Tomás Medina Caracas aka Tomás Molina Caracas aka Negro Acacio (March 15, 1965 – September 1, 2007) was a Colombian guerrilla member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) considered by Colombian authorities the man in charge of the illegal drug trade business and the head of the Eastern Bloc's 16th Front of this rebel group. He gained notoriety during the FARC-Government peace process (1999-2002) acting as a negotiator. He was also known for being the associate of Brazilian drug dealer Fernandinho Beiramar and for participating in an illegal arms deal of 10,000 AK-47s for the FARC through the Peruvian government official Vladimiro Montesinos, an adviser of former president of Peru, Alberto Fujimori. Medina Caracas was killed on September 1, 2007 in a Colombian Army military operation in eastern Colombia within the municipality of Cumaribo near the border with Venezuela.^[1]

Medina Caracas had between 17 and 23 legal processes pending with the Attorney General of Colombia, requesting his capture and a red corner notice issued by the INTERPOL. The Colombian Army spent two years searching for Medina Caracas escaping from most of these operations. Just in Colombia Medina Caracas was charged with narcotrafficking, delinquency, kidnapping, torture, first degree murder, terrorism, extortion and robbery.^[2][3]

Early years[link]

Medina Caracas was of Caucan origin. He became a teacher in a public school in the town of Santander de Quilichao, northern Cauca Department near the vereda known as Mary López where he was born. He later joined the FARC in May 1987 when he was 22 years old under the supervision of guerrilla leader Iván Márquez, a high ranking member within the FARC chain of command. Apparently his nickname "Negro Acacio" was given by "Mono Jojoy" after one of the "heroes" of the Cuban Revolution.^[3]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Medina-Caracas, Tomas DEA profile

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Tomás Medina Menéndez (1803–1884) was President of El Salvador 1–3 February 1848.

External links[link]

• List of El Salvador presidents (worldstatesmen.org)

v t e Heads of state of El Salvador Federal Republic of Central America (1821–41) Barriere Delgado Filisola Codallos Junta Consultiva Prado J. Rodríguez Prado J. V. Villacorta Prado Cornejo J. D. Villacorta Cornejo Morazán J. San Martín Prado J. San Martín C. Salazar G. Salazar Escolán Silva Espinoza F. Gómez Vigil T. Menéndez Vigil T. Menéndez Cañas Morazán Silva Cañas Ramírez Republic of El Salvador (1841–1931) Lindo Marín J. J. Guzmán Palacios Malespín J. E. Guzmán Palacios Aguilar Medina Quirós Vasconcelos R. Rodríguez Vasconcelos Quirós Dueñas J. M. San Martín Dueñas V. Gómez J. M. San Martín Dueñas Campo Zepeda Santín J. E. Guzmán Peralta Barrios Dueñas González del Valle Zaldívar F. Menéndez Ezeta Gutiérrez Regalado Escalón Figueroa M. Araujo C. Meléndez Quiñónez C. Meléndez Quiñónez J. Meléndez Quiñónez P. Romero A. Araujo Military Presidents (1931–1980) Hernández Martínez A. Menéndez Hernández Martínez A. Menéndez Aguirre Castaneda Revolutionary Council Osorio Lemus Military Junta Cordón Rivera Sánchez Hernández Molina C. Romero Revolutionary Government Junta Salvadoran Civil War (1980–1992) Magaña Duarte Cristiani Post-Civil War (since 1992) Cristiani Calderón Sol Flores Saca Funes

This article about a Salvadoran politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Medina اَلْمَدِينَة اَلْمَنَوَّرَة
Al-Madinat Al-Munawwarah al-Madinat an-Nabi
Muhammad's tomb is located under the Green Dome of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi.
Medina Location in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Coordinates: 24°28′N 39°36′E / 24.467°N 39.6°E / 24.467; 39.6Coordinates: 24°28′N 39°36′E / 24.467°N 39.6°E / 24.467; 39.6
Country	Saudi Arabia
Province	Al Madinah Province
Government
• Mayor	Abdulaziz Bin Majid (عَبْدٌٱلْعَزِيز بِن مَاجِد)
Area
• Total	589 km2 (227 sq mi)
Elevation	608 m (1,995 ft)
Population (2006)
• Total	1,300,000
Time zone	Arabia Standard Time (UTC+3)

Medina (/mɛˈdiːnə/; Arabic: اَلْمَدِينَة اَلْمَنَوَّرَة‎, al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah, “the radiant city” (officially), or اَلْمَدِينَة al-Madīnah; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. Medina is historically significant for being Muhammad's home after the Hijrah. Before the advent of Islam, the city was known as Yathrib, but was personally renamed by Muhammad.

Medina is home to the three oldest mosques in Islam, namely Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (The Prophet's Mosque), Quba Mosque (the first mosque in Islam's history),^[1] and Masjid al-Qiblatain (the mosque where the qibla was switched to Mecca).

Because of the Saudi government's religious policy and concern that historic sites could become the focus for idolatry, much of Medina's Islamic physical heritage has been destroyed since the beginning of Saudi rule.^{[citation needed]}

The Islamic calendar is based on the emigration of Muhammad and his followers to the city of Medina, which marks the start of the Hijri year in 622 CE, called Hijra (هِجْرَة).

Similarly to Mecca, entrance to Medina is restricted to Muslims only; non-Muslims are neither permitted to enter nor travel through the city.^[2][3][4] Muslims believe that the latter verses of the Quran were revealed in Medina and its surrounding outskirts, called the medinan suras.^[5][6]

Overview[link]

As of 2006, Medina city has a population of about 1.3 million. During pre-Islamic period of 6 CE the city was known as Yathrib, which was an oasis city.^[7] It was inhabited by Jewish refugees who fled the aftermath of the war with the Romans in the 2 CE. Later the city's name was changed to Madīnat(u) 'n-Nabiy (مَدِينَةُ ٱلنَّبِيّ "city of the prophet") or Al-Madīnat(u) 'l-Munawwarah (اَلْمَدِينَةٌ ٱلْمٌنَوَّرَة "the enlightened city" or "the radiant city"), while the short form Madīnah simply means "city". Medina is celebrated for containing the mosque of Muhammad and also as the city which gave refuge to him and his followers, and so ranks as the second holiest city of Islam, after Mecca (Makkah). Muhammad was buried in Medina, under the Green Dome, as were the first two Rashidun (Rightly Guided Caliphs), Abu Bakr and Umar, who were buried in an adjacent area in the mosque.^[8]

Medina is 210 mi (340 km) north of Mecca and about 120 mi (190 km) from the Red Sea coast. It is situated in the most fertile part of all the Hejaz territory, the streams of the vicinity tending to converge in this locality. An immense plain extends to the south; in every direction the view is bounded by hills and mountains.

The historic city formed an oval, surrounded by a strong wall, 30 to 40 ft (9.1 to 12 m) high, dating from the 12th century CE, and was flanked with towers, while on a rock, stood a castle. Of its four gates, the Bab-al-Salam, or Egyptian gate, was remarkable for its beauty. Beyond the walls of the city, west and south were suburbs consisting of low houses, yards, gardens and plantations. These suburbs also had walls and gates. Almost all of the historic city has been demolished in the Saudi era. The rebuilt city is centred on the vastly expanded Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (The mosque of the Prophet).

The tombs of Fatimah (Muhammad's daughter), across from the mosque at Jannat al-Baqi, and Abu Bakr (first caliph and the father of Muhammad's wife, Aisha), and of Umar (Umar ibn Al-Khattab), the second caliph, are also here. The mosque dates back to the time of Muhammad, but has been twice burned and reconstructed.^[9]

Religious significance in Islam[link]

Medina's importance as a religious site derives from the presence of Al-Masjid al-Nabawi or The Mosque of The Prophet. The tomb of Prophet Muhammad later became part of the mosque when it was expanded by the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I. Mount Uhud is a mountain north of Medina which was the site of the second battle between Muslim and Meccan forces.

The first mosque built during Muhammad's time is also located in Medina and is known as Masjid Qubaʼ (the Quba Mosque). It was destroyed by lightning, probably about 850 CE, and the graves were almost forgotten. In 892, the place was cleared up, the tombs located and a fine mosque built, which was destroyed by fire in 1257 CE and almost immediately rebuilt. It was restored by Qaitbay, the Egyptian ruler, in 1487.^[9]

Masjid al-Qiblatain is another mosque also historically important to Muslims. It is where the prophet changed the direction of prayer (qibla) from Jerusalem to Mecca according to Sunni hadiths.^[10]

Like Mecca, the city of Medina only permits Muslims to enter, although the haram (area closed to non-Muslims) of Medina is much smaller than that of Mecca, with the result that many facilities on the outskirts of Medina are open to non-Muslims, whereas in Mecca the area closed to non-Muslims extends well beyond the limits of the built-up area. Both cities' numerous mosques are the destination for large numbers of Muslims on their Hajj (annual pilgrimage). Hundreds of thousands of Muslims come to Medina annually to visit the Tomb of Prophet and to worship at mosques in a unified celebration.^{[citation needed]} Al-Baqi' is a significant cemetery in Medina where several family members of Muhammad, caliphs and scholars are buried.

Islamic scriptures emphasize the sacredness of Medina. Medina is mentioned several times as being sacred in the Qur'an, for example ayah; 9:101, 9:129, 59:9, and ayah 63:7. Medinan suras are typically longer than their Meccan counterparts. There is also a book within the hadith of Bukhari titled 'virtues of Medina'.^[11]

Sahih Bukhari says:

History[link]

Pre-Jewish times[link]

The first mention of the city dates to the 6th century BC. It appears in Assyrian texts (namely, the Nabonidus Chronicle) as Iatribu.^[7] In the time of Ptolemy the oasis was known as Lathrippa.^[9]

Jewish tribes[link]

Jews arrived in the city in the 2nd century AD in the wake of the Jewish–Roman wars. There were three prominent Jewish tribes that inhabited the city until the 7th century AD: the Banu Qaynuqa, the Banu Qurayza, and Banu Nadir.^[12] Ibn Khordadbeh later reported that during the Persian Empire's domination in Hejaz, the Banu Qurayza served as tax collectors for the shah.^[13]

An old picture of Medina.

The situation changed after the arrival from Yemen of two Arab tribes named Banu Aus (Banu Aws) and Banu Khazraj. At first, these tribes were clients of the Jews, but later they revolted and became independent.^[14] Toward the end of the 5th century,^[15] the Jews lost control of the city to Banu Aus and Banu Khazraj. The Jewish Encyclopedia states that they did so "by calling in outside assistance and treacherously massacring at a banquet the principal Jews", Banu Aus and Banu Khazraj finally gained the upper hand at Medina.^[12]

Most modern historians accept the claim of the Muslim sources that after the revolt, the Jewish tribes became clients of the Aus and the Khazraj.^[16] According to William Montgomery Watt, the clientship of the Jewish tribes is not borne out by the historical accounts of the period prior to 627, and maintained that the Jews retained a measure of political independence.^[14]

Ibn Ishaq tells of a conflict between the last Yemenite king of the Himyarite Kingdom^[17] and the residents of Yathrib. When the king was passing by the oasis, the residents killed his son, and the Yemenite ruler threatened to exterminate the people and cut down the palms. According to ibn Ishaq, he was stopped from doing so by two rabbis from the Banu Qurayza, who implored the king to spare the oasis because it was the place "to which a prophet of the Quraysh would migrate in time to come, and it would be his home and resting-place". The Yemenite king thus did not destroy the town and converted to Judaism. He took the rabbis with him, and in Mecca, they reportedly recognized the Kaaba as a temple built by Abraham and advised the king "to do what the people of Mecca did: to circumambulate the temple, to venerate and honour it, to shave his head and to behave with all humility until he had left its precincts." On approaching Yemen, tells ibn Ishaq, the rabbis demonstrated to the local people a miracle by coming out of a fire unscathed and the Yemenites accepted Judaism.^[18]

Eventually the Banu Aus and the Banu Khazraj became hostile to each other and by the time of Muhammad's Hijra (migration) to Medina, they had been fighting for 120 years and were the sworn enemies of each other.^[19] The Banu Nadir and the Banu Qurayza were allied with the Aus, while the Banu Qaynuqa sided with the Khazraj.^[20] They fought a total of four wars.^[14]

Their last and bloodiest battle was the Battle of Bu'ath^[14] that was fought a few years before the arrival of Muhammad.^[12] The outcome of the battle was inconclusive, and the feud continued. Abd-Allah ibn Ubayy, one Khazraj chief, had refused to take part in the battle, which earned him a reputation for equity and peacefulness. Until the arrival of Muhammad, he was the most respected inhabitant of Yathrib.

Muhammad's arrival[link]

The Quba Mosque is the first mosque in history built by Muhammad upon arrival in Medina

In 622, Muhammad and the Muhajirun left Mecca and arrived at Yathrib, an event that would transform the religious and political landscape completely; the longstanding enmity between the Aus and Khazraj tribes was dampened as many of the two tribes embraced Islam. Muhammad, linked to the Khazraj through his great grandmother, was soon made the chief and united the Muslim converts of Yathrib under the name Ansar ("the Patrons" or "the Helpers"). After Muhammad's arrival, the city gradually came to be known as Medina (literally "city" in Arabic). Some consider this name as a derivative from the Aramaic word Medinta, which the Jewish inhabitants would have used for the city.^[21]

According to Ibn Ishaq, the Muslims and Jews of the area signed an agreement, the Constitution of Medina, which committed Jewish tribes to mutual cooperation with Muslims. The nature of this document as recorded by Ibn Ishaq and transmitted by ibn Hisham is the subject of dispute among modern historians many of whom maintain that this "treaty" is possibly a collage of agreements, oral rather than written, of different dates, and that it is not clear exactly when they were made.^[22]

The Battle of Badr[link]

The Battle of Badr was a key battle in the early days of Islam and a turning point in Muhammad's struggle with his opponents among the Quraysh in Mecca.

In the spring of 624, Muhammad received word from his intelligence sources that a trade caravan, commanded by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and guarded by thirty to forty men, was traveling from Syria back to Mecca. Muhammad gathered an army of 313 men, the largest army the Muslims had put in the field yet. However, many early Muslim sources, including the Qur'an, indicate that no serious fighting was expected,^[23] and the future Caliph Uthman ibn Affan stayed behind to care for his sick wife.

As the caravan approached Medina, Abu Sufyan began hearing from travelers and riders about Muhammad's planned ambush. He sent a messenger named Damdam to Mecca to warn the Quraysh and get reinforcements. Alarmed, the Quraysh assembled an army of 900–1,000 men to rescue the caravan. Many of the Qurayshi nobles, including Amr ibn Hishām, Walid ibn Utba, Shaiba, and Umayyah ibn Khalaf, joined the army. However, some of the army was to later return to Mecca before the battle.

The battle started with champions from both armies emerging to engage in combat. The Muslims sent out Ali, Ubaydah ibn al-Harith (Obeida), and Hamza ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib. The Muslims dispatched the Meccan champions in a three-on-three melee, Hamzah killed his victim on very first strike although Ubaydah was mortally wounded.^[24]

Now both armies began firing arrows at each other. Two Muslims and an unknown number of Quraysh were killed. Before the battle started, Muhammad had given orders for the Muslims to attack with their ranged weapons, and only engage the Quraysh with melee weapons when they advanced.^[25] Now he gave the order to charge, throwing a handful of pebbles at the Meccans in what was probably a traditional Arabian gesture while yelling "Defaced be those faces!"^[26][27] The Muslim army yelled "Yā manṣūr amit!"^[28] and rushed the Qurayshi lines. The Meccans, understrength and unenthusiastic about fighting, promptly broke and ran. The battle itself only lasted a few hours and was over by the early afternoon.^[26] The Qur'an describes the force of the Muslim attack in many verses, which refer to thousands of angels descending from Heaven at Badr to slaughter the Quraysh.^[27][29] Early Muslim sources take this account literally, and there are several hadith where Muhammad discusses the Angel Jibreel and the role he played in the battle.

Ubaydah ibn al-Harith (Obeida) was given the honour of "he who shot the first arrow for Islam" as Abu Sufyan ibn Harb altered course to flee the attack. In retaliation for this attack Abu Sufyan ibn Harb requested an armed force from Mecca.^[30]

Throughout the winter and spring of 623 other raiding parties were sent by Muhammad from Medina.

The Battle of Uhud[link]

Mount Uhud

In 625, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, King of Mecca, who paid tax to the Byzantine empire regularly, once again led a Meccan force against Medina. Muhammad marched out to meet the force but before reaching the battle, about one third of the troops under Abd-Allah ibn Ubayy withdrew. With a smaller force, the Moslem army had to find a strategy to gain the upper hand. A group of archers were ordered to stay on a hill to keep an eye on the Meccan's cavalry forces and to provide protection at the rear of the Moslem's army. As the battle heated up, the Meccans were forced to somewhat retreat. The battle front was pushed further and further away from the archers, whom, from the start of the battle, had really nothing to do but watch. In their growing impatience to be part of the battle, and seeing that they were somewhat gaining advantage over the Kafiruns, these archers decided to leave their posts to pursue the retreating Meccans. A small party, however, stayed behind; pleading all along to the rest to not disobey their commanders' orders. But their words were lost amongst the enthusiastic yodels of their comrades.

However, the Meccans' retreat was actually a manufactured manouvre that paid off. The hillside position had been a great advantage to the Muslim forces, and they had to be lured off their posts for the kafiruns to turn the table over. Seeing that their strategy had actually worked, the Meccans cavalry forces went around the hill and re-appeared behind the pursuing archers. Thus, ambushed in the plain between the hill and the front line, the archers were systematically slaughtered, watched upon by their desperate comrades who stayed behind up in the hill, shooting arrows to thwart the raiders, but to little effects. So they suffered defeat in the Battle of Uhud.

However, the Meccans did not capitalize on their victory by invading Medina and returned to Mecca. The Medinans suffered heavy losses, and Muhammad was injured.

The Battle of the Trench[link]

Panel representing the mosque of Medina (now in Saudi Arabia). Found in İznik (Turkey), 18th century. Composite body, silicate coat, transparent glaze, underglaze painted.

In 627, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb once more led Meccan forces against Medina. Because the people of Medina had dug a trench to further protect the city, this event became known as the Battle of the Trench. After a protracted siege and various skirmishes, the Meccans withdrew again. During the siege, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb had contacted the remaining Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza and formed an agreement with them, to attack the defenders from behind the lines. It was however discovered by the Muslims and thwarted. This was in breach of the Constitution of Medina and after the Meccan withdrawal, Muhammad immediately marched against the Qurayza and laid siege to their strongholds. The Jews eventually surrendered. Some members of the Banu Aus now interceded on behalf of their old allies and Muhammad agreed to the appointment of one of their chiefs, Sa'd ibn Mua'dh, as judge. Sa'ad judged by Jewish Law that all male members of the tribe should be killed and the women and children enslaved as was the law stated in the Old Testament for treason.(Deutoronomy)^[31] This action was conceived of as a defensive measure to ensure that the Muslim community could be confident of its continued survival in Medina. The historian Robert Mantran argues that from this point of view it was successful - from this point on, the Muslims were no longer primarily concerned with survival but with expansion and conquest.^[31]

Capital city[link]

In the ten years following the Hijra, Medina formed the base from which Muhammad attacked and was attacked, and it was from here that he marched on Mecca, becoming its ruler without battle. Even when Islamic rule was established, Medina remained for some years the most important city of Islam and the capital of the Caliphate.

Medina in Caliphate[link]

Under the first three Caliphs, Medina was the capital of a rapidly increasing Arab Empire. During the period of Usman, the third caliph, rebel Arabs attacked Medina and killed him. Ali, the fourth caliph, changed the capital from Medina to Kufa. Medina's importance dwindled and it became more a place of religious importance than of political power. After the fragmentation of the Caliphate the city became subject to various rulers, including the Mamluks in the 13th century and finally, since 1517, the Ottoman Turks.^{[citation needed]}

In 1256 Medina was threatened by lava flow from the last eruption of Harrat Rahat.^[32]

Siege of Medina[link]

In the beginning of 20th century during World War I Medina witnessed one of the longest sieges in history. Medina was a city of the Ottoman Empire. Local rule was in the hands of the Hashemite clan as Sharifs or Emirs of Mecca. Fakhri Pasha was the Ottoman governor of Medina. Ali bin Hussein, the Sharif of Mecca and leader of the Hashemite clan, revolted against the caliph and sided with Great Britain. The city of Medina was besieged by his forces and Fakhri Pasha tenaciously held on during the Siege of Medina from 1916 but on 10 January 1919 he was forced to surrender. After the First World War, the Hashemite Sayyid Hussein bin Ali was proclaimed King of an independent Hejaz, but in 1924 he was defeated by Ibn Saud, who integrated Medina and Hejaz into his kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Masjid Nabawi at sunset

Character[link]

Education[link]

Universities include:

• Islamic University of Madinah
• Taibah University

Religion[link]

Islam is the religion followed by all the population of Medina, just like most of the cities in Saudi Arabia. Sunnis of different schools (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali) constitute the majority while there is a significant Shia minority in and around Medina.

Geography[link]

The soil surrounding Medina consist of mostly basalt, while the hills are volcanic ash which date to the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era.

Devastation of heritage[link]

Modern city of Medina

The Medina Knowledge Economic City project, a city focused on knowledge-based industries, has been planned and is expected to boost development and increase the number of jobs in Medina.^[33]

The city is served by the Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport which opened in 1974. It handles on average 20–25 flights a day, although this number triples during the Hajj season and school holidays.

Saudi Wahhabism is hostile to any reverence given to historical or religious places of significance for fear that it may give rise to 'shirk' (that is, idolatry). As a consequence, under Saudi rule, Medina has suffered from considerable destruction of its physical heritage including the loss of many buildings over a thousand years old.^[34] Critics have described this as "Saudi vandalism" and claim that in Medina and Mecca over the last 50 years 300 historic sites linked to Muhammad, his family or companions have been lost.^[35] In Medina, examples of historic sites which have been destroyed include the Salman al-Farsi Mosque, the Raj'at ash-Shams Mosque, the Jannat al-Baqi cemetery, and the house of Muhammed.^[36]

Climate[link]

See also[link]

	Saudi Arabia portal
	Islam portal

• Haramain High Speed Rail Project
• Masjid al-Qiblatain
• Quba Mosque
• Destruction of sites associated with early Islam
• Hejazi Accent
• Jeddah
• Nakhawila
• Siege of Medina

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Medina

• Medina travel guide from Wikitravel

v t e Al Madinah Province Capital: Medina Abu Dhiba Abū Shayţānah Abyar 'Ali Ad Dulu` Al `Awali Al `Uqul Al `Uyun Al Akhal Al Bardiyah Al Biqa` Al Bustan Al Faqirah Al Furaysh Al Hafirah Al Hafr Al Hamra' Al Jabriyah Al Jissah Al Kharma' Al Madiq Al Malbanah Al Mufrihat Al Multasa Al Musayjid Al Wuday As Sadayir As Safra' As Sidr As Sudayrah As Sumariyah As Suwayriqiyah Ash Shufayyah Asira Badr Hunayn Baq`a' Barka Bartiyah Bi'r al Mashi Birkah Far` Fara` Fiji Harthiyah Hasa Haylat Radi al Baham Husayniyah Jadidah Khayf Fadil Madinat Yanbu` as Sina`iyah Madsus Mafraq Mahattat al Hafah Maqrah Maqshush Masahili Masturah Mawarah Milhah Nujayl Qaba' Qiran Rayyis Sabil Sha`tha' Sidi Hamzah Sultanah Suq Suwayq Suqubiya Suwadah Wasitah Yanbu` al Bahr `Ajmiyah `Alya' `Urwah `Ushash `Ushayrah

Caracas
—  City  —
Santiago de León de Caracas
Top left: UCV Baseball Stadium; top right: Offices in Parque Cristal; middle: Plaza Venezuela Fountain; bottom left: Los Próceres Monument; bottom right: Libertador Avenue.
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname(s): La Odalisca del Ávila (The Avila's Odalisque) La Sucursal del Cielo (Heaven's Branch on Earth) "La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera"(The City of Eternal Spring)
Motto: Ave María Purísima, sin pecado concebida, en el primer instante de su ser natural
Caracas
Coordinates: 10°30′N 66°55′W / 10.5°N 66.917°W / 10.5; -66.917Coordinates: 10°30′N 66°55′W / 10.5°N 66.917°W / 10.5; -66.917
Country	Venezuela
State	Venezuelan Capital District Miranda
Municipality	Libertador
Founded	25 July 1567
Founder	Diego de Losada
Metropolitan	Municipalities: Libertador, Chacao, Baruta, Sucre, El Hatillo
Government
• Type	Mayor-council
• Body	Government of the Capital District / Mayorship of the Metropolitan District
• Chief of Government / Mayor	Jacqueline Faría / Antonio Ledezma
Area
• City	433 km2 (167 sq mi)
• Metro	344 km2 (133 sq mi)
Elevation	900 m (3,000 ft)
Population (2009)[1]
• City	5.905.463 Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Municipio Libertador)
• Density	1,431.5/km2 (3,708/sq mi)
• Metro	6,474,367 Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Municipio Libertador)
Demonym	caraqueño (m), caraqueña (f)
Time zone	VST (UTC– 04:30)
• Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC– 04:30)
Postal coded	1010-A
Area code	212
ISO 3166 code	VE-A
Website	Capital District Metropolitan District
The area and population figures are the sum of the figures of the five municipalities (listed above) that make up the Distrito Metropolitano.

Caracas (Spanish pronunciation: [kaˈɾakas]), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English (Spanish: Caraqueños).

Caracas is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range (Cordillera de la Costa). Terrain suitable for building lies between 760 and 910 m (2,493.44 and 2,985.56 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 (Metropolitan District of Caracas) includes the Distrito Capital (the capital city proper) and four other municipalities in Miranda State: Chacao, Baruta, Sucre, and El Hatillo. The Distrito Capital had a population of 2,097,350 as of 2009,^[1] while that of Distrito Metropolitano was estimated at 4,196,514 as of (2008).^[2]

History[link]

Conqueror Diego de Losada, founder of Santiago de León de Caracas

At the time of its founding, more than four hundred years ago, the valley of Caracas was populated by indigenous peoples. Francisco Fajardo, the son of a Spanish captain and a Guaiqueri cacica, attempted to establish a plantation in the valley in 1562 after founding a series of coastal towns. Fajardo's settlement did not last long. It was destroyed by natives of the region led by Terepaima and Guaicaipuro. This was the last rebellion on the part of the natives. On 25 July 1567, Captain Diego de Losada laid the foundations of the city of Santiago de León de Caracas.The foundation −1567 – “I take possession of this land in the name of God and the King” This was the words of Don Diego de Losada in founding the city of Caracas on 25 July 1567.

During the 17th century, the coast of Venezuela was frequently raided by pirates. With the coastal mountains as a barrier, Caracas was relatively immune to such attacks – one of the reasons it became the principal city of the region. However, in the 1680s, buccaneers crossed the mountains through a little-used pass while the town's defenders were guarding the more often-used one, and, encountering little resistance, sacked and set fire to the town.^[3]

The cultivation of cocoa under the Compañía Guipuzcoana de Caracas stimulated the development of the city, which in 1777 became the capital of the Captaincy General of Venezuela.

An attempt at revolution to gain independence organized by José María España and Manuel Gual was put down on 13 July 1797. But the ideas of the French Revolution and the American Wars of Independence inspired the people, and on 5 July 1811, a Declaration of Independence was signed in Caracas. This city was also the birthplace of two of Latin America's most important figures of the Venezuelan War of Independence: Francisco de Miranda and "El Libertador" Simón Bolívar. An earthquake destroyed Caracas on 26 March 1812, which was portrayed by authorities as a divine punishment for the rebellion against the Spanish Crown. The war continued until 24 June 1821, when Bolívar gained a decisive victory over the royalists at the Battle of Carabobo.^[4]

As the economy of oil-rich Venezuela grew steadily during the first part of the 20th century, Caracas became one of Latin America's economic centers, and is also known as the preferred travel hub between Europe and South America. During the 1950s, Caracas began an intensive modernization program which continued throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. The Universidad Central de Venezuela, designed by modernist architect Carlos Raúl Villanueva and declared World Heritage by UNESCO, was built. New working- and middle-class residential districts sprouted in the valley, extending the urban area towards the east and southeast. Joining El Silencio, also designed by Villanueva, were several workers' housing districts, 23 de Enero and Simon Rodriguez. Middle class developments include Bello Monte, Los Palos Grandes, Chuao, and El Cafetal. On 17 October 2004, one of the Parque Central towers caught fire. The dramatic change in the economic structure of the country, which went from being primarily agricultural to dependent on oil production, stimulated the fast development of Caracas, and made it a magnet for people in rural communities who migrated to the capital city in an unplanned fashion searching for greater economic opportunity. This migration created the rancho (slum) belt of the valley of Caracas

Symbols[link]

Sketch of Caracas in 1812

Colonial painting of Our Lady of Caracas, Patroness of the city

View of Caracas in 1839; once a colonial city of red-tiled roofs, the city now has many skyscrapers

The flag of Caracas consists of a burgundy red field with the version of the Coat of Arms of the City (effective since the 1980s). The red field symbolises the blood spilt by Caraquenian people in favour of independence and the highest ideals of the Venezuelan Nation. Later, in the year 1994, presumably as a result of the change of municipal authorities, it was decided to increase the size of the Caracas coat of arms and move it to the centre of the field. This version of the flag is still in use today.

The coat of arms of the City of Caracas was adopted by the Libertador Municipality to identify itself. Later, the Metropolitan Mayor Office assumed the lion, the scallop and Saint James' Cross for the same purpose.

The anthem of the city is the Marcha a Caracas, written by the composer Tiero Pezzuti de Matteis with the lyrics by José Enrique Sarabia. The lyrics are said to be inspired by the heroism of the Caraquenian people, and the memory of the City of Red Roofs. Incidentally, the National Anthem of Venezuela, Gloria al Bravo Pueblo, includes the lines "...y si el despotismo levanta la voz, seguid el ejemplo que Caracas dio" ("...and if despotism raises its voice, follow the example that Caracas gave"), reflecting the fact that, in addition to generously providing many heroic fighters to the War of Independence, the junta established in Caracas (19 April 1810) served as inspiration for other regions to do the same—as did its declaration of independence a year later.

Local government[link]

Partial view of Libertador municipality

Caracas has five municipalities: Baruta, El Hatillo, Chacao, Libertador and Sucre. The constitution of Venezuela specifies that municipal governments be divided into executive and legislative branches. The executive government of the municipality is governed by the mayor, while the legislative government is managed by the Municipal council. In 8 March 2000, the year after a new constitution was introduced in Venezuela, it was decreed in Gaceta Official N° 36,906 that the Metropolitan District of Caracas would be created, and that some of the powers of these municipalities would be delegated to the Alcaldía Mayor, physically located in the large Libertador municipality, in the center of the city.

Economy[link]

Alejandro Otero´s Abra Solar

Businesses located here include service companies, banks, and malls, among others. Most economic activity is in services, except some industries established in its metropolitan area.^[5] The Caracas Stock Exchange and Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) are headquartered here. The PDVSA is the largest company in Venezuela,^[6] and negotiates all the international agreements for the distribution and export of petroleum.^[7] When the company existed, the airline Viasa had its headquarters in the Torre Viasa.^[8][9]

Caracas' central business district is Milla de Oro, located in the north of the Baruta municipality and the south of the Chacao municipality, it's one of largest finnancial districts of Latin America, it's home to many companies and is dominated by numerous high-rises. Other important bussines districts include Plaza Venezuela, Parque Central Complex and El Recreo.

Small and medium-size industry contributes to the Caracas economy. The city provides communication and transportation infrastructure between the metropolitan area and the rest of the country. Important industries in Caracas include chemicals, textiles, leather, food, iron and wood products. There are also rubber and cement factories.^[10]

Cost of living[link]

Millennium Mall at night

A 2009 United Nations survey reported that the cost of living in Caracas was 89% of that of its baseline city: New York.^[11] However, this statistic is based upon a fixed currency-exchange-rate of 2003 and might not be completely realistic, due to the elevated inflation rates of the last several years.^{[original research?]}

Geography[link]

Caracas is contained entirely within a valley of the Venezuelan central range, and separated from the Caribbean coast by a roughly 15 km expanse of El Ávila National Park. The valley is relatively small and quite irregular, the altitude with respect to sea level varies from between 870 and 1,043 meters (2,854–3,422 ft), with 900 meters (2,953 ft) in the historic zone. This, along with the rapid population growth, has profoundly influenced the urban development of the city. The most elevated point of the Capital District, wherein the city is located, is the Pico El Ávila, which rises to 2,159 meters (7,083 ft). The main body of water in Caracas is the Guaire river, which flows across the city and empties into the Tuy river, which is also fed by the El Valle and San Pedro rivers, in addition to numerous streams which descend from El Ávila. The La Mariposa and Camatagua reservoirs provide water to the city.

Climate[link]

Aerial view toward Caracas downtown.

Under the Köppen climate classification, Caracas has a Tropical savanna climate. Caracas is also intertropical, with precipitation that varies between 900 and 1,300 millimeters (35–51 in) (annual), in the city proper, and up to 2,000 millimeters (79 in) in some parts of the Mountain range. While Caracas is within the tropics, due to its altitude temperatures are generally not nearly as high as other tropical locations at sea level. The annual average temperature is approximately 23.1 °C (74 °F), with the average of the coldest month (January) 21.1 °C (70 °F) and the average of the warmest month (May) 25.0 °C (77 °F), which gives a small annual thermal amplitude of 3.9 °C (7.02 °F). In the months of December and January abundant fog may appear, in addition to a sudden nightly drop in temperature, until reaching 7 °C (45 °F) ^[12] or less. This peculiar weather is known by the natives of Caracas as the Pacheco. In addition, nightly temperatures at any time of the year are much (12 to 16 °C) lower than daytime highs and usually do not remain above 20 °C (68 °F), resulting in very pleasant evening temperatures. Hail storms appear in Caracas, although only on rare occasions. Electrical storms are much more frequent, especially between June and October, due to the city being in a closed valley and the orographic action of Cerro El Ávila.

Demographics[link]

The population of Caracas proper (Distrito Capital) is estimated to be 5,994,002 as of 2010,^[1] while that of the Metropolitan District of Caracas is estimated at 7,001,874 as of 2011.^[2] The conurbation including the surrounding suburbs has an estimated population of 8.3 million as of 2012.^[15]

Caracas is often named in the alleged megalopolis of northern Venezuela including cities such as Valencia, Maracay, Miranda, Los Teques, San Antonio de los Altos, Petare, Guarenas, Puerto Cabello, with an estimated population of 18.2 million, representing about 64% of the country's population

Crime[link]

Venezuela and its capital, Caracas, are reported to both have among the highest per capita murder rates in the world. Most murders and other violent crimes go unsolved. Armed criminal gangs often operate with impunity throughout the urban areas. The poor neighborhoods that cover the hills around Caracas are extremely dangerous. U.S. travelers have reported robberies and other crimes committed against them by individuals wearing uniforms and purporting to be police officers or National Guard members. Police investigations into kidnappings have revealed that police officers are often involved.^[16] Caracas tops list of murder capitals of the world.^[17]

Landmarks[link]

East Park

Casa del Libertador (Simón Bolívar's birthplace house)

National Pantheon of Venezuela

Caracas Cathedral

Las Mercedes commercial district

Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex