The city of Maracaibo, Venezuela, is located on the western shore of a strait that connects Lake Maracaibo to the Gulf of Venezuela. The region is an important source of oil production for Venezuela, and Maracaibo serves as a major port for shipments of oil. This area is also known for its commercial fisheries, shrimp farming, and salt production.



These two Landsat images show the urban expansion of the city of Maracaibo between 1986 and 2014. Cities along the lake to the east and south have also grown.



The 40-year archive of Landsat data is useful for studying many types of change across the Earth’s surface, including changes  due to urban growth, agricultural activities, and coastal land use.