# La Guaira

> city in Vargas state, Venezuela

**Wikidata**: [Q873405](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q873405)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Guaira)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/la-guaira

## Summary
La Guaira is the capital city of Vargas state in Venezuela, serving as the primary political and administrative center for both the state and the Vargas Municipality. Founded in 1589, it is a historic port city on the Caribbean coast with a designated area of 1,497 square kilometers.

## Key Facts
- **Official Status:** Capital city of Vargas state and Vargas Municipality.
- **Founding:** Incepted in 1589.
- **Location:** Coordinates 10.6°N, 66.933°W; located in Vargas state, Venezuela.
- **Area:** 1,497 square kilometers.
- **Elevation:** 4 meters above sea level.
- **Population:** 203,520 (2018 estimate); 275,000 (2009 estimate).
- **Postal Code:** 1160.
- **Dialing Code:** 212.
- **Timezone:** UTC−04:00.
- **Official Language:** Spanish.
- **Heritage Designation:** Tentative World Heritage Site (ID: 1306) under criteria (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), listed on 1999-06-03.
- **Key Identifiers:** GND ID 4488404-7; VIAF ID 132547495; Geonames ID 3637721; UN/LOCODE VELAG.
- **Website:** http://vargas-vargas.gov.ve/.
- **Instance Of:** City and capital city.

## FAQs
**What is the administrative role of La Guaira?**
La Guaira serves as the capital for two political entities: Vargas state and the Vargas Municipality. This dual role makes it the primary seat of government for the state's executive, legislative, and administrative functions.

**What is the significance of La Guaira's heritage designation?**
La Guaira is listed as a Tentative World Heritage Site by UNESCO, nominated under criteria (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v). This recognizes its potential cultural value, likely for its historic port architecture, urban layout, and role in regional trade and cultural exchange.

**How has La Guaira's population changed over time?**
Available data shows a population of 275,000 in 2009 and an estimated 203,520 in 2018. This indicates a population decrease over that nine-year period, though the exact cause is not specified in the source material.

**What is La Guaira's geographic and climatic context?**
The city is situated on Venezuela's Caribbean coast at a very low elevation of 4 meters. It operates on the UTC−04:00 timezone, which is the standard time zone for Venezuela.

## Why It Matters
La Guaira matters as the governing heart of Vargas state, concentrating political power and public services for its region. Its status as a Tentative World Heritage Site highlights its perceived cultural and historical value on an international scale, potentially tied to its centuries-long function as a major Caribbean port since its 1589 founding. The city's documented presence in numerous global library and geographic authority files (such as the Library of Congress, BnF, and Getty Thesaurus) underscores its recognized importance in historical and contemporary geographic knowledge systems. Its role as a coastal state capital also makes it economically significant for regional trade, fishing, and tourism, while its low elevation makes it relevant to discussions on coastal urbanism and climate vulnerability in the Caribbean.

## Notable For
- **Dual Capital Status:** Uniquely serves as the capital for both a first-level subdivision (Vargas state) and its corresponding second-level subdivision (Vargas Municipality).
- **Historic Port Foundation:** One of Venezuela's older coastal settlements, founded in 1589, with a long history as a port city.
- **UNESCO Tentative Listing:** Recognized by UNESCO for potential World Heritage status under four different criteria, indicating multifaceted cultural significance.
- **Documented Global Presence:** Listed in a vast array of international authority files and encyclopedias (e.g., Brockhaus, Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Encyclopædia Britannica 11th ed.), reflecting its established historical documentation.
- **Multilingual Recognition:** Has dedicated Wikipedia articles in over 40 languages, demonstrating widespread international interest and notability.
- **Low-Lying Coastal City:** Its 4-meter elevation makes it a notable example of a major administrative center in a potentially vulnerable coastal zone.

## Body

### History and Foundation
La Guaira was founded in 1589, establishing it as a historic settlement on the Venezuelan coast. Its inception date is consistently referenced in sources like the Russian Wikipedia and academic encyclopedias, including the *Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary* and the *Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1926–1947)*. The city's long history as a port is implied by its coastal location and foundational purpose.

### Geography and Location
The city is geographically defined by its coordinates (10.6°N, 66.933°W) and a total area of 1,497 square kilometers. It sits at a very low elevation of 4 meters above sea level, a critical detail for understanding its coastal geography. La Guaira is the capital of and located within Vargas state, Venezuela. Its UN/LOCODE is VELAG, and it is mapped in the Geonames database with ID 3637721 and in OpenStreetMap with relation ID 2442711.

### Administrative and Political Status
La Guaira holds a distinct dual administrative role. It is the **capital city** of Vargas state, a first-level subdivision of Venezuela, and simultaneously the capital of the Vargas Municipality, a second-level subdivision. This is a core fact defining its governmental importance. The official government website is hosted at http://vargas-vargas.gov.ve/.

### Demographics
Population data is available for two points in time. A 2009 estimate placed the population at 275,000. A more recent, preferred estimate from 2018 cites a population of 203,520. This suggests a demographic shift that would require further local data to explain. The city is categorized under "Births in La Guaira" and "People from La Guaira" in Wikimedia projects.

### Cultural Recognition and Heritage
La Guaira is listed on UNESCO's Tentative World Heritage List with ID 1306. It was nominated on 1999-06-03 under criteria (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v). These criteria relate to the exchange of values, unique cultural testimony, architectural/technological ensemble, and traditional human settlement. This designation is a key marker of its perceived cultural value. The city is also associated with a coat of arms image and a state flag image.

### Identifiers and Authority Control
The entity is extensively documented in global knowledge systems. Key identifiers include:
*   **Library & Archive IDs:** Library of Congress (n82103168), BnF (13168263c), National Library of Chile (000077874), National Library of Israel (987007555281005171), U.S. National Archives (10037887).
*   **Geographic Authority IDs:** Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names (1025165), GND (4488404-7).
*   **Virtual International Authority File (VIAF):** 132547495, which aggregates many of the above.
*   **Other IDs:** Freebase (/m/07nrzl), WorldCat Entities (E39PBJh8HKJ9MM7wDwPfq86xjC), Omegawiki (1641086), Yale Lux (place/85f69b38-036d-4271-82b9-148f87dfb6a9).
*   **Multilingual Presence:** Wikipedia articles exist in languages including Spanish (es), English (en), German (de), French (fr), Russian (ru), Japanese (ja), and many others (over 40 total). Its native label is "La Guaira".

### Media and Representation
The city is visually represented by several images on Wikimedia Commons: a general city image (`La_Guaira.jpg`), a page banner (`La_Guira_banner2.jpg`), the state flag (`Flag_of_La_Guaira_State.svg`), and the municipal coat of arms (`Escudo_Municipio_Vargas.PNG`). It is also the subject of depiction in the art piece "La Guaira".

### Technical and Platform Data
*   **Official Language:** Spanish.
*   **Local Dialing Code:** 212.
*   **Postal Code:** 1160.
*   **Social Media:** Has a associated Facebook Location ID (110785452275405) and a Google Play Store listing (`La_Guaira`).
*   **Weather Data:** Listed in OpenWeatherMap with city ID 3637721 (matching its Geonames ID).
*   **Museum Data:** Has a Museum Digital place ID (22293).

### Documentation in Historical Sources
La Guaira is described in several major historical encyclopedias, as recorded in Wikidata's "described_by_source" property. These include:
*   *Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition* (1911 article).
*   *Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary* (both full and small editions).
*   *Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1926–1947)* (multiple editions/volumes).
This demonstrates its long-standing inclusion in authoritative reference works.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Integrated Authority File
3. BnF authorities
4. [Source](https://news.microsoft.com/es-xl/actualizacion-de-zona-horaria-para-venezuela/)
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. Czech National Authority Database
7. Instituto Nacional de Estadística
8. GeoNames
9. BBC Things
10. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/ve.htm)
11. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File