Get to know Lake Maracaibo

Meredith✨

· 11 Feb 2021

Get to know Lake Maracaibo

Hello Yoors friends!
#venezuelachallenge

I bring for you 6 curiosities of Lake Maracaibo in the state of Zulia, a place that saw me born and believe.

1) The largest lake in Latin America, surface area, length and measurements:

It covers an area of 13,280 square kilometers in the shape of a sack. Its coasts stretch for 728 kilometers, reaching a maximum depth of 30 meters. Its length in the longest part is 150 km, which is why it is considered the largest in South America and one of the largest in the world.

2) Main rivers that feed Lake Maracaibo:

It is fed by numerous rivers, the largest being the Catatumbo, which comes from Colombia and flows into the Lake. Other rivers that converge with it are: Escalante, Chama, Motatán, Limón, Palmar, Aricuaisa, Apón, Bravo, Onía, Santa Ana, Tucaní, Caús, Machango, Mene, Aurare, Tamare and Ulé.

3) The Maracaibo Basin and its importance:

Between this mountain range and that of Mérida is the Lake Maracaibo Basin. It is considered one of the most oil rich areas in the world, with more than 15,000 wells drilled since 1914. The concentration is so high that oil and crude are extracted both on land and in water.

There are many towers and rockers, as well as kilometers of pipelines that carry oil from one side of the state to another for treatment and export. Oil is the main source of income in Venezuela, therefore this basin is of utmost importance for the country.

4) The Catatumbo lightning bolt.
This phenomenon occurs mainly in the southern area of the lake and in the lower basin of the Catatumbo River, from which its name comes. It is characterized by the appearance of a series of lightning bolts in an almost continuous and practically silent way. Between April and November, lightning flashes constantly appear and disappear in the sky, a phenomenon that has become customary for residents and a "miracle" for the eyes of visitors. This event has been recognized by NASA and by the Guinness World Record, as the highest concentration of lightning in the world is recorded there.

Did you know...?

Thanks to the frequency and brightness of its rays, the storm has been used as a guide by sailors since colonial times, earning the nickname "Faro de Maracaibo" and a seat on the flag and shield of its state, Zulia.

5) The Naval Battle of Lake Maracaibo:

On July 24, 1823, a patriotic day was fought in Lake Maracaibo that consolidated the Independence of Venezuela from Spanish rule.

Did you know...?

During the 17th century, Lake Maracaibo was the subject of numerous pirate raids.

6) The General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge or Bridge over the Lake:

Since August 1962, a national and international icon has been on the Lake, a work of architecture made in reinforced concrete, 8 and a half kilometers long, to unite the West and East of Zulia with the rest of the country.
Currently this engineering work has 135 sections, two of them 235 meters. Its height is 45 meters, which allows the huge oil tankers that enter and leave the Lake to navigate under it. Its name was designated in honor of General Rafael Urdaneta, Zuliano hero of the independence of Venezuela.

Did you know...?

In 1955 a crested penguin arrived on the shores of Lake Maracaibo. This animal is native to regions with freezing temperatures near Antarctica, so its visit to the hottest city in the country was a very unusual event.
🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪

Something great is that my last name belongs to General Rafael Urdaneta himself, a very distant relative.
I hope you liked these curious facts, it was with a lot of love for all of you. ❤️🇻🇪
Photos by Pinterest.

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