Girardot Municipality, Aragua

The **Girardot Municipality** is ane o the 18 municipalities (municipios) that maks up the Venezuelan state o Aragua. Accordin tae a 2007 population estimate bi the Naitional Institute o Statistics o Venezuela, the municipality haes a population o 439,947.  The ceety o Maracay is the shire toun o the Girardot Municipality.

## History
The ceety o Maracay wis offeecially established on 5 Mairch 1701, bi Bishop Diego de Baños y Sotomayor in the valleys o Tocopio an Tapatapa (wha is kent the day as the central valley o Aragua) in northren Venezuela.  Accordin tae the maist acceptit explanation, it wis namit efter a local indigenous chief, an refers tae the "Maracayo" (*Felis mitis*), a smaw teeger.  Alternative etymologies cite a local aromatic tree cried *Mara*.

Maracay experiencit rapid growthe durin Juan Vicente Gómez's dictatorship (1908 - 1935).  Gómez saw Maracay as a suitable place tae mak his residence durin his rule, an ordered the construction o a Airc o Triumph, a bull plaza (a near replica o the ane in Seville, Spain), a opera hoose, a zoo, an, maist notably, the Hotel Jardín (Garden Hotel), a majestic, tourist attraction wi vera lairge gardens.  The ceety is hame tae the Mausoleo de Gómez (Gómez's mausoleum), whaur the dictator's remains are stored.

## Geografie
The muntains on the north side o Maracay, that separate it frae the coast, mak up the Henri Pittier National Park, namit efter the Swiss naturalist that studiet thaim.  The pairk is a vera lush rainforest, wi a great variety o ferns.  Twa vera windin roads cut throu the pairk ower the muntains tae the coast. Ane, beginnin at the North-Central pairt o the ceety kent as Urbanización El Castaño, goes tae the beach toun o Choroní.  The ither, beginnin at the North-Wastren pairt o the ceety kent as Urbanización El Limón, goes tae Ocumare de la Costa an the beaches o Cata an Catica.

## Maracay & the Militar
Maracay is a ceety hivily influencit bi the militar. Maracay is the cradle o Venezuelan aviation, an it is hame tae the twa lairgest Air Force bases in the kintra.  The Venezuelan F-16 fechter planes are stationed here, as well as the new Sukhoi-30MKEs acquired bi the Venezuelan Govrenment.

Ither militar facilities include the Fowert Armored Diveesion o the Airmy an the Venezuelan Paratroopers main base an trainin centre.

It is hame tae the govrenment-awned ammunition an wappens factory (CAVIM) an aw that produces the Venezuelan version o the FN FAL (*Fusil Automatique Leger* - Licht Automatic Rifle) rifle an will produce the newly acquired AK-103s; as well as the ammunition for baith models.

## Economy
Ane o the maist important ceeties in Venezuela, Maracay is primarily an industrial an commercial centre, the ceety produces paper, textiles, chemicals, tobacco, cement, cattle derivit fuids, sic as milk or meat conserves, as well as soap an perfumes.

Even tho it is a industrial centre, the surroondins o Maracay live o a intensive agricultur, whaur succarcane, tobacco, coffee, an cocoa staund oot as the main products. Thare are cattle-herdin an timmer-cuttin activities an aw.

Activity bi the Venezuelan Militar adds a great deal tae Maracay's economy an aw.

## Demographics
The Girardot Municipality, accordin tae a 2007 population estimate bi the Naitional Institute o Statistics o Venezuela, haes a population o 439,947 (up frae 407,862 in 2000).  This amoonts tae 26.4% o the state's population.  The municipality's population density is .

## Govrenment
The mayor o the Girardot Municipality is Pedro Bastidas, electit on 23 November 2008 wi 46% o the vote. He replacit Humberto Prieto shortly efter the elections. The municipality is dividit intae aicht pairishes; Choroní, Urbana Las Delicias, Urbana Madre María de San José, Urbana Joaquín Crespo, Urbana Pedro José Ovalles, Urbana José Casanova Godoy, Urbana Andrés Eloy Blanco, an Urbana Los Tacariguas (the Urbana Las Delicias, Urbana Madre María de San José, Urbana Joaquín Crespo, Urbana Pedro José Ovalles, Urbana José Casanova Godoy, Urbana Andrés Eloy Blanco, an Urbana Los Tacariguas pairishes ance conformit the Capital Girardot Municipality, which wis disestablished effective 16 Dizember 1997).

## Eddication
Maracay hooses the Faculty o Veterinarians an Agronomy o the Universidad Central de Venezuela, an a extension o the Universidad de Carabobo.

The main campus o the UNEFA (a militar varsity open tae ceevilians) is locatit here.  Career choices include electronics, aeronautical an ceevil ingineerin, as well as ither disciplines sic as avionics.

The main museums are:
*The Anthropological Museum.
*The Aviation Museum.
*The Museum o Modren Airts "Mario Abreu".
*The Opera Hoose.

## Transportation
Maracay haes guid transportation facilities an infrastructur that effectively connects it tae the rest o the kintra, it is linkit tae maist ither important localities bi the Autopista Regional del Centro (Central Regional Heich-gate), it haes guid access tae the anerly, smaw railwey seestem in the kintra an aw.  The ceety boasts the naitional Hidroplane airport, locatit on the shore o the Lago de Valencia (Loch Valencia).  The ceety daes no hae a Subwey seestem, but ane is in the plannin stages.

## Cultur
### Media
#### TV Stations
*TVS
*TRV (Orbivisión)
*Colour TV
*Televisión Informativa del Centro (TIC TV)
*Novavisión TV
*Aragua TV

#### Newspapers
*El Aragüeño
*El Periodiquito 
*El Siglo
*El Impreso

## See also
*Maracay
*Aragua
*Municipalities o Venezuela

## References

## Freemit airtins
*girardot-aragua.gob.ve  
*maracaycity.net 
*MaracayUp 
*Maracay Extrema 
*En Aragua 
*Ciudad Maracay