Maturin Travel Guide, Venezuela

Maturin, Venezuela - Overview: City of Civil Wars & Epidemics

The capital of Monagas, Maturin, is named after an Indian chief who got murdered by a Spanish Captain during a battle between the Spanish & the Indians in 1718. The city has been urbanized with numerous art & recreation centers. Again, its economy, which is primarily based on the oil industry, is constantly improving and making the city get counted amongst the most sought after destination for job seekers.

City known for Civil Wars and Epidemics

Although records exist to show that the city got discovered in 1722, it was officially founded on December 07, 1760 by a Franciscan missionary. Maturin has witnessed 5 battles amongst the locals and the Spanish. It has also been a part of several epidemics and civil wars, due to which the population of the city dwindled. By the 20th century, things did start to lookup, as its economic conditions improved. Maturin is now counted amongst the main cities in eastern Venezuela.

Location

Maturin is located on the banks of the Guarapiche River in close proximity to the Carribean Coast and the Orinoco River. It is at a distance of 520 kilometers from Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela and at an altitude of 67 meters above sea level.

Population

According to the last census, the population of Maturin is 741,000. This represents a major victory for the town, since it was destroyed by a Spanish invasion in 1814 and re-built 2 years later from the scratch.

People and culture

Most of the people in Maturin are Roman Catholics, although there are a few Protestants, atheists and people following other religions. The most common language is Spanish, no doubt due to the colonization by the Spanish. Politics wise, most lean towards Republican. Baseball and football are the most common sports in the city. Art, culture and literature have a strong influence from the Spanish.

Economy

Until the nineteenth century, Maturin was rich in agriculture and livestock. However, due to civil wars, this richness was lost. Now, it relies on petroleum income from oil fields near the town.

Law and Government

Venezuela being a federal republic, the President functions both as the head of state as well as the head of government. However, there exists a municipal government having executive, legislative, comptroller and planning functions. A mayor represents the municipality’s administration, while the municipal council performs the legislative functions. There is also a local public planning council to manage developmental activities.

Some places that draw tourist attraction are Estadio Monumental de Maturin, Museo Mateo Manaure, Eloy Palacios, Plaza Bolivar and Square Parque de La Guaricha. So, you will have a lot of reasons to enjoy your trip to the city of Civil Wars & Epidemics.