Caracas has the world’s highest murder rate per capita according to the World Atlas.
Venezuela placed among the top 60 countries in global trade during 2016, shipping US$29.3 billion worth of goods according to the latest estimates from the International Trade Centre. Venezuela’s highest-value exports are petroleum oils–principally crude oil and roughly 20% processed petroleum. Other Venezuelan exports are gold, organic chemicals, iron, aluminum, fertilizers and coal.
Capital Facts for Caracas, Venezuela: Quick Reference
Geography
Capital landmarks: Caracas Mosque (Mosque Ibrahim Ibin Abdul Aziz Al-Ibrahim), The National Pantheon (Panteon Nacional) and the University City of Caracas (Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas)
Famous People
Below, you will find 10 of the most famous people born in Caracas, Venezuela:
- Nicolás Maduro, president (born Nov. 23, 1962)
- Lorenzo Mendoza, billionaire & Empresas Polar CEO (born Oct. 5, 1965)
- Freddy Garcia, professional baseball pitcher (born Oct. 6, 1976)
- Irene Sáez, politician & former Miss Universe (born Dec. 13, 1961)
- Omar Vizquel, professional baseball shortstop (born Apr. 24, 1967)
- Franco De Vita, singer-songwriter (born Jan. 23, 1954)
- Eglantina Zingg, entrepreneur (born Apr. 22, 1981)
- Alfredo Sadel, singer & actor (born Feb. 22, 1930)
- Diego Arria, politician & diplomat (born Oct. 8, 1938)
- Eleonora ‘Lele’ Pons, internet personality (born Jun. 25, 1996)
Note: Data for our Famous People tab was sourced from Google searches mostly targeting published Wikipedia articles specific to each person’s name.
Population
Demonym for a Caracas resident: Caraquenian
Population: 3,273,863 (Caracas city)
Density: 10,913 people per square mile (4,213 per square kilometer)
Population: 5,297,026 (Greater Caracas)
Density: 2,910 people per square mile (1,123 per square kilometer)
Population: 30,912,302 (Venezuela)
Density: 91 people per square mile (35 per square kilometer)
Financial
GDP: US$51.8 billion in 2014 (Caracas city)
GDP per person: $15,890
Note: The above GDP metrics are on a Purchasing Power Parity basis and are in U.S. dollars.
Official currency used in Caracas: Bolívar fuerte (often called Venezuelan bolivars)
Bolivars depreciated at the world’s fastest rate in 2016, giving rise to fears about crushing inflation.
Research
Research Sources:
Brookings Institution, Global Metro Monitor Report (includes GDP data). Accessed on November 30, 2016
Central Intelligence Agency, World Factbook, Field Listing: Major Urban Areas. Accessed on November 30, 2016
Central Intelligence Agency, World Factbook, South America: Venezuela. Accessed on February 7, 2017
CityMetric, Where are largest cities in the world? 2015 edition. Accessed on November 30, 2016
Demographia, World Urban Area, 12th Annual Edition. Accessed on November 30, 2016
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on February 7, 2017
Official Website, Caracas, Venezuela (Embassy of the United States). Accessed on November 30, 2016
Wikimedia Commons, City Flags. Accessed on November 30, 2016
Note: Some city flags were unavailable. If so, attribution belongs to Wikimedia Commons for pertinent country flags.
Wikipedia, Capital Districts and Territories. Accessed on November 30, 2016
Wikipedia, Caracas. Accessed on November 30, 2016
Wikipedia, Metropolitan Region of Caracas. Accessed on November 30, 2016
Wikipedia, Venezuela. Accessed on February 7, 2017
World Atlas, Most Dangerous Cities in the World. Accessed on January 5, 2017
Venezuela’s currency depreciated at the world’s fastest rate in 2016, giving rise to fears about crushing inflation.
Caracas city limits border an area measuring 300 square miles (777 square kilometers), within which live approximately 3.3 million people.
Greater Caracas, also called the Metropolitan Region of Caracas, refers to the urbanized geography which includes the Metropolitan District of Caracas plus the adjacent 11 municipalities throughout the Venezuelan states named Miranda and Vargas. An estimated 5.3 million people live in Greater Caracas, over a total area which spans 1,821 square miles (4,715 square kilometers).
At the country level, Venezuela’s land area covers 340,561 square miles (882,050 square kilometers). The national population count was 30.9 million inhabitants as of July 2016.
Population density is much higher within Venezuela’s capital city limits, with an average 10,900 Caraquenians per square mile (4,200 per square kilometer).
Density drops significantly to an average 2,900 people per square mile (1,100 per square kilometer) for Greater Caracas.
For Venezuela overall, population density drops to an average 100 inhabitants per square mile (40 per square kilometer).
Venezuela won independence from Spain on July 1, 1811. Venezuelans celebrate Independence Day as a public holiday each July 5.