Situated in a narrow mountain valley near the Caribbean coast, Caracas concentrates national governance and symbolic power. The city’s structure reflects sharp contrasts between institutional authority and societal strain.

Founded in the 16th century, Caracas emerged as the core of Venezuelan political life after independence. Oil wealth in the 20th century fueled rapid urban growth, followed by long-term institutional erosion.

Spanish colonial founding

Independence and republican consolidation

Oil-driven urban expansion

Political polarization

Economic collapse and governance crisis

Caracas hosts national government institutions amid infrastructure decay, security challenges, and population outflows. Informal economies and centralized control coexist uneasily within the urban system.

Caracas’s trajectory depends on national political change and economic stabilization. Urban recovery would require institutional reform, infrastructure investment, and social reconciliation.