La Guaira facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
La Guaira
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  Los Cocos beach and Buildings of the city.
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.svg)
 La Guaira
Location in Venezuela
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| Country |  Venezuela |
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| State |  Vargas |
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| Founded | 1555 | ||
| Population | |||
| • Metro | 270,792 | ||
| Time zone | UTC−4 (VET) | ||
| Postal Code |
1160
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| Area code(s) | +58 212 | ||
| Demonym | Guairno | ||
| Climate | BSh | ||
La Guaira (Spanish: [la ˈɣwajɾa]) is a very important city in Venezuela. It is the capital of the state of Vargas, which used to be called Vargas. La Guaira is also Venezuela's main port, meaning it's a big hub for ships and trade.
The city was started in 1577. Its main purpose was to be a port for Caracas, which is about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) to the southeast. Sadly, La Guaira and its port were badly damaged in December 1999. This was due to huge floods and mudslides that hit the whole region.
La Guaira has its own professional baseball team called the Tiburones de La Guaira. They play in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Since they started in 1962, they have won eight national championships. They also won the Caribbean Series in 2023-24, which is a big deal in baseball!
Contents
History of La Guaira
Early Days and Fortifications
After the Spanish founded Caracas in 1567, La Guaira's port started to grow. This happened around the end of the 1500s. Since then, it has been the main way to get to Caracas from the sea.
Even though the city didn't have much land to grow on, it became a very important harbor in the 1700s. Because it was so important, it was often attacked. Pirates, as well as English, Dutch, and French navies, tried to take it over. To protect itself, La Guaira became a strong, walled city.
Battles and Trade
During a war called the War of Jenkins' Ear (1739–1748), the British Royal Navy attacked La Guaira. In March 1743, there was a big fight called the Battle of La Guaira. A group of 19 British ships attacked the port, but they didn't win. The coastal defenses, led by brave leaders like Gabriel de Zuloaga, fought back. They made the British ships leave.
This time was also important for trade. A company called the Royal Gipuzkoan Company of Caracas had a monopoly on trade. This means they controlled the main ports of La Guaira and Puerto Cabello. They helped a lot with growing cocoa in the coastal valleys.
Later, in 1797, a British ship called HMS Hermione (1782) was given to Spanish authorities in La Guaira. This happened after its crew had a mutiny. Another small naval battle took place off La Guaira in 1812. It was between privateer ships from the United States and the United Kingdom.
Today, La Guaira is the second most important port in Venezuela. Only Puerto Cabello is more important. In 1998, La Guaira state was created. It was formed from parts of the old Federal District of Caracas. La Guaira city then became the capital of this new state.
Geography and the La Guaira Bank
What is the La Guaira Bank?
The La Guaira Bank (also called El Placer de La Guaira in Spanish) is like an underwater hill. It's about 12 miles (19 kilometers) off the coast of La Guaira city. This underwater bank is about 12 miles (19 km) long from east to west. It is also about 4 miles (6.4 km) wide from north to south.
The bank rises from about 50 fathoms (91 meters) deep to 140 fathoms (256 meters) deep. It's a special place for deep-sea animals and other living things. These include gorgonians (like sea fans), sponges, and coral. These creatures need ocean currents to bring them food.
Ocean Currents and Marine Life
Currents usually flow west off the coast of Venezuela. The La Guaira Bank acts like a wall against these currents. This creates something called an upwelling. An upwelling is when deep, nutrient-rich water rises to the ocean surface. These nutrients are like food for tiny plants and animals called plankton.
When plankton grows a lot, it attracts bigger animals. This includes whales, porpoises, and seabirds. It also brings large fish that live in the open ocean, like tuna, sharks, wahoo, dolphin fish, and four types of marlin.
A Top Spot for Sport Fishing
The La Guaira Bank is known as one of the best places in the world for sport fishing. This is because many Atlantic blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, and spearfish gather here. They come at different times of the year, but you can find them all year round.
Images for kids
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Picacho de Galipán
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Port of La Guaira
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La Guaira
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Beach in La Guaira
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San Carlos Fortress
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See also
In Spanish: La Guaira para niños
