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Maracaibo
Maracaibo (/ˌmærəˈkaɪboʊ/ MARR-ə-KY-boh, Spanish: [maɾaˈkajβo] ⓘ; Wayuu: Marakaaya) 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 state and the second-largest city in Venezuela 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[update]. 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 Arawak and Carib 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.
The origin of the name "Maracaibo" is uncertain. One popular legend attributes it to a young indigenous cacique named Mara, who is said to have resisted the Spanish conquistadors and died in battle. According to the story, upon his death, members of the Coquivacoa people shouted "¡Mara cayó!" ("Mara fell!"), which allegedly evolved into the name Maracaibo. However, this explanation is considered unlikely, as it assumes the use of Spanish by indigenous peoples at the time.
An alternative theory suggests that the name derives from the indigenous term "Maara-iwo," meaning "place where serpents abound."
The first indigenous settlements in the region were established by Arawak and Carib peoples. Among them, the Añu tribe built rows of stilt houses along the northern shore of Lake Maracaibo. The first Europeans arrived in 1499.
The city of Maracaibo was founded three times. The first attempt occurred during the Klein-Venedig period (1528–1546), when the Welser banking family of Augsburg was granted control over Venezuela Province by Emperor Charles I of Spain. In August 1529, the German explorer Ambrosius Ehinger led an expedition to Lake Maracaibo, encountering strong resistance from the indigenous Coquivacoa. After a series of battles, he established a settlement on 8 September 1529, naming it German: Neu-Nürnberg ("New Nuremberg") and naming the lake after the chieftain Mara, who had died in combat. The Spanish later renamed the settlement Maracaibo.
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Maracaibo
Maracaibo (/ˌmærəˈkaɪboʊ/ MARR-ə-KY-boh, Spanish: [maɾaˈkajβo] ⓘ; Wayuu: Marakaaya) 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 state and the second-largest city in Venezuela 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[update]. 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 Arawak and Carib 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.
The origin of the name "Maracaibo" is uncertain. One popular legend attributes it to a young indigenous cacique named Mara, who is said to have resisted the Spanish conquistadors and died in battle. According to the story, upon his death, members of the Coquivacoa people shouted "¡Mara cayó!" ("Mara fell!"), which allegedly evolved into the name Maracaibo. However, this explanation is considered unlikely, as it assumes the use of Spanish by indigenous peoples at the time.
An alternative theory suggests that the name derives from the indigenous term "Maara-iwo," meaning "place where serpents abound."
The first indigenous settlements in the region were established by Arawak and Carib peoples. Among them, the Añu tribe built rows of stilt houses along the northern shore of Lake Maracaibo. The first Europeans arrived in 1499.
The city of Maracaibo was founded three times. The first attempt occurred during the Klein-Venedig period (1528–1546), when the Welser banking family of Augsburg was granted control over Venezuela Province by Emperor Charles I of Spain. In August 1529, the German explorer Ambrosius Ehinger led an expedition to Lake Maracaibo, encountering strong resistance from the indigenous Coquivacoa. After a series of battles, he established a settlement on 8 September 1529, naming it German: Neu-Nürnberg ("New Nuremberg") and naming the lake after the chieftain Mara, who had died in combat. The Spanish later renamed the settlement Maracaibo.