity of resources given by the nature of its geography, geology and hydrography, drawing in its territory a heterogeneous mosaic of potentialities for the economic, social and cultural development, manifested in the practice of agriculture, livestock, forestry, mining, fishing and tourism, with areas under special administration. These elements make Zulia a federal entity capable of contributing within

4860-541: The eastern coast they are distributed in the municipalities of Miranda, Santa Rita, Cabimas, Simón Bolívar, Lagunillas and part of the municipality of Valmore Rodriguez. In the municipality of Paez, these plant formations develop in dry climates with an annual average temperature of 28 °C (82.4 °F), average annual rainfall of 125 mm to 250 mm (5 inches to 10 inches) and in Aridisols and Entisols soils. The vegetation varies in size, density and species from

4950-477: The economic activities, a complex industrial marked by its uniqueness, reinforced by the routes and means of lake-marine communications that facilitate the entry and exit of products and goods to the international market . Consequently, it is a nodal center of development in the western geography of Venezuela that manages and concentrates its internal flows and placed at any point of the planet by its expeditious air, land, sea and lake routes. The state of Zulia, from

5040-564: The effects of the activities human) stand out: the flamingo ( Phoenicopterus ruber ) , distributed in the swamp of Los Olivitos, Miranda municipality, and in the Gran Eneal lagoon, Paez municipality. Although this species cannot be classified as particularly threatened, the loss of its habitats, feeding and nesting areas, together with the lack of adequate management of its shelters, has led to important studies and pro-conservation campaigns, in order to protect and ensure its integrity. Among

5130-665: The independence of Mérida, was segregated with the character of a province, while Maracaibo continued under the Spanish regime until January 18, 1821, on which date it joined the Great Colombia , proclaiming its independence from the Government of Madrid. Zulia Province declared independence from Spain on January 28, 1821. During the Gran Colombia period in 1824, it received the name of " Zulia Department ", honoring

5220-430: The lands are very flat and low, particularly those closest to Lake Maracaibo are flooded during rainy periods or when there is an overflow of rivers, giving rise to alluvial sandy-clay soils. This natural region includes the 21 municipalities that make up the state of Zulia and occupies an area of 24,377.81 km , representing 75.51% of the state. In the center of the depression is the engraved tectonic pit occupied by

5310-565: The llanos is referred to as the godmother of the herd), according to the work of Calzadilla Valdés. Also, they allow the livestock to take refuge from the floods. The ecosystem in the savanna is the result of having been modeled by the wind ( aeolian processes ). It is not, as noted in the Atlas of Venezuela: A Spatial Image ( Atlas de Venezuela: Una imagen espacial , also known as El Atlas de Petróleos de Venezuela ), an ecosystem of "paleodunas", literally 'old dunes,' formed in an environment with

5400-462: The magnitude of this land. The state capital is San Fernando de Apure . Based on the 2011 census information, the estimated population of Apure State in 2011 is 459,025 inhabitants. Apure state derives its name from the Apure River , which runs through the state. The river was known by that name in Spanish no later than the 1648 works of friar Jacinto de Carvajal . The source of the name of

5490-423: The main characters in the novel Doña Bárbara by Rómulo Gallegos . It is almost entirely flat, with extensive plains from the convergence of the Apure, Arauca, and Capanaparo Rivers with the Orinoco to the foothills of the Andes. With little unevenness of terrain, the altitude fluctuates between 40 and 200 meters above sea level. The Apurean llanos feature several important physiographic events, generated by

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5580-514: The marshes. Towards the southeast of the lake, in the sector located between the Pocó and Escalante rivers, there is close contact with the northwestern Andean slope, and there is a reduced relief of excrement cones, terraces and torrential lava flows that sometimes manifest themselves in low, rounded hills. In the northern sector a semi-arid climate prevails, with an irregular pluviometric regime. The annual medial precipitation registered in Maracaibo city

5670-462: The natives by the sword or converting them to Christianity. In the colonial era, Apure was at one time part of the Province of Mérida del Espíritu Santo de la Grita , which merged with Maracaibo in 1676 to form Maracaibo Province . Its territory was part of the territory split from Maracaibo Province in 1786 to form Barinas Province . Apure Province was split from Barinas in 1823, and in 1864 it

5760-745: The natural region of the Corian sierras and the natural region formed by the depression of the Maracaibo lake and the coastal plains of the gulf of Venezuela. The natural region Cordillera de Perijá or western Andean mountain range is located in the west of Zulia state. This unit occupies an area of 4,170.55 km , which represents 12.92% of the state. Part of the most western sectors of the Machiques de Perijá, Rosario de Perijá, Jesús Enrique Lossada, Mara and Guajira municipalities are located in this natural region . The Perijá mountain range can be considered

5850-489: The nature of the mixture. Similarly, exposure to very humid or somewhat drier climatic conditions is relevant. The result is uneven, so that the soils are distributed as follows: in the dune areas, they are acidic and low in nutrients; in sectors of constantly flooded plains, they are of medium quality and deficient in fertility; in the banks they have good drainage and medium textures; and in the northeast (towards Biruaca) they have extraordinary agricultural power. In almost all

5940-515: The northeast and northwest of the state of Zulia. The decrease in vegetation as a result of livestock activity has generated a destruction of their habitat . Among the bird species, the little cardinal ( Carduelis cucullata ) is considered the most threatened not only in Zulia, but in the whole country. The cause of this situation is related to its capture and trade: the beauty of its plumage has been used as an ornament for hats. In less risk (prone to

6030-607: The one he carried out at the end of 1529 along the eastern shore of the lake up to the mouth of the Motatán river, were the first occasions, after the discovery, in which they made contact the Europeans with the Indians living in Lake Maracaibo. These risky enterprises, for which a great deal of value and energy was required, were interesting subjects that inspired the chronicler Juan de Castellanos much of his poetic work concluded by

6120-403: The peculiarity of not being a desert climate but a savannah, with natural grasslands alternating with corridors of jungle and voluminous rivers with sand dunes of more than 100 km (62 mi) in length and 20 m in height. Some of these dunes are used by llaneros to establish dairy farms, which, in addition to processing milk, prepare a group of cattle to go to the head of the pack (which in

6210-485: The people by direct and secret vote for a period of four years and with the possibility of immediate re-election for equal periods, being in charge of the state administration. The formet governor is Ramon Carrizales of the PSUV party for the 2012–2016 term. Since 1989 governors are directly elected by the citizens of the state, the current governor is Ramon Carrizales who has been in office since February 2011, appointed by

6300-414: The physiographic and climatic characteristics of the entity, hence to differentiate the types of existing soils the sectorization of the state is used, even though spatially they do not always maintain continuity, but similarity in the existing types of soil. The state of Zulia, due to its great territorial extension and the great variability of type of landscapes , climate and soil, allows the existence of

6390-428: The place "Little Venice" or Venezuela . The lake has a number of islands, some of which are populated. Near the mouth of the Catatumbo River , where it empties into Lake Maracaibo, is the famous Catatumbo lightning ( Relámpago del Catatumbo ) which is represented on the state's flag and coat of arms by lightning bolts. Due to its geographical location, Zulia has geostrategic and geopolitical advantages combined in

6480-493: The population of the state and its municipalities. Apure is made up of 7 municipalities and 26 parishes. The municipalities Páez and Rómulo Gallegos make up the Distrito del Alto Apure. With a population density of 7 inhabitants/km , Apure is one of the most unpopulated states in the country. Extensive empty or almost uninhabited areas characterize its territory, traditionally affected by a strong emigration towards Aragua and

6570-426: The position. The term of office of the state governor is four years. A governor may be re-elected an undetermined number of times. Apure Apure State ( Spanish : Estado Apure , IPA: [esˈtaðo aˈpuɾe] ) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela . Its territory formed part of the provinces of Mérida , Maracaibo , and Barinas , in accordance with successive territorial ordinations pronounced by

6660-487: The reptiles, the following stand out: the coastal caiman ( Crocodylus acutus ), whose distribution is severely reduced at present, is located mainly in the Pueblo Viejo dam, municipality of Lagunillas. It is an endangered species, threatened mainly by the commercialization of its skin. In lesser risk is a species of turtle, Morroccoy sabanero ( Geochelone carbonaria ), which is distributed in dry forest areas, and

6750-867: The river is less certain, with theories attributing it to the name of a local shrub or to a local indigenous chieftain named Apur. The conquest of Apure began in the mid 17th century when the land was populated by many indigenous peoples, including the Arawak and the Caribs . Actual settlement did not start until the early 18th century with large cattle foundations started by landowners looking to expand their already crowded cattle ranches in San Carlos de Austria and other cities. Some of these included Jose Ignacio Pumar (Marquee of Pumar), Joseph Blanco Y Salazar along with Franciscan missionaries from Andalucia and others missionaries and landowners that would "pacify" and remove

6840-520: The rivers Araure, Mene, Ulé, Tamare, Pueblo Viejo, Machango and Misoa. This landscape corresponds to flat lands, of recent origin and scarce height, which varies between 50 and 100 meters above sea level. The swampy landscape of Zulia State corresponds to the southern lands of Lake Maracaibo . They occupy an area of 1,766.53 km , which represents 5% of the state. In this plain, the Santa Ana River system converges, formed on its left bank by

6930-402: The rivers Limón, Guasare, Cachirí and Socuy (municipalities Mara and Jesús Enrique Lossada); the rivers Palmar, San Juan and Apón (municipalities Rosario de Perijá, Machiques de Perijá and La Cañada de Urdaneta); in the western alluvial plains, while in the eastern alluvial plains (municipalities of Miranda, Cabimas, Santa Rita and Lagunillas) they are the result of the deposition of sediments from

7020-404: The specific case of the northern part of the state, the wind added to the flat relief causes dry climates, with values that vary between 200 mm and 600 mm of average annual precipitation, and a higher average annual evaporation than the precipitation, such as that which occurs in Maracaibo for the period 1993-2003 of 2,339 mm. The distribution of precipitation in the state of Zulia

7110-416: The spectacled bear ( Tremarctos ornatus ), which is in a category of threat (critical danger) due to the pressure exerted by the hunt, which has caused the decrease of the populations of these animals, in spite of being distributed in areas protected by the Venezuelan laws. Since the creation of the Sovereign State of Zulia on February 17, 1864, with the approval of the first State Constitution, it regulates

7200-656: The state is named; the Arauca, at more than 700 km (430 mi) long, which has its source in Colombia and forms the border between the two countries for a stretch, and unites the Apure by means of various branches and springs before flowing into the Orinoco; the Orichuna Channel at more than 500 km (310 mi) long; the Capanaparo , Cinaruco , Cunaviche , Matiyure , and Meta . The upper courses of

7290-505: The structure and function of the government of Zulia. Like all Venezuelan State Constitutions, it is subject to national judicial review. Any of the provisions of the Constitution may be annulled if they conflict with national law and the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The Constitution of the State of Zulia was promulgated on August 13, 2003, and partially amended in 2011, currently in force, thus repealing

7380-465: The territory prevails a vegetation of savannah, herbaceous , grassland , scrub and bushes It is an autonomous and politically equal state, organizing its administration and public powers through the Constitution of the State of Apure. The current Constitution was adopted on 15 October 2002 and partially reformed in 2005. Amendments or Reforms to the Constitution may be proposed by the Legislature,

7470-633: The territory. From the Andean foothills, temperatures will decrease in proportion to the increase in altitude, reaching up to 10 °C in the extreme northwest of the state, above 3,200 meters above sea level in El Tamá. The shape of the precipitation distribution in the Apure state is one of the fundamental characteristics, being related to modifying factors such as latitude, relief, cold fronts and intertropical convergence. They vary in quality and texture according to age and drainage , elements that influence

7560-538: The type of soil, climate, and its hydrological pattern. Protruding between them are zones of dunes, delta plains, and such features as shoals, banks, and estuaries, which are very prone to floods during the rainy season. Furthermore, in the west of the territory, one finds foothills and mountains with altitudes of greater than 3 km, in a portion of the Cordillera Oriental Andina (Eastern Andean Range) that borders Estado Táchira . The state

7650-512: The uplifts of the Perijá and Andean mountain ranges that occurred during the Tertiary period (late Eocene and Oligo-Miocene), and the Falcón mountain ranges (Oligo-Miocene). This pit occupies about 12,870 km of surface. This type of landscape is formed by the deposition of sediments from the rivers of the western and eastern margins of the state of Zulia, specifically in the lower courses of

7740-594: The water masses of the Maracaibo Lake system, "where more than 10,000 m3 of sediments have been accumulated, whose ages are from the Cretaceous (Mesozoic) to the Recent (Cenozoic). These deposits of both marine and terrestrial origin contain an important accumulation of hydrocarbons that make it one of the richest oil basins in South America. The tectonic fossa is a product of the orogenesis directly related to

7830-521: The waters of the Caribbean Sea, on the north side, is given by a line between Punta Espada and Punta Macolla. The distance between both points is 111.12 km. The gulf of Venezuela is a body of water that presents the following movements: of sea, of tides , marine currents and investments of water mass, which provides a high capacity to oxygenate itself and to dilute the pollutants and sediments. Scarce fluvial currents flow into this gulf, due to

7920-525: The year of 1590 under the title of "Elegies of Illustrious Men of the Indies. During the Spanish colonial period, its lands were part of the Venezuela Province until 1676, when its lands were added to the Province of Mérida del Espiritu Santo de la Grita , becoming the province Espiritu Santo de Maracaibo , or Maracaibo Province . The territory that covers the State of Zulia was erected in

8010-680: Was first seen by Europeans in 1499 during an expedition commanded by Alonso de Ojeda . Transferred by the Crown of Spain to German Businessmen (to the banking company of the Welsers of Augsburg), in 1527, the Governorship and lands of the Province of Venezuela, was its factor and governor of: the Province Ambrosio Dalfinger, the first conqueror of those regions. His expedition from Coro to Maracaibo around 1528 and 1529 and

8100-488: Was given state status. Apure has been an autonomous state since 1864, when the Venezuelan territory organized itself as los Estados Unidos de Venezuela, or United States of Venezuela . In 1881 it formed part of the state of Bolívar along with Guayana, but recovered the category of autonomous state in 1899. The state of Apure is located to the southwest of Venezuela, positioned between 06º03’45’’ and 08º04’22’’ latitude North and 66º21’45’’ and 72º22’30’’ longitude West. It

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