San Felipe, Venezuela facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
San Felipe, Yaracuy
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    Top:Yaracuy States Government Office, Second:Indo Yaracuy Monument in El Ferte Park, Fair Arch of San Felipe, (left to right) Bottom:St. Philip the Apostle Cathedral, San Felipe
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 San Felipe, Yaracuy
Location in Venezuela
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| Country |  Venezuela |
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| State | Yaracuy | ||
| Founded | 6 November 1729 | ||
| Elevation | 250 m (820 ft) | ||
| Population
(2001)
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| • Total | 220,786 | ||
| • Density | 467.766/km2 (1,211.51/sq mi) | ||
| • Demonym | Sanfelipean Sanfelipeño -ña (es) |
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| Time zone | UTC−4 (VET) | ||
| Postal code |
3201
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| Area code(s) | 0254 | ||
| Climate | Aw | ||
| Website | Alcaldía de San Felipe | ||
| Population is metropolitan area. City itself: 103.121. | |||
San Felipe is the main city of Yaracuy, a state in Venezuela. It's located in the central-western part of the country. San Felipe is a key place for city life, factories, shops, and travel in Venezuela. It is also where the main church, the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Felipe, Venezuela, is located.
Contents
History of San Felipe
Early Beginnings and Challenges
In 1693, Spanish people started a small town called Cerrito de Cocorote. This was the very beginning of what would become San Felipe. At that time, Cerrito de Cocorote was controlled by a bigger city called Nueva Segovia de Barquisimeto.
The people of Nueva Segovia de Barquisimeto didn't want Cerrito de Cocorote to grow. They ordered the town to be destroyed in 1710. But the people of Cerrito de Cocorote were determined! They rebuilt their town a few years later.
However, the authorities from Nueva Segovia de Barquisimeto ordered it to be destroyed again. In 1721, the people tried to rebuild it once more, but it was burned down for the third time.
A New Start for San Felipe
Even after all this destruction, the people of Cerrito de Cocorote still wanted their own independent town. They got help from a person named Fray Marcelino de San Vicente. He helped them get a special paper, called a Royal Certificate, from King Philip V of Spain. This paper said they could build a town that was separate from Nueva Segovia de Barquisimeto.
On November 6, 1729, the same day they got the Royal Certificate, they started building their new town. They chose a place called Valle Hondo. They named their new town San Felipe El Fuerte, to honor King Philip V of Spain. The city grew bigger over the years.
Sadly, a big earthquake hit Caracas in 1812, and it also destroyed San Felipe on March 26, 1812. But just like before, the people who survived rebuilt their city again.
Geography of San Felipe
San Felipe is found at the bottom of a mountain called Cerro Chimborazo. This area is in Bolívar, within the state of Yaracuy. The city itself is built on a hill. This means some of its main roads are quite steep, while other streets are less sloped.
At the higher parts of the city, you can find a military base and a big hospital. In the lower areas, there are neighborhoods like San Antonio, San José, and Higuerón.
The city gets its cool air from the Yurubí River. This river flows down from a narrow valley north of the city. Later, it joins the Yaracuy River, which then flows into the Caribbean Basin. San Felipe is also close to the Yurubí National Park. This park is a forest with many trees that lose their leaves in certain seasons. A nearby lake provides fresh drinking water for San Felipe.
Climate in San Felipe
San Felipe has a warm, dry climate, which is called a hot semi-arid climate. The city usually gets about 550 millimeters (about 21.6 inches) of rain each year. The average temperature is around 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit).
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °C (°F) | 33.9 (93.0) |
35.4 (95.7) |
37.5 (99.5) |
35.6 (96.1) |
35.6 (96.1) |
34.0 (93.2) |
32.8 (91.0) |
33.8 (92.8) |
34.0 (93.2) |
34.1 (93.4) |
33.6 (92.5) |
32.8 (91.0) |
37.5 (99.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.5 (85.1) |
30.3 (86.5) |
31.1 (88.0) |
30.4 (86.7) |
29.6 (85.3) |
28.9 (84.0) |
28.8 (83.8) |
29.7 (85.5) |
30.2 (86.4) |
30.2 (86.4) |
29.8 (85.6) |
29.1 (84.4) |
29.8 (85.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 24.1 (75.4) |
24.7 (76.5) |
25.4 (77.7) |
25.5 (77.9) |
25.1 (77.2) |
24.6 (76.3) |
24.3 (75.7) |
24.8 (76.6) |
25.2 (77.4) |
25.2 (77.4) |
24.9 (76.8) |
24.1 (75.4) |
24.8 (76.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 18.6 (65.5) |
19.0 (66.2) |
19.6 (67.3) |
20.6 (69.1) |
20.6 (69.1) |
20.2 (68.4) |
19.8 (67.6) |
19.9 (67.8) |
20.1 (68.2) |
20.2 (68.4) |
20.0 (68.0) |
19.1 (66.4) |
19.8 (67.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 13.4 (56.1) |
13.2 (55.8) |
12.6 (54.7) |
15.2 (59.4) |
16.5 (61.7) |
16.1 (61.0) |
16.4 (61.5) |
15.4 (59.7) |
15.4 (59.7) |
15.1 (59.2) |
15.0 (59.0) |
13.8 (56.8) |
12.6 (54.7) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 9 (0.4) |
8 (0.3) |
14 (0.6) |
65 (2.6) |
75 (3.0) |
78 (3.1) |
77 (3.0) |
53 (2.1) |
39 (1.5) |
49 (1.9) |
48 (1.9) |
25 (1.0) |
540 (21.3) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 5.5 | 7.9 | 12.0 | 10.6 | 8.1 | 5.8 | 6.1 | 6.4 | 4.0 | 70.8 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 68.5 | 66.5 | 65.5 | 70.0 | 74.0 | 75.0 | 74.5 | 73.0 | 72.5 | 73.0 | 73.0 | 72.0 | 71.5 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 260.4 | 235.2 | 241.8 | 183.0 | 192.2 | 201.0 | 232.5 | 241.8 | 228.0 | 226.3 | 222.0 | 248.0 | 2,712.2 |
| Source 1: Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología (INAMEH) | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (extremes, precipitation, and sun) | |||||||||||||
Transportation in San Felipe
San Felipe has a station that is part of the national railway network. There is also an airport, Sub Teniente Nestor Arias Airport, which is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) south of the city.
Famous People from San Felipe
Many well-known people have come from San Felipe:
- Rafael Caldera, who was a former president of Venezuela.
- Cecilia Mujica, a historical heroine.
- Marco Scutaro, a former professional baseball player.
- Luis Arráez, a professional baseball player for the Miami Marlins.
- Milagros Sequera, a former professional female tennis player.
- Rafael Dudamel, a football (soccer) manager.
- Carlos Suárez Mendoza, a footballer who plays as a midfielder.
- Heber García, a football player who plays as a midfielder.
- Felipe Vázquez, a professional baseball pitcher.
- Goizeder Azúa, a television host, model, journalist, and beauty queen who won Miss International 2003.
- Gabriela de la Cruz, a model, communicator, and beauty queen.
- Migleth Cuevas, a professional model.
- Henri Falcón, a politician.
- Eduardo Lapi, a politician.
- Yolanda Tortolero, a politician.
See also
In Spanish: San Felipe (Venezuela) para niños
