What is the capital of Venezuela?

The capital of Venezuela is Caracas. Officially called Santiago de León de Caracas, it is the country’s largest city and the centre of its political, economic, and cultural life.

Caracas was founded by the Spanish conquistador Diego de Losada on 25 July 1567. The city developed in a mountain valley beside the Guaire River, separated from the Caribbean coast by the steep Ávila mountain range. That setting gives Caracas a dramatic landscape but also leaves it exposed to earthquakes and flooding risks.

The city became the capital of Venezuela Province in 1577 and later remained the capital when the Captaincy General of Venezuela was established in 1777. Caracas also played a central role in the independence movement: Venezuela’s declaration of independence was issued in 1811, and the city is closely associated with Simón Bolívar, who was born there.

Readers sometimes confuse Caracas with Maracaibo or Valencia, both major Venezuelan cities. Caracas is also distinct from the wider metropolitan area, which extends across several municipalities and includes parts of Miranda state.