La Guaira
Encyclopedia
La Guaira is the capital city of the Venezuela
n state of Vargas and the country's chief port. It was founded in 1577 as an outlet for Caracas
, 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) to the southeast. The town and the port were badly damaged during the December 1999 floods and mudslides that affected much of the region. Today, La Guaira exports cocoa beans, coffee
, and tobacco
.
The city hosts its own professional baseball team in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
, the Tiburones de La Guaira
. They have won seven national championships since their founding in 1962.
After the founding of Caracas
by spanish in 1567, toward the turn of the 16th century, the Port of La Guaira emerged on the coast and, since that time, has been the gateway to Caracas. This coastal city, almost without land to develop and bathed by the Caribbean Sea, became an important harbour during the 18th century. Attacked by buccaneers and by the English, Dutch, and French armadas, La Guaira was transformed into a fortified, walled city. During the War of Jenkins' Ear
(1739 - 1748), the Battle of La Guaira
took place off the coast of La Guaira. This period also saw the trading monopoly of the Real Compañía Guipuzcoana de Caracas, which controlled the major ports of La Guaira and Puerto Cabello
and was instrumental in the development of large-scale cocoa production along the valleys of the coast. Another small naval battle
was fought off La Guaira in 1812, between privateer
s of the United States
and the United Kingdom
.
Now this is the second port by importance in Venezuela after Port of Puerto Cabello.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n state of Vargas and the country's chief port. It was founded in 1577 as an outlet for Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) to the southeast. The town and the port were badly damaged during the December 1999 floods and mudslides that affected much of the region. Today, La Guaira exports cocoa beans, coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
.
The city hosts its own professional baseball team in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League or Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional is the highest level baseball league in Venezuela.-Brief history:Baseball exploded in Venezuela in 1941, following the world championship in Havana....
, the Tiburones de La Guaira
Tiburones de La Guaira
The Tiburones de La Guaira are a baseball team in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Based in the city of La Guaira, the Tiburones have won seven national championships since their founding in 1962.-History:...
. They have won seven national championships since their founding in 1962.
History
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
by spanish in 1567, toward the turn of the 16th century, the Port of La Guaira emerged on the coast and, since that time, has been the gateway to Caracas. This coastal city, almost without land to develop and bathed by the Caribbean Sea, became an important harbour during the 18th century. Attacked by buccaneers and by the English, Dutch, and French armadas, La Guaira was transformed into a fortified, walled city. During the War of Jenkins' Ear
War of Jenkins' Ear
The War of Jenkins' Ear was a conflict between Great Britain and Spain that lasted from 1739 to 1748, with major operations largely ended by 1742. Its unusual name, coined by Thomas Carlyle in 1858, relates to Robert Jenkins, captain of a British merchant ship, who exhibited his severed ear in...
(1739 - 1748), the Battle of La Guaira
Battle of La Guaira
The Battle of La Guaira or La Guayra, took place on 2 March 1743 in the Caribbean, off the coast of La Guaira, present day Venezuela. A British expeditionary fleet under Sir Charles Knowles was defeated, and the expedition ended in failure. 400 men were killed and wounded, among whom was the...
took place off the coast of La Guaira. This period also saw the trading monopoly of the Real Compañía Guipuzcoana de Caracas, which controlled the major ports of La Guaira and Puerto Cabello
Puerto Cabello
Puerto Cabello is a city on the north coast of Venezuela. It is located in Carabobo State about 75 km west of Caracas. As of 2001, the city has a population of around 154,000 people. The city is the home to the largest port in the country and is thus a vital cog in the country's vast oil...
and was instrumental in the development of large-scale cocoa production along the valleys of the coast. Another small naval battle
Battle of La Guaira (1812)
The Battle of La Guaira was a naval engagement fought in the West Indies on December 11 of 1812 during the war between Britain and the United States. An American privateer captured a British privateer at the Spanish port of La Guaira in Venezuela.-Battle:...
was fought off La Guaira in 1812, between privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
s of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Now this is the second port by importance in Venezuela after Port of Puerto Cabello.