Vargas | |||
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State of Venezuela | |||
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Motto: Igualdad, Libertad, Propiedad y Seguridad (English: Equality, Liberty, Property and Security) |
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Anthem: Carmañola Americana | |||
Location within Venezuela |
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Coordinates: 10°34′19″N 66°52′48″W / 10.572°N 66.88°WCoordinates: 10°34′19″N 66°52′48″W / 10.572°N 66.88°W | |||
Country | Venezuela | ||
Created | 1998 | ||
Capital | La Guaira | ||
Government | |||
• Governor | Jorge Luis García Carneiro (2008–2012) | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 1,172 km2 (453 sq mi) | ||
Area rank | 22nd | ||
0.16% of Venezuela | |||
Population (2011 census est.) | |||
• Total | 352,920 | ||
• Rank | 21st | ||
1.29% of Venezuela | |||
Time zone | UTC-04:30 | ||
ISO 3166 code | VE-X | ||
Emblematic tree | Uva de Playa (Coccoloba uvífera) | ||
Website | www |
Vargas State (Spanish: Estado Vargas, IPA: [esˈtaðo ˈβarɣas]) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. Named after Venezuela's first non-military president, José María Vargas, Vargas comprises a coastal region in the north of Venezuela, bordering Aragua to the west, Miranda to the east, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Capital District to the south. It is home to both the country's largest seaport and airport. The state capital is La Guaira. The Litoral Varguense conurbation is the principal urban agglomeration in the state, which is part of the Greater Caracas Area.
In 1999, the geographic center of Vargas state suffered major floods and landslides, known as La Tragedia de Vargas (the Vargas tragedy), causing major losses of life and property, and resulting in forced population movements, including the virtual disappearance of some small towns. Thousands died, and many more fled the area to other states.
This region of Venezuela has undergone important changes over the years, and while the geographical borders have remained, the territorial delineation has varied. The area was previously one of the departments of the Venezuela's Federal District (the other being the Libertador department, now Libertador Municipality), and the governor of this region was chosen by the national government. The area later evolved into a municipality, but was still dependent on the governor of the Federal District. In the 1990s there were increased calls for Vargas to become a separate entity, distinct from Caracas. In 1998 the government of Rafael Caldera decreed Vargas as an independent municipality, separate from the Federal District, with the statute of Federal Territory. Shortly after it became the 23rd state of Venezuela.