)
, anthem = ''
Himno del Estado Monagas''
, image_map = Monagas in Venezuela.svg
, map_alt =
, map_caption = Location within
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
, pushpin_map =
, pushpin_map_alt =
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, coordinates =
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, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
, subdivision_type1 =
, subdivision_name1 =
, subdivision_type2 =
, subdivision_name2 =
, established_title = Created
, established_date = 1909
, founder =
, named_for =
, seat_type = Capital
, seat =
Maturín
Maturín () is a city in Venezuela, the capital of the Venezuelan state of Monagas and a centre for instrumental exploration and development of the petroleum industry in Venezuela. The metropolitan area of Maturín has a population of 401,384 inha ...
, government_footnotes =
, government_type =
, leader_party =
, governing_body =
Legislative Council
, leader_title =
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
, leader_name = Ernesto Luna
(2021–present)
, area_footnotes =
, area_total_km2 = 28900
, area_rank =
9th
, area_note = 3.15% of Venezuela
, elevation_footnotes =
, elevation_m =
, population_footnotes =
, population_total = 1,460,000
, population_as_of = 2022
, population_density_km2 =
, population_demonym =
, population_note = 3.15% of Venezuela
, timezone1 =
VET
, utc_offset1 = −4
, postal_code_type =
, postal_code =
, area_code_type =
, area_code =
, iso_code =
VE-N
, blank_name_sec1 =
Emblematic tree
, blank_info_sec1 = Palma de Moriche
, blank2_name_sec1 =
HDI (2019)
, blank2_info_sec1 = 0.702
·
10th of 24
, website = http://www.monagas.gob.ve
, footnotes =
, leader_title4 =
Assembly delegation
, leader_name4 =
6
Monagas State ( es, Estado Monagas, ) is one of the 23
states of
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
.
![Paisaje Caripe](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Paisaje_Caripe.JPG)
Monagas State covers a total surface area of and, as of the 2011 census, had a population of 905,443.
Monagas State is surrounded by
Sucre State
The Sucre State ( es, Estado Sucre, ) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Cumaná city. Sucre State covers a total surface area of and, as of the 2011 census, had a population of 896,921. The most important river in ...
in the north,
Anzoátegui State in the west and south,
Bolívar State in the south,
Delta Amacuro State
Delta Amacuro State ( es, Estado Delta Amacuro, ) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela, and is the location of the Orinoco Delta. The Paria Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean are found to the north, Bolívar State is found to the south, the Atlantic ...
in the south and east and the
Paria Gulf in the northeast.
The state is named after the general and president of Venezuela
José Tadeo Monagas
José Tadeo Monagas Burgos (28 October 1784 – 18 November 1868) was the president of Venezuela 1847–1851 and 1855–1858, and a hero of the Venezuelan War of Independence.
Career
Presidency
In 1846, to head off the challenge from the Libe ...
, native from this state, and his brother and fellow president
José Gregorio Monagas, native from the neighbor Anzoátegui State.
The capital of the state is
Maturín
Maturín () is a city in Venezuela, the capital of the Venezuelan state of Monagas and a centre for instrumental exploration and development of the petroleum industry in Venezuela. The metropolitan area of Maturín has a population of 401,384 inha ...
.
History
Pre-colonial period
Monagas dates back to the settlement of the territory by indigenous people of different ethnic groups hundreds of years ago, among which are the
Warao and
Kalina
Kalina may refer to:
People
* Kalina people, or Caribs, an indigenous people of the northern coastal areas of South America
* Kalina language, or Carib, the language of the Kalina people
* Kalina (given name)
* Kalina (surname)
* Noah Kalina, ...
people, who mainly settled in the
Orinoco Delta, and the people in the north of the state. The first aboriginal people to found a presence in the northern part of the region were the Chaima people belonging to the Capaya tribe.
Although settlement of the territory was slow, archaeological excavations and observations by the chroniclers of the Indies point to the existence of a well-developed village in Barrancas in 1530, when the
conquistador
Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (, ; meaning 'conquerors') were the explorer-soldiers of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires of the 15th and 16th centuries. During the Age of Discovery, conquistadors sailed beyond Europe to the Americas, ...
Diego de Ordaz passed through the area in search of
El Dorado
El Dorado (, ; Spanish for "the golden"), originally ''El Hombre Dorado'' ("The Golden Man") or ''El Rey Dorado'' ("The Golden King"), was the term used by the Spanish in the 16th century to describe a mythical tribal chief (''zipa'') or king ...
. Also in the 16th century, missionaries arrived in the highlands and slowly the
Christianisation
Christianization ( or Christianisation) is to make Christian; to imbue with Christian principles; to become Christian. It can apply to the conversion of an individual, a practice, a place or a whole society. It began in the Roman Empire, conti ...
and re-education of the Indians spread to the south; they thus adapted to a more sedentary life.
In the site where Barrancas is located today, archaeological objects and utensils have been found that belonged to the so-called
Barrancoid and
Saladoid cultures, the oldest of which have been dated to 1000 years before the Christian era. The archaeological evidence that has been found (and that is still being found) has made it possible to establish that Barrancas has been uninterruptedly inhabited at least since the 11th century, which makes it the oldest town in Venezuela and one of the oldest in the American continent.
Spanish colonization
![IGLESIA DE GUANAGUANA 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/IGLESIA_DE_GUANAGUANA_2.jpg)
Diego de Ordaz, a Spanish explorer obsessed with finding the legendary site of El Dorado, arrived in the village in August 1531 after traveling up the Orinoco River via the
Caño Manamo. Impressed by its number of inhabitants – which he estimated at "more than 400 " ('huts') – he decided to go down and meet personally with the
cacique
A ''cacique'' (Latin American ; ; feminine form: ''cacica'') was a tribal chieftain of the Taíno people, the indigenous inhabitants at European contact of the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. The term is a S ...
Naricagua, lord of his territories, whose name of the river Uyapari was associated with the village. The chronicler
Juan de Castellanos, in his ''
Elegías de varones ilustres de Indias
''Elegías de varones ilustres de Indias'' is an epic poem written in the late sixteenth century by Juan de Castellanos.
Description
The work gives a detailed account of the colonization of the Caribbean and the territories in present-day Colo ...
'' (Elegies of Illustrious Men of the Indies''
'), describes it as "a powerful town of great people that on the ravines was placed the Cacique of Uyapari lordship".
The
Capuchin missionary Friar Gerónimo de Muro, with the help of the Carib (Kalina), Cuaca and Chaima people, founded the town of , also known as San Antonio de Capayacuar, on 7 August 1713.
On 20 April 1731, the Aragonese friar Antonio de Blesa founded Santo Domingo de Guzmán de Caycuar; the area was inhabited by Chaima people and outcasts when the Capuchin missionaries arrived. The settlement would later be called
Caicara de Maturín.
A Catholic mission of Chaima Indians with the Capuchin missionary Pedro de Gelsa founded the San Miguel Arcangel de Caripe settlement on 12 October 1734, which would later become
Caripe
Caripe is a town in Caripe Municipality in the mountainous north of the state of Monagas in eastern Venezuela.
The official name of the town is Caripe del Guácharo 'Caripe of the Oilbird', referring to a colony of nocturnal birds which lives i ...
.
Maturín was founded on 7 December 1760 by the Capuchin friar Lucas de Zaragoza.
The territory where
Aguasay is now located was founded in 1769 by Friar Manuel de La Mata.
Uracoa was founded in 1784 by Friar José de Manzanera. In 1799 the German geographer
Alexander von Humboldt
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 17696 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, naturalist, explorer, and proponent of Romantic philosophy and science. He was the younger brother of the Prussian minister ...
and the Frenchman
Aimé Bonpland
Aimé Jacques Alexandre Bonpland (; 22 August 1773 – 11 May 1858) was a French explorer and botanist who traveled with Alexander von Humboldt in Latin America from 1799 to 1804. He co-authored volumes of the scientific results of their ex ...
visited Caripe as part of their trip through Venezuela. Other explorers who toured the area were the Italian
Agostino Codazzi (1835) and the German
Ferdinand Bellermann (1843).
19th and 20th centuries
In 1856, the Province of Maturín was created, separated from that of
Cumaná
Cumaná () is the capital city of Venezuela's Sucre State. It is located east of Caracas. Cumaná was one of the first cities founded by Spain in the mainland Americas and is the oldest continuously-inhabited Hispanic-established city in South ...
. By 1864 the State of Maturín was ratified. But in 1879, Monagas was annexed to the and, from 1891 to 1898, it belonged to the .
In 1904, Maturín became the capital of the Monagas district of Bermúdez State, whose capital was Cumaná. For a long time, Monagas was an extremely poor state. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the people of the plains and swamps north of the Orinoco, under the rule of the Caribs, made alliances with the French and Dutch as a policy of tenacious resistance against Spanish domination. On ancient maps these lands are called Caribana, kingdom of the Caribs.
In 1909 the State of Monagas was created with its current boundaries in honor of General
José Tadeo Monagas
José Tadeo Monagas Burgos (28 October 1784 – 18 November 1868) was the president of Venezuela 1847–1851 and 1855–1858, and a hero of the Venezuelan War of Independence.
Career
Presidency
In 1846, to head off the challenge from the Libe ...
. In 1924 the
Standard Oil Company
Standard Oil Company, Inc., was an American oil production, transportation, refining, and marketing company that operated from 1870 to 1911. At its height, Standard Oil was the largest petroleum company in the world, and its success made its co- ...
started oil exploration activities in the area of
Caripito
Caripito is a city in the state of Monagas, Venezuela. It has around 50,000 inhabitants. It is the third largest city in the state, after Maturín and Punta de Mata.
History
Caripito is first recorded as a mission town, but the existence of ...
, which experienced a slight repopulation. With the drilling of the Moneb No. 1 well in the Quiriquire field in 1928, oil exploitation began and the area experienced an important boost in urban development due to the arrival of migrant labor, particularly from the Caribbean Islands.
In 1929 the Standard Oil Company began to build the storage yard and the deep water dock on the San Juan River and on 15 October 1930, the tanker ''Creole Bueno'' left the port of Caripito with 20,000 barrels of oil bound for Trinidad.
In 1935, the Caripito marine terminal was inaugurated, located on the San Juan River, where
Pan American Airways
Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways and commonly known as Pan Am, was an American airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States ...
S-42 seaplanes arrived, which included it in their Central American and Caribbean route.
In 1936 Caripito International Airport was selected by aviator
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart ( , born July 24, 1897; disappeared July 2, 1937; declared dead January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer and writer. Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She set many oth ...
and her navigator
Fred Noonan
Frederick Joseph "Fred" Noonan (born April 4, 1893 – disappeared July 2, 1937, declared dead June 20, 1938) was an American flight navigator, sea captain and aviation pioneer, who first charted many commercial airline routes across the Pacifi ...
as the second stopover of their trip around the world, staying overnight at the Standard Oil Company facilities. The event was widely publicized in the international press and the company provided logistical support to continue the flight through South America.
On 15 November 1940, the city of
Punta de Mata was founded. On 28 December the same year, the first oil well was drilled in that area. In addition the Legislative Assembly of Monagas considered the convenience of creating the Bolivar District and integrated the municipalities of
Punceres and Colon into its territory, designating Caripito as the capital, according to the decree of 19 January 1940, signed by Governor Jose Maria Isava on 30 January of the same year.
Under the direction of the
Corporación Venezolana de Guayana, several hectares of Caribbean pine were planted between Barrancas and the nearby town of Uverito, an activity that significantly boosted the development of the area. By the 1970s, it was the most important settlement and port in the state of Monagas, mainly due to the lack of land road connections to the main nearby cities, such as
Tucupita (
Delta Amacuro) and
Puerto Ordaz
Ciudad Guayana () (in English Guayana City) is a city in Bolívar State, Venezuela. It stretches 40 kilometers along the south bank of the Orinoco river, at the point where it is joined by its main tributary, the Caroní river. The Caroni cros ...
(
State of Bolivar), although today it continues to be an important center for the transport of goods and passengers to these cities.
In 1976, the assets of Creole were
nationalized
Nationalization (nationalisation in British English) is the process of transforming privately-owned assets into public assets by bringing them under the public ownership of a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to p ...
and were managed by Lagoven, later by Corpoven and now by
PDVSA
Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA, ) (English: Petroleum of Venezuela) is the Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural gas company. It has activities in exploration, production, refining and exporting oil as well as exploration and productio ...
in association with
Repsol
Repsol S.A.
El Nuevo Herald, 2012-05-31[Originally an init ...]
. By closing the refinery in 1976 and the oil terminal in 2002, an attempt was made to boost agricultural activity to take advantage of the fertile areas by growing cocoa, pepper, ''
Xanthosoma
''Xanthosoma'' is a genus of flowering plants in the arum family, Araceae. The genus is native to tropical America but widely cultivated and naturalized in other tropical regions. Several are grown for their starchy corms, an important food st ...
'' ( and ) and yucca.
The newspaper ''El Oriental'' was founded in 1982 in the city of Maturín. On 20 August 1983, the State Legislative Assembly declared the creation of the Municipal Council of
Libertador Municipality, in accordance with the provisions of the Law of Political Territorial Division of the State of Monagas, allowing the creation of Libertador Municipality. Since 1989, with the administrative reforms that were approved for the whole country, the state of Monagas elected for the first time, directly and secretly, its own governor and legislative assembly (called the legislative council since 2000).
In 2021, Cosme Arzolay was temporarily appointed governor.
In November the same year, Ernesto Luna was proclaimed governor.
Geography
Relief
The state has many plateaus and savannas located in the southwest. In the northeast and the southeast there are
deltaic savannas in which rivers such as the
San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to:
Places Argentina
* San Juan Province, Argentina
* San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province
* San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province
* San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...
,
Guanipa,
Caño Mánamo
Caño is a barrio in the municipality of Guánica, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 1,788.
See also
* List of communities in Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, there are 78 municipalities and 902 municipio subdivisions made up of 827 barrio ...
, and
Tigre flow into. In the northwest is a group of mountains belonging to the eastern mountain range. This mountain range is divided into two
massif
In geology, a massif ( or ) is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole. The term also refers to a ...
s: the massif of el Turimiquire (in which the town of San Antonio is located) and the massif of Caripe (in which the town of Caripe is located). Cerro Negro (2000 m.) is the highest mountain of Monagas State. The mountain landscape features geological material from the
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...
, constituted exclusively by sedimentary rocks, predominantly sandstone, shale and limestone, with the main geological formations being El Cantil, Barranquín, Guayuta and Querecual; it has elevations between above sea level, with valleys and depressions.
Climate
The weather is hot in the area of the
Llanos
The Llanos ( Spanish ''Los Llanos'', "The Plains"; ) is a vast tropical grassland plain situated to the east of the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela, in northwestern South America. It is an ecoregion of the tropical and subtropical grassla ...
, while it is cold in the mountains located in the north of the state. The average temperature in the low areas is between . In the area of the town of Caripe the cold temperature permits the cultivation of certain kind of typical plants from cold climates such as roses and strawberries. The level of rainfall in the state is between during the year.
The region is dominated by a rainy tropical climate with some local variations that respond to various factors such as altitude, wind and proximity to the sea. Most of the state, in the southern strip, has a climate typical of savannas with dry seasons that can last up to six months, which produces a severe water shortage. The average annual temperature of Monagas is approximately . In Maturín, Temblador and Uverito, average temperatures are between .
Hydrology
![Rio Morichal Largo, Estado Monagas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Rio_Morichal_Largo%2C_Estado_Monagas.jpg)
The rivers of the state belong to one of the two basins that are located in the state, the Atlantic Ocean basin and the Orinoco River basin. Rivers such as the Guanipa, Tigre,
Morichal Largo, Caño Mánamo,
Amana, Tonoro, Tabasca, and Uracoa flow into the Orinoco River. On the other hand, the
Guarapiche, San Juan, Río de Oro, and Caripe rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean. The rivers of the Atlantic Ocean basin come from the mountains located in the northwest of the state and the rivers of the Orinoco River basin come from the many plateaus located in the southwest of Monagas State and from
Anzoategui State.
It has an extensive
hydrographic network with a fairly uniform geographical distribution, with the Guarapiche River standing out in the area of the tables. The rivers are numerous and of little depth, marking the end of the piedmont in which three river basins with a north–south course are located: those of the rivers Amana-Areo, Guarapiche, and Púnceres-
Aragua
Aragua State ( es, Estado Aragua, ) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. It is located in the north-central region of Venezuela. It has plains and jungles and Caribbean beaches. The most popular are Cata and Choroni. It has Venezuela's first n ...
. From west to east the Tácata, Tonoro, Caris, Guanipa and Tigre rivers cross the state. Monagas State has a great number of moderate rivers and streams; among the main ones are:
*Guarapiche River
*Mapirito River
*Tigre River
*Morichal Largo River
*San Juan River
Vegetation
The area's vegetation is intertropical and is adapted to the different altitudes, climates, and kinds of soil in the state. The State of Monagas has an extensive biodiversity compared to other Venezuelan states. More than 2000 species of vascular flora have been catalogued within the Monagas territory. The most symbolic tree in the state is the
moriche (''Mauritia flexuosa'') along the Morichal Largo River. The dominant vegetation type in the north of Monagas State is rainforest, such as that found in the mountainous area of the San Juan River valley and the municipalities of Acosta and Caripe. In these cold areas, it is possible to grow temperate plants such as strawberries and roses. However, in the flat regions, towards the south-east of the state, intertropical savanna vegetation dominates, such as thorny scrub, grasses, cujíes and other varieties that have adapted to the conditions of the state such as ''
Ceiba'', ,
Caribbean pine,
jabillo and
carob tree
The carob ( ; ''Ceratonia siliqua'') is a flowering evergreen tree or shrub in the Caesalpinioideae sub-family of the legume family, Fabaceae. It is widely cultivated for its edible fruit pods, and as an ornamental tree in gardens and landscap ...
. Another variation of the vegetation present in Monagas State can be found along the banks of the main rivers, where extensive forests of mangroves, palms and morichals have formed.
Protected areas
Cueva del Guácharo National Park
The Guácharo Cave National Park () is located from the town of Caripe, Monagas, Venezuela. It has as its centerpiece a large limestone cave.
The cave was visited in 1799 by Alexander von Humboldt, who realised that the thousands of oilbirds ...
was created in May 1975 by the Venezuelan government to protect the ecosystem surrounding the Guácharo Cave. The park has a surface area of and includes the mountainous areas of the municipalities of Acosta and Caripe in Monagas State and
Ribero Municipality in
Sucre State
The Sucre State ( es, Estado Sucre, ) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Cumaná city. Sucre State covers a total surface area of and, as of the 2011 census, had a population of 896,921. The most important river in ...
.
The Alexander von Humboldt National Monument is located in the park. It was created in 1949 to protect the Guácharo Cave. This national monument is named after the German explorer
Alexander von Humboldt
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 17696 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, naturalist, explorer, and proponent of Romantic philosophy and science. He was the younger brother of the Prussian minister ...
, who visited the cave in 1799.
Another protected area is the Guarapiche Forestal Reserve, which protects the forests located along the banks of the Guarapiche and San Juan Rivers.
Politics and government
Like the other 23 federal entities of Venezuela, the state maintains its own police force, which is supported and complemented by the
National Police and the
Venezuelan National Guard
The Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela ( es, Guardia Nacional Bolivariana de Venezuela - GNB), is one of the four components of the National Armed Forces of Venezuela. The national guard can serve as gendarmerie, perform civil defense roles, ...
.
![Gobernación del Estado Monagas (lateral)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Gobernaci%C3%B3n_del_Estado_Monagas_%28lateral%29.jpg)
Monagas has five branches of government, and is autonomous and equal to the rest of the states of the Federation:
Executive branch
It is formed by the Governor of Monagas and a cabinet of trusted state secretaries who assist him in the management of the government and are freely appointed and removable officials, an attorney, autonomous institutes and state foundations.
Governors chosen by popular vote
*
Guillermo Call (1990–1992); (1993–1995)
Acción Democrática
Democratic Action ( es, Acción Democrática, AD) is a Venezuelan social democratic and centre-left political party established in 1941.
The party played an important role in the early years of Venezuelan democracy, leading the government durin ...
*
Luis Eduardo Martínez (1996–1998); (1999–2000) Acción Democrática
* Miguel Gómez (2000)
Movimiento Quinta República
* Guillermo Call (2001–2004) Acción Democrática
*
José Gregorio Briceño (2004–2008)
MIGATO
MIGATO (abbreviation of ''Movimiento Independiente Ganamos Todos'', lit. 'Everybody Wins Independent Movement') is a political party in Venezuela.
Migato was founded in 1997 by José Gregorio Briceño, the mayor of Cedeño Municipality of Mon ...
, Movimiento Quinta República; (2009–2012)
United Socialist Party of Venezuela
* Yelitza Santaella (2012—2021)
United Socialist Party of Venezuela.
* Cosme Arzolay (2021), temporarily
* Ernesto Luna (2021—present)
United Socialist Party of Venezuela.
Legislative branch
It consists of a unicameral parliament called the Legislative Council of the State of Monagas, which is responsible for approving the regional budget, passing state laws and supervising the administration of the state governor.
Judicial branch
It depends on the judiciary at the national level organized through the Judicial District of the State of Monagas.
City branch
Formed by the State Ethics Council and the State Comptroller General's Office, the latter is responsible for overseeing the proper use of the resources available to the regional government.
Electoral branch
It reports to the National Electoral Council at the national level which organizes the region through the so-called Main Electoral Board of the State of Monagas.
State constitution
Monagas is organized on the basis of the Constitution of the State of Monagas, adopted by the Legislative Council on 21 March 2002.
Municipalities and municipal seats
![Cerro Peru](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Cerro_Peru.JPG)
#
Acosta (
San Antonio de Capayacuar)
#
Aguasay (
Aguasay)
#
Bolívar (
Caripito
Caripito is a city in the state of Monagas, Venezuela. It has around 50,000 inhabitants. It is the third largest city in the state, after Maturín and Punta de Mata.
History
Caripito is first recorded as a mission town, but the existence of ...
)
#
Caripe
Caripe is a town in Caripe Municipality in the mountainous north of the state of Monagas in eastern Venezuela.
The official name of the town is Caripe del Guácharo 'Caripe of the Oilbird', referring to a colony of nocturnal birds which lives i ...
(
Caripe
Caripe is a town in Caripe Municipality in the mountainous north of the state of Monagas in eastern Venezuela.
The official name of the town is Caripe del Guácharo 'Caripe of the Oilbird', referring to a colony of nocturnal birds which lives i ...
)
#
Cedeño (
Caicara de Maturín)
#
Ezequiel Zamora (
Punta de Mata)
#
Libertador (
Temblador)
#
Maturín
Maturín () is a city in Venezuela, the capital of the Venezuelan state of Monagas and a centre for instrumental exploration and development of the petroleum industry in Venezuela. The metropolitan area of Maturín has a population of 401,384 inha ...
(
Maturín
Maturín () is a city in Venezuela, the capital of the Venezuelan state of Monagas and a centre for instrumental exploration and development of the petroleum industry in Venezuela. The metropolitan area of Maturín has a population of 401,384 inha ...
)
#
Piar (
Aragua de Maturín)
#
Punceres (
Quiriquire)
#
Santa Bárbara (
Santa Bárbara)
#
Sotillo (
Barrancas del Orinoco
Barranca del Orinoco is the capital of the municipality of Sotillo in the state of Monagas in Venezuela.
Culture
The cuisine typical is the arepa
''Arepa'' () is a type of food made of ground maize dough stuffed with a filling, eaten in the ...
)
#
Uracoa (
Uracoa)
Demographics
![Rio cerca de las Pozas de Lorenzo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Rio_cerca_de_las_Pozas_de_Lorenzo.jpg)
The population of Monagas State has increased since the 1920s due to the opening of its oil fields. The majority of its inhabitants are ''
Mestizo
(; ; fem. ) is a term used for racial classification to refer to a person of mixed European and Indigenous American ancestry. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturally European even though thei ...
;'' that is, they result from the progeny of native Indians, Black Africans and White Europeans. Many people from neighbouring states as Sucre and
Nueva Esparta
The Nueva Esparta State (in Spanish: ''Estado Nueva Esparta'', ), is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. It comprises Margarita Island, Coche, and the largely uninhabited Cubagua.
The state has the smallest area, and is located off the northe ...
, as well as persons from other countries as Spaniards, Italians, Portuguese, Syrian, Lebanese and Chinese have immigrated to the state because of the petroleum industry and business opportunities. The majority of the population is concentrated in the northern area of Monagas state. At least fifty percent of inhabitants live in the capital state of Maturín. The most populated cities are Maturín (514,046), Punta de Mata (69,000), Caripe (37,350), Caripito (52,000) and Temblador (36,000).
Monagas also has inhabitants of the Warao and Kariña ethnic groups.
Race and ethnicity
According to the 2011 Census, the racial composition of the population was:
Economy
![Ganado en la carretera del Estado Monagas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Ganado_en_la_carretera_del_Estado_Monagas.jpg)
The main economical activity is the exploitation of oil. Many towns such as Punta de Mata, El Tejero, and Temblador depend on this activity.
Other towns such as Caripe and San Antonio live off agriculture and livestock farming. Coffee is planted in the areas next to the towns of Caripe and San Antonio. Cocoa is cultivated near Caripito. Maize, tomato, sugar-cane, tobacco, banana, rice, yucca and tropical fruits grow in other areas.
Cattle is concentrated in the southern and western parts of Monagas, where there are great extensions of savannas and plateaus.
The state has forests with its corresponding industry.
Because of the oil exploitation Maturín is a main commercial and banking centre in the east of Venezuela.
Tourism
Natural heritage
![Puertas de Miraflores Estado Monagas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Puertas_de_Miraflores_Estado_Monagas.jpg)
* Puertas de Miraflores: also called Puertas del Guarapiche, it is a gorge or canyon where the Guarapiche river begins. It is formed by two rocky walls high.
*El Guamo Dam: contains the waters of the Guarapiche, Colorado, Cocollar and other rivers. It is built over the ruins of the towns of San Francisco, Cachimbo and Colorado. It has a park.
![CaripeMonagas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/CaripeMonagas.jpg)
*Spa Miraflores: its waters come from the Guarapiche river and has temperatures that oscillate between . It has a road leading travelers to the Gates of Miraflores.
*La Bomba de Caripito Spa in the La Tubería sector.
*Río Selva Spa, a natural space with crystalline waters provided by the waters of the Tabasca and Uracoa Rivers. Located in the town of Tabasca, it has accommodation facilities, bathrooms, air conditioning, restaurant, swimming pool with natural water from morichales, kiosks with grills and dressing rooms.
*Poza de Azufre: located in the Los Morros Sector, this busy space is suitable for health tourism because of the healing properties of the pool, formed by the spring with a high content of copper and sulfur. It has a temperature of approximately .
*Cascada el Nazareno: in the middle of a tropical forest, there is a waterfall of more than 50 meters high on an immense rock. It is also known as the .
*Morichal Largo River: it is formed by deltaic plains and forests of galleries that border its margins. The predominant plant species in this rainforest is the moriche tree, whose roots penetrate deep into the underground water reserves, giving rise to the springs that feed the flow of the rivers in the region.
*Yagrumito Volcano: it is a mud volcano located southeast of the city of Maturin, is about in relative height and occupies about , including mud pools and mudflats without vegetation, although the cone alone should not exceed about . The crater opening is approximately in diameter.
Built heritage
![Vista del Parque La Guaricha](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Vista_del_Parque_La_Guaricha.jpg)
*Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral: a
Romanesque-style Catholic church, it is located between Bolivar Avenue and Monagas Street. It was inaugurated in 1981 and is considered one of the most modern cathedrals in Latin America. It has stained glass windows that adorn its interior.
*San Simón de Maturín Church: it is the oldest Catholic church in Maturín. It was built between 1884 and 1887. It is of neo-Gothic style, with pointed arches. It has a central tower on the façade. It is located on Rojas Street, in front of Bolívar Square.
*Church of San Francisco de Guayareguar: is located near the El Guamo Dam.
*William H. Phelps Public Library: inaugurated on 5 September 1948. It was built and donated by
William H. Phelps Sr.
*Mural of the Foundation of San Antonio de Capayacuar: erected in 1987, it is located at the entrance of San Antonio.
*Church of San Antonio de Padua de San Antonio de Maturín.
*El Playon – Community "Culantrillar" Parish San Antonio (Acosta)
* Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Church, Caripito: it is the main Catholic church, built in 1936.
![Guacharo's Monument - Monumento al Guácharo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Guacharo%27s_Monument_-_Monumento_al_Gu%C3%A1charo.JPG)
*Casa de la Cultura Juvenal Ravelo de Caripito: it is a cultural house inaugurated in 1974. It has an auditorium, an exhibition hall, dressing rooms, a conference room, a library, multipurpose rooms and an internal recreational square. It is located in the El Bajo sector, Boyacá Avenue. It is named in honor of , a native artist from Caripito.
*Monument to the Nazarene: built in 2.05 with cement, rods, and galvanized steel mesh by sculptor Jesus David Martinez, it consists of an image of the Nazarene, high, carrying his cross on a slope and dressed in a purple tunic with gold trimmings.
*Caripito religious museum: it houses life-size images and other religious objects.
*Hacienda Sarrapial: typical house of the time of the agrarian Venezuela. It is the headquarters of the Monaguense Tourism Corporation. It is located on Alirio Ugarte Pelayo Avenue, on the Boquerón hill.
*Uyapari Museum: Anthropological museum founded in 1984, on the old seat of the National School Uriapara, in front of the Plaza Bolívar. It is the most important center for the diffusion of the Barrancoid culture, the oldest in Venezuela, highlighting the scientific work for the rescue of the archaeological heritage, such as workshops for the manufacture of replicas of original Barrancoid pieces.
*Church of San Rafael Arcángel de (Barrancas del Orinoco): Catholic church originally built in
Bahareque
, also spelled , is a traditional building technique used in regions such as Caldas, which is one of the 32 departments of Colombia.. , which came from the word , is an old Spanish term for walls made of bamboo ( in Spanish) and soil. Guadua is ...
style in 1790 by Friar Joaquín de Morata. It was rebuilt in 1931 with a cement structure and in 1984 it was the object of an expansion process that culminated in 1987. The original façade was kept, although it was reinforced to accommodate a capacity of 3,000 people.
Parks
![FCaripe8](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/FCaripe8.JPG)
*Andrés Eloy Blanco Park: located on the southern road.
*Parque del Este: located in La Floresta.
*La Guaricha Zoo: located on Raúl Leoni Avenue, near the old terminal of the José Tadeo Monagas International Airport.
*Bolívar Recreational Park: located in the Los Guaritos sector.
*Parque Menca de Leoni: located on Juncal Avenue.
*Padilla Ron Park: located in the Las Cocuizas sector.
*Rómulo Betancourt Park: located on Universidad Avenue.
Education
At university level Monagas State has the following public university institutes:
Caripe
* Universidad Nacional Abierta (UNA).
Caripito
* Universidad Nacional Abierta (UNA).
* Instituto Universitario Tecnológico de Caripito.
Maturín
*
Universidad de Oriente
The University of Oriente Venezuela ( es, Universidad de Oriente Venezuela, links=no, UDO) is one of the most important universities of Venezuela, located in Eastern Venezuela.
The university has five campuses that are located in the states of ...
, Núcleo Monagas (UDO-Monagas).
*
Universidad Bolivariana de Venezuela
The Universidad Bolivariana de Venezuela (UBV, en, Bolivarian University of Venezuela) is a state university in Venezuela founded in 2003 by decree of President Hugo Chávez.
The UBV is a part of the Chávez government's " Mission Sucre" social ...
(UBV).
*
Universidad Pedagógica Experimenta Libertador – Instituto Pedagógico de Maturín (UPEL-IPM).
* Universidad Nacional Abierta (UNA).
*
Universidad Nacional Experimental Simón Rodríguez Universidad Nacional Experimental Simón Rodríguez is a university in Caracas
Caracas (, ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, abbreviated as CCS, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of ...
(UNESR).
San Antonio
* Núcleo del Instituto Pedagógico de Maturín (UPEL-IPM), was created on 28 July 1983, by Decree No. 2176 of President Campins. The existing public pedagogical institutes in Venezuela (Barquisimeto, Caracas, Maracay and Maturín), which operated autonomously, were integrated into the UPEL as nuclei by Resolution No. 22 dated 28 January 1988.
And these private university institutes:
Caripe
* Instituto Universitario Pedagógico Monseñor Arias Blanco
![FACHADA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/FACHADA_DE_LA_UNIVERSIDAD_BOLIVARIANA_DE_VENEZUELA.JPG)
Maturín
* Universidad Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho (UGMA). Only postgraduate studies.
* Universidad Cecilio Acosta (UNICA). Only postgraduate studies.
* Universidad de Margarita (UNIMAR)
*
Universidad Santa María (USM)
* Instituto Politécnico Santiago Mariño (IUPSM)
* Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Industrial Rodolfo Loreto Arismendi (IUTIRLA)
* Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Venezuela (IUTV)
Punta de Mata
* Instituto Universitario de Tecnología de Cumaná (IUTC)
* Universidad Nacional Abierta (UNA)
Piar
*UNEFA
Temblador
*Universidad Nacional Abierta (Unidad de Apoyo Temblador)
*Universidad Territorial Deltaica Francisco Tamayo (Programa Temblador)
Culture
![Casa de la Cultura de la ciudad de Maturín](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Casa_de_la_Cultura_de_la_ciudad_de_Matur%C3%ADn.JPG)
Monagas state has a culture very similar to other eastern states of Venezuela. Natives of Monagas share with the population of the eastern states the quick manner of speaking the Spanish language, food, some musical rhythms as the
galerón or
joropo
The joropo is a musical style resembling the fandango, and an accompanying dance. It originated in Venezuela and is also present in the eastern Colombian plains. It has African, Native South American, and European influences. There are diffe ...
, typical clothing such as the
liqui liqui
The ( in Spanish) is the national costume for men in Venezuela. It has its origin in the Llanos of Venezuela.
It is traditionally white, beige, cream or ecru, although it is available in other colors. Recently, have been worn by famous persona ...
of the
Llanos
The Llanos ( Spanish ''Los Llanos'', "The Plains"; ) is a vast tropical grassland plain situated to the east of the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela, in northwestern South America. It is an ecoregion of the tropical and subtropical grassla ...
, and veneration of the
Virgin of El Valle.
Festivals
![Tradición Caicareña - Monagas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Tradici%C3%B3n_Caicare%C3%B1a_-_Monagas.jpg)
The Maturín Carnival is highlighted by the parade in the center of the city, with floats and parades made by communities, educational institutions, public agencies and private companies. After the parade, musical shows are held at the local sports complex, in addition to the ceremony of electing the Carnival Queen.
The Festival of the Virgin of the Valley is celebrated in September. Processions with the image of the Virgin of the Valley take place in several areas of the city.
The Saint Simon () Fair is held to celebrate the anniversary of the city's foundation. It takes place in the first week of December. Shows such as dances, food exhibitions, horse shows, ''
coleo'', musical group presentations, agricultural and handicraft exhibitions are held. It takes place in the Chucho Palacios Fair Complex. It is named after Saint Simon in honour of
Simon the Zealot
Simon the Zealot (, ) or Simon the Canaanite or Simon the Canaanean (, ; grc-gre, Σίμων ὁ Κανανίτης; cop, ⲥⲓⲙⲱⲛ ⲡⲓ-ⲕⲁⲛⲁⲛⲉⲟⲥ; syc, ܫܡܥܘܢ ܩܢܢܝܐ) was one of the most obscure among the apostl ...
, the patron saint of Maturín.
The event of the burning of Judas takes place on Easter Sunday, where an
effigy
An effigy is an often life-size sculptural representation of a specific person, or a prototypical figure. The term is mostly used for the makeshift dummies used for symbolic punishment in political protests and for the figures burned in certai ...
is lit on fire. In recent years these effigies have been personalized by contemporary politicians.
The Snake of Ipure () is a typical dance in San Antonio de Capayacuar and widespread in the State of Monagas, where girls or women dressed usually in yellow and black dance in the form of the movement of a snake.
Dance
The Genarito Bull Dance is a festivity featuring several pairs of dancers, a bull, a veterinarian, a nurse, a bullfighter and musicians. The song of the Bull of Genarito is performed by Juliocesar Aguilera Simoza, a native of the town of Aguasay.
The Monkey Dance is an indigenous dance in which people hold each other by the waist, one after the other, and form lines. Guided by someone disguised as a monkey, participants walk through the streets in the manner of a human train to the Monkey Plaza. Beforehand, most of the dancers darken their faces with indigo and soot and dye their clothes with colours. They also play with water, paint, flour,
Chilean blue crocus () and soot in a carnival-like manner. The monkey then invites those present to join the ritual; if they do not, the monkey will give a light slap to those who refuse. It is celebrated every year on 28 December.
The Dance of the Trembler was first performed on 15 November 1989. It consists of dancing with a (a fish, the
electric eel
The electric eels are a genus, ''Electrophorus'', of neotropical freshwater fish from South America in the family Gymnotidae. They are known for their ability to stun their prey by generating electricity, delivering shocks at up to 860 volt ...
, found in the rivers closest to the town) made of cardboard and cloth. Three people go inside the and three pairs go around it. The instruments used for this dance are a , ''
cuatro'', a drum and maracas.
Handicrafts
Curagua weaving
The town of Aguasay is known for its weaving that is made from a plant grown in the town, called curagua. On 2 December 2015, Venezuelan curagua fiber and weaving was declared an
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
at its annual meeting in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.
Moriche hammock
This art consists of carefully weaving the fiber of the moriche palm. Once it is and spun, this fiber is tied to special sticks and woven between them, giving it the shape of a sheet; when loops are made at the ends, it takes the form of a hammock.
Sangrito
The name is due to the fact that the raw material used for this handicraft is extracted from the roots of a tree that bears its name because when it is cut, its roots tend to bleed; it is easy to mould as it is a very soft and light wood. The Warao Indians use this material to mold figures of animals that live in the forests and rivers that they frequent.
Warao craftsmanship
Produced by the Warao Indians, according to the use given to the object, without being separated from the work element. The raw material is plant fibers, mostly moriche and wood, with which they carve figures and animals, as well as making necklaces with peonies, ''
Mucuna
''Mucuna'' is a genus of around 100 accepted species of climbing lianas (vines) and shrubs of the family Fabaceae: tribe Phaseoleae, typically found in tropical forests.
The leaves are trifoliolate, alternate, or spiraled, and the flowers are pe ...
'' seeds and
Job's tears, among other materials. In addition, they construct harpoons, buoys, shields, arrows, candles, roofs, ropes, pitchforks and bridges. The craftsmanship of the Warao reflects their organizational idiosyncrasy, as well as their world: nature, spirit, man.
Barrancoide craftsmanship
Its main material is clay, which after being molded is baked and painted and used for making dolls, vases, façades of houses, and other things. The items are taken to market and are can be found in different parts of the state.
Cuisine
Typical dishes of Monagas state are ''
arepa
''Arepa'' () is a type of food made of ground maize dough stuffed with a filling, eaten in the northern region of South America since pre-Columbian times, and notable primarily in the cuisine of Colombia and Venezuela, but also present in the cuis ...
'' (a kind of bread made of maize), ''
cachapa
''Cachapa'' is a traditional dish made from maize flour from Venezuela. Like ''arepas'', they are popular at roadside stands. They can be made like pancakes of fresh corn dough, or wrapped in dry corn leaves and boiled (''cachapa de hoja''). T ...
'' (an omelette made of maize), ''
casabe'', ''
empanada
An empanada is a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling, common in Spanish, other Southern European, Latin American, and Iberian-influenced cultures around the world. The name comes from the Spanish (to bread, i ...
'', ''
mondongo
''Sopa de mondongo'' is a soup made from diced tripe (the stomach of a cow or pig) slow-cooked with vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, carrots, cabbage, celery, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic or root vegetables. The dish is generally prepare ...
'' (a kind of soup), ''
queso de mano'' (a kind of cheese), (guava jelly), and (meat grilled on a stick). Fish is a very important food in the state's native cuisine. In Christmas is traditional to eat ''
hallacas'', ''
pan de jamón
Pan de jamón (ham bread) is a typical Venezuelan Christmas bread, filled with ham, raisins and green olives. Many variations have been created, some filling the bread with other ingredients like turkey or cream cheese and others using puff pastry ...
'' (ham bread), ''
torta negra'' (black cake), (chicken salad), and ' (preserved papaya). During Holy Week, (a dish made from
red-footed tortoise) is common due to the belief that it is profane to eat meat at this time. Also during Holy Week, made from the
school shark is common in the area of the eastern coast.
Religion
The predominant religion in the state is Christianity. Catholicism is the Christian branch which has the largest number of followers, as a consequence of the evangelization carried out by Catholic missionaries, such as the Franciscans, in the 17th and 18th centuries. The capital, Maturín, has been the seat of a
Catholic diocese since 1958.
On the other hand,
religious syncretism, here the mixture of Catholic rites with the rites of other faiths such as indigenous and
Yoruba
The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...
religions, is common. For example, it is common to find people who venerate
María Lionza
María Lionza is the central figure in one of the most widespread new religious movements in Venezuela. The cult of María Lionza began in the 20th century as a blend of African, indigenous and Catholic beliefs. She is revered as a goddess of ...
, the native chief
Guaicaipuro and Felipe the Black.
Some Protestant churches have been established in different in around the state. Among them are
Pentecostals
Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement ,
Lutherans
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched ...
,
Baptists,
Seventh-day Adventists
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and i ...
,
Mormons and
Jehovah's Witnesses.
Anglicans
Anglicanism is a Western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia ...
have a church in the Caripe area.
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
is practiced by some immigrants from Arabic countries, although they do not have a mosque in the state. It is also possible to find in Maturín followers of
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
,
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
,
metaphysics
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that studies the fundamental nature of reality, the first principles of being, identity and change, space and time, causality, necessity, and possibility. It includes questions about the nature of conscio ...
, and other faiths.
Public holidays
![Piscina del Hotel Stauffer Maturin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Piscina_del_Hotel_Stauffer_Maturin.jpg)
Public holidays include:
* Carnivals: between February and March.
* Holy Week: between March and April.
* Virgin of El Valle Festival: 8 September.
* Christmas Eve: 24 December.
* New Year's Eve: 31 December.
Apart from that, each town celebrates public festivities in honor of its patron saint when
his/her day is held.
Regional anniversaries are:
* Battle of Los Godos Day: 25 May.
* General José Tadeo Monagas' Birthday: 28 October.
* Maturín's Foundation Day: 7 December.
State symbols
Flag
It was created by Julius Caesar Adrían on 10 July 2002.
![Flag of Monagas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Flag_of_Monagas.svg)
The meaning of the shapes and colors on the flag is as follows:
*Sky blue: Represents the sky.
*Stars: 13 rounding the image of
Juana Ramírez, the Advancer, represent the 13 municipalities and the large star in the center identifies the capital municipality.
*Green: Represents soils, crops, mountains, forests and plains.
*Black: Represents oil.
*The sun: Represents the aura, life and strength of the people and its seven points symbolize the seven original districts that gave way to the 13 current municipalities. The black arch inside the sun represents the weapons of the indigenous people. The sun rises in the middle of the central stripe (green) and its maximum height reaches the upper edge of the first stripe.
*Sea blue: Represents the delta, rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
Image: The image of
Juana Ramírez, the Advancer which represents the heroism of the Monagas woman.
*Daggers: The daggers that cross at the bottom of the image of Juana Ramírez represent the brothers
José Tadeo Monagas
José Tadeo Monagas Burgos (28 October 1784 – 18 November 1868) was the president of Venezuela 1847–1851 and 1855–1858, and a hero of the Venezuelan War of Independence.
Career
Presidency
In 1846, to head off the challenge from the Libe ...
and
José Gregorio Monagas, both heroes of the Republic. The stripes occupy 30% of the lower part of the separation between them is half the diameter of each strip.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms of the State of Monagas is divided into two quarters: in the upper quarter, on a green field, is a plow, a rake and a sickle, which are intertwined with a bundle of ears of corn, attributes of agriculture; and in the lower quarter, on the green field representing the plain and blue background intersected by the horizon, is, in the shade of a large tree, a bull symbolizing animal husbandry, and in the distance a galley of hills. A silver bar crosses diagonally through both quarters, and on it reads: "Resisted with courage". The extremities of four rifles placed as a banner, appear holding the coat of arms, and between the bayonets a horse's head turned to the right of the coat of arms. Under and between the lower part of the rifles, there is a red and black ribbon, representative of the war to the death, and in it a broken key symbolizing that its capital was forced, but never surrendered. As an ornament on the flanks of the coat of arms, between their crossed feet, are a plains palm and a sugar cane stem.
Sports
*
Monagas Sport Club
Monagas Sport Club is a Venezuelan professional football team competing at the top level, the Primera División Venezolana. It is based in Maturín. Their home stadium is the Estadio Monumental de Maturín. The club received the nickname of “' ...
(First Division of Venezuela)
*
Embajadores de Monagas (Bolivarian National Baseball League)
*
![Basketball Clipart](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Basketball_Clipart.svg)
(National Basketball League)
*
![Ru ball](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Ru_ball.svg)
(Venezuelan Rugby Club Championship)
Sports facilities
*Monagas has had several teams that participate in Venezuela's national leagues since 2007. It also has the largest stadium in the country, the
Estadio Monumental de Maturín
The Estadio Monumental de Maturín (Monumental Stadium of Maturin) is the largest stadium in Venezuela by seating capacity, with 52,000 spectators. It was one of the venues of the 2007 Copa America. It is also the home stadium of the Monagas Spo ...
, built for the
2007 Copa América.
*Maturín Sports Complex: It was built for the 1982 National Games. It has several facilities for the practice of sports such as basketball, soccer, minor baseball, indoor soccer, tennis, swimming, cycling and athletics. It is located on Raúl Leoni Avenue.
*Kartódromo de Viboral: a place for motocross competition, karting and car tuning exhibitions at national level.
*San Miguel Country Club Golf Course: located north of the city.
Notable natives
From Amana of Tamarindo, town of Maturín municipality
*
José Tadeo Monagas
José Tadeo Monagas Burgos (28 October 1784 – 18 November 1868) was the president of Venezuela 1847–1851 and 1855–1858, and a hero of the Venezuelan War of Independence.
Career
Presidency
In 1846, to head off the challenge from the Libe ...
, general of the Venezuelan independence and president
From Barrancas
*
Alarico Gómez, poet, novelist and journalist
From Caicara
*
Manuel Núñez Tovar, doctor and entomologist
*
Rafael Naranjo Ostty, lawyer-criminologist
*
Wilfrida Corvo de López, educator
From Caripe
*
Félix Antonio Calderón, poet
![Martin Tovar y Tovar 28](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Martin_Tovar_y_Tovar_28.JPG)
From Caripito
*
Doris Wells
Doris Wells (born Doris María Buonafina; 28 October 1943 – 20 September 1988) was a Venezuelan actress, writer and producer.
Her best-known television appearances were in ''Campeones'', ''La trepadora'', ''La Hora'', ''Historia de tres herman ...
, actress
* , artist
* , singer
*
Tibursio C. Aparicio Lozada, poet
*
Manny Trillo
Jesús Manuel Marcano Trillo (born December 25, 1950), also nicknamed "Indio", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball second baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics (–), Chicago Cubs (–, –), Phil ...
, professional baseball player
From Chaguaramal, town of Piar municipality
*
Juana Ramírez (a.k.a. ), heroine of the Venezuelan independence
* , general of the Venezuelan independence
From Guanaguana, town of Piar municipality
*
Antonio Ciliberto Pérez, poet and novelist
From Maturín
* , general of the Venezuelan independence
* , musician, composer and dentist
*
José Gabriel Núñez Romberg, musician
*
José Antonio Núñez Romberg, mathematician, teacher and historian
*
Félix Armando Núñez, poet, teacher and dean of the University of Chile
*
Idelfonso Núñez Mares, poet and teacher
*
Eloy Palacios, sculptor
*
José María Núñez, historian
*
Benito Raúl Lozada, poet and writer
From Musipán, town of Ezequiel Zamora municipality
*
Benjamín Rausseo (a.k.a. ), television comedian
From San Antonio
*
Julián Padrón, writer, journalist and lawyer
*
William H. Phelps Jr.
William Henry Phelps Jr. (December 25, 1902 – August 13, 1988) was a Venezuelan ornithologist and businessman.
Early life
He was born in San Antonio de Maturín, a town located in Monagas, Venezuela. Along with his father, William Henry P ...
, ornithologist and founder of
RCTV
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Carlos Salazar Liccioni, poet, novelist
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Julio Gómez Peñalver, dentist, teacher and poet
From Uracoa
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Mateo Manaure
Mateo Manaure (18 October 1926 – 19 March 2018) was a Venezuelan modern artist. In Venezuela he is considered a master of abstractionism, and is known for his works in the University City of Caracas and for creating the largest glass mural in t ...
, painter, artist
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Jesús Rafael Zambrano, journalist, lawyer, writer
References
Sources
* González Oropeza, Hermann(1985): Historia del Estado Monagas. Ediciones Amon C.A., Caracas. (Biblioteca de Temas y Autores Monaguenses; Colección Guanipa; Ensayos e Investigaciónes)
See also
*
States of Venezuela
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a federation made up of twenty-three states ('' es, estados''), a Capital District ('' es, Distrito Capital'') and the Federal Dependencies ('' es, Dependencias Federales''), which consist of many islan ...
{{Authority control
States of Venezuela
States and territories established in 1909