La Esmeralda, Venezuela

La Esmeralda (Ye'kuana: Medadanña[1][2] or Kadawanadunña[3]) is a small settlement in and the capital of Alto Orinoco Municipality in Venezuela’s Amazonas State. The name means “the emerald”. It is located on the shore of the Orinoco river, only 9 miles from the Casiquiare canal bifurcation that links it to the Amazon River.

La Esmeralda
La Esmeralda is located in Venezuela
La Esmeralda
La Esmeralda
Coordinates: 3°10′26″N 65°32′48″W / 3.17389°N 65.54667°W / 3.17389; -65.54667
Country Venezuela
StateAmazonas State
MunicipalityAlto Orinoco Municipality
Founded1758; 266 years ago (1758)
Elevation
225 m (738 ft)
Population
 (2013)
 • Total
20 030
Time zoneUTC−4 (VET)
ClimateAf
Orinoco river crossing La Esmeralda

The settlement contains about a hundred homes, a school, an airfield and a military outpost.

Geography

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It is located on the shore of the Orinoco river, only 9 miles from the Casiquiare canal bifurcation that links it to the Amazon River.

Climate

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La Esmeralda has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy to very heavy rainfall year-round.

Climate data for La Esmeralda
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 32.0
(89.6)
32.4
(90.3)
32.4
(90.3)
31.4
(88.5)
30.4
(86.7)
29.9
(85.8)
30.0
(86.0)
30.7
(87.3)
31.6
(88.9)
31.6
(88.9)
32.0
(89.6)
31.8
(89.2)
31.4
(88.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 27.1
(80.8)
27.3
(81.1)
27.5
(81.5)
27.1
(80.8)
26.5
(79.7)
26.2
(79.2)
26.1
(79.0)
26.5
(79.7)
27.0
(80.6)
27.0
(80.6)
27.4
(81.3)
27.1
(80.8)
26.9
(80.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 22.3
(72.1)
22.3
(72.1)
22.6
(72.7)
22.8
(73.0)
22.7
(72.9)
22.6
(72.7)
22.2
(72.0)
22.3
(72.1)
22.4
(72.3)
22.5
(72.5)
22.8
(73.0)
22.4
(72.3)
22.5
(72.5)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 109
(4.3)
120
(4.7)
163
(6.4)
296
(11.7)
356
(14.0)
379
(14.9)
351
(13.8)
298
(11.7)
194
(7.6)
205
(8.1)
173
(6.8)
125
(4.9)
2,769
(108.9)
[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ Monterrey, Nalúa Rosa Silva (2012) Hombres de curiara y mujeres de conuco. Etnografía de los indigenas Ye’kwana de Venezuela, Ciudad Bolívar: Universidad Nacional Experimental de Guayana, page 8
  2. ^ de Civrieux, Marc (1980), David M. Guss, transl., Watunna: An Orinoco Creation Cycle, San Francisco: North Point Press, page 187
  3. ^ Moreira, Maria Geralda de Almeida (2005) Em busca do território perdido: o reconhecimento daterra indígena Kaxarari no Brasil e da terra Ye'kuana do Alto Orinoco na Venezuela (1970-1002), page 158
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La Esmeralda Mercal