Porlamar in the context of Mariño Municipality, Nueva Esparta

The Nueva Esparta State (in Spanish: Estado Nueva Esparta, pronounced [esˈtaðo ˈnweβa esˈpaɾta]) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. It comprises Margarita Island, Coche, and the lightly inhabited Cubagua.

The state is located off the northeast Caribbean coast of Venezuela. The main island of Margarita has an area of 1,020 km (390 sq mi). Its capital city is La Asunción, and the main urban center is Porlamar.

La Asunción (Spanish pronunciation: [la asunˈsjon]) is a city in Venezuela. The capital of Nueva Esparta state (made up of three islands), it lies on Margarita Island in the Caribbean Sea, off the South American mainland. It is situated in a fertile valley surrounded by green hills, 6 miles (10 km) inland from the port of Porlamar, where a cooler climate exists. The city was founded in 1565 by Captain Pedro González Cervantes de Albornoz. It has an imposing backdrop of Santa Rosa Castle, also known as the Santa Rosa Fort, which was built to protect the city. The most important structures in the city are built around the Plaza Bolívar. The Catedral Nuestra Señora de La Asunción, dated to the 16th century, is one of the earliest churches in the country. According to the 2011 census, it has a population of 28,513 people.