Apure

Apure State ( , ) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. Its territory formed part of the provinces of Mérida, Maracaibo, and Barinas, in accordance with successive territorial ordinations pronounced by the colonial authorities. In 1824 the Department of Apure was created, under jurisdiction of Barinas, which laid the foundations for the current entity. In 1856 it separated from Barinas and for the first time Apure appeared as an independent province, which in 1864 acquired the status of state. In 1881, however, a new territorial division combined Apure and Guayana to form a single state named Bolívar. In 1899 it reestablished its autonomy and finally, by means of the Constitution of 1909, gained its current borders. The territory was famous for heron plumes, which adorned European courts. At the same time, it was the scene of armed encounters that marked the evolution of the War for Independence, as well as numerous battles during the civil war. In the Apurean environs, Rómulo Gallegos was inspired to write his novel Doña Bárbara, which describes the magnitude of this land. The state capital is San Fernando de Apure. Based on the 2011 census information, the estimated population of Apure State in 2011 is 459,025 inhabitants¹.

Apure State ( , ) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. Its territory formed part of the provinces of Mérida, Maracaibo, and Barinas, in accordance with successive territorial ordinations pronounced by the colonial authorities. In 1824 the Department of Apure was created, under jurisdiction of Barinas, which laid the foundations for the current entity. In 1856 it separated from Barinas and for the first time Apure appeared as an independent province, which in 1864 acquired the status of state. In 1881, however, a new territorial division combined Apure and Guayana to form a single state named Bolívar. In 1899 it reestablished its autonomy and finally, by means of the Constitution of 1909, gained its current borders. The territory was famous for heron plumes, which adorned European courts. At the same time, it was the scene of armed encounters that marked the evolution of the War for Independence, as well as numerous battles during the civil war. In the Apurean environs, Rómulo Gallegos was inspired to write his novel Doña Bárbara, which describes the magnitude of this land. The state capital is San Fernando de Apure. Based on the 2011 census information, the estimated population of Apure State in 2011 is 459,025 inhabitants. ===Climate=== The warm, rainy tropical savannah climate is dominant, with a severe dry season and a rainy season. Also, the temperature can be high all year round. 700 and the 1500 mm. Due to the characteristics of the state relief, the temperature presents a relative uniformity in almost all the territory. From the Andean foothills, temperatures will decrease in proportion to the increase in altitude, reaching up to 10 °C in the extreme northwest of the state, above 3,200 meters above sea level in El Tamá. The shape of the precipitation distribution in the Apure state is one of the fundamental characteristics, being related to modifying factors such as latitude, relief, cold fronts and intertropical convergence. ===Soils=== They vary in quality and texture according to age and drainage, elements that influence the nature of the mixture. Similarly, exposure to very humid or somewhat drier climatic conditions is relevant. The result is uneven, so that the soils are distributed as follows: in the dune areas, they are acidic and low in nutrients; in sectors of constantly flooded plains, they are of medium quality and deficient in fertility; in the banks they have good drainage and medium textures; and in the northeast (towards Biruaca) they have extraordinary agricultural power. ===Vegetation=== In almost all the territory prevails a vegetation of savannah, herbaceous, grassland, scrub and bushes ==Politics and government== It is an autonomous and politically equal state, organizing its administration and public powers through the Constitution of the State of Apure. The current Constitution was adopted on 15 October 2002 and partially reformed in 2005. Amendments or Reforms to the Constitution may be proposed by the Legislature, the governor, the majority of the Municipal Councils of the State or 10% of the voters. For an Amendment or Reform created by the Legislative Branch to be approved, it needs to receive an absolute majority of the votes of the parliamentarians, nor is it necessary to submit the reform to a referendum. ===Executive Power=== It is composed of the Governor of Apure State and a group of State Secretaries. The Governor is elected by the people by direct and secret vote for a period of four years and with the possibility of immediate re-election for equal periods, being in charge of the state administration. The formet governor is Ramon Carrizales of the PSUV party for the 2012–2016 term. Since 1989 governors are directly elected by the citizens of the state, the current governor is Ramon Carrizales who has been in office since February 2011, appointed by the State Legislative Council according to the constitution of that entity to complete the remaining government period, after Governor-elect Jesus Aguilarte Gamez presented his resignation alleging "health problems", Aguilarte's administration was being questioned even by sectors of his own party had been serving as governor since 2004 and had been re-elected in 2008. Like the other 23 federal entities of Venezuela, the State maintains its own police force, which is supported and complemented by the National Police and the Venezuelan National Guard. ===Legislative power=== The state legislature is the responsibility of the Legislative Council of Apure State, a unicameral parliament, elected by the people by direct and secret vote every four years, with the possibility of re-election for two consecutive periods, under a system of proportional representation of the population of the state and its municipalities. ==Economy== Agriculture and livestock are the main economic activities in Apure State. Sugar cane, caraota, beans, fruit trees, oil palms, bananas and cassava, among others, are grown in the agricultural areas. The livestock sector is basically specialized in the production of cattle, concentrating about 30% of the heads of cattle in the whole national territory. == Tourism== Apure state has several national parks and herds or farms that receive national and foreign tourists Río Viejo National Park: this park was decreed to safeguard the San Camilo forest reserve and the Cutufí jungle, which are located to the south, on the border with Colombia. It is crossed by important rivers such as Cutufí, Nula, Sarare and Burguita. The plant and animal species are characteristic of the Venezuelan high plains. Santos Luzardo National Park: this park has a plain landscape whose limits are: to the south, the Cinaruco River bank; the Cinaruco River, in the most northern part; and the Orinoco River in the eastern part. The steppe has an extensive surface of dunes and the "Galeras del Cinaruco", a geological phenomenon that reaches up to 200 meters above sea level and contrasts with the flat and low savannahs. The flat landscape finds its greatest expression here with gallery forests, flat lagoons, rivers, extensive beaches and islands. The vegetation shows a contrast of forest and savannah. You can find a wild fauna integrated by numerous species of birds, fish and terrestrial and aquatic mammals. El Tama National Park: this park of steep topography is a portion of the Venezuelan Andes that is characterized by a group of mountain ranges among which the Páramo de Tamá, the Serranía de Santa Bárbara, the Páramo Judío and the Páramo El Cobre stand out. It serves as protection for the high basins of numerous rivers such as the Cutufí. Its different altitudinal levels define four plant formations corresponding to premontane, humid, semi-cloudy forests and subalpine moors with common Andean endemic species. A variety of mammal species can be found, such as the spectacled bear, the paca, the tapir, the anteater and the cunaguar. Among the birds: the Inca hummingbird, the mountain partridge, the bay cockroach, the sun angel hummingbird, among others.

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