city, capital of Nueva Esparta estado (state), northeastern Venezuela. It is located on Margarita Island in the Caribbean Sea, 12 mi (19 km) off the mainland. Lying in a fertile inland valley in the eastern portion of the island, La Asunción was first settled by Spaniards in 1524. Its inland location provided some protection from pirate attacks. Testimony to its prosperity during the colonial era is borne by the many remaining colonial buildings, most notably the Castle of Santa Rosa and the cathedral. The city is the commercial and manufacturing centre of the valley, in which cotton, sugarcane, cassava, and coconuts are grown. The principal industries include cotton ginning, corn and sugar milling, and the distilling of the alcoholic liquor aguardiente. Porlamar, the principal port and largest settlement of the island, lies approximately 10 mi to the south. Pop. (2001) 23,000.