Amuay

Amuay
Amuay
Coordinates: 11°47′00″N 70°14′00″W / 11.78333°N 70.23333°W
Country Venezuela
State Falcón

Amuay (Spanish pronunciation: [aˈmwai]) is a fishing town located in the Paraguana Peninsula, in Falcón state, Venezuela. It is a natural bay, also has a fishing port and the bigger part of the Paraguana Refinery Complex (one of the largest oil refineries in the world - 940.000 barrels per day (149.4481 m3/d)) is located there.

This natural bay was extended to supply oil tankers. Despite the presence of the Oil Refinery, beaches near the bay are healthy and the water is crystalline. The nearest cities to Amuay are Judibana and Punto Fijo.

History

Amuay appears for first time in a map by the year 1800. Its first inhabitants belonged to the native tribe "Amuayes", who populated the Paraguana Peninsula with the "Moruyes" tribe members. They used to exchange products by barter. Amuay means "caquetío" in their native language: Place where water and winds meet. Until 1947 it was only barely populated as a fishing village; after that year, the Creole Petroleum Corporation built the refinery and this changed the way of life of the villagers.

At 01:11am on August 25, 2012, an explosion tore through the gas storage facility in Amuay with 39 confirmed dead and 80 wounded. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ordered an urgent investigation and announced:[1]

It has been decided to have three days of mourning, national mourning because this affects everyone in the big family of Venezuela.

Tourism

Amuay is located in the Paraguana Peninsula which is a duty-free zone since year 1998. Near to Amuay is a Eurobuilding Hotel called Villa Caribe, malls, beaches and clubs.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Venezuela: Chavez orders Amuay refinery blast probe". BBC News. August 26, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2012.

External links

Coordinates: 11°47′N 70°14′W / 11.783°N 70.233°W