At a Glance
Caracas
An aerial view of Caracas.
Caracas
national capital, Venezuela
Also known as: Santiago de León de Caracas
Caracas, city, capital of Venezuela, and one of the principal cities of South America. It is Venezuela’s largest urban agglomeration and the country’s primary center of industry, commerce, education, and culture. Founded in 1567 as Santiago de León de Caracas, the city grew slowly until the 1940s, after which it expanded by monumental proportions, and its influence came to extend to even the remotest parts of the country. In addition to its role as the...