San Fernando Municipality

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Municipio San Fernando
Location of San Fernando within Apure Bridge over the Apure River
Country	Venezuela
State	Apure
Shiretown	San Fernando de Apure
Area	5,982 km² (3,717 sq mi)
Population (2007)	158,345
Density	26.47/km² (42.6/sq mi)
Mayor	Armando Arévalo Soto (MVR)
Time zone	VST (UTC-4:30)
Area code(s)	0247
Website	sanfernando-apure.gob.ve

The San Fernando Municipality is one of the seven municipalities (municipios) that makes up the Venezuelan state of Apure and, according to a 2007 population estimate by the National Institute of Statistics of Venezuela, the municipality has a population of 158,345.^[1] The town of San Fernando de Apure is the shire town of the San Fernando Municipality.^[2]

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Climate 2.2 Hydrography 3 Economy 4 Demographics 5 Government 6 Culture 6.1 Calendas of San Fernando 6.2 The Joropo 7 Sites of interest 7.1 Barbarito Palace 7.2 San Fernando Cathedral 8 Colleges and universities 8.1 Simón Rodríguez University 8.2 Ezequiel Zamora Experimental National University of the Western Plains 8.3 Other universities 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

[edit] History

The city of San Fernando de Apure was founded on February 28, 1788 on the banks of the Apure River (Rio Apure) by Don Fernando de Miyares González, the Governor and Capitán General of Barinas Province, New Granada, with the assistance of Don Juan Antonio Rodríguez and the Capuchin monk Fray Buenaventura de Benaocaz. On December 1, 1793 it was elevated to the status of a town (Villa).

In 1831, a private school for young men was opened by Juan Castellano, and in 1844, classes for younger children were added to this school. In 1875, the Federal High School (Colegio Federal de Segunda Categoría) was opened and at the end of the 19th century, the Federal School Leon XIII was opened.

In 1912, the Codazzi Federal School is established, followed by the Cagigal School in 1914, the Miranda School in 1931 (a high school which was later converted into the Grammar school Lazo Martí), the Sacred Family School in 1953, and the School of Plastic Arts Juan Lovera in 1964.

The construction of the bridge that crossed the Apure River at San Fernando commenced in 1959 under the direction of President Rómulo Betancourt, and was opened February 1, 1961. It cost a total of 8.5 million bolivars.

The studies of Superior Education, begin in 1976 with the creation of the Apure Nucleus of the Simón Rodriguez University, continuing with the beginning of workings of the Experimental National University of the Western Plains, in 1977, and the Local Center of the National Open University in 1978. At the present time works, in addition to the mentioned, extensions of the Libertador Pedagogical Experimental University, University of Carabobo, Bicentennial University of Aragua and the José María Vargas University.

Also the city, has been cultural center, of folkloric manifestations, being: Ignacio Figueredo, Carmelo Aracas, Ramon García, Urbino Ruiz, Marcelino Castillo, Felix Marchena, Omar Moreno, Manuel Luna, Eneas Perdomo, El Carrao de Palmarito, Francisco Montoya, Isabelita Aparicio, Pedro Gamarra and Cristóbal Jiménez, among others, representatives of the most important musical manifestation of the region and the country, the Joropo, along with the harp, the cuatro and maracas, is part of the history of San Fernando de Apure.^[3]

[edit] Geography

[edit] Climate

San Fernando de Apure is recognized in Venezuela to be a very warm locality by its location in the center of the Venezuelan plains. The annual average is between 22 °C and 30 °C. Nevertheless it is easily bearable. The humidity can reach more to 79%, or due to its location next to the Apure River that in its closer point of the city covers up to 300 meters wide in its channel. The relief of San Fernando is totally a plain. Natural land elevations do not exist, and the visibility of the horizon can reach up to 10 km. Some high barriers can be artificially by engineer installations for the prevention of floods. The city is established on humid grounds, reason why civil constructions superior to 5 levels are not admitted. In this sense, San Fernando projects a flat skyline.^[4]

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Avg high °F	91	93	97	95	91	88	86	86	88	90	91	91	91
Avg low °F	72	73	73	75	75	73	73	73	75	73	73	73	73
Avg high °C	32	33	36	35	32	31	30	30	31	32	32	32	32
Avg low °C	22	22	22	23	23	22	22	22	23	22	22	22	22
Source: Weatherbase

[edit] Hydrography

The municipality that conforms San Fernando de Apure, limits to the east with the Orinoco river, and to the north with the Apure River, also there are other rivers that end in the Apure or the Orinoco, some of them are: Rivers: Arichuna River, Cunaviche River, Payara River, Among others. Sewers: Atamaiquita sewer, Mangía sewer, Among others. Lakes: in the city there are few lakes, Macanilla lake is one of them, and simultaneously it is the greatest lake of the San Fernando municipality, is located to the south of the municipality, to the north of the population of El Caimán.^[5]

[edit] Economy

The city is the political and administrative seat of the Apure state, so therefore the government and public administration its main economic activity, followed by the Education sector. The city is the main financial establishment of the state, whose first activity is the Cattle ranch and Agriculture, in this sense, mainly the bovine and pig cattle ranch, with production of meat, milk and cheese, in the Agriculture, the main products are beans, cotton, banana, maize and yucca. On the other hand, fishing, is a traditional activity, but only reduced to the local market.^[6] Although it has many wealth in that area, San Fernando has one of the higher index of poverty of the state capitals in Venezuela, with a 44.49% of poor population according to the 2001 census.^[7]

[edit] Demographics

The San Fernando Municipality, according to a 2007 population estimate by the National Institute of Statistics of Venezuela, has a population of 158,345 (up from 138,119 in 2000). This amounts to 33.4% of the state's population.^[8] The municipality's population density is 42.6 people per square mile (26.47/km²).^[9]

[edit] Government

The mayor of the San Fernando Municipality is Armando Arévalo Soto, elected on October 31, 2004 with 67% of the vote.^[10] He replaced Freddy Ibañez shortly after the elections.^[11] The municipality is divided into four parishes; Urbana San Fernando, El Recreo, Peñalver, and San Rafael de Atamaica.^[12]

[edit] Culture

• San Fernando de Apure, maintains its folkloric traditions:

[edit] Calendas of San Fernando

Is the popular folkloric dance of San Fernando de Apure, since 1997, each May 30, great dolls (Calendas), dance by the streets in the day of its Patron Saint, Ferdinand III of Castile, like a tribute to him and god. Calenda is synonymous of special celebrations or dates. It is a word coming from Latin kalendae, according to the Real Academia Española, this word means first day of the month, the same from where the word Calendario (English: Calendar) comes.^[13]

[edit] The Joropo

Main article: Joropo

Is a musical style resembling the waltz, and an accompanying dance, having African and European influences, is played with the arpa llanera (harp), bandola, cuatro, and maracas, making use of polyrhythmic patterns, especially of hemiola, and alternation of 3/4 and 6/8 tempos. It was originally played, most often also sung, by the llaneros, and thus also called música llanera. The singer and the harp or bandola may perform the main melody while a cuatro performs the accompaniment, adding its characteristic rhythmic, sharp percussive effect. The cuatro and the bandola are four-stringed instruments which are descendants of the Spanish guitar. The only real percussion instruments used are the maracas. Besides the genre and dance, the name joropo also means the performance, the event or occasion of performance

[edit] Sites of interest

[edit] Barbarito Palace

Considered the most important and classical building of the city, it is located in front of the Plaza Camejo. It was constructed by Italian immigrants, as a residence and factory, at the beginning of the XX century. It was an Export Center to Europe and the United States, and was the scene of several robberies and murders due to the immense value of the merchandise held there. Today, the Barbarito Palace has been restored and houses a museum where original mosaics can be observed.^[14]

[edit] San Fernando Cathedral

This Cathedral, was planned by the German architect Robert Klein, and constructed by the engineer Manuel Pérez Marcano, in a lapse of ten years. The works began in 1959, under the sponsorship of the Municipal Council of San Fernando and the Apure state government, Once concluded, it was consecrated on February 28, 1969, in the anniversary of the foundation of the city, by Monsignor Felice Pirozzi.^[15]

[edit] Colleges and universities

• San Fernando, is the main educative center of Apure, the city homes the majority of universities with seat in the state, some of them are:

[edit] Simón Rodríguez University

(Universidad Simón Rodríguez) or USR, is a public institution with seat in Caracas, having since 1976 a nucleus in San Fernando. This university was born with the Nucleus of Caricuao, Caracas, on October, 1971, by a decreed of the president Rafael Caldera, for the creation of a new university in the Capital Region. The Organizing Commission constituted with seven members, all designated by the executive. On July, 1976, the institution adopt an administrative conformation, that implies hierarchies and a vertical organization, then the university expand to other regions.^[16]

[edit] Ezequiel Zamora Experimental National University of the Western Plains

(Universidad Nacional Experimental de los Llanos Occidentales Ezquiel Zamora) or UNELLEZ, is a public institution, with nucleus in San Fernando, since 1977. Has like mission, to look for, and apply the knowledge for the integral formation of the citizens, taking in consideration their personal interests, the interests of the local and regional community, and the interests of the nation, contributing with the development and transformation of Venezuela.^[17]

[edit] Other universities

• Bicentennial University of Aragua
• José María Vargas University
• University of Carabobo
• National Open University
• Libertador Pedagogical Experimental University
• Experimental National University of the Armed Forces

[edit] See also

• San Fernando de Apure
• Apure
• Municipalities of Venezuela

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• sanfernando-apure.gob.ve (Spanish)