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The city of Maracaibo, nicknamed La Tierra del Sol Amada, founded in 1571, is the capital of the Zulia State and is Venezuela's second largest population center. The 1990 census assigned a population of 1,249,670—a number that many considered to be understated.
Maracaibo was founded on the western side of Lake Maracaibo. Favored by prevailing winds and a protected harbor the city is located on the shores of the lake where the narrows, which eventually lead to the Gulf of Venezuela, first become pronounced.
During the city's first 390 years or so Maracaibo remained isolated and separated from the rest of the country. Land transportation was only possible across the lake by ferry or other marine transport.
Cars, buses, and trucks, with their constant flow of manufactured goods and agricultural product, depended on the ferry system between the city and the eastern shore with their roads to connect to the country's highway system.
This isolation was both a challenge and an advantage. The very nature of the city's location made for a population known for independent thought and character.
Main Attractions of Maracaibo (Venezuela)
El Puente Sobre El Lago de Maracaibo, Lake Maracaibo.
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