           ͻ
                    C a r a c a s   V e n e z u e l a          
           ͹
             Population:   1,958,977                           
             Metro. Area:                                      
             Altitude:         3,164                           
           Ķ
             Founded:  1567 by Diego de Losado                 
           Ķ
                                                               
            Caracas is the capital and chief city of Venezuela.
            It  grew  rapidly because of the country's booming 
            oil industry.   Caracas lies  within  the  Federal 
            District  of  Verezuela, six miles inland from the 
            port of La Guaira.                                 
                                                               
            The  city  is  center of Venezuela's political and 
            cultural life.   It is  the  birthplace  of  Simn 
            Bolvar and Francisco de Miranda.  Caracas is also 
            an important trading city.  Factories in the  city 
            manufacture  such  diverse products as paper, tex- 
            tiles, tobacco, beer, leather, and cement.         
                                                               
           ͼ
