Chief in importance is LA GUAIRA which, connected with Caracas by 24 miles of railroad, stands as the commercial center of Venezuela and will be treated in more detail later.
Situated on a fresh water lake of approximately the same size as Lake Erie, the Port of Maracaibo drains a large hinterland. Coffee and petroleum are its two important exports. Besides that of Venezuela, much coffee of Colombian origin is exported from the port. It may also be noted that there is an ever increasing exploitation of petroleum and a corresponding demand for harbor facilities. Physically the port enjoys a great advantage in being located on a large lake fed by numberless rivers.
The lake itself could accommodate vessels of thirty-foot draft, while three of the largest rivers, the Catatumbo, Lulia and Escalante can be travelled by river steamers of fair size. The two former streams are navigable as far as Villamizar in Colombia, and afford a fine transportation route for the coffee and other products of Santander. However, the port suffers a great disadvantage, as the main channel leading into the port is obstructed by a bar. The depth of water on this bar ranges from seven feet at low tide to twelve feet at high tide. The project of dredging the channel seems to be entirely feasible and if accomplished would add greatly to the general prosperity of Venezuela.
Deriving its name from the fact that its waters were considered so placid that a vessel might anchor within its protection sustained by a single strand of hair, Puerto Cabello remains the most sheltered port of Venezuela. Equipped with a floating dock 282 feet long, 80 feet wide and 21 feet high, it is able to take care of vessels up to 2,000 tons and has proved especially serviceable for the small steamers that serve the coast cities of Venezuela and Colombia. Coastwise vessels of light tonnage are constructed here and repairs of an extensive nature may be made. Many improvements to the ship building plant and repair docks are under way and the new floating dry dock when completed will permit the docking of vessels up to 4,000 tons, which means that it will be capable of accommodating practically all vessels that touch Venezuelan ports. The average depth of the harbor is 28 feet. Cattle are an important export, large consignments being made from the surrounding country. A frozen meat establishment controlled by English interests is of considerable value to the port, the meat being shipped to England in special ships. Puerto Cabello is 20 miles distant from Valencia and has railroad connections with both it and Caracas. Other exports besides cattle are coffee, cacao, dyewoods, hides, skins, and copper ores.