Maracaibo is the second-largest city in
Venezuela after the national capital
Caracas and is the capital of
Zulia state. Based on the 2001 census information, the estimated population of Maracaibo in 2007 is 3,200,000 inhabitants.
Maracaibo is nicknamed La Tierra del Sol Amada ("The Land Beloved by the Sun").
Maracaibo was founded in 1529 on the western side of Lake Maracaibo which is the dominant feature of the oil-rich Maracaibo Basin. Favoured by prevailing winds and a protected harbour, the city is located on the shores of the lake where the narrows, which eventually lead to the Gulf of Venezuela, first become pronounced.
For about 390 years, Maracaibo remained isolated and separated from the rest of the country. Transportation was only possible across the lake by ferry or other marine transport.
