Anzoátegui State
Anzoátegui is one of the twenty-three states that, together with the Capital District and the Federal Dependencies, form the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Its capital and most populated city is Barcelona. It is located in the northeastern region of the country, bounded on the north by the Caribbean Sea (Atlantic Ocean), on the northeast by Sucre, on the east by Monagas, on the south by the Orinoco River that separates it from Bolívar, on the west by Guárico and northwest with Miranda. With 43 300 km² it is the sixth most extensive state (behind Bolívar, Amazonas, Apure, Guárico and Zulia) and with 1,440,875 inhabitants. being (according to the INE of Venezuela) the seventh most populated, behind Zulia, Miranda, Carabobo, Capital District, Lara and Aragua.1
It has 21 autonomous municipalities and 49 civil parishes. Its main cities are: Barcelona, Puerto La Cruz, Puerto Píritu, Pariaguán, Lechería, Guanta, El Tigre, Anaco and Cantaura.
The Anzoátegui state has an area: 43 300 km². It is the sixth state with the largest area of the country.
Anzoátegui is located between the coordinates 10 ° 08'40 ", of North latitude and 64 ° 40'38", of longitude West, in the North-Eastern region of the country, it is delimited by the state Monagas and Sucre by the east, Bolívar to the south, Guárico to the west with the Miranda state and to the north by the Caribbean Sea supply water to the territory, such as the Unare and the Neverí (in the second slope) and the Zuata and the Cabrutica (in the first slope) . Many of these currents have their sources in the central tables. In the flat area of the coast, there are the lagoons of Píritu and Unare, both closed by littoral cords generated by the sediments carried by the Unare river.
Brief history
Before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, the lands that today form Anzoátegui were inhabited by indigenous Cumanagotos, palenques, Caribs, píritus, guaiqueríes, pariagotos, among others. From the Spanish occupation, this territory was linked to the Province of Nueva Andalucía (later Province of Cumaná) of which it was part together with the territories of the current states Bolívar, Delta Amacuro, Monagas and Sucre.
In 1810, the Province of Barcelona was created, one of the seven provinces that participated in the Declaration of Independence on July 5, 1811. In 1909, it became Anzoátegui State.
José Antonio Anzoátegui is the illustrious son of the city of Barcelona and one of the most important officers of the Patriot Army in the War of Independence. He was born on November 14, 1789 and from a very young age he joined the cause of emancipation, as a soldier and member of the Patriotic Society. He excelled in numerous battles, such as Araure, Juncal, El Sombrero, Ortiz, among others. Accompanied the Liberator Simón Bolívar, in numerous occasions. He was the main hero of the Battle of Boyacá (fundamental for the Independence of New Granada, today Colombia).