Gibraltar, Venezuela facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gibraltar, Venezuela
Gibraltar, Venezuela Location in Venezuela
Time zone	UTC−4 (VET)

Gibraltar is a small town in Venezuela. It is located in Zulia State, between the towns of Bobures and Boscan. This town sits right on the shore of Maracaibo Lake. Around 4,000 people live in Gibraltar today.

A Look Back at Gibraltar's History

Gibraltar was first started in February 1592. It was founded by a person named Gonzalo Piña Ludueña. He named it "San Antonio de Gibraltar" after his own hometown. That original Gibraltar was in Spain. Today, it is a British territory.

An Important Port

During the time when Venezuela was a Spanish colony, Gibraltar was a very important place. It was the main port for the city of Mérida. Many goods were shipped from here. It was especially known for exporting a lot of cocoa. Cocoa is used to make chocolate.

Pirate Attacks

Over the years, Gibraltar faced many challenges. It was attacked several times by famous pirates.

• In 1668, a French pirate named François l'Olonnais took over the town. He took many valuable things.
• Just one year later, in 1669, another well-known pirate, Sir Henry Morgan, also attacked Gibraltar.
• Then, in 1678, Michel de Grammont captured the town. He traveled far inland, reaching as far as Trujillo.

These attacks caused a lot of damage to Gibraltar. The town was so badly hurt that by 1680, it had almost disappeared.