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Caracas
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Santiago de León de Caracas |
Caracas |

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Nickname(s): La Sultana del Ávila ("The Sultana of the Ávila")
La Sucursal del Cielo ("Heaven's Branch (on Earth)" |
Motto: Ave María Santísima, sin pecado concebida, en el primer instante de suser natural.
("Hail Holiest Mary, conceived without sin, in the first instant of Your Natural Being.") |
Santiago de León de Caracas |
Coordinates: 10°30′N 66°55′W / 10.5°N 66.917°W / 10.5; -66.917Coordinates: 10°30′N 66°55′W / 10.5°N 66.917°W / 10.5; -66.917 |
Country | Venezuela |
States | Capital eDistrict, Miranda |
Municipalities | Libertador, Chacao, Baruta, Sucre, El Hatillo|
Founded | July 25, 1567 |
Government |
 - Mayor | Antonio Ledezma |
Area |
 - Total | 1,930 km2 (745.2 sq mi) |
Elevation | 900 m (2,953 ft) |
Population (2001) |
 - Total | 2,762,259 |
 - Density | 1,431.5/km2 (3,707.6/sq mi) |
 - Demonym | caraqueño(a) |
Time zone | VST (UTC-4:30) |
 - Summer (DST) | not observed (UTC-4:30) |
Postal code | 1010-A |
Area code(s) |212 |
Website | alcaldiamayor.gob.ve (Spanish) |
The area and population figures are the sum of the figures of the five municipalities (listed above) that make up the Distrito Metropolitano. |
Caracas (Spanish pronunciation: [kaˈɾakas]) is the capital and largest city of Venezuela. It is located in the north of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelancoastal mountain range (Cordillera de la Costa). The valley's temperatures are springlike. Terrain suitable for building lies between 760 and 910 m (2,500 and 3,000 ft) above sea level. The valley is close to the Caribbean Sea, separated from the coast by a steep 2200 m (7400 ft) high mountain range, Cerro Ávila; to the south there are more hills and mountains.
El Distrito Metropolitano de Caracas(Metropolitan District of Caracas) includes the Distrito Capital (the capital city proper) and four other municipalities in Miranda State including Chacao, Baruta, Sucre, and El Hatillo. The city of Caracas had a population of 3,196,514 as of 2008.[1] The population of the urban agglomeration has been estimated to be approximately 4.95 million.[2]
Contents[hide] * 1 History * 2 Symbols* 3 Local government * 4 Economy * 5 Geography * 5.1 Climate * 6 Demographics * 7 Murder rate * 8 Main sights * 8.1 Federal Capitol * 8.2 East Park * 8.3 Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex * 8.4 Simón Bolívar birthplace house * 8.5 National Pantheon * 8.6 Parque Central Complex * 8.7 Plazas * 8.8 El Hatillo * 8.9 Cerro ElÁvila * 8.10 Las Mercedes * 8.11 Altamira neighborhood * 8.12 Religious buildings * 9 Colleges, universities and international schools * 9.1 Central University of Venezuela * 9.2 Simón Bolívar University * 9.3 Other universities * 9.4 International schools * 10 Sports * 10.1 Sports teams * 11 Culture * 11.1 Museums, libraries and culturalcentres * 11.2 Gastronomy * 12 Notable natives * 13 Transportation * 14 Sister cities * 15 Districts * 16 See also * 17 References * 18 External links |
[edit] History

Conqueror Diego de Losada, founder of Santiago de León de Caracas

View of Caracas in 1812
At the time of its founding, more than five hundred years ago, the valley of Caracas was populated byindigenous peoples. Francisco Fajardo, the son of a Spanish captain and a Guaiqueri cacica, attempted to establish a plantation in the valley in 1562 after founding a series of coastal towns. Fajardo's settlement did not last long. It was destroyed by natives of the region led by Terepaima and Guaicaipuro. This was the last rebellion on the part of the natives. On July 25, 1567, Captain Diego de...