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Home > Travel South America > South America Destinations > Maracay
Maracay
South America is a continent situated in the western hemisphere and, mostly, the southern hemisphere, bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean, North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the northwest. Venezuela is a country on the northern tropical Caribbean coast of South America.
Maracay is in central Venezuela and is the capital and most important city of the Aragua State. Most of it falls under the jurisdiction of the Girardot Municipality. As of 2005, Maracay and its surroundings have an estimated population of 1,367,217.
It was officially established on the 5th of March 1701 by Bishop Diego de Banos y Sotomayor in the valleys of Tocopio and Tapatapa, what is known today as the central valley of Aragua, in northern Venezuela. It was named after a local indigenous chief, and refers to the Maracayo, Felis mitis, a small tiger. Alternative etymologies cite a local aromatic tree called Mara.
Maracay main attractions are the Arc of Triumph, a bull plaza, a near replica of the one in Seville, Spain, an Opera house, a Zoo, and, most notably, the Hotel Jardin, Garden Hotel, a majestic, tourist attraction with very large gardens. The city is home to the Mausoleo de Gomez or Gomez's mausoleum.
One of the most important cities in Venezuela, Maracay is primarily an industrial and commercial center, the city produces paper, textiles chemicals, tobbaco, cement, cattle derived foods, such as milk or meat conserves, as well as soap and perfumes. The surroundings of Maracay live of an intensive agriculture, where sugarcane, tobacco, coffee and cocoa stand out as the main products. There are also cattle-herding and timber-cutting activities.
Maracay also adds to their economy a big deal of activity from the Venezuelan Military. Maracay has good transportation facilities and infrastructure is linked to most other important localities by the Autopista Regional del Centro, Central Regional Highway, it also has good access to the only, small railway system in the country. The city boasts the national Hidroplane airport, located on the shore of the Lago de Valencia, Lake of Valencia.
The dense Amazon rainforest, the jagged spires of the Andes Mountains, the Tropical beaches and the Towering waterfalls, with this kind of nature all around, it's no wonder why South America have become nearly synonymous with Adventure travel and ecotourism.
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