Porlamar
NicknamesVilla del Espíritu Santo (English: House of the Holy Spirit) Pueblo de La Mar (English: Village by the Sea)
CountryVenezuela
StateNueva Esparta
CountiesMariño
DemonymPorlamarense
MayorEneas González
Population as of2011
Population total144,830
Elevation10 m
Elevation32 ft
Coordinates10°57′N 63°51′W
Postal coded6301
Area code295
ClimateBSh
WebsiteMunicipality of Mariño

Porlamar (poɾlaˈmaɾ) is the most populated city, major seaport and major center in the state of Nueva Esparta, Venezuela. It is situated on the southern coast of Margarita Island, one of three islands in the Caribbean Sea off the South American mainland which make up the state of Nueva Esparta,[1] at a distance of 6 miles (10 km) from the state capital of La Asunción. Porlamar is the capital of Mariño, the most populous of the eleven municipalities into which the state of Nueva Esparta is divided.

History

Christopher Columbus passed by the island on 14 August 1498.[2] A large amount of pearls were discovered in the area in the 1500s and pearl hunting was conducted.[3] Friar Francisco de Villacorta founded Porlamar on 26 March 1536.[4] The city has gone by the names San Pedro Mártir, Villa del Espíritu Santo, and Pueblo de La Mar.[5] Lope de Aguirre came to the island in 1561, and killed acting governor Sarmiento de Villandrando, seized the treasury in Porlamar, and burnt the harbour of Porlamar.[6]

During World War I two extract factories for Tannin were constructed in Venezuela, one in Porlamar and the other in La Guaira.[7]

Population

The 1891 census reported a population of 5,693 for Porlamar.[8] Porlamar accounts for one-third of the population of Margarita Island.[9]

Climate

Porlamar has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh) with hot day time temperatures and warm night time temperatures year round. Rainfall peaks from June to August and from November to February. Average sunshine hours are very consistent year round.

Climate data for Porlamar, Margarita Island
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Average sea temperature °C (°F)25.0
(77.0)		24.0
(75.2)		24.0
(75.2)		25.0
(77.0)		25.0
(77.0)		26.0
(78.8)		26.0
(78.8)		27.0
(80.6)		27.0
(80.6)		27.0
(80.6)		27.0
(80.6)		26.0
(78.8)		25.75
(78.35)
Mean daily daylight hours12.012.012.012.013.013.013.012.012.012.012.011.012.16
Average Ultraviolet index1011+11+11+11+11+11+11+11+11+101011
Source: Weather 2 Travel[10]

Twin cities

Notable people

References

  1. ^ "History and Geography of Margarita". Freewebs.com. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  2. ^ Minta 1993, p. 192.
  3. ^ Kunz & Stevenson 1908, p. 231.
  4. ^ Porlamar se prepara con agenda cultural y protocolar para celebrar sus 488 años de Fundación 2024.
  5. ^ Isava 2017.
  6. ^ Minta 1993, pp. 192; 196; 204.
  7. ^ Sources of Supply of Divi-Divi 1924.
  8. ^ Dalton 1912, p. 271.
  9. ^ Misra 2016.
  10. ^ "Margarita Island – Monthly weather forecast and Climate data". Weather2Travel. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  11. ^

Works cited

Books

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News