Caracas

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Santiago de León de Caracas
Caracas from El Calvario
Flag Seal
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 su ser 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 District, Miranda
Municipalities	Libertador, Chacao, Baruta, Sucre, El Hatillo
Founded	July 25, 1567
Government
- Mayor	Antonio Ledezma
Area
- City	1,930 km2 (745.2 sq mi)
Elevation	900 m (2,953 ft)
Population (2001)
- Density	1,431.5/km2 (3,707.6/sq mi)
- Urban	3,205,463[1] [2]
- Demonym	caraqueño(a)
Time zone	VST (UTC-4:30)
- Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC-4:30)
Postal code	1010-A
Area code(s)	212
The area and population figures are the sum of the figures of the five municipalities (listed above) that make up the Distrito Metropolitano.
Website	alcaldiamayor.gob.ve (Spanish)

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 Venezuelan coastal 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 3,205,463 as of 2001. The population of the urban agglomeration has been estimated to be approximately 4.95 million.^[1]

Contents 1 History 1.1 Symbols 2 Local government 3 Economy 4 Geography 4.1 Climate 5 Demographics 6 Sites of interest 7 Colleges, universities, and International Schools 7.1 Central University of Venezuela 7.2 Simón Bolívar University 7.3 Other universities 7.4 International Schools 8 Sports 8.1 Sports teams 9 Culture 9.1 Museums, libraries and cultural centres 9.2 Gastronomy 10 Notable natives 11 Transportation 12 Sister cities 13 Districts 14 Panorama 15 See also 16 References 17 External links

[edit] History

At the time of its founding, more than five hundred years ago, the valley of Caracas was populated by indigenous 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 Losada laid the foundations of the city of Santiago de León de Caracas.

During the 1600s, the coast of Venezuela was frequently raided by pirates. With the coastal mountains as a barrier, Caracas was relatively immune to such attacks – one of the reasons it became the principal city of the region. However, in the 1680s, buccaneers crossed the mountains through a little-used pass while the town's defenders were guarding the more often-used one, and, encountering little resistance, sacked and set fire to the town.^[2]

The cultivation of cocoa under the Compañía Guipuzcoana de Caracas stimulated the development of the city, which in 1777 became the capital of the Captaincy General of Venezuela.

An attempt at revolution to gain independence organized by José María España and Manuel Gual was put down on July 13, 1797. But the ideas of the French Revolution and the American Wars of Independence inspired the people, and on July 5, 1811, a Declaration of Independence was signed in Caracas. This city was also the birthplace of two of Latin America's most important figures of the Venezuelan War of Independence: Francisco de Miranda and "El Libertador" Simón Bolívar. An earthquake destroyed Caracas on March 26, 1812, which was portrayed by authorities as a divine punishment for the rebellion against the Spanish Crown. The war continued until June 24, 1821, when Bolívar gained a decisive victory over the royalists at the Battle of Carabobo.^[3]

As the economy of oil-rich Venezuela grew steadily during the first part of the twentieth century, Caracas became one of Latin America's economic centers, and was also known as the preferred travel hub between Europe and South America. During the 1950s, Caracas began an intensive modernization program which continued throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. The Universidad Central de Venezuela, designed by modernist architect Carlos Raúl Villanueva and now a UNESCO monument, was built. New working- and middle-class residential districts sprouted in the valley, extending the urban area towards the east and southeast. Joining El Silencio, also designed by Villanueva, were several workers' housing districts, 23 de Enero and Simon Rodriguez. Middle class developments include Bello Monte, Los Palos Grandes, Chuao, and El Cafetal. On October 17, 2004, one of the Parque Central towers caught fire. The dramatic change in the economic structure of the country, which went from being primarily agricultural to dependent on oil production, stimulated the fast development of Caracas, and made it a magnet for people in rural communities who migrated to the capital city in an unplanned fashion searching for greater economic opportunities. This migration created the rancho (slum) belt of the valley of Caracas.

[edit] Symbols

• Flag: The flag of Caracas consists of a burgundy red field with the version of the Coat of Arms of the City (effective since the 1980s). The red field symbolises the blood spilt by Caraquenian people in favour of independence and the highest ideals of the Venezuelan Nation. Later, in the year 1994, presumably as a result of the change of municipal authorities, it was decided to increase the size of the Caracas coat of arms and move it to the centre of the field. This version of the flag is still in use today.

• Coat of arms: The coat of arms of the City of Caracas was adopted by the Libertador Municipality to identify itself. Later, the Metropolitan Mayor Office assumed the lion, the scallop and Saint James' Cross for the same purpose.

• Anthem: The anthem of the City is the Marcha a Caracas by the composer Tiero Pezzuti de Matteis with the lyrics by José Enrique Sarabia. The lyrics are said to be inspired by the heroism of the Caracas people, and the memory of the City of Red Roofs.

Incidentally, the National Anthem of Venezuela "Gloria al Bravo Pueblo" recites: "...Y si el despotismo levanta la voz, seguid el ejemplo que Caracas dio." ("...and if despotism raises its voice, follow the example that Caracas gave.") ... reflecting the fact that, in addition to generously giving many heroic fighters to wage the War of Independence, the junta set up in Caracas on (April 19, 1810) served as inspiration for other regions to do the same, as did its declaration of independence a year later.

[edit] Local government

Caracas has five municipalities: Baruta, El Hatillo, Chacao, Libertador and Sucre. The constitution of Venezuela specifies that municipal governments be divided into executive and legislative branches. The executive government of the municipality is governed by the mayor, while the legislative government is managed by the Municipal council. In March 8, 2000, the year after a new constitution was introduced in Venezuela, it was decreed in Gaceta Official N° 36,906 that the Metropolitan District of Caracas would be created, and that some of the powers of these municipalities would be delegated to the Alcaldía Mayor, physically located in Libertador municipality.

"The Venezuelan capital is regarded as one of the most dangerous cities in Latin America, with gun crime as a particular problem." "Most Caracas residents agree something needs to be done to make the city safer."

[edit] Economy

Caracas hosts numerous service companies, banks, and malls, among others. Most economic activity is in services, excepting some industries established in its metropolitan area. Caracas is home to the Caracas Stock Exchange and Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). The PDVSA is the largest company in Venezuela and negotiates all the international agreements for the distribution and export of petroleum.

Small and medium industry also contribute to the economic capacity of Caracas. The city has excellent routes of communication and transportation between the metropolitan area and the country. Caracas is a regional center for the distribution of products. The high concentration of population has also been an important factor for the growth of retail wholesale markets, which form the fastest-growing segment of commerce in the region. Important industries in Caracas include chemicals, textiles, leather, food, iron and wood products. There are also rubber and cement factories.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Geography

Caracas is contained entirely within a valley of the Venezuelan central range, and separated from the Caribbean coast by a roughly 15 km expanse of El Ávila National Park. The valley is relatively small and quite irregular, the altitude with respect to sea level varies from between 870 and 1,043 meters (2,854–3,422 ft), with 900 meters (2,953 ft) in the historic zone. This, along with the rapid population growth, has profoundly influenced the urban development of the city. The most elevated point of the Capital District, wherein the city is located, is the Pico El Ávila, which rises to 2,159 meters (7,083 ft). The main body of water in Caracas is the Guaire river, which flows across the city and empties into the Tuy river, which is also fed by the El Valle and San Pedro rivers, in addition to numerous streams which descend from El Ávila. The La Mariposa and Camatagua reservoirs provide water to the city.

[edit] Climate

The climate of Caracas is intertropical, with precipitation that varies between 900 and 1,300 millimeters (35–51 in) (annual), in the city proper, and up to 2,000 millimeters (79 in) in some parts of the Mountain range. The annual average temperature is approximately of 22.5 °C (73 °F), with the average of the coldest month (January) 22 °C (72 °F) and the average of the warmest month (May) 24 °C (75 °F), which gives little annual thermal amplitude, of 3°C. The daily thermal amplitude is greater (more than 10°C/18°F), superior to 30 °C (86 °F), that rare times descend to less from 25 °C (77 °F). In the months of December and January abundant fog may appear, in addition to a sudden nightly drop in temperature, until reaching 07 °C (45 °F)^[4] or less, this peculiar weather is known by the natives of Caracas as the Pacheco. In addition, nightly temperatures at any time of the year usually do not remain above 20 °C (68 °F), which results in very pleasant evening temperatures. Hail storms appear in Caracas, although only on rare occasions. Electrical storms are much more frequent, especially between June and October, due to the city being in a closed valley and the orographic action of Cerro El Ávila.

Weather averages for Caracas
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	32 (90)	35 (95)	35 (95)	37 (99)	36 (97)	35 (95)	37 (99)	36 (97)	36 (97)	33 (91)	32 (90)	32 (90)	37 (99)
Average high °C (°F)	25 (77)	26 (79)	27 (81)	27 (81)	27 (81)	26 (79)	26 (79)	26 (79)	27 (81)	26 (79)	26 (79)	25 (77)	28.4 (83)
Average low °C (°F)	13 (55)	13 (55)	14 (57)	16 (61)	17 (63)	17 (63)	16 (61)	16 (61)	16 (61)	16 (61)	16 (61)	14 (57)	14 (57)
Record low °C (°F)	8 (46)	8 (46)	7 (45)	11 (52)	11 (52)	12 (54)	11 (52)	12 (54)	12 (54)	12 (54)	11 (52)	7 (45)	7 (45)
Precipitation mm (inches)	16 (0.63)	13 (0.51)	12 (0.47)	59 (2.32)	80 (3.15)	139 (5.47)	121 (4.76)	124 (4.88)	114 (4.49)	123 (4.84)	73 (2.87)	42 (1.65)	916 (36.06)
Source: weatherbase.com[5] 2007-06-08
Source #2: weather.com[6] June 8, 2007

[edit] Demographics

The population of the administrative city of Caracas is estimated at 4,540,076 as of (2008). The conurbation including the surrounding suburbs has an estimated population of 6 million as of (2008).

[edit] Sites of interest

• Federal Capitol

The Federal Capitol occupies an entire city block, and, with its golden domes and neoclassical pediments, can seem even bigger. The building was commissioned by Antonio Guzmán Blanco in the 1870s, and is most famous for its Salón Elíptico, an oval hall with a mural-covered dome and walls lined with portraits of the country's great and good.

• East Park

The Caracas East Park (Parque del Este, now officially Parque del Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda) was designed by Brazilian architect Roberto Burle Marx. It is a green paradise in the middle of the city, and it contains a small zoo. A replica of the ship led by Francisco de Miranda, the Leander, is being built in the southern part of the park. Before there used to exist a replica of the Santa Maria ship, used by Christopher Colombus in his voyages to America.

• Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex

The Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex (Complejo Cultural Teresa Carreño), or more commonly the Teresa Carreño Theatre (Teatro Teresa Carreño), is one of the most important Theaters of Caracas and Venezuela, where symphonic and popular concerts imagine frequently, operas, ballet and theatre.

• Simón Bolívar birthplace house

Skyscrapers may loom overhead, but there is more than a hint of original colonial flavour in this neatly proportioned reconstruction of the house where Simón Bolívar was born on July 24, 1783. The museum's exhibits include period weapons, banners and uniforms.

Much of the original colonial interior has been replaced by monumental paintings of battle scenes, but more personal relics can be seen in the nearby Museo Bolivariano. Pride of place goes to the coffin in which Bolívar's remains were brought from Colombia; his ashes now rest in the National Pantheon.

• National Pantheon

Venezuela's most venerated building is five blocks north of Plaza Bolívar, on the northern edge of the old town. Formerly a church, the building was given its new purpose as the final resting place for eminent Venezuelans by Antonio Guzmán Blanco in 1874.

• Parque Central Complex

At a short distance east of Plaza Bolívar is Parque Central, a concrete complex of five high-rise residential slabs of somewhat apocalyptic-appearing architecture, crowned by two 56-storey octagonal towers, one of them is under repair due to the fire which burnt the building on October 17, 2004.

Parque Central is Caracas' art and culture hub, with museums, cinemas, the Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex, and the Caracas Athenaeum, home to the esteemed Rajatabla theatre company. The Mirador de la Torre Oeste, on the 52nd floor, gives a 360° bird's-eye view of the city.

• Plazas

Plaza Bolívar is the focus of the old town with the monument to El Libertador, Simon Bolívar, at its heart. Modern high-rise buildings have overpowered much of the colonial flavor of Caracas' founding neighbourhood.

Plaza Caracas is s square is located in the Simón Bolívar Center, at the foot of the well-known towers, 30 storey dominating El Silencio District and forming a unique testimony to the early days of the modernisation of the city. The square is an important centre of the activities of the city since its construction in 1983. It has various levels for pedestrian and motorised traffic, and contains the business, shops, restaurants, services of a zone in which are concentrated important public and private institutions.

• El Hatillo

El Hatillo is a colonial town located at the south-east suburbs of Caracas in the municipal area of the same name. This small town, which is one of Venezuela's few well-preserved typical colonial areas, gives an idea of what Caracas was like in centuries past.

• Cerro El Ávila

Cerro El Ávila (Mountain El Ávila) (Wuaraira Repano), is a mountain in the mid-North of Venezuela. It rises next to Caracas and separates the city from the Caribbean Sea. It is considered the lung of Caracas due to the fact that there is a lot of vegetation on it.

• Las Mercedes

For those who wish to know one of the most commercial and cosmopolitan district of Caracas, you must visit Las Mercedes. This zone contains some of the best restaurants of the city with diverse gastronomical specialities, along with pubs, bars and pools. It is the favorite meeting place of the Caracas youth, it has some of the most exclusive (and very expensives for sure) stores of the city.

• Altamira neighborhood

Altamira is a neighbourhood located in the Chacao municipality of Caracas, it has its own Metro Station, many hotels and restaurants, and is an important city business centre , the Francisco de Miranda avenue (a major avenue in Caracas) and the Distibuidor Altamira (a congested highway exit) are both located in Altamira.

• Religious buildings

Caracas has numerous religious buildings, first among them, the Caracas Cathedral. Situated on the northeast corner of the Plaza Bolívar, it was founded in 1594. The parents of Simón Bolívar are buried there, besides its hand carved altars, it possesses works of art such as, The Resurrection by Rubens, the Presentation of the Virgin by Murillo, and the Last Supper, an unfinished work by the Venezuelan painter Arturo Michelena.

Along with the Cathedral, the Iglesia de San Francisco is also one of the most important historical religious buildings in Caracas. This church is of much historical and sentimental value to the people of Caracas, since Bolívar's funeral was held here twelve years after his death, and it was also here that he was proclaimed Libertador in 1813 by the people of Caracas. The church dazzles the eye with its richly gilded baroque altarpieces, and still retains much of its original colonial interior, despite being given a modernizing once-over by Guzmán Blanco. It houses some 17th century masterpieces of art, carvings, sculptures and oil paintings. The Central University of Venezuela, created during the reign of Philip V, for centuries was lodged in the church cloisters next door, which today are the seat of the Language Academy, and the Academies of History, Physics, and Mathematics.

The Mosque of Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim is currently the second largest mosque in Latin America, although for many years it was the biggest. It's an important Islamic place of worship.

[edit] Colleges, universities, and International Schools

[edit] Central University of Venezuela

(Universidad Central de Venezuela in Spanish) is a premier public University of Venezuela located in Caracas. Founded in 1721, it is the oldest university in Venezuela and one of the first in Latin America. The university campus was designed by architect Carlos Raúl Villanueva and it was declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 2000. The Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas, as the main Campus is also known, is considered a masterpiece of architecture and urban planning and it is the only university campus designed in the 20th century that has received such recognition by UNESCO.

[edit] Simón Bolívar University

(Universidad Simón Bolívar in Spanish) or USB, is a public institution located in Caracas, Venezuela with scientific and technological orientation. Its motto is "La Universidad de la Excelencia" ("University of Excellence"). Both nationally and globally, Simón Bolívar University is a well-known school with a high reputation in scientific and engineering careers^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Other universities

Universidad Católica Andrés Bello
Universidad Metropolitana
Universidad Nacional Experimental Simón Rodríguez
Universidad Santa Maria
Universidad José María Vargas
Universidad Monteavila
Universidad Nueva Esparta
Universidad Experimental Politécnica Antonio José de Sucre
Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador
Universidad Alejandro de Humboldt
Universidad Bolivariana de Venezuela

[edit] International Schools

International Christian School - Caracas
Colegio Internacional de Caracas
The British School- Caracas

[edit] Sports

Most notably football and baseball teams are located in Caracas. Several other sports also have Caracas as their home. Football has a great number of followers in the city, the team more and more popular hobby is Caracas Fútbol Club, Venezuelan league matches, Copa Libertadores de America, attract large numbers of fans. The baseball teams Tiburones de La Guaira and Leones del Caracas have like seat the Estadio Universitario de la UCV, of the Central University of Venezuela, with a capacity of 26 000 spectators. Another baseball team founded in Caracas, the Navegantes del Magallanes, even though it was moved to Valencia, Carabobo continues to have a following in the capital because of its historic rivalry with local teams.

Between the most important soccer stadiums we have:

Estadio Olímpico de la UCV, with capacity of 30 000 spectators is seat of the Caracas Fútbol Club and Deportivo Italia.

Brígido Iriarte stadium, with a capacity of 12 000 spectators (old seat of the Caracas Fútbol Club and Deportivo Italia, and seat of the Estrella Roja FC). The Caracas Fútbol Club opens its own stadium in August 2005, called Campo Deportivo Cocodrilos.

Cocodrilos de Caracas plays in the Venezuelan professional basketball league being one of the most popular teams in the country. They play their games in the "Gimansio José Beracasa" in the neighbourhood of El Paraíso.

Caracas for being the capital of Venezuela, has the seat of the National Institute of Sports and the Venezuelan Olympic Committee as well as of many clubs and national federations of a great diversity of disciplines.

Caracas hosted the 1983 Pan American Games

[edit] Sports teams

• Football: Caracas Fútbol Club, Estrella Roja Futbol club, Deportivo Italia, Centro Italo FC, Real Esppor.
• Baseball: Leones del Caracas B.B.C., Tiburones de la Guaira B.B.C.
• Basketball: Cocodrilos de Caracas B.B.C..

[edit] Culture

Caracas is Venezuela's cultural capital, boasting several restaurants, theaters, museums, and shopping centers. The city is also home to an array of immigrants from but not limited to: Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Middle East, Germany, China, and Latin American countries. Caracas has the reputation as being one of the most dangerous cities in Latin America.^{[7][8][9][10]}

[edit] Museums, libraries and cultural centres

Caracas, has been a city with great cultural aspirations throughout the course of its history. Institutions such as the old Atheneum bear witness to this awareness. The National library holds a great amount of volumes, and affords abundant bibliographic information for the student of the discovery and independence of Venezuela. The museum of Colonial Art has on show an interesting exhibition of Venezuelan art from the periods previous to its independence with fountains, furniture, colonial courtyards etc. In the Fine Arts Museum are kept some archaeological finds with some good examples of precolombine pottery.

Since 1974, Caracas has had a Contemporary Art Museum, containing works representing the most important tendencies in contemporary art, and since 1982, counts with a Children's Museum, a privately managed museum foundation, with the purpose of teaching children about science, technology, culture and arts. The Natural Science Museum, has a rich collection os archaeological pieces from the primitive native cultures, in these collections and in other no less important galleries (Raúl Santana Creole Museum, Transport Museum, the Coin Museum, Bolivarian Museum, Jacobo Borges Museum, Carlos Cruz-Diez Museum, Alejandro Otero Museum, Sacred Museum, etc.) the cultural aspirations of Caracas are more than evident.

[edit] Gastronomy

Caracas has a rich gastronomical heritage due to the influence of immigrants, leading to a wide choice of regional and international cuisine. There are a great variety of international restaurants including French, Italian, Spanish, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Mexican. The district of La Candelaria is well known for its Spanish restaurants, due to the number of Galician and Canarian immigrants that came to this area in the mid-20th century. Typical dishes include: Pabellón Criollo, empanadas, arepas, hallaca, black roast beef and chicken salad. Chicha, guarapo, carato and tizana (mixed beverage with fruits) are typical drinks. At the south east of the capital is "Las Mercedes" wich is the most popular gastronomy and entretainament center in the town, there is possible to find high cuisine restaurants near to cafes and bistros that offer a very modern selection of dishes.

[edit] Notable natives

Caracas has been the birthplace of many politicians and artists that notably shaped the country's history and culture:

• Simón Bolívar
• Simón Rodríguez
• Andrés Bello
• Francisco de Miranda
• Manuel Blum
• Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi
• Teresa Carreño
• Rómulo Gallegos
• Carlos Cruz-Diez
• Pedro Gual
• Antonio Guzmán Blanco
• Armando Reverón
• Martín Tovar y Tovar
• Arturo Uslar-Pietri
• José Ángel Lamas
• Juan Antonio Pérez Bonalde
• Juan Bautista Plaza
• Juan Vicente Torrealba
• Aquiles Nazoa
• Alfredo Sadel
• Baruj Benacerraf
• Francisco Rodriguez
• Andrés Galarraga
• Cesar Baena
• Harry Mannil

[edit] Transportation

• The Caracas Metro has been in operation since 1981. With 4 lines and more than 50 stations, it covers a great part of the city, it also has an integrated ticket system, that combines the route of the Metro with those offered by the Metrobús, a bus service of the Caracas Metro.
• Buses are the main means of mass transportation. There are two bus systems: the traditional system and the Metrobús. The traditional system runs a variety of bus types, operated by several companies on normal streets and avenues:
  • Autobus; large buses.
  • Camioneta; medium size buses.
  • microbus or camionetica; vans or minivans.
• IFE; train services to and from Tuy Valley cities of Charallave and Cúa.
• Simón Bolívar International Airport, the biggest and most important in the country is located outside the city, roughly 20 miles (32 km) from the downtown area.
• Caracas Aerial Tramway
• In March 2009 four of the five Caracas districts launched Plan Vía Libre to reduce traffic (the pro-Chavez Jorge Rodríguez' Libertador District is currently not cooperating as the other districts are in the hands of the opposition^[11]). On each weekday, cars with certain number plates are banned from entering key parts of the city centre; the numbers rotate so that any particular car is banned one day a week.^[12]

[edit] Sister cities

Cities twinned with Caracas are:^{[citation needed]}

	Country		City		County / District / Region / State / Territory
	Iran		Tehran		Tehran
	United States		Miami		Florida
	Paraguay		Asunción		Gran Asunción
	Italy		Milan		Milan
	Colombia		Bogotá		Cundinamarca
	Philippines		Quezon City		National Capital Region
	China		Shanghai		Shanghai Municipality
	Romania		Cluj-Napoca		Cluj County
	Brazil		Sao Paulo		São Paulo
	Syria		Damascus		Damascus Governorate
	Turkey		Istanbul		Istanbul[13][14]
	Cuba		Havana		Ciudad de la Habana
	Spain		Madrid		Community of Madrid[15]
	Nicaragua		Managua		Managua
	Belarus		Minsk		Minsk
	Portugal		Lisbon		Lisboa Region
	Russia		Moscow		Central Federal District
	India		Navi Mumbai		Maharashtra
	United States		New Orleans		Louisiana
	Dominican Republic		Santo Domingo		Distrito Nacional
	United States		San Francisco		California
	South Korea		Seoul		Seoul National Capital Area
	Argentina		Buenos Aires		Buenos Aires Province
	Guatemala		Guatemala City		Municipalidad de Guatemala
	Mexico		Mexico City		Mexican Federal District
	Panama		Panama City		Panama District
	Costa Rica		San José		San José Province
	United States		San Juan		Puerto Rico
	El Salvador		San Salvador		San Salvador Department
	Spain		Santa Cruz de Tenerife		Canary Islands
	Chile		Santiago de Chile		Santiago Metropolitan Region
	Iceland		Reykjavik		Greater Reykjavík Area
	Brazil		Rio de Janeiro		Rio de Janeiro
	United States		Washington, D.C.		District of Columbia
	Australia		Sydney		Cumberland
	Honduras		Tegucigalpa		Francisco Morazán Department
	Uruguay		Montevideo		Montevideo Department
	Brazil		Fortaleza		Ceará

[edit] Districts

[edit] Panorama

[edit] See also

• 1967 Caracas earthquake
• Large Cities Climate Leadership Group

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• FallingRain Map - elevation = 909m
• Map

• Media related to Caracas at Wikimedia Commons

Links to related articles v • d • e Divisions of Caracas City-wide authority Alcaldía Mayor (Mayor: Antonio Ledezma) Municipalities Baruta (Mayor: Gerardo Blyde) · Chacao (Mayor: Emilio Graterón) · El Hatillo (Mayor: Myriam Do Nascimento) · Libertador (Mayor: Jorge Rodríguez) · Sucre (Mayor: Carlos Ocariz) v • d • e State capitals of Venezuela Capital, state     Puerto Ayacucho, Amazonas Barcelona, Anzoátegui San Fernando de Apure, Apure Maracay, Aragua Barinas, Barinas Ciudad Bolívar, Bolívar Valencia, Carabobo San Carlos, Cojedes Tucupita, Delta Amacuro Caracas, Distrito Capital Santa Ana de Coro, Falcón San Juan de los Morros, Guárico Barquisimeto, Lara Mérida, Mérida Los Teques, Miranda Maturín, Monagas La Asunción, Nueva Esparta Guanare, Portuguesa Cumaná, Sucre San Cristóbal, Táchira Trujillo, Trujillo La Guaira, Vargas San Felipe, Yaracuy Maracaibo, Zulia Bold indicates national capital. v • d • e Administrative divisions of Venezuela Capital District Caracas States Amazonas · Anzoátegui · Apure · Aragua · Barinas · Bolívar · Carabobo · Cojedes · Delta Amacuro · Falcón · Guárico · Lara · Mérida · Miranda · Monagas · Nueva Esparta · Portuguesa · Sucre · Táchira · Trujillo · Vargas · Yaracuy · Zulia Dependencies Los Monjes Archipelago · Las Aves Archipelago · Isla Aves · Los Hermanos Archipelago · Islas Los Frailes · Los Roques Archipelago · La Sola Island · La Tortuga Island · La Orchila · Blanquilla Island · Los Testigos Islands · Isla de Patos Regions Canaima · Costa Oriental · Guayana Esequiba · Península de Araya · Península de Paraguána · Península Guajira · Roraima v • d • e Pan American Games host cities 1951: Buenos Aires • 1955: Mexico City • 1959: Chicago • 1963: São Paulo • 1967: Winnipeg • 1971: Cali • 1975: Mexico City • 1979: San Juan • 1983: Caracas • 1987: Indianapolis • 1991: Havana • 1995: Mar del Plata • 1999: Winnipeg • 2003: Santo Domingo • 2007: Rio de Janeiro • 2011: Guadalajara v • d • e Capitals of South America     Asunción, Paraguay Bogotá, Colombia Brasília, Brazil Buenos Aires, Argentina Caracas, Venezuela Cayenne, French Guiana Georgetown, Guyana Grytviken, SGSSI La Paz / Sucre, Bolivia Lima, Peru Montevideo, Uruguay Paramaribo, Suriname Quito, Ecuador Santiago, Chile Stanley, Falkland Islands