Zulia

Zulia State (Spanish: Estado Zulia, IPA: ; Wayuu: Mma’ipakat Suuria) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The capital city is called Maracaibo. As of the 2011 census, it was the most populated state in the country, with over 3 million people living there.

Zulia is found in the northwestern part of Venezuela and borders Lake Maracaibo, which is the largest lake in Latin America. This lake holds important oil and gas resources, making the area very significant for energy.

The state plays a big role in Venezuela's economy. Besides oil and minerals, Zulia is also a key area for farming. It helps provide important foods such as bananas, fruits, meat, and milk, as well as raising many animals for livestock.

Toponymy

There are different ideas about where the name Zulia comes from. One story says that a man named Guaimaral, who was the son of a leader named Mara, fell in love with a woman named Zulia during a trip. Sadly, she was killed fighting against people who were trying to take over their land. Guaimaral brought her memory back to his home by naming places and rivers after her. Though we don’t have much proof, this is the story most people know.

History

Before Colonization

For a very long time, many different groups of Indigenous people lived in the area that is now Zulia. Some of these groups included the Yukpa, Barí, Arawakos (Western), Timotes and Cuica, Caquetío, Wayúu, and Añú.

Spanish Colonization

Europeans first saw the land now called Zulia in 1499, led by Alonso de Ojeda. Later, the Spanish took control of the area. In 1527, they gave control to a banking family from Augsburg, Germany. An explorer named Ambrosio Dalfinger was the first leader of the area and led trips to places like Maracaibo.

During this time, Zulia was part of a larger area called Venezuela Province. Later, it became part of another area named Maracaibo Province. Over many years, the area changed hands and names many times.

Republican period

In 1821, Zulia declared independence from Spain. Later, it was called the Zulia Department. After a country called Gran Colombia broke apart in 1830, Zulia became its own province again. Over time, the area was divided and renamed several times. Finally, in 1874, it was officially called Zulia State. It joined with another area called Falcón for a short time but became separate again in 1890. Since 1899, it has kept the name "Estado Zulia".

Geography

Zulia has many different landscapes. It has flat areas, mountains, and Lake Maracaibo. This lake gets water from about 135 rivers.

The area also has lagoons, swamps, and marshes, especially near rivers and wetlands like Ciénagas del Catatumbo National Park. Zulia has both dry and very wet places, which makes the weather there vary a lot. There are busy cities like Maracaibo and huge wild areas like the Perijá mountains and Juan Manuel swamps. Some parts of Zulia are very rich, while others are poor because development has not been even.

The Lake Maracaibo Basin covers much of the north and west of Zulia, from the Guajira Peninsula to the Perijá Mountains. The Venezuelan Andean states of Táchira, Mérida and Trujillo border Zulia at the southern end of Lake Maracaibo.

The name Venezuela may come from Lake Maracaibo. When Spanish explorers arrived, they saw people living in houses on stilts by the lake. This reminded them of Venice, so they called the place "Little Venice" or Venezuela. The lake has several islands, some with people living on them.

Near where the Catatumbo River flows into Lake Maracaibo, there is famous Catatumbo lightning. This lightning is shown on Zulia’s flag and coat of arms.

Because of where it is located, Zulia has important advantages. The many different lands, rocks, and water systems give the area many natural resources. These help with farming, raising animals, forests, mining, fishing, and tourism. The roads and paths on the lake and sea help with trade, making Zulia a key place for business in western Venezuela.

Geographically, Zulia is a low area around the Lake Maracaibo basin, surrounded by mountains and coastal lowlands. The shape of the land was formed by the movement of the South American Plate with the Caribbean Plate and pieces of the Nazca Plate. This movement during the Upper Eocene and Miocene–Pliocene time periods shaped the Andes and Perijá Mountains and made the Maracaibo basin and the lands around it.

These processes made the Perijá Mountains rise more gently than the Andes. To the southeast, the Sierra de Ziruma extends as a pre-mountain range made mainly of rocks from the Tertiary period. Zulia has three main natural areas: the Perijá Mountain Range, the Corian Sierras, and the Maracaibo basin with its nearby coastal plains near the Gulf of Venezuela.

Perijá mountain range

Main article: Serranía del Perijá

The Cordillera de Perijá, also called the western Andean mountain range, is in the west of Zulia. This area covers 4,170.55 km², which is 12.92% of the whole state. Parts of Machiques de Perijá, Rosario de Perijá, Jesús Enrique Lossada, Mara, and Guajira are in this area.

The Perijá mountain range is a tectonic horst. It starts in the Intermedio River valley and runs south–north until it reaches the Montes de Oca, where the lowlands of the Guajira isthmus begin. The range has five main parts: the Sierra de Motilones, Sierra de Perijá, Sierra de Valledupar, Montes de Oca, and the hills and valleys around them.

Valleys

Between the Perijá mountain range and Lake Maracaibo is a wide, flat area. Because of differences in shape, water flow, soil, and plants, this area can be split into two zones.

The northwest has gently rolling land with small hills, not many rivers, sandy soil, and not much plant material.

The south, between the Palmar River and the Catatumbo River, is very flat and low. Near Lake Maracaibo, the land can flood during rainy times or when rivers overflow. This makes sandy-clay soils there.

Lake Maracaibo Depression

This area includes the 21 municipalities that make up Zulia state. It covers 24,377.81 km², which is 75.51% of the state. At the center is a deep basin filled with water from Lake Maracaibo. More than 10,000 m³ of sediments have built up there. These sediments are from the Cretaceous to the Recent Cenozoic time and come from both the sea and land.

These rock layers have a lot of hydrocarbons, making the Maracaibo Basin one of the richest oil areas in South America.

The basin formed because of movements of the Earth’s surface related to the rising of the Perijá and Andean mountains during the Tertiary period and the rising of the Falcón mountains. The basin covers about 12,870 km² of surface area.

Alluvial plains

These landscapes are made by rivers dropping sediments along the west and east edges of Zulia. This happens mainly in the lower parts of the Limón, Guasare, Cachirí, and Socuy rivers and in the Palmar, San Juan, and Apón rivers.

In the east, the plains are made by sediments from the Araure, Mene, Ulé, Tamare, Pueblo Viejo, Machango, and Misoa rivers.

These plains are flat, very new geologically, and not very high above sea level, usually between 50 and 100 meters.

Swamps of Southern Lake Maracaibo

The swampy lands of Zulia are in the south of Lake Maracaibo. They cover 1,766.53 km², which is 5% of the state. In this area, the Santa Ana River system comes together. It is formed on one side by the Lora and Aricuaisá Rivers and on the other by the Tucuro and Río Negro Rivers. This creates lands that flood easily with many river channels, lagoons, and lakes. One special place here is the Ciénagas de Juan Manuel National Park.

To the southeast of Santa Ana, near the south part of the lake, the Catatumbo river system adds more water and sediments to the swamps. Toward the southeast of the lake, between the Pocó and Escalante rivers, there is contact with the northwest Andean slope. There are small hills, terraces, and lava flows that sometimes show up as low, round hills.

Climate

In the north part of Zulia, there is a semi-arid climate with rain that does not come often. In Maracaibo, the yearly rain is between 358 and 665.99 mm, and the average temperature is 28 °C. Rain increases in the west and east of Lake Maracaibo, making a wet tropical savanna climate. There, temperatures are between 27 °C and 28 °C, and rain is over 1,000 mm, as seen in Mene Grande. In the south part of the lake, there is even more rain, making a tropical rainforest climate with about 2,556 mm of rain each year, and more than 3,500 mm in the high parts of the Serrania de Perija.

Zulia’s place and many different lands, plus Lake Maracaibo, give the state many kinds of weather. These include desert climates, semi-and tropical climates, tropical savannah and sub-humid forest climates, tropical rainforest and savannah climates, tropical monsoon climate, tropical rainforest climate, very humid tropical temperate climate, humid tropical temperate climate, and mountain climates that are not fully known.

Lake Maracaibo and its basin help make a lot of rain. But in the north part of the state, wind and flat land make it dry, with yearly rain between 200 mm and 600 mm and much more water loss from the land than rain. For example, Maracaibo lost 2,339 mm of water each year from 1993 to 2003.

Rain in Zulia changes based on how far north or south you are. It goes up from north to south in Maracaibo (488 mm), Cabimas (528.9 mm) and Santa Bárbara (1,366.5 mm). This pattern follows the distance from north to south, except in El Tucuco (2,032.9 mm), where there is more rain because the land is higher (205 meters above sea level) and this helps make more rain.

Hydrography

The shape of Zulia is a semicircular low area that makes a pattern where water from around flows to one place: Lake Maracaibo. This pattern is called radial drainage.

Zulia’s water system has many river areas and smaller areas that cover parts of Zulia, Lara, Táchira, Mérida, Trujillo, and parts of Colombia. Most of these rivers flow into the connected system of Lake Maracaibo, the Maracaibo Strait, and El Tablazo Bay.

Some people think the Maracaibo system has four related water bodies: the Gulf of Venezuela, El Tablazo Bay, the Maracaibo Strait, and Lake Maracaibo. Even though the area where salt and fresh water mix is mainly the strait and bay, we cannot fully understand the plants and animals there without thinking about all the nearby waters.

The Gulf of Venezuela is important for the ocean’s actions in the area because of its depth, movements, and the kinds of chemicals in its water. These things affect how well the gulf can take in and spread out pollutants. The gulf is north of the Maracaibo low area and covers about 17,840 km² not counting El Tablazo Bay. It has a rough rectangle shape, with a long side going northeast–southwest. Its outer edge with the Caribbean Sea is a line from Punta Espada to Punta Macolla, which is 111.12 km long.

The gulf has many water movements, like tides, sea currents, and water mixings, which help it get oxygen and spread out pollutants. Because the land around is dry, few rivers flow straight into the gulf. The main water coming in comes from the mountains in Falcón State.

Within the Lake Maracaibo basin, 21 big smaller areas of rivers have been found, some going past Zulia’s borders. The biggest is the Catatumbo River Basin, covering 25,708.36 km² — more than a quarter (32.60%) of the whole Maracaibo basin.

Soils

The soils in Zulia, in the Lake Maracaibo low area, come from many things working together. These include the shape of the land, weather, what the land is made of, plants, and how soil is made.

Zulia’s different soils show the state’s land shapes and weather. To tell apart the soil types, the land is usually split into areas. Even though these areas may not be next to each other, they have soil features in common.

Vegetation

Zulia has many plants because it is big and has many different lands, weather, and soils. According to Huber’s way of grouping them, plants can be trees, bushes, and herbs. Tree plants include coastal mangroves, dry to semi-deciduous lowland forests, lowland evergreen forests, and mountain forests.

It is thought that the total area of mangroves in Zulia is 116.3 km², located in Cocinetas, Peonias, Sinamaica and Los Olivitos lagoons, and the mouth of the Limón River. The coastal wetlands of the whole Maracaibo system are about 5,683 km², with big areas in the south lake region including the swamps of Juan Manuel de Aguas Claras and Aguas Negras. Mangrove plants are thick and have main kinds such as red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), black and pink mangrove (Avicennia germinans), white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa), and the buttonwood mangrove (Conocarpus erectus).

The dry semi-deciduous lowland forest covers the biggest area in the region, about 18,872.7 km². These plant groups are along the west coast in the areas of Páez, Mara, Maracaibo, Jesús Enrique Lossada, San Francisco, La Cañada de Urdaneta, Rosario de Perijá, Machiques de Perijá, and parts of Catatumbo and Jesús María Semprúm.

On the east coast, they are in Miranda, Santa Rita, Cabimas, Simón Bolívar, Lagunillas, and parts of Valmore Rodríguez. In the Páez area, these plants grow in dry weather with an average temperature of 28 °C, about 125 mm to 250 mm of rain each year, and on Aridisol and Entisol soils. The plants change in size, thickness, and types from the coast to the foothills of the Oca mountains.

Fauna

Zulia’s animals live in land or water places, including fresh water and sea, and in areas where water and land meet. The dry part includes the areas of Páez, Mara, Maracaibo, Miranda, Jesús Enrique Lossada, Cabinas, La Cañada de Urdaneta, and Lagunillas. This area has animals that are at risk of disappearing.

Among mammals, the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), found especially in the northeast of the Lake Maracaibo basin, is threatened by hunting and often found hurt on roads. The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) lives in thorn forests, scrublands, and even mangrove forests. Though once more common, it is now threatened by uncontrolled hunting and loss of home, even though there is a rule against hunting it.

Other mammals that are less at risk include the brownish-gray matacán deer (Mazama gouazoubira), found in dry areas and hunted for its valued meat, and the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus gymnotis), which has decreased by almost 50% in Zulia’s dry zones because of hunting without rules. The desert yellow bat (Rhogeessa minutilla), found in the northeast and northwest, has lost homes because of more farms and animals.

Among birds, the most at risk is the red siskin (Carduelis cucullata), prized for its bright feathers and once used for hat decorations. Other notable birds include the American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), found in the Los Olivitos lagoon and Gran Eneal lagoon. While not in danger, flamingos face loss of home, so people are working to protect them.

Reptiles include the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), now mostly in the Pueblo Viejo reservoir, where it is in danger because of hunting for its skin. Also present is the red-footed tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria), found in dry forests and taken illegally. Two species named after the region are the turtle Mesoclemmys zuliae and the lizard Maracaiba zuliae.

In the wet and sub-humid parts — southeast, south, and southwest of Lake Maracaibo — animal groups overlap with those in dry areas, especially birds. But there are also extra species, such as the white-bellied spider monkey (Ateles belzebuth hybridus), living in wet forests of the Lake Maracaibo Basin, including those in the Perijá Mountains.

The Perijá area, a mountain place, has many different ecosystems with mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. One important animal is the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), which is in big danger because of illegal hunting, even though it is found in protected zones under Venezuelan law.

Government and politics

See also: Cabinet of Venezuela § Federal Council of Government

State Constitution

Zulia became a state on February 17, 1864, when its first constitution was approved. This constitution guides how the government of Zulia works. All state constitutions in Venezuela must follow national laws and the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

The current constitution for Zulia was announced on August 13, 2003, and changed a little in 2011. It replaced the older constitution from 1989.

Executive Power

The leader of Zulia is called the governor. The governor is chosen by people who live in Zulia and are allowed to vote. To be governor, a person must be a Venezuelan citizen born in the country, over 25 years old, and have lived in Zulia for at least four years. They serve for four years and can be chosen again many times.

The governor works with a group of leaders called the Council of Secretaries. This group helps with many important jobs like schools, building roads, keeping people safe, and taking care of the environment.

Legislative Power

Zulia has a group called the Legislative Council that makes laws for the state. This group has 15 members called legislators. They are chosen by people in different parts of Zulia to represent their areas. Legislators serve for four years and can be chosen again.

Security

Keeping Zulia safe is a job for the Regional Police of Zulia. This police group works for the state government. Many towns in Zulia also have their own police teams. The state police work together with the Bolivarian National Police and the Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela to help keep everyone safe.

Municipalities and municipal seats

Zulia covers an area of 63,100 km², which is 5.50% of Venezuela's total land. This area includes land, islands, lakes, and sea regions. The land part is split into 21 areas called municipalities. The biggest areas by size are Machiques de Perijá, Jesus Maria Semprum, Catatumbo, Rosario de Perijá, and Colón. Together, these five areas make up more than half of Zulia’s total space.

Economy

Zulia has many important resources that help Venezuela's economy. The most important part of Zulia's economy is oil and natural gas. People have been getting oil from the area since 1912, both on land and in Lake Maracaibo. This oil helps not just Zulia but the whole country.

Zulia is also very good at growing food and raising animals. It is the top place in Venezuela for growing things like oil palm, grapes, and making milk and cheese. It is also good at raising cattle, sheep, and poultry. Other crops grown there include sugarcane, coconut, cassava, cotton, beans, melon, and sorghum. Zulia is also a big place for fishing. Lake Maracaibo and the Gulf of Venezuela provide many types of fish, like bass, horse mackerel, and shrimp, though there is less shrimp now because of overfishing.

Demographics

Zulia has many different kinds of people because people from other parts of Venezuela and from nearby countries have moved there. There are also indigenous communities, which helps make the culture there special and unique.

The people from Zulia are called Zulians. In a count done in 2011, the different racial groups living there were recorded.

Notable people

Zulia has been home to many famous people from different fields.

• Luis Aparicio is a legendary baseball player who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• Rafael Urdaneta was a key leader during the wars for independence in Latin America.
• Ricardo Montaner is a well-known singer with fans around the world.
• Humberto Fernández Morán was a top scientist who invented a special knife used in research.
• Rafael María Baralt was a diplomat and writer, and the first Latin American to join a famous group of writers.
• L. Rafael Reif served as the President of a leading university in the United States.
• Felipe Pirela was a beloved singer known for his bolero music.
• Betulio González was a champion boxer.
• Daniel Sarcos is a popular TV host in Venezuela and internationally.
• Patricia Velásquez is a famous fashion model and actress.
• Ulises Hadjis is a talented singer who has been nominated for important music awards.
• Javier Castellano is a successful horse racer who has won many prizes.
• Luis Matos plays baseball for a top team in the United States.
• Juan Rincón used to play baseball and now helps train players.
• Ignacio Rodríguez Iturbe was a respected teacher and expert on water who won a major international prize.
• Gustavo Valderrama played volleyball for Venezuela in the Olympics.

Sports

Zulia is a place where people love to play sports, especially baseball, football (soccer), and basketball.

In baseball, the Águilas del Zulia team is very popular. They play at Luis Aparicio El Grande Stadium in Maracaibo.

For football, Zulia Fútbol Club used to play in the top league until it merged with Deportivo Rayo Zuliano in 2022. Other football teams include Deportivo JBL del Zulia and historically Titanes F.C..

In basketball, Gaiteros del Zulia is the top team, having won the league four times. They play at the Gimnasio Pedro Elías Belisario Aponte in Maracaibo.

Transportation

Roads and highways

Zulia has one of the biggest road networks in Venezuela, which helps connect different parts of the state.

The main highways include:

• C1 (Highway 1)—Starts at Distribuidor Las Delicias in Maracaibo and goes to the western end of the Rafael Urdaneta Bridge.
• Trunk 6—Runs from Castilletes through Maracaibo to the border with Táchira, covering the whole western part of the state.
• Trunk 17 (Lara-Zulia Highway)—Links the eastern end of the Rafael Urdaneta Bridge with the state of Lara and central-western Venezuela.
• Trunk 3 (Falcon-Zulia Highway)—Connects Zulia with Falcón and further into central Venezuela.
• Trunk 1 (Pan-American Highway)—Links the southern areas of Zulia with Mérida and Trujillo.
• Intercommunal Trunk—Serves the communities along the eastern shore of Lake Maracaibo.

Air transportation

The main airport in the region is La Chinita International Airport, located in San Francisco, part of Greater Maracaibo. It is Venezuela's third busiest airport, with over 1.5 million passengers each year. Domestic flights go to Caracas, Valencia, Barquisimeto, Maturín, Ciudad Guayana, San Cristóbal, Porlamar, Mérida, and Puerto La Cruz. It also has international flights to the Caribbean and to North, Central, and South America.

Other airports include Oro Negro Airport in Cabimas and Miguel Urdaneta Fernández Airport in Santa Bárbara del Zulia.

Metro

The Maracaibo Metro is a transit system with surface, aerial, and underground lines. It started free pre-operational service on November 25, 2006, and began regular service on June 9, 2009. The network is still being expanded.

Aquatic transportation

Maracaibo is home to one of Venezuela's most important ports, which has been important since colonial times. Zulia has 83 docking ports, including the major La Salina oil terminal and the El Tablazo petrochemical terminal.

Media

Zulia has important newspapers like La Verdad and Panorama, both from Maracaibo. El Regional del Zulia from Ciudad Ojeda is also very popular.

The area has many TV and radio stations. Some TV stations include NCTV (Niños Cantores Televisión), Televiza, Telecolor, Global TV, and Catatumbo Televisión. There are also several radio stations and cable channels in different parts of Zulia.

Culture

The people of Zulia mainly practice Christianity, a tradition that began when Spain colonized the area. The Catholic Church is the largest, and many celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Chiquinquirá each year. The state allows people to practice any religion they choose.

Spanish is the main language spoken in Zulia, especially the local version called Marabino. Some indigenous languages are still used, like the Wayuu language, mostly on the Guajira Peninsula. Zulia is special because many people use "vos" instead of "tú" in their Spanish, a feature called Voseo.

Zulia has its own symbols, like a hymn from 1909, a coat of arms from 1917, and a flag from 1991. The state's natural symbols include the coconut tree, the Chinese rose (Hibiscus rosa‑sinensis), and the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), which is an important bird there.