Guárico: Difference between revisions

{{Other uses}}

{{Infobox settlement

| official_name = Guárico State

| native_name = Estado Guárico

| native_name_lang = es

| image_skyline = Reflejo de los Morros.JPG

| image_alt =

| seat_type = Capital

| seat = [[San Juan de los Morros]]

| government_footnotes =

| government_type =

| population_demonym =

| population_note = 2.85% of Venezuela

| postal_code_type =

| postal_code =

| blank_name_sec1 = [[List of emblematic trees of Venezuela|Emblematic tree]]

| blank_info_sec1 = Palma llanera {{nowrap|<small>(Copernicia tectorum)</small>}}

| website = {{url|1=http://www.guarico.gob.ve}}

| footnotes =

}}

 

[[File:Provincia Caracas.jpg|thumb|Map of the province of Caracas that included all the territory of the current state of Guárico]]

 

===Conquest and colony of Spain===

When the Europeans arrived in Venezuela, various ethnic groups inhabited the region that would constitute Guárico. Among these were the Caribs Tamanacos, Palenques and Cumanagotos, as well as groups of Guamos and Otomacos. The latter were in permanent confrontation with the Caribs.

 

The colonization of the region only began in the 17th century and above all in the 18th century. The cacique Chiparara managed to organize Carib and Otomac groups in the Llanos de Guárico to counter-attack the Spanish colonizing forces.4 After they were defeated, around 1653, the Carib and Otomac groups would retreat southward or lose cohesion and would be gradually assimilated.

Many of the settlers who settled in the area were Basque missionaries and encomenderos who founded Altagracia de Orituco on March 1, 1676. Miguel de Urbés, a lieutenant of Joan Orpí, founded the city of Zaraza in 1645 with the name of San Miguel de la Nueva Tarragona del Batey. El Sombrero was founded in 1720. Four years later they founded Calabozo. In 1728 they established the town of Chaguaramas in a place where there were settlements of cumanagotos. Fray Anselmo Isidro de Ardales established the town of Tucupido in 1760 with groups of cumanagotes and palenques. San Juan de los Morros would be founded much later, around 1780.

 

During the war of independence, several battles took place in the region of Guárico.

 

 

On August 2, 1816 the battle of Quebrada Honda near El Socorro took place. The royalists were defeated by the Republican army led by the Scottish adventurer Gregor MacGregor.

In 1856 Guárico became part of the 21 provinces of Venezuela until 1864 when it was declared an independent state, and an integral part of the United States of Venezuela.

 

 

In 1879 the state became part of the Gran Estado Miranda with what is now Bolívar (present-day Miranda), Guzmán Blanco (present-day Aragua), Apure and Nueva Esparta. In 1889 this state was renamed Miranda.

 

[[File:Monumento a san juan el bautista..JPG|thumb|Monument to St. John the Baptist]]

In 1898, Guárico acquired its autonomy again and in 1899 it was ratified by presidential decree. From this date on, it remained an independent state even though it suffered changes in its territory. Its boundaries with the state of Aragua were established by a protocol signed in 1933.

Foreign companies began to exploit oil in the Guárico area in 1946. The fields of El Carrizal and El Sombrero began to attract many workers.

 

 

==Geography==

Guárico is known as "the gateway" to the Central Plains, with a geography of contrasts between mountainous areas near the border of the state of Cojedes, galleys (because of their hat shape) or hills that accompany the course of the river Guárico and an equally wide area of flat land.

[[File:Estero de Camaguán.jpg|thumb|Wild Fauna Reserve "Esteros de Camaguán"]]

 

===Climate===

===Relief===

Most of it is flat and occupies the Central Plains of the country. To the northwest, it has low mountains, also known as Morros, and hills of the Cordillera de la Costa.

===Hydrography===

The state of Guarico is crossed by several rivers, streams and morichals that remain even during the dry months. The rivers of the Unare Basin from Valle de la Pascua head towards the Caribbean Sea and include the main rivers: Unare, Quebrada Honda, Morichito, Ipire and Agua Amarilla. The rest of the state has rivers that are tributaries of the Orinoco River, including the Apure River in its lower basin, Chirgua, Espino, Guárico, Macaira, Manapire, Memo, Tamanaco, Tiznados, Tucupido, Orituco and Zuata.

 

==Municipalities and municipal seats==

[[File:Venezuela - Hileros de Parmana.jpg|thumb|Hileros de Parmana, Leonardo Infante Municipality]]

 

It is important to mention that because the last census was conducted in 2011, the population in the cities has changed significantly over the past few years. It is currently estimated that the capital, San Juan de los Morros is the most populated city in the state of Guarico, with 160,248 inhabitants.

[[File:SAN JUAN DE LOS MORROS -GUARICO 02.JPG|thumb|San Juan de Los Morros, the Capital of Guárico State]]

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=== Race and ethnicity ===

 

 

{| class="wikitable"

! Racial composition !! Population !! %

|-

|-

|-

| [[Afro-Venezuelan|Black]] ||43,368|| style="text-align:right;"|5.8

 

==Education==

===Universities===

*Rómulo Gallegos National Experimental University of the Central Plains

With respect to livestock, the production of cattle and pigs stands out. And within the timber activity, the production of wood in rola is located in the seventh place of the national total.

 

 

===Forest resources===

 

==Tourism==

===San Juan de Los Morros Thermal Waters===

 

===Thermal waters of Gurumen===

[[File:Monumento Natural Morros de Macaira.jpg|thumb|Morros de Macaira, Guárico]]

===Aguaro-Guariquito National Park===

It was created on March 7, 1974. It covers an area of 596,000 ha, making it the second largest national park in Venezuela. Its area is covered by savannahs and forests, rivers, lagoons and a rich flora of great color and beauty and a varied fauna. It is located in the south of Guárico State, between the municipalities of Sebastián Francisco de Miranda and Las Mercedes.

===Aristides Rojas Natural Monument (Morros de San Juan)===

[[File:Monumento nacional aristides rojas, "los morros de san juan".JPG|thumb|Aristides Rojas Natural Monument]]

 

The name and current boundaries of the province are the result of the political organization defined in the Ley de División Político Territorial (Political Territorial Division Law) of April 28, 1856. The name comes from the Guárico River, which in the Caribbean dialect means cacique.

 

===Tourist Carnival of the Venezuelan Eastern Plain===

 

===Fairs of San Miguel Arcángel===

 

===Candlemas Fairs===

Religious and socio-cultural festivities, which take place in the first week of February, motivated by the day of Our Lady of Candelaria on February 2. They take place in Valle de la Pascua. They are considered one of the most important fairs in the state, where there are also agricultural and livestock exhibitions, with national call and / or participation.

[[File:TOROS COLEADOS.jpg|thumb|Toros Coleados in Guárico]]

===Cruz Wake===

 

===The Guarandol Bird===

 

===La Burriquita===

Another dish is the fried permitta, where the meat of this exquisite fish is used, seasoned with garlic, salt and lemon; then it is fried wrapped in flour. It is also very famous the morrocoy cake, a very appreciated dish all over the country, whose elaboration is based on the morrocoy meat, seasoning, raisins, eggs, potatoes, wine and spices. The variant of this recipe -considered a delicacy- is the turtle cake, which has the same ingredients, except for the meat. In some parts of the country, this culinary tradition has been diminished for ecological reasons, in order to preserve the species. However, there are still many places where it can be tasted.

[[File:Trio alborada venezuela san juan de los morros.JPG|thumb|Llanera music group in Guárico]]

===Joropo===

The joropo is sung and danced all over Venezuela. It is not only a danceable expression, but also a party where corridos, galerones, golpes, passages and other folkloric tonalities are sung and danced. It takes place at any time of the year and the motive can be a baptism, birthday or the celebration of a patron saint's day. The music of the joropo is played with typical instruments such as cuatro, maracas and harp, which accompany songs and choruses.

 

 

==See also==

 

{{Administrative divisions of Venezuela}}

 

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guarico}}