Maracay, city in northern Venezuela, capital of Aragua State, in a basin of the coastal range near the northeastern shore of Lake Valencia, near Caracas. The city is a trade and industrial center on a railroad, and the national airport for seaplanes is situated nearby on the lake. Industries include textile and paper milling, meat canning, and the manufacture of cigarettes, dairy products, apparel, perfumes, and soap. The surrounding area produces sugarcane, tobacco, cattle, timber, coffee, and cacao. The city grew and prospered under Juan Vicente Gómez, who was dictator of Venezuela from 1908 until his death in 1935. The Hotel Jardin, a Maracay showplace with extensive gardens, was built by Gómez, whose country estate, Las Delicias, is nearby. The city is the site of the Gómez Mausoleum, agricultural and military aviation schools, and centers of agriculture and veterinary research. Population (1990) 354,196.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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