Falcón
Encyclopedia
Falcón State is one of the 23 states (estados)
into which Venezuela
is divided. The state capital is Coro
.
is connected to the rest of the state by the Médanos Isthmus
. The island of Aruba
is 27 km off the northern coast of Paraguaná Peninsula. The other two ABC islands (Bonaire and Curaçao
) are a little further off the coast of the state.
, Morrocoy
, and Juan Crisóstomo Falcón National Park.
and Amerigo Vespucci
, as part of an expedition overseen by Alonso de Ojeda
. The State is named after President Juan Crisóstomo Falcón
.
hills, and is mostly dry with limited agriculture
production. Farming mostly occurs in river valleys and mountainous areas, and includes maize
, coconut
, sesame
, coffee
and sugar cane.
Coro
, the state capitol and the Paraguaná Peninsula have had significant amounts of industrialization and growth. Large oil refineries
such as the Paraguana Refinery Complex
in the city of Punto Fijo
are located on the southwestern shore of the Paraguaná Peninsula, and approximately two-thirds of Venezuela’s total oil production occurs in this area, much of which is exported via tanker ships that ship internationally through the port of Amuay
.
States of Venezuela
Venezuela is divided into 23 states , 1 Capital District and the Federal Dependencies that consist of a large number of Venezuelan islands...
into which Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
is divided. The state capital is Coro
Santa Ana de Coro
Coro is the capital of Falcón State and the oldest city in the west of Venezuela.-History:The city was founded on July 26, 1527 by Spanish colonists. The name "Coro" is believed to be an indigenous word meaning "wind".The city had a turbulent history in colonial times and suffered a number of...
.
Demographics and geography
Falcón State covers a total surface area of 24,800 km² and, in 2010, had an estimated population of 950,057. The Paraguaná PeninsulaParaguaná Peninsula
The Paraguaná Peninsula is a peninsula in Venezuela, situated in the north of Falcón State. The island of Aruba lies 27 km to the north. Bonaire and Curaçao are slightly further away. The Paraguaná Peninsula is connected to the rest of the state by a natural isthmus of Médanos. The Peninsula...
is connected to the rest of the state by the Médanos Isthmus
Médanos Isthmus
The Médanos Isthmus is an isthmus in Venezuela that connects the Paraguaná Peninsula with the rest of Falcón State. The isthmus is approximately 3.72 miles wide and 16.78 miles long. It is the site of the Médanos de Coro National Park.-External links:...
. The island of Aruba
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
is 27 km off the northern coast of Paraguaná Peninsula. The other two ABC islands (Bonaire and Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
) are a little further off the coast of the state.
National parks
There are four national parks in the state: The Médanos de Coro National Park, the Cueva de la Quebrada del ToroCueva de la Quebrada del Toro
The Cueva de la Quebrada del Toro is a national park in the Sierra de Falcón in Falcón State, Venezuela. It is an active river cave, through which flows the largest known underground watercourse in Venezuela.-Wildlife:...
, Morrocoy
Morrocoy National Park
Morrocoy National Park is located in the northwest of Venezuela, between the towns of Tucacas and Chichiriviche, at the south east part of Falcón. Its continental and sea areas include mountains, shoreline, mangrove swamps, coral reefs and little islands called “Cayos”. It has a surface area of...
, and Juan Crisóstomo Falcón National Park.
History
The area was first explored in 1499 by Juan de la CosaJuan de la Cosa
Juan de la Cosa was a Spanish cartographer, conquistador and explorer. He made the earliest extant European world map to incorporate the territories of the Americas that were discovered in the 15th century, sailed first 3 voyages with Christopher Columbus, and was the owner/captain of the Santa...
and Amerigo Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, financier, navigator and cartographer. The Americas are generally believed to have derived their name from the feminized Latin version of his first name.-Expeditions:...
, as part of an expedition overseen by Alonso de Ojeda
Alonso de Ojeda
Alonso de Ojeda was a Spanish navigator, governor and conquistador. His name is sometimes spelled Alonzo and Oxeda.-Early life:...
. The State is named after President Juan Crisóstomo Falcón
Juan Crisóstomo Falcón
Juan Crisóstomo Falcón y Zavarce , was the 20th President of Venezuela as well as military commander during the Federal War. Member of the Liberal party, first served as the supreme chief of a rebel movement in August 1859, but the rebellion was soon crushed. After the Coche treaty, is recognized...
.
Infrastructure
The region is mostly coastal lowlands and the northern Andean mountainAndes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
hills, and is mostly dry with limited agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
production. Farming mostly occurs in river valleys and mountainous areas, and includes maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
, sesame
Sesame
Sesame is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods....
, coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
and sugar cane.
Coro
Santa Ana de Coro
Coro is the capital of Falcón State and the oldest city in the west of Venezuela.-History:The city was founded on July 26, 1527 by Spanish colonists. The name "Coro" is believed to be an indigenous word meaning "wind".The city had a turbulent history in colonial times and suffered a number of...
, the state capitol and the Paraguaná Peninsula have had significant amounts of industrialization and growth. Large oil refineries
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
such as the Paraguana Refinery Complex
Paraguana Refinery Complex
The Paraguaná Refinery Complex is a crude oil refinery located in the Venezuelan state Falcón and currently considered the world´s second largest refinery complex, just after Jamnagar Refinery in India. It's the result of the fusion of Amuay Refinery, Bajo Grande Refinery and Cardón Refinery....
in the city of Punto Fijo
Punto Fijo
Punto Fijo is the capital city of Carirubana Autonomy County of Falcón State, Venezuela. This city are formed for the Urban Parishes of Carirubana and Norte . Is the largest city in the Paraguaná Peninsula. Punto Fijo is located on the north-western shores of the Venezuelan state of Falcón. With a...
are located on the southwestern shore of the Paraguaná Peninsula, and approximately two-thirds of Venezuela’s total oil production occurs in this area, much of which is exported via tanker ships that ship internationally through the port of Amuay
Amuay
Amuay is a fishing town located in the Paraguana Peninsula, in Falcón state, Venezuela. It is a natural bay, also has a fishing port and the bigger part of the Paraguana Refinery Complex is located there....
.
Municipalities and municipal seats
- AcostaAcosta Municipality, FalcónAcosta Municipality is a municipality in Falcón State, Venezuela....
(San Juan de los Cayos) - BolívarBolívar Municipality, FalcónBolívar Municipality is a municipality in Falcón State, Venezuela. The municipality is one of several in Venezuela named "Bolívar Municipality" in honour of Venezuelan independence hero Simón Bolívar....
(San Luis) - BuchivacoaBuchivacoa MunicipalityBuchivacoa Municipality is a municipality in Falcón State, Venezuela....
(Capatárida) - Cacique Manaure (Yaracal)
- Carirubana (Punto FijoPunto FijoPunto Fijo is the capital city of Carirubana Autonomy County of Falcón State, Venezuela. This city are formed for the Urban Parishes of Carirubana and Norte . Is the largest city in the Paraguaná Peninsula. Punto Fijo is located on the north-western shores of the Venezuelan state of Falcón. With a...
) - Colina (La Vela de Coro)
- Dabajuro (DabajuroDabajuroDabajuro is a city and municipality in southwestern Falcón State, Venezuela with a population of 25, 469 .-History:While a small agricultural village existed on the site, it was really in 1914 with the arrival of the oil companies in the Buchivacoa District that Dabajuro became a town...
) - Democracia (Pedregal)
- FalcónFalcón Municipality, FalcónFalcón Municipality is a municipality in Falcón State, Venezuela....
(Pueblo Nuevo) - Federación (Churuguara)
- Jacura (Jacura)
- Los Taques (Santa Cruz de Los Taques)
- Mauroa (Mene de Mauroa)
- MirandaMiranda Municipality, FalcónMiranda Municipality is a municipality in Falcón State, Venezuela. The municipality is one of several in Venezuela named "Miranda Municipality" for independence hero Francisco de Miranda....
(Santa Ana de CoroSanta Ana de CoroCoro is the capital of Falcón State and the oldest city in the west of Venezuela.-History:The city was founded on July 26, 1527 by Spanish colonists. The name "Coro" is believed to be an indigenous word meaning "wind".The city had a turbulent history in colonial times and suffered a number of...
) - Monseñor Iturriza (Chichiriviche)
- Palmasola (Palmasola)
- Petit (Cabure)
- Píritu (Píritu)
- San Francisco (Mirimire)
- Silva (TucacasTucacasTucacas is a northern coastal town of Venezuela. It is located in the state of Falcón. Elevation 1m....
) - SucreSucre Municipality, FalcónSucre Municipality is a municipality in Falcón State, Venezuela. The municipality is one of several in Venezuela named "Sucre Municipality" in honour of Venezuelan independence hero Antonio José de Sucre....
(La Cruz de Taratara) - Tocópero (Tocópero)
- Unión (Santa Cruz de Bucaral)
- Urumaco (UrumacoUrumacoUrumaco is a town in the state of Falcón in Venezuela. It is of world importance for its fossils. The arid climate of the region means that the fossils are not hidden by vegetation. They were first made known to science by geologists who came across them while looking for oil...
) - ZamoraZamora Municipality, FalcónZamora Municipality is a municipality in Falcón State, Venezuela. The municipality is one of several named "Zamora Municipality" for the 19th century Venezuelan soldier Ezequiel Zamora....
(Puerto Cumarebo)