Güiria Explained

Official Name:Güiria
Nickname:Tierra de Gracia
English: Land of Grace
Pushpin Map:Venezuela
Coordinates:10.5739°N -62.2983°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:Municipality
Subdivision Name:Venezuela
Subdivision Name1:Sucre
Subdivision Name2:Valdez
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:8 December 1767
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Régulo Sucre (PSUV)
Population Total:40000
Population Footnotes:2001 (INE, population projections)
Timezone:VET
Utc Offset:-04:00
Elevation M:10
Population Blank1 Title:Demonym
Population Blank1:Guireño(a)
Area Code:+58 294
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:6161
Blank1 Name:Climate
Blank1 Info:Aw

Güiria is the capital city of Valdez Municipality in the Venezuelan state of Sucre. Güiria was the place where the military campaign for South American independence set out to Upper Peru and also a starting point of the 1901 Venezuelan Civil War (Revolución Libertadora). Founded on 8 December 1767, Güiria is the state's third-largest urban centre, with a population of approximately 40,000. It is an important harbour, the only one in Venezuela located on the open Atlantic Ocean rather than on the Caribbean Sea, and the economic centre of Paria Peninsula, due to it being near the Gulf of Paria's natural gas fields, where several state and private companies have exploration projects.

Climate

Güiria experiences a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: Aw),[1] characterized by consistently hot temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons.

Güiria has a wet season from May to November, while the dry season between January and April receives limited precipitation.

Economy

The natural gas industry has been developed in Güiria by means of the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Industrial Complex (CIGMA), developed by Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). The project's main goal is to promote the economic and industrial growth of Sucre state and to supply natural gas also to the states of Nueva Esparta, Monagas and Anzoátegui. It is planned to be connected in later stages to the nationwide gas distribution system to supply the rest of the country and for export.

Additionally, Güiria produces coconuts, cocoa, tobacco, tubers and fish. Cattle is also raised.

Transportation

Because Güiria is close to the island of Trinidad, there is significant maritime commerce with Trinidad and Tobago.

Popular culture

Cricket is popular in Güiria. Steelpan music from Trinidad and Tobago can be heard in Güiria's carnival, as a cultural influence from the nearby islands.

Güiria has some typical dishes not found in usual Venezuelan cuisine, such as kalalu(callaloo), sauz (souse), pelau and domplina.

On 11 March 2012, Güiria was the landing point of the Atlantic Ocean crossing by Turkish American adventurer Erden Eruç in his Guinness world record setting solo human-powered circumnavigation of the earth, after rowing from Lüderitz, Namibia in about five months.[2] [3]

Notes and References

  1. 23 October 2023 . Table 1 Overview of the Köppen-Geiger climate classes including the defining criteria. . Nature: Scientific Data . en.
  2. Web site: Guinness World Records – First solo circumnavigation of the globe using human power. Guinness World Records. https://web.archive.org/web/20160319015308/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/108422-first-solo-circumnavigation-of-the-globe-using-human-power. 19 March 2016. 16 January 2016. live.
  3. Web site: Media Kit – Project Summary Document. Around-n-Over (PDF file linked from "around-n-over.org/media/mediakit.htm"). 22 August 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160214191249/http://www.around-n-over.org/media/summary_HPC.pdf. 14 February 2016. live. 11 November 2016.