The Maracaibo Lake special

Lake Maracaibo is a very special tropical ecosystem on the planet. This is due to its dimensions and its condition of being partially open, transforming it into a strategic reservoir of fresh water and biodiversity. It is also one of the richest oil and gas producing areas in the world. It extends over a total area of 121,422 square kilometers, with its surrounding limits being the Gulf of Venezuela, the Bay of Tablazo, the Strait of the Lake and the drainage areas. It has a navigation channel whose dredging allows the entry of large tankers which has an approximate length of 100.6 Km.

It was discovered in 1499 on August 24 by the Spanish navigator Alonso de Ojeda. The story goes that when he entered the strait and saw the lake he saw how there were entire populations of indigenous people living in huts on the water called palafitos, and this image reminded him of Venice, a city in Italy, giving it the name of Little Venice, which later gave rise to the name of the country Venezuela. So from that lake comes the name that a whole nation bears today.

In 1917 the Dutch found oil in the Maracaibo Lake basin, and since then the area has supplied two thirds of the national production of the precious mineral. This situation has contributed to the high percentage of contamination that it presents at that time, in addition to the waste urban waters that are dumped on it daily. This situation makes it a lake rich in important elements, fauna, flora, fish and a valuable mineral for world energy such as oil.