Caracas

/kəˈrækəs/ noun

Definition

The capital and largest city of Venezuela, located in a valley near the Caribbean coast.

Etymology

Named after the Caracas people, an indigenous group that inhabited the valley. The Spanish founded the city as 'Santiago de León de Caracas' in 1567, combining Christian and local indigenous names.

Kelly Says

Caracas sits in a dramatic mountain valley over 3,000 feet above sea level despite being just miles from the Caribbean coast, creating a unique climate that Spanish colonists found surprisingly cool and pleasant. The city became the birthplace of Simón Bolívar, whose liberation movements freed much of South America from Spanish rule.

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