Güiria

Güiria
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Nickname(s):  Tierra de Gracia English: Land of Grace
Güiria
Coordinates: 10°34′26″N 62°17′54″W
Country	Venezuela
State	Sucre
Municipality	Valdez
Founded	8 December 1767
Government
• Mayor	Régulo Sucre (PSUV)
Elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Population 2001 (INE, population projections)
• Total	40,000
• Demonym	Guireño(a)
Time zone	UTC-04:00 (VET)
Postal code	6161
Area code	+58 294
Climate	Aw

Güiria is the capital city of Valdez Municipality in the Venezuelan state of Sucre. Güiria was the place where the military campaign for South American independence set out to Upper Peru and also a starting point of the 1901 Venezuelan Civil War (Revolución Libertadora). Founded on 8 December 1767, Güiria is the state's third-largest urban centre, with a population of approximately 40,000. It is an important harbour, the only one in Venezuela located on the open Atlantic Ocean rather than on the Caribbean Sea, and the economic centre of Paria Peninsula, due to it being near the Gulf of Paria's natural gas fields, where several state and private companies have exploration projects.

Climate

Güiria experiences a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: Aw),^[1] characterized by consistently hot temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons.

Güiria has a wet season from May to November, while the dry season between January and April receives limited precipitation.

Climate data for Güiria (1991–2020)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	38.3 (100.9)	35.3 (95.5)	35.6 (96.1)	38.1 (100.6)	34.9 (94.8)	37.8 (100.0)	38.3 (100.9)	36.0 (96.8)	39.2 (102.6)	39.7 (103.5)	38.4 (101.1)	35.9 (96.6)	39.7 (103.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	30.3 (86.5)	30.6 (87.1)	31.3 (88.3)	32.1 (89.8)	32.1 (89.8)	31.4 (88.5)	31.3 (88.3)	31.7 (89.1)	31.9 (89.4)	31.7 (89.1)	31.2 (88.2)	30.6 (87.1)	31.4 (88.5)
Daily mean °C (°F)	25.6 (78.1)	25.8 (78.4)	26.7 (80.1)	27.8 (82.0)	28.0 (82.4)	27.2 (81.0)	26.9 (80.4)	27.2 (81.0)	27.5 (81.5)	27.3 (81.1)	26.8 (80.2)	25.9 (78.6)	26.9 (80.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	21.5 (70.7)	21.6 (70.9)	22.6 (72.7)	24.1 (75.4)	24.7 (76.5)	24.4 (75.9)	24.1 (75.4)	24.5 (76.1)	24.6 (76.3)	24.4 (75.9)	23.9 (75.0)	22.6 (72.7)	23.6 (74.5)
Record low °C (°F)	14.8 (58.6)	15.2 (59.4)	9.3 (48.7)	19.4 (66.9)	19.0 (66.2)	20.7 (69.3)	19.8 (67.6)	19.9 (67.8)	19.0 (66.2)	19.1 (66.4)	18.7 (65.7)	17.7 (63.9)	9.3 (48.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	37.7 (1.48)	18.8 (0.74)	21.7 (0.85)	25.2 (0.99)	62.3 (2.45)	139.0 (5.47)	147.8 (5.82)	177.4 (6.98)	119.1 (4.69)	127.4 (5.02)	121.3 (4.78)	74.1 (2.92)	1,071.8 (42.20)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	6.8	4.1	2.9	2.8	6.8	13.0	14.1	14.6	10.7	11.3	12.3	9.6	109.0
Source: NOAA[2]

Economy

The natural gas industry has been developed in Güiria by means of the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Industrial Complex (CIGMA), developed by Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). The project's main goal is to promote the economic and industrial growth of Sucre state and to supply natural gas also to the states of Nueva Esparta, Monagas and Anzoátegui. It is planned to be connected in later stages to the nationwide gas distribution system to supply the rest of the country and for export.

Additionally, Güiria produces coconuts, cocoa, tobacco, tubers and fish. Cattle is also raised.

Transportation

Port of Güiria.

• International Fishing Port of Güiria
• Cristóbal Colón Airport

Because Güiria is close to the island of Trinidad, there is significant maritime commerce with Trinidad and Tobago.

Popular culture

Cricket is popular in Güiria. Steelpan music from Trinidad and Tobago can be heard in Güiria's carnival, as a cultural influence from the nearby islands.

Güiria has some typical dishes not found in usual Venezuelan cuisine, such as kalalu(callaloo), sauz (souse), pelau and domplina.

On 11 March 2012, Güiria was the landing point of the Atlantic Ocean crossing by Turkish American adventurer Erden Eruç in his Guinness world record setting solo human-powered circumnavigation of the earth, after rowing from Lüderitz, Namibia in about five months.^[3][4]

References

1. "Table 1 Overview of the Köppen-Geiger climate classes including the defining criteria". Nature: Scientific Data. 23 October 2023.
2. "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Güiria". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
3. "Guinness World Records – First solo circumnavigation of the globe using human power". Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
4. "Media Kit – Project Summary Document" (PDF). Around-n-Over (PDF file linked from "around-n-over.org/media/mediakit.htm"). 22 August 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 February 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2016.