Acarigua

Acarigua, founded as San Miguel de Acarigua, is a city in northwestern Venezuela, in the northern part of the state of Portuguesa.

Formerly the state capital, it is a major commercial center for the northern Llanos region of South America. It is contiguous with the neighboring city of Araure.

Demographics
The city's population was 116,551 in 1990 and was estimated at 208,495 in 2008.

Religion
Its Cathedral Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Corteza is the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Acarigua–Araure.

Fauna
The Thysania agrippina is one of the world's largest moths, with wings 32 cm in size.

Flora
The saman or Samanea saman is the most widespread tree throughout the city.

Protected areas

 * Parque Musiu Carmelo
 * Parque Mittar Nakichenovich
 * Balneario Sabanetica
 * Balneario el Mamón
 * Parque Curpa, popularly known as José Antonio Páez Park.

Production
Acarigua is a principal commercial center of the northern portion of the Llanos (plains), in which cattle, peanuts, sorghum, cashews, beans, cotton, corn (maize), and rice are the principal products.

Media
Acarigua is home to 3 regional newspapers, and the community TV station Siguaraya TV.

Transport
Acarigua is served by the Oswaldo Guevara Mujica Airport.

Sports
It is home to Portuguesa FC, whose home stadium is the Estadio General José Antonio Paez.

Notable people

 * Luis Antonio Herrera Campins (1925-2007), was President of Venezuela