city, capital of Monagas estado (state), northeastern Venezuela, on the Río Guarapiche between the easternmost outliers of the Andean highlands and the Orinoco delta. Founded in 1760 by Capuchin missionaries, the city is a commercial and manufacturing centre for an agricultural and pastoral region that produces cattle, cacao, cotton, and cereals. Oil from nearby fields to the north and west is piped through the city, which is accessible by highway from Carúpano, in Sucre state, and from the Barcelona–Puerto La Cruz area in northeastern Anzoátegui state. A road leads south from Maturín to Barrancas, on the Orinoco River. The city also has an international airport. Pop. (2001) 325,000.