Cumana

Cumaná (305,000 inhabitants) is the capital of Venezuela's Sucre State. It was the first city to be founded by Europeans on the South American mainland, an event that occurred in 1521 by a group of Spaniards commanded by Gonzalo de Ocampo. In its subsequent history the city was on several occasions destroyed by earthquakes, leaving little of the old city.

Today the city, situated at the mouth of the Manzanares river on the Caribbean coast in the NE of Venezuela, is home to one of five sites for the Universidad del Oriente and a busy maritime city with one of the largest tuna fleet in Venezuela. One of the best reasons for the renown of the city is the nearby Mochima national park which boasts some of Venezuela's finest beaches.

It is also the birthplace of Antonio José de Sucre, one of the paramount leaders of the South American war for independence. A large old Spanish fort can be seen from the beach, which is still open to the public. The city also features a wide variety of colonial style architecture which is still in excellent condition.