Vargas (state)
Encyclopedia
Vargas State is one of the 23 states
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...

 of Venezuela. Named after Venezuela's first non-military president, José María Vargas
José María Vargas
José María Vargas was the 4th President of Venezuela from 1835–1836.-Life and career:...

, Vargas comprises a coastal region in the north of Venezuela, bordering Aragua
Aragua (state)
Aragua State is located in the north-central region of Venezuela. It has plains and jungles and Caribbean beaches. The most popular are Cata and Choroni...

 to the west, Miranda
Miranda (state)
Miranda State is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. It is ranked second in population among Venezuelan states, after Zulia State. In June 30, 2010, it had approximately 2,987,968 residents. It also has the greatest Human Development Index in Venezuela, according to the...

 to the east, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Capital District
Venezuelan Capital District
The Capital District of Venezuela is a federal district corresponding to the capital Caracas. It has an area of 433 km² and there is only one administrative division , Libertador, which contains about half City of Caracas. It is the seat of the federal government and the head of the public...

 to the south. It is home to both the country's largest seaport
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....

 and airport. The state capital is La Guaira
La Guaira
La Guaira is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Vargas and the country's chief port. It was founded in 1577 as an outlet for Caracas, to the southeast. The town and the port were badly damaged during the December 1999 floods and mudslides that affected much of the region...

.

In 1999, the geographic center of Vargas state suffered major floods and landslides, known as La Tragedia de Vargas (the Vargas Tragedy)
1999 Vargas mudslide
The 1999 Vargas tragedy was a disaster that struck the Vargas State of Venezuela in December 1999, when the torrential rains and the flash floods and debris flows that followed on 14–16 December killed tens of thousands of people, destroyed thousands of homes, and led to the complete collapse of...

, causing major losses of life and property, and resulting in forced population movements including the virtual disappearance of some small towns. Thousands died, and many more fled the area to other states.

History

This region of Venezuela has undergone important changes over the years, and while the geographical borders have remained, the territorial delineation has varied. The area was previously one of the departments of the Venezuela's Federal District (the other being the Libertador department, now Libertador Municipality
Libertador Municipality (Venezuelan Capital District)
The Libertador Bolivarian Municipality is the only administrative division of the Venezuelan Capital District and along with the municipalities of Baruta, Chacao, El Hatillo and Sucre forms the Metropolitan District of Caracas. It is located in the western portion of Caracas. It is landlocked by...

), and the governor of this region was chosen by the national government. The area later evolved into a municipality, but was still dependent on the governor of the Federal District. In the 1990s there were increased calls for Vargas to become a separate entity, distinct from Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...

. In 1998 the government of Rafael Caldera
Rafael Caldera
Rafael Antonio Caldera Rodríguez was president of Venezuela from 1969 to 1974 and again from 1994 to 1999.Caldera taught sociology and law at various universities before entering politics. He was a founding member of COPEI, Venezuela's Christian Democratic party...

 decreed Vargas as an independent municipality, separate from the Federal District, with the statute of Federal Territory. Shortly after it became the 23rd state of 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...

.

In mid-December 1999, after several days of ever-increasing rains pouring over the Central Mountain Range
Cordillera de la Costa Central
The Cordillera de la Costa Central is a range of mountains in Venezuela, which run east to west along the country's northern coast. It is also known as the Central Range.In the east they follow the border between the states of Vargas and Miranda...

 and the piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...

 within the span of 24 hours along the coastline for about 45 km., the state suffered from massive floods
1999 Vargas mudslide
The 1999 Vargas tragedy was a disaster that struck the Vargas State of Venezuela in December 1999, when the torrential rains and the flash floods and debris flows that followed on 14–16 December killed tens of thousands of people, destroyed thousands of homes, and led to the complete collapse of...

 which resulted in severe losses of life and property. In its wake as of December 16, the surviving population witnessed the massive destruction of most of the state infrastructure, including the collapse of most roads, bridges, housings, public and private buildings, and of basic services as electricity and communications; in which thousands were killed or missing. Official estimates some 50,000 dead or missing, but the real figure may be much higher. In the following weeks nearly the entire state's population was displaced. Locals refer to the Dec. 1999 disaster as "La Tragedia de Vargas" (the Vargas' Tragedy). Such climatic phenomenon (of extraordinarily high rainfall levels) appears to be periodical, having a cycle of about 70 years, and probably has occurred hundreds, perhaps thousands of times since a distant past.

Geology

The geology of the state corresponds with the Coast Mountain range. It has as geologic limit, the fault of La Victoria, where the rocks of the Gran Caracas group arise, on the igneous-Metamorphico plinth of the Sebastopol Complex of the inferior Paleozoic. Also they are located the formation: Peña de Mora of the Mesozoic, the Migmático Complex of Todasana of the superior Cretaceous, the formation of Las Pailas del plioceno tardío, and the Abisina formation composed by sea sediments.

Relief

It is formed by one narrow coastal area on the Caribbean Sea, of about 160 km of length, that falls steeply to the sea. It compares to this line rises the mountainous area of the Coast, that reaches heights superior to the 2000 ms, being the hills, Agustín Codazzi (2 425m.s.n.m), and Naiguatá (2 765 m.s.n.m) as well as the Row of Avila.

Climate

The climate is classified as tropical and warm. The annual average temperature oscillates between 25,6º and 27º Celsius. According to the climatic classification of Koeppen, the climate is of steppe characterized by dryness, because the evaporation surpasses precipitations. Annual precipitation varies from 1530 to 900 mm.

Hydrography

The water obstacles that end to the sea are of low volume, short passage and torrential behavior. Between the rivers, they emphasize: Chuspa, Caruao, Todasana, San José de Macuto, Mamo, Los Caracas, Osma, La Sabana, Maya, Chichiriviche, Oricao, Limón, Naiguatá and San Julián.

Vegetation

The dry-tropical forest forms a parallel strip to the coast, with species like: cují, dividivi, araguaney, indio desnudo, ceiba
Ceiba
Ceiba is the name of a genus of many species of large trees found in tropical areas, including Mexico, Central America, South America, The Bahamas, Belize and the Caribbean, West Africa, and Southeast Asia...

, caro-caro, almendron, mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...

, and jabillo
Sandbox Tree
Hura crepitans , the Sandbox tree, also known as Possumwood and Jabillo, is an evergreen tree of the spurge family , native to tropical regions of North and South America in Amazon Rainforest. It is recognized by the many dark, pointed spines and smooth brown bark...

, among many others.

Geopolitical division

In 1825, La Guaira conforms the Province of Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...

. In 1850, Maiquetía is created. In 1864, La Guaira
La Guaira
La Guaira is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Vargas and the country's chief port. It was founded in 1577 as an outlet for Caracas, to the southeast. The town and the port were badly damaged during the December 1999 floods and mudslides that affected much of the region...

 and Maiquetía
Maiquetía
Maiquetía is a city in the Vargas state of Venezuela, near Caracas.Simón Bolívar International Airport, which handles both international and domestic flights, is located in the city....

 form a District. In 1872 is created the Federal District and in 1904 is divided in two parts, one of them of the Vargas Department. In 1986 Vargas is declared independent municipality, but part of the Federal District. In 1998 the state is created. At the moment it divides in one municipality and eleven parishes.
  • Vargas State covers a total surface area of 1,497 km².

Parishes

  • Caraballeda
  • Carayaca
  • Carlos Soublette (Maiquetía)
  • Caruao (La Sabana)
  • Catia La Mar
    Catia La Mar
    Catia La Mar is a city and port in the municipality of Vargas, in the State of Vargas in Maiquetía, Venezuela. It is Maiquetia's neighbor to the west.Catia la Mar is about 10 minutes from Simón Bolívar International Airport ....

  • El Junco
  • La Guaira
    La Guaira
    La Guaira is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Vargas and the country's chief port. It was founded in 1577 as an outlet for Caracas, to the southeast. The town and the port were badly damaged during the December 1999 floods and mudslides that affected much of the region...

  • Macuto
  • Maiquetía
    Maiquetía
    Maiquetía is a city in the Vargas state of Venezuela, near Caracas.Simón Bolívar International Airport, which handles both international and domestic flights, is located in the city....

  • Naiguatá
  • Raul Leoni (Catia La Mar)

Law and government

  • State government: The constitution of Venezuela
    Constitution of Venezuela
    ||The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the current and twenty-sixth constitution of Venezuela. It was drafted in mid-1999 by a constitutional assembly that had been created by popular referendum. Adopted in December 1999, it replaced the 1961 Constitution - the longest...

     specifies that the state government is divided into executive
    Executive (government)
    Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...

     and legislative branches. The executive government is directed by the governor
    Governor
    A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...

    , while the legislative government is managed by the Legislative council. The Governor of Vargas is the head of the executive power of the state. According to the 160 article of the Constitution of Venezuela
    Constitution of Venezuela
    ||The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the current and twenty-sixth constitution of Venezuela. It was drafted in mid-1999 by a constitutional assembly that had been created by popular referendum. Adopted in December 1999, it replaced the 1961 Constitution - the longest...

    , the governor must be Venezuelan, greater of twenty-five years and Secularity state, is chosen by a four years term, by simple majority, and can be reelected by another period.
  • Municipal government: The constitution of Venezuela
    Constitution of Venezuela
    ||The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the current and twenty-sixth constitution of Venezuela. It was drafted in mid-1999 by a constitutional assembly that had been created by popular referendum. Adopted in December 1999, it replaced the 1961 Constitution - the longest...

     specifies that municipal governments be divided into executive
    Executive (government)
    Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...

     and legislative branches. The executive government of the municipality is governed by the mayor, while the legislative government is managed by the Municipal council.

Economy

The main economic activity of the state has turned around the Harbor and the Airport. Additionally to these primary activities, before the 1999 Tragedy, the state had an intense local and foreign visitor activity, with growing investment in residential areas, social clubs, Hotels, Restaurants and other facilities.
  • Since the 1999 tragedy, many of these investments have come down, the value of the property and land has lowered, and many hotels, restaurants, and tourist facilities have disappeared.
  • The slow recovery and/or rebuilding of destroyed roada and services, the enormous difficulties of transportation of people and goods, and the overall status of insecurity that ensued after the tragedy greatly affected many industries, many shops, stores, offices and social clubs disappeared or were closed, the major hotels closed down, and hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost. As a consequence, the tourism industry has all but disappeared.

La Guaira Harbor: is the second port of 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...

, in order of traffic and payload volumes, and constitutes the front door of consumer goods, destined to the metropolitan area of Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...

 and the states: Vargas, Miranda
Miranda (state)
Miranda State is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. It is ranked second in population among Venezuelan states, after Zulia State. In June 30, 2010, it had approximately 2,987,968 residents. It also has the greatest Human Development Index in Venezuela, according to the...

 and Aragua
Aragua (state)
Aragua State is located in the north-central region of Venezuela. It has plains and jungles and Caribbean beaches. The most popular are Cata and Choroni...

.

Simon Bolivar International Airport, Maiquetia: is located in Maiquetía, 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...

, about 13 miles from Downtown Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...

, the capital of Venezuela. Simply called 'Maiquetia' by the local population, this is the most important airport of the twelve international airports in Venezuela, it handles flights to & from many important cities in the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe.

Beaches

  • Aeropuerto
  • Caruao
  • La Punta
  • Marina Grande
  • Punta Care
  • Anare
  • Catia La Mar
  • La Sabana
  • Naiguatá
  • Quebrada Seca
  • Arrecífe
  • Chichiriviche
  • La Salina
  • Oricao
  • San Luis
  • Bahía Marina
  • Chuspa
    Chuspa
    Chuspa is a village in the Venezuelan state of Vargas. The village is mainly a fishermen's location with some tourist attractions. It is connected through a coast road with La Guaira and Higuerote. The town is located at the side of the Chuspa river....

  • La Zorra
  • Oritapo
  • Sheraton
  • Bikini
  • Círculo Militar
  • Larga
  • Osma
  • Taguao
  • Buchón
  • El Burro
  • Los ángeles
  • Pantaleta
  • Tarma
  • Camurí Chico
  • El Chorrito
  • Los Caracas
  • Paraíso
  • Todasana
  • Candileja
  • El Farallón
  • Los Cocos
  • Puerto Carayaca
  • Urama
  • Caribito
  • Escondida
  • Macuto
  • Puerto Cruz
  • Verde

  • Folklore

    The Afro-Venezuelan music is the representation par excellence of all this region, the main folkloric celebrations where the drums and the joy of the population present, are:
    • Biblical Magi
      Biblical Magi
      The Magi Greek: μάγοι, magoi), also referred to as the Wise Men, Kings, Astrologers, or Kings from the East, were a group of distinguished foreigners who were said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh...

       (January 6). Christianity in the Vargas state celebrates the Magi on the day of Epiphany, January 6, the last of the twelve days of Christmas, with the name of the three kings ("Los Tres Reyes Magos"), receive wish letters from children and magically bring them gifts on the night before Epiphany.
    • Virgin of La Candelaria day (February 2). The Celebrations of th Virgin of La Candelaria, is conformed by the conducts of popular faith, dances and cultural manifestations, disguises, masks and bands who lead expressions festive sensitivity.
    • The Burial of the Sardine (From February 7 to February 12). Like all festive period, the Carnival
      Carnival
      Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...

       has a beginning and an end, before the Lent, the citizens burns a symbolic doll.
    • Saint Joseph day
      Saint Joseph
      Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....

        (March 19). As so many other traditions in the Vargas state, the celebration of Saint Joseph day is commemorated on March 19.
    • Virgin of El Carmen day (July 16). Masses, processions, and celebrations, unites the devotee people of the Virgin of El Carmen, each July 16.
    • Our Lady of Coromoto (celebrated three times in the year, February 2, February 8 and September 11). The Venezuelan people celebrate to their spiritual pattern in three occasions every year, February 2, February 8 and September 11. The National Sanctuary of the Virgin of Coromoto, place of encounter of great peregrinations, was declared Basilic by the Pope Pius XII, on May 24, 1949.
    • Feast of the Holy Innocents (December 28). The Catholic Church commemorates the eighth day of the birth of Jesus, with the death of the Holy Innocents, in honor to the children assassinated by order of the King Herod
      Herod the Great
      Herod , also known as Herod the Great , was a Roman client king of Judea. His epithet of "the Great" is widely disputed as he is described as "a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis." He is also known for his colossal building projects in Jerusalem and elsewhere, including his...

      . In 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...

       and the Vargas state, December 28 is a day for pranks
      Practical joke
      A practical joke is a mischievous trick played on someone, typically causing the victim to experience embarrassment, indignity, or discomfort. Practical jokes differ from confidence tricks in that the victim finds out, or is let in on the joke, rather than being fooled into handing over money or...

      , equivalent to April Fool's Day in many countries. Prank victims are called innocentes.
    • Saint John the Baptist day (June 24). In 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...

      , the celebartions in honor to Saint John the Baptist have singular importance from the colonial time to the present, mainly in those Afro-Venezuelan populations.

    Historical seats

    • Guipuzcoana house: This imposing colonial construction, was constructed between 1734 and 1736 by instructions of the King Felipe V
      Philip V of Spain
      Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...

      , the specific function of the Guipuzcoana Company
      Guipuzcoana Company
      The Real Compañía Guipuzcoana de Caracas was a Spanish trading company in the 18th century, operating from 1728 to 1785, which had a monopoly on Venezuelan trade...

       consisted in the defense of the coasts and commerce of 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...

      . It is now the current seat of the Vargas state government.
    • San Carlos Fort: Its construction dates from 1769, according to the project of the Miguel Roncalí, the Count of Roncalí. Nevertheless, for its construction were used the foundations and some parts of another fort that according to Enrique Rivodo existed from 1604. The fort is designed in star form, was designated National Historical Monument in 1876.
    • El Vigía Fort: Was constructed at the beginning of the 18th century, by Don Francisco Alberreo. Thence they announced with the sound of bells and hoisting flags, the arrival of the ships to the port, its view is impressive.
    • Colonial zone of La Guaira: On June 29, 1589, Don Diego de Osorio y Villegas found the population of San Pedro de la Guaira, nowadays this colonial constructions, with their facades and ample windows can be appreciated in this beautiful parish.

    Vargas Coast and its beaches

    From the heights of El Ávila we can contemplate the winding coastline of the Caribbean fringed by royal palm trees. A few kilometres out of Caracas
    Caracas
    Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...

     are the extensive beaches of the central coastline: Playa Grande, Catia La Mar, Macuto, Caraballeda, El Palmar, Naiguatá and Anare, however a walk around the central coast must begin at La Guaira
    La Guaira
    La Guaira is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Vargas and the country's chief port. It was founded in 1577 as an outlet for Caracas, to the southeast. The town and the port were badly damaged during the December 1999 floods and mudslides that affected much of the region...

    , which since its foundation has been the port of Caracas
    Caracas
    Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...

    .

    La Guaira
    La Guaira
    La Guaira is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Vargas and the country's chief port. It was founded in 1577 as an outlet for Caracas, to the southeast. The town and the port were badly damaged during the December 1999 floods and mudslides that affected much of the region...

    , together with its varied maritime and commercial activities has preserved the atmosphere of the colonial period. The forts of El Vigía and La Pólvora remind us the time when the city had to defense itself against the attacks of pirates and buccaneers. It could be said that history always came to La Guaira, for better or for worse, via the sea. The wealth that reached it through its port also attracted pirates who devastated it, sacking the town on many occasions.

    Among the remains of the colonial period, La Guaira has preserved the following noteworthy monuments: Guipuzcoana house, Bolívar street, the San Carlos fort, the Guamacho and Muchinga gangways, the Pasaje Urrutia, and the Puente Jesús.

    This state and its capital, are land of sailors, where the women tell of loneliness and where the men tell of sea-fairing and storms.

    Reference: The coast and its beaches, by Maurice Wiesenthal, article appeared in the book Caracas, published in 1981.

    See also

    • 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...

    • States of Venezuela
      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...

    • 1999 Vargas mudslide
      1999 Vargas mudslide
      The 1999 Vargas tragedy was a disaster that struck the Vargas State of Venezuela in December 1999, when the torrential rains and the flash floods and debris flows that followed on 14–16 December killed tens of thousands of people, destroyed thousands of homes, and led to the complete collapse of...

      catastrophe
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