States of Venezuela

States, Federal Dependencies and Capital District
Estados, Dependencias Federales y Distrito Capital (Spanish)
Category Federated state
Location Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Number 23 States
1 Capital District
Populations 146,480 (Amazonas) – 3,704,404 (Zulia)
Areas 1,100 km2 (440 sq mi) (Nueva Esparta) – 240,000 km2 (92,000 sq mi) (Bolívar)
Government State government
Subdivisions Municipality
Island (Federal Dependencies)
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Venezuela is a federation made up of twenty-three states (Spanish: estados), a Capital District (Spanish: Distrito Capital) and the Federal Dependencies (Spanish: Dependencias Federales), which consist of a large number of islands and islets on the Caribbean Sea. Venezuela also claims the Guayana Esequiba territory which comprises six districts in the independent nation of Guyana.

The states and territories of Venezuela are usually organized into regions (Spanish: regiones), although these regions are mostly geographical entities and count with no administrative entities.

Historical states

Prior to the Federal War of (18591863), the country was divided into provinces rather than states (see Provinces of Venezuela). The victorious forces were supposed to grant more autonomy to the individual states, but this was not implemented.

From 1863 to the early 1900s there were numerous territorial changes, including the merger and splitting of states, but from then until the 1990s the states were left unchanged. States that existed during this time included Guzmán Blanco State (1873–1889). Originally a renamed Aragua State, in 1881 the states of Miranda, Guárico, Nueva Esparta and the Vargas department of the Federal District were merged into the state. This was part of a territorial reorganisation reducing the number of states from 20 to 9, which was reversed in 1901.

The 1990s saw the creation of three new states: Delta Amacuro (1991), Amazonas (1994), and Vargas (1998).

Regions

Main article: Regions of Venezuela

Venezuela's territory is generally divided into eight geographical regions, which are mostly used for geographical, cultural and planning purposes but count with no active administrative body.

Region Spanish States
Andean Andes Barinas, Mérida, Táchira, Trujillo
Capital Capital Caracas (Capital District), Miranda, Vargas
Central Centro Aragua, Carabobo, Cojedes
Central-Western Centro-Occidente Falcón, Lara, Portuguesa, Yaracuy
Guayana Guayana Amazonas, Bolívar, Delta Amacuro
Insular Insular Nueva Esparta, Federal Dependencies
Llanos Los Llanos Apure, Guárico
Eastern Oriental Anzoátegui, Monagas, Sucre
Zulian Zulia Zulia

States

Below is a list of the 23 states of Venezuela. The states are listed along with their correspondent emblems, data and location.

Flag State Capital Largest city Governor Population
(2011)
Area
(km²)
Region Map
Amazonas Puerto Ayacucho Liborio Guarulla (MPV) 146,480 180,145 Guayana
Anzoátegui Barcelona Nelson Moreno (PSUV) 1,469,747 43,300 Eastern
Apure San Fernando de Apure Ramón Carrizales (PSUV) 459,025 76,500 Llanos
Aragua Maracay Tareck El Aissami (PSUV) 1,630,308 7,014 Central
Barinas Barinas Adán Chávez (PSUV) 816,264 35,200 Andean
Bolívar Ciudad Bolívar Ciudad Guayana Francisco Rangel (PSUV) 1,410,964 238,000 Guayana
Carabobo Valencia Francisco Ameliach (PSUV) 2,245,744 4,650 Central
Cojedes San Carlos Erika Farías (PSUV) 323,165 14,800 Central
Delta Amacuro Tucupita Lizeta Hernández (PSUV) 167,676 40,200 Guayana
Falcón Coro Punto Fijo Stella Lugo (PSUV) 902,847 24,800 Central-Western
Guárico San Juan de Los Morros Calabozo Ramón Rodríguez (PSUV) 747,739 64,986 Llanos
Lara Barquisimeto Henri Falcón (AP) 1,774,867 19,800 Central-Western
Mérida Mérida Alexis Ramírez (PSUV) 828,592 11,300 Andean
Miranda Los Teques Baruta Henrique Capriles (PJ) 2,675,165 7,950 Capital
Monagas Maturín Yelitze Santaella (PSUV) 905,443 28,930 Eastern
Nueva Esparta La Asunción Porlamar Carlos Mata Figueroa (PSUV) 491,610 1,150 Insular
Portuguesa Guanare Reinaldo Castañeda (PSUV) 876,496 15,200 Central-Western
Sucre Cumaná Luis Acuña (PSUV) 896,291 11,800 Eastern
Táchira San Cristóbal José Gregorio Vielma (PSUV) 1,168,908 11,100 Andean
Trujillo Trujillo Valera Henry Rangel (PSUV) 686,367 7,400 Andean
Vargas La Guaira Jorge García (PSUV) 352,920 1,496 Capital
Yaracuy San Felipe Julio León (PSUV) 600,852 7,100 Central-Western
Zulia Maracaibo Francisco Arias (PSUV) 3,704,404 63,100 Zulian

Special status areas

Flag State Capital Population
(2011)
Area
(km²)
Region Map
Capital District Caracas 1,943,901 433 Capital
Federal Dependencies Los Roques 2,155 342 Insular

State name etymologies

Several states are named for historical figures:

Several states are named for natural features:

Other naming origins:

See also

External links

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