ZULIA  State

Geopolitical division 
In 1676 Maracaibo it was added to the County of Merida of the Sacred Spirit of Screams Her. In 
1824 are formed the Departamento Zulia. In 1864 it becomes state. In 1867 they are united Merida and 
Táchira. At the end of the century Zulia and Falcon pass to form a single entity: Falcon. When being 
dissolved, conforms to the state Zulia. It is divided in seventeen municipalities and hundred six 
parishes. 

MAP VIAL 
The most important road is the troncal 6 that leads to Táchira. also communicates with Lara 
for the troncal 17, with Falcon for 3 o'clock, and with Merida and Trujillo for the troncal 1. Among those 
populations highlight: Bachaquero, Bobures, Cabimas, Ciudad Ojeda, Cojoro, Concepción, 
Lagunillas, Paraguaipoa, San Rafael, San Carlos of the Zulia, Santa Rita, Sinamaica and Villa of the one 
Rosario. 

Basic DATA 
Capital 
Maracaibo 
Location 
Region Zuliana 
Limits 
North: Caribbean Sea 
South: Merida and Táchira 
This: Falcon, Lara and Trujillo 
West: Colombia 
Surface 63 100 km2. The total surface, 50 230 km2, they are continental lands, the 12 870 km2 remaining 
they are occupied by the lake of Maracaibo and the gulf of Venezuela. 
Percentage of the national territory 
6,88%. it is the fifth entity with bigger surface of the country, without considering the island of Toas. 

TOURISM 
Santa Ana's Chapel, the Cathedral, Santa Bárbara church and the is in Maracaibo 
Basilica of Chiquinquirá. They are also the Museums: Arquidiocesano, of Arts 
Graphic and Urdaneta. As well as the walk of the Sciences, the Planetary Simón Bolívar and the one 
Bridge Rafael Urdaneta or Bridge on the Lake of Maracaibo. Very close the Marsh is of 
the Olive trees and Santa Rosa of Water, where they are still some palafitos. The one is in Bobures 
Municipal spa, the beaches San José and Santa María, and the river Catatumbo, where takes place 
the Lightning of the Catatumbo. The beach Punta Hicotea is in Cabimas and in Ciudad Ojeda the 
beach Stops there. The Park National Marshes of the Catatumbo is in Opposing. In 
Machiques, the National Park Sierra of Perijá and the Indigenous Mission of the Tukuko. In Mene 
Big is the Refinery San Lorenzo and the Monument to the Oil Nationalization. 
In San Rafael of the Moján the beaches Villalobos, The Mercedes and The Palms; the Lagoon of 
Sinamaica, with the palafitos that stay almost intact; as well as the castles: of Our 
Mrs. of the Carmen, of San Carlos of the Bar and of Santa Rosa of it Undermined. 

Geography 
Relief 
It is located on a basin limited by a mountainous system: the Sierra of Perijá and the 
Mountain range of you walk them. In their interior a busy sinking grave opens up for the lake of 
Maracaibo. The Continental Platform and the lake of Maracaibo (body of sweet water more 
extensive of Latin America) they conform 3,5% of the total of the gulf of Venezuela. The plains 
coastal of the Peasant with valleys fluvio-marines, padded lacustrinos, landscapes of the marine coast 
and eolic plains. The Plateau Maracaibo-Machiques with landscapes of plane relief and 
wavy, denudación plains and explayamiento, hills, hills piedemontinas of the Sierra 
of Perijá and low mountains. The Sierra of Perijá formed by serranías of uneven relief, 
with maximum heights of 3 750 m.s.n.m. The Recent Alluvial Depression of the lake of Maracaibo 
occupied by the lake and extensive alluvial plains, of explayamiento, overflow and 
muddy. The floors are sandy in the coast and in the plane lands, while the southeast 
of the lacustrine depression they are aluvionales and of fertile lands. 

Climate 
The annual half temperature oscillates between 18 and 26° Celsius. The climate, to the north, is semi-arid with 
an annual half temperature of 27,8 °C, and a half precipitation that oscillates between 300 and 660 
mm. To the south is more humid, identified as tropical of savanna (Aw), with a precipitation 
mediates that varies among 500 to 1 000 mm. 

Hydrography 
The valley of the lake of Maracaibo has an extensive net hidrográfica formed by the basins of 
the rivers: Lemon, Palmar, Apón, Santa Ana, Catatumbo, Escalante, Chama-Pocó, Misoa, 
Machango, Old Town and Take-the Palmar. The lagoon of Cocinetas is one of the more ones 
important. They highlight the reservoirs of the Hydraulic Complex Luciano Urdaneta. 

Vegetation 
It includes espinares, heaths, swamps and communities xerófilas in the coastal plains, 
forests tropófilas, forests perennifolios in the Piedemonte South Colinoso of Perijá and forests 
semideciduos, the same as heaths in the Serranía of Ziruma. It possesses forest resources, 
among those that highlight: bacú, cinnamon tree, cedar, ceiba, naked Indian, jobo and pomarrosa. 

Fauna 
They exist hábitats that constitute reservorios, as the Sierra of Perijá and the humid atmospheres 
coastal. The most excellent mammals are: I dare melero of the Zulia, river dolphin, picure zuliano, 
chigüire and laziness of two fingers. Among the birds: chicagüire, endemic species of the basin of the one 
lake, galandra, paují stone crest, partridge montañera and marsh polla. The reptiles 
important they are: lizard basilisk, iguana and black morrocoy of the Zulia. The fishing resources 
of the lake they are represented for: bass, jurel, carite, bocachico, manamana and curvina. 

Mineral resources 
It harbors 80% of the proven reservations and semiprobadas of petroleum of the country, 20% of those 
reservations of natural gas and 92% of the reservations of mineral coal; besides counting with: 
get paid, dolimita, limestone, clay and phosphate. Also bill with locations of sands silíceas, 
baritas, calcareous and salt. 

Population 
The entity with bigger population of the country, with 2 235 305 hab according to the XII general Census of 
Population and Housing 1990. During the period 1981-1990 the population experienced a rate 
of growth of 3,3%. with regard to the distribution of the inhabitants, concentrates on the one 
municipality Maracaibo (54,62%). Followed by the municipalities: Cabimas (8,86%) and Lagunillas 
(4,89%). Zulia is population's receiving state, not only of other entities of the country, but 
that for their border position, it attracts to great quantity of Colombians that look for in Venezuela 
better employment opportunities. 

NATIONAL PARKS 
It possesses two National Parks: Sierra of Perijá, located in the Mountain range of Perijá, in the one 
extreme suroccidental, in the frontier with Colombia. Juan Manuel's Marshes or 
Marshes of the Catatumbo, to the Southwest of the lake of Maracaibo. 

Economic ACTIVITY 
Their economy depends on the petroleum. The oil activity is carried out in an intensive way, 
generating an entrance that overcomes the regional domain, because it is the main sustenance of the 
national economy. It covers 80% of the national production of petroleum and hydrocarbons. The high one 
potential of the floors of the south of the lake of Maracaibo, they allow an agricultural development and 
significant cattleman. It is the first producing of diverse agricultural and cattle items: palm 
oil bottle, grape, milk, cheese, bovine livestock, ovino and birds; the second in eggs and the third in 
cambur, banana and won caprino. It is also cultivated: cane of sugar, coconut, yucca, cotton, 
bean, melon and sorghum. The forest production is also significant. The marine resources him 
they transform into the second supplier of fish of the country. In the lake it is fished: bass, jurel, 
carite, bocachico, manamana and curvina, and in the lagoon of Cocinetas: cazón, jurel, mere and 
pargo. The shrimp was abundant in times previous to the seventies, when the began 
saturation of crafts rake-pescadoras that drove to their decrease. 

TRADITIONS 
Although the bagpipe is a musical gender that one interprets with its respective variants in 
many states of Venezuela, it is in the Zulia where has found their biggest development. You 
they distinguish: Santa Lucía's bagpipe, the bagpipe of Tambora, the Gaita Perijanera and the bagpipe of Furro. 
This last one is also known as bagpipe Maracaibera, and it is one of those more diffused in 
the whole national territory. It is not tasted like certain science where was born, but The Empedrao and 
Saladillo is the quarters that are disputed the origin of the bagpipe of Furro. Their chords 
they begin to be listened in the month of October and they don't rest until January. Although they are had 
incorporate different instruments, a typical instrumental group is formed by four, 
maraca, charrasca, drum and furro. This last one, also called furruco, it is indispensable. 
The topics of the compositions are very varied, they go from the protest or social accusation, 
going by the cotidianidad, the country, the love, the Virgin of Chiquinquirá and San Benito.