Description & Facts: Music: Huáscar Barradas, "Es Verdad" Pictures by R. Stromberg Caracas (pronounced [kaˈɾakas]) is the capital and largest city of Venezuela. It is located in the north of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range (Cordillera de la Costa). The valley's temperatures are springlike. Terrain suitable for building on lies between 760 and 910 m (2500 and 3000 ft) above sea level. The valley is close to the Caribbean Sea, separated from the coast by a steep 2200 m (7400 ft) high mountain range, Cerro Ávila; to the south there are more hills and mountains. El Distrito Metropolitano de Caracas (The Metropolitan District of Caracas) includes the Distrito Capital (the capital city proper) and four other municipalities in Miranda State including Chacao, Baruta, Sucre, and El Hatillo. The city of Caracas had an estimated population of 3140076 as of 2005. The population of Greater Caracas, including neighboring cities outside the Capital District proper, is approximately 4.7 million. Caracas está ubicada en uno de los principales valles de la Cordillera Central, muy cerca de las costas bañadas por el Mar Caribe. Se encuentra separada de éstas por el majestuoso Cerro El Ávila cuya altura se eleva a los 2600 metros. Posee 1.930 Km2. Cuenta con cerca de 4 millones de habitantes. Es llamada la sucursal del cielo, pues en ella se entremezclan como en ninguna otra ciudad imponentes estructuras modernas con patrimonios de la