Maracaibo

About Maracaibo

Maracaibo is a city and municipality in northwestern Venezuela, located on the western shore of the strait that connects Lake Maracaibo to the Gulf of Venezuela. It is the capital of Zulia and is the second-largest city proper in Venezuela, after the national capital, Caracas. The city has an estimated population of 1,752,602, with the metropolitan area estimated at 2,727,957 as of 2019. Maracaibo is commonly nicknamed "Spanish: La Tierra del Sol Amada" (The Beloved Land of the Sun).

Maracaibo is considered the economic center of western Venezuela due to the petroleum industry that developed along the shores of Lake Maracaibo. It is sometimes referred to as the "First City of Venezuela" for being the first city in Venezuela to adopt various public services, including electricity. The city is also linked to the origin of the country's name, as it is located near the lake from which the name "Venezuela" allegedly derives.

Early settlements in the region were inhabited by Arawakan-speaking and Kalina peoples. The founding of Maracaibo is disputed, with unsuccessful attempts made in 1529 by Captain Ambrosio Ehinger and in 1569 by Captain Alonso Pacheco. The city was eventually founded in 1574 as "Nueva Zamora de la Laguna de Maracaibo" by Captain Pedro Maldonado. It became a key transshipment point for inland settlements after Gibraltar, located at the head of the lake, was destroyed by pirates in 1669. Permanent settlement did not occur until the early 17th century. The discovery of petroleum in 1917 led to rapid population growth due to migration.

Maracaibo is served by La Chinita International Airport, and is connected to the rest of the country by the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA. Photography via Wikimedia Commons.