Iribarren Municipality

Venezuelan Municipality
name= Iribarren


skyline_photo= Baqtoeste.jpg
skyline_caption= Buildings of Barquisimeto
country= Venezuela
state= Lara
shiretown= Barquisimeto
area= 2,760 km² (1,715 sq mi)
population= 1,027,022
year_estimate= 2007
population_density= 372.11/km² (598.9/sq mi)
mayor= Henri José Falcón Fuentes (MVR)
time_zone= VST ()
area_code(s)= 0251
website= http://iribarren-lara.gob.ve/portal-alcaldias/
website_name= iribarren-lara.gob.ve The Iribarren Municipality is one of the nine municipalities (municipios) that makes up the Venezuelan state of Lara and, according to a 2007 population estimate by the National Institute of Statistics of Venezuela, the municipality has a population of 1,027,022. [http://www.ine.gob.ve/sintesisestadistica/estados/lara/cuadros/Poblacion6.xls] The town of Barquisimeto is the shire town of the Iribarren Municipality.http://www.ine.gob.ve/secciones/division/Lara.zip]

History

Originally founded by Don Juan de Villegas in 1552 under the name of "Nueva Segovia", soon changed in several occasions until its definitive foundation in 1563. Barquisimeto is nowadays a modern city, being the fourth city in number of inhabitants in Venezuela. Its importance, is like center of communications, agriculture and industries, of the center-West of the country. In Barquisimeto, like in most of the cities of Venezuela, besides having an interesting colonial architecture, important works of the modern architecture can be observed. A good example of this, is the Cathedral, which was designed by the architect John Bergcamp. The city has varied museums, of subjects like: History, Archaeology, Paleontology, and one about the city. This last, was inaugurated in 1983, in the old seat of the Hospital "La Caridad", has ten rooms, where the works of artists of the region, can be observed, as well as exhibitions of collections and works of other museums. The cultural activity is rooted in its people, the city is known like the musical capital of Venezuela. One of the most representative images of Barquisimeto is the Divina Pastora, patron saint of the city, which is celebrated on January 14.

Geography

Located in a plateau of 556 meters of altitude, with a somewhat hot average temperature of 26°C throughout the year, and a population that exceeds the 800,000 inhabitants. Geographically, Barquisimeto has a very central location in the country but due to poor interstate highways and tolls every 70 miles or so, makes the trip from Barquisimeto to Caracas hard to complete in less than four and a half hours, even though it is only about 360 kilometers (224 miles) away.

ites of interest

Barquisimeto Athenaeum

On October 8, 1986, this Athenaeum was created by a group of cultural promoters, poets, writers, educators and sociocultural workers. This institute was created under the fundamental principle, for the rescue of the traditions and customs of the city, so that can be constituted a legacy for future generations, and thus to reinforce the culture of Barquisimeto.

The obelisk

This is the symbol of Barquisimeto, created to commemorate the 400 years of the city. Constructed in 1952 by the engineer "Rafael Jose Raga", is a concrete and steel structure of 75 meters of height, provided with an elevator. The elevator, however, has been out of use for years and the front entrance of the "Obelisk" (which is so in name only since it is flat on top) is used to store materials lying around the grounds surrounding the "Obelisk."

Barquisimeto Museum

This structure dates from 1579, when the “San Lazaro” Hospital worked. Later in 1877, it was reconstructed to be "La Caridad" hospital. Finally, in 1939, the Hospital was named "Antonio Maria Pineda", and moves to another seat, being this building empty, working years later like the Barquisimeto Museum.

Juárez Theater

This theater is located in the center of the city, was inaugurated in 1905, with the name of "Municipal Theater", and was reconstructed almost totally for the four hundred years of Barquisimeto, it has been witness of the growth and history of this population. By its scenes, past a great number of artists, of diverse sorts: dance, song, ballet and theater, among others. It has a special attractive for the tourists, by its structure, and the different cultural manifestations of the city and the country, that are represented there. This theater was the first of the Lara state.

Economy

The economic potential of the city is tied to the small, medium and large industry, that has access to regional and national markets, with a great perspective of internationalization thanks to its convenient access to the sea by rail via Puerto Cabello. The food trade is the city's main commercial activity, thanks to its advantageous geographic location which generates an influence area (hinterland) that covers near 6 million inhabitants. In addition of the food industry, plastics, textiles, paper, dairy, farming and automotive industry, represents the main industries of the city.

Demographics

The Iribarren Municipality, according to a 2007 population estimate by the National Institute of Statistics of Venezuela, has a population of 1,027,022 (up from 915,634 in 2000). This amounts to 57.2% of the state's population. [http://www.ine.gob.ve/sintesisestadistica/estados/lara/cuadros/Poblacion5.xls] The municipality's population density is 598.9 people per square mile (372.11/km²). [http://www.ine.gob.ve/sintesisestadistica/estados/lara/cuadros/Poblacion4.xls]

Government

The mayor of the Iribarren Municipality is Henri José Falcón Fuentes, re-elected on October 31, 2004 with 86% of the vote. [http://www.cne.gob.ve/regionales2004/11/alcaldedis=0&edo=11&mun=2&par=0&cen=0&mesa=0&cua=0.html] [http://www.cne.gob.ve/estadisticas/e016.pdf] The municipality is divided into 10 parishes; Catedral, Concepción, El Cují, Juan de Villegas, Santa Rosa, Tamaca, Unión, Aguedo Felipe Alvarado, Buena Vista, and Juárez.

Transportation

The system more commonly used, are the "rapiditos", old automobiles with capacity for 5 persons, with a route similar to the buses and used mainly to shuttle people between downtown and the suburbs, like the shared cabs in other countries. The Transbarca Trolleybus System, is the new mass transport system of the city, to be inaugurated at the end of 2007, will mobilize an average of 170,000 people by day, with 80 electrical units, will cross 30 km (18,6 miles) of exclusive route, in the Metropolitan Area of the city, it will be able to have an express route of 22 km (13,64 miles) and one commercial route of 8 km (4,96 miles). With 52 stations, the Trolleybus will count a centralized system of communication and security, and structures for easy access for third age and disability people. Also, it has 18 electrical substations. It has a mechanism of collection of passage and a gratuitous system of communication for the communities. Barquisimeto in 2006 has the most organized bus system of Venezuela, Also it will be complemented with feeding routes, that will cover the the areas of Greater Barquisimeto the trolleybus will not serve; these routes will have stations adjoined or near the ones of the Transbarca system—.
*Buses are the main means of mass transportation, the system runs a variety of bus types, operated by several companies on normal streets and avenues:

*bus; large buses.
*buseta; medium size buses.
*microbus or colectivo; vans or minivans.
*rapiditos; old automobiles with capacity for 5 persons.

Anyone unfamiliar to Barquisimeto and its transportation should know that it can be potentially dangerous due to being targeted by petty, but armed, thieves. Pretty much anyone who uses public transportation in the region has encountered an instance of robbery on a "rapidito" or even bus highjacking. If one complies with the requests of the robbers they usually are nice enough to just take your valuables and drop you off far from any crowded location. Although this is the case, incidents of interstate kidnappings are not uncommon. People with nice cars or a wealthy appearance are usually targeted.

ee also

*Barquisimeto
*Lara
*Municipalities of Venezuela
*List of wine-producing regions

References

External links

* [http://iribarren-lara.gob.ve/portal-alcaldias/ iribarren-lara.gob.ve] es icon
* [http://printer.wunderground.com/global/stations/80410.html Check the weather in Barquisimeto now]
* [http://www.iafe.gov.ve/seccion.asp?pid=6&sid=84 Nuevo Sistema Ferroviario de Venezuela] es icon
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy6_ikmNagQ Video of Barquisimeto and it's surroundings] es icon
* [http://www.barquisimeto.com/ Barquisimeto, Bitacora de una Ciudad] es icon
* [http://www.venezuelatuya.com/occidente/barquisimeto.htm Venezuela Tuya, Barquisimeto] es icon
* [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/4330/ Museo de Barquisimeto] es icon