Libertador Municipality, Caracas

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Libertador
Municipio Bolivariano Libertador
Municipality
Libertador Bolivarian Municipality
Caracas Cathedral 2.jpg
Caracas Cathedral
Venezuela - Distrito Capital - Libertador.svg
Capital District
Venezuela location map (+claimed).svg
Red pog.svg
Libertador
Location within Venezuela
Coordinates: 10°30′21″N66°54′52″W / 10.50583°N 66.91444°W / 10.50583; -66.91444
Country Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela
State Capital District
Founded25 July 1567
Government
  Type Mayor–council
   Mayor Erika Farías (PSUV)
Area
  Metro
433 km2 (167 sq mi)
Population
 (2007)
  Municipality2,085,488
  Density4,816.36/km2 (12,474.3/sq mi)
Time zone UTC−4 (VET)
Area code 212
ISO 3166 code VE-A
Website http://www.caracas.gob.ve
The area and population figures are for the municipality.

The Libertador Bolivarian Municipality (Spanish : Municipio Bolivariano Libertador) is the only administrative division of the Capital District of Venezuela and along with the municipalities of Baruta, Chacao, El Hatillo and Sucre forms the Metropolitan District of Caracas. It is landlocked by Vargas State and also borders Miranda State on the east and south. The municipality is one of a number in Venezuela named "Libertador Municipality", in honour of Venezuelan independence hero Simón Bolívar.

Contents

Libertador is one of the smallest municipalities in Venezuela, with a total area of 438 square kilometres (169 sq mi). It is the largest in terms of population, with approximately 2.1 million inhabitants.

In this municipality is home to the Miraflores presidential palace, the Federal Legislative Palace, the National Electoral Council, the main offices of PDVSA and CANTV, the Central Bank of Venezuela and the public ministry.

History

La Candelaria neighborhood in Caracas Vista de La Candelaria.jpg
La Candelaria neighborhood in Caracas

It was first established in 1901 under the name of Libertador Department; with the Department of Vargas (now Vargas Municipality, it formed the Federal District of Venezuela.

In 1986, its name was changed to Libertador District. Following the creation of the Vargas State in 1998, it became the sole administrative division of the Federal District.

Under the 1999 constitution, the Federal District ceased to exist and the Capital District was created. Under the new terms of administrative divisions, Libertador became a municipality, consisting of 22 parishes.

In 2000, the Metropolitan District of Caracas was formed from Libertador and four other municipalities: Baruta, Chacao, El Hatillo, and Sucre.

Geography

The Libertador Municipality is located in the mid-north of the country surrounded by the mountain El Ávila which is part of the Venezuelan central range. It borders by the north with the Vargas State, by the south and east with the Baruta Municipality of the Miranda State and by the west with the Aragua State. The Municipality includes the Los Chaguaramos neighborhood.

Climate

The climate is characteristically tropical with the temperature varying according to the altitude with an annual temperature of 24 to 28 °C (75 to 82 °F) being the warmest of the five municipalities that forms Caracas.

Economy

The vast majority of the population works for the public sector. It is also the most important commercial centre of the country since the Central Bank of Venezuela is located there. Tourism is the next largest economic activity in the municipality as the historical centre of the city is there. Informal commerce is also predominant in the area.

Bolivar Avenue Av Bolivar caracas2.jpg
Bolívar Avenue

Government

Libertador Municipality City Hall Cabildo Municipio Libertador, Caracas.jpg
Libertador Municipality City Hall
Parque Central Complex from the National Art Gallery Parque Central y la Galeria de Arte Nacional.jpg
Parque Central Complex from the National Art Gallery
Parroquias de caracas - libertador.svg

The Venezuelan constitution specifies that the municipal governments are divided by executive; governed by the mayor, and legislative branches; governed by the municipal council comprising thirteen members, both offices are elected through universal and secret suffrage.

The Libertador Municipality does not belong to any state therefore it doesn't have a governor but instead a Head of Government of the Capital District which is appointed by the President of the Republic.

Since August 2009 the municipality publishes a newspaper, Ciudad CCS .

Mayors

Parishes

The Libertador Municipality comprised 22 parishes out of the 32 that contains Caracas

ParishAreaPopulation (2007)
(1) Santa Rosalía 6,68 km²118.327
(2) El Valle 12,64 km²152.763
(3) Coche  ? km²57.907
(4) Caricuao 23,83 km²166.918
(5) Macarao 10,25 km²50.032
(6) Antímano 20,90 km²150.971
(7) La Vega 12,64 km²142.765
(8) El Paraíso 10,79 km²114.820
(9) El Junquito 52,52 km²45.398
(10) Sucre 59,30 km²396.919
(11) San Juan 3,25 km²101.777
(12) Santa Teresa 0,72 km²20.641
(13) 23 de enero 2,31 km²84.650 (2009)
(14) La Pastora 4,47 km²41.989
(15) Altagracia  ? km²89.670
(16) San José 2,59 km²39.196
(17) San Bernardino 12,27 km²26.296
(18) Catedral 0,76 km²5.479
(19) Candelaria 1,23 km²62.360
(20) San Agustín 1,59 km²46.757
(21) El Recreo 18,10 km²107.051
(22) San Pedro  ? km²62.641

Demographics

The Libertador Municipality represents only 0.22% of the countrywide territory but is home to more than 2 million people and represents half of the total population of Caracas and a density of 4,816.36/km2. On the other hand, the entire area is urbanized.

As of 2006, Libertador was estimated to contain the world's second-largest mega-slum. [1]

See also

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References

  1. Mike Davis, Planet of Slums, La Découverte, Paris, 2006 ( ISBN   978-2-7071-4915-2), p. 31.