Zulia State

From Freepedia

Estado Zulia
Image:Zulia flag.gif Image:Zulia coa.jpg State flag State Coat of Arms
Zulia State Anthem
Image:Venezuela-zulia.jpg Location whithin Venezuela
Created (given current status)	1864
State capital	Maracaibo
Area	63,100 km²
Population	(2001 est.) - 2,983,679 hab.</br>
ISO 3166-2	VE-V
Governor	Manuel Rosales 2004 - 2007
Website: Gobernación del Estado Zulia Image:Symbole-es.png

Estado Zulia is one of Venezuela's 23 states (estados). The state capital is Maracaibo. The state covers a total surface area of 63 100 km² and, in 2001, had an estimated population of 2 983 679. It is located in the northwestern part of the country.

Geography

Lake Maracaibo, the largest lake in South America, lies within Zulia. The Lake Maracaibo Basin covers one of the largest oil and gas reserves in this hemisphere, bringing enormous wealth to the country. A long and mostly uninhabited border separates Venezuela from Colombia to the north and west from the Guajira Peninsula to the mountains of Perija. Venezuela's Andean states of Tachira, Mérida and Trujillo border Zulia State at the Southern end of Lake Maracaibo and finally the states of Lara and Falcón complete the boundaries of Zulia.

The name Venezuela also comes from the Lake Maracaibo area. Spanish Conquistadors sailing into this area found the indigenous peoples living in communities of huts supported by stilts along the shores of the Lake over 500 years ago and promptly named this new territory "Little Venice" or Venezuela.

Municipalities and municipal seats

1. Almirante Padilla (El Toro)
2. Baralt (San Timoteo)
3. Cabimas (Cabimas)
4. Catatumbo (Encontrados)
5. Colón (San Carlos del Zulia)
6. Francisco Javier Pulgar (Pueblo Nuevo / El Chivo)
7. Jesús Enrique Lossada (La Concepción)
8. Jesús María Semprún (Casigua el Cubo)
9. La Cañada de Urdaneta (Concepción)
10. Lagunillas (Ciudad Ojeda)
11. Machiques de Perijá (Machiques)
12. Mara (San Rafael del Moján)
13. Maracaibo (Maracaibo)
14. Miranda (Los Puertos de Altagracia)
15. Páez (Sinamaica)
16. Rosario de Perijá (La Villa del Rosario)
17. San Francisco (San Francisco)
18. Santa Rita (Santa Rita)
19. Simón Bolívar (Tía Juana)
20. Sucre (Bobures)
21. Valmore Rodríguez (Bachaquero)

Image:EstadosVenezuela03.JPG	States of Venezuela	Image:Venezuela flag 300.png
Amazonas | Anzoátegui | Apure | Aragua | Barinas | Bolívar | Carabobo | Cojedes | Delta Amacuro | Falcón | Guárico | Lara | Mérida | Miranda | Monagas | Nueva Esparta | Portuguesa | Sucre | Táchira | Trujillo | Vargas | Yaracuy | Zulia
Capital District: Caracas
Federal Dependencies
Los Monjes Archipelago | Las Aves Archipelago | Isla Aves | Los Hermanos Island | Los Frailes Island | Los Roques Archipelago | La Sola Island | La Tortuga Island | La Orchila Island | La Blanquilla Island | Los Testigos Island | Isla de Patos