Mérida, Venezuela

Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida, Venezuela, is the capital of the municipality of Libertador and the state of Mérida, and is one of the principal cities of the Venezuelan Andes. It was founded in 1558, forming part of Nueva Granada, but later became part of the Captaincy General of Venezuela, and played an active role in the War of Independence.

Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida
View of Mérida
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  Ciudad de los Caballeros (City of Gentlemen)
Motto(s):  Non potest civitas abscondi supra montem posita (A city on a hill cannot be hidden Matthew 5:14)
Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida
Coordinates: 8°36′N 71°9′W
Country	Venezuela
States	State, Mérida
Municipalities	Libertador
Founded	October 9, 1558
Government
• Mayor	Léster Rodríguez
Area
• Total	25 km2 (10 sq mi)
Elevation	1,630 m (5,350 ft)
Population  (2001)
• Total	345,489
• Density	8,000/km2 (20,000/sq mi)
• Demonym	Mérideño(a)
Time zone	UTC-4:30 (VST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4:30 (not observed)
Postal code	5101
Area code	274
Website	http://www.merida.gob.ve/

Mérida has more than 200,000 inhabitants and a metropolitan area containing some 350,000 people. It is the main center for education and tourism in western Venezuela, the home of the prestigious University of the Andes, and the location of the highest and second longest aerial tramway in the world.

Mérida is at an altitude of approximately 1,600 meters (5,249 ft). The city sits on a plain in the valley of the Chama river, which runs from one end to the other. The backdrop of Mérida's skyline is the country's highest summit, Pico Bolívar.

Other websites

Media related to Mérida (Venezuela) at Wikimedia Commons