Merida, Venezuela

Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Ciudad de los Caballeros (City of Gentlemen)
Motto: 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 / 8.600°N 71.150°W / 8.600; -71.150Coordinates: 8°36′N 71°9′W / 8.600°N 71.150°W / 8.600; -71.150
Country	Venezuela
State	Mérida
Municipalities	Libertador
Founded	October 9, 1558
Government
• Mayor	Carlos García (PJ)
Area
• Total	59.39 km2 (22.93 sq mi)
Elevation	1,630 m (5,350 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	199,878
• Density	3,365.52/km2 (8,716.7/sq mi)
• Demonym	Mérideño(a)
Time zone	VST (UTC-4:00)
• Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC-4:30)
Postal code	5101
Area code(s)	274
Website	http://www.merida.com.ve/

Motto: Non potest civitas abscondi
supra montem posita
(A city on a hill cannot be hidden
Matthew 5:14)

Mérida, officially known as Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida, 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 by Captain Juan Rodríguez Suárez, 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.

The capital city's population is 204,879 inhabitants and the metropolitan area, that includes the municipality of Libertador, reaches 345,489 people (Census 2001). The city accounts for 28% of the total population of Mérida State, which has more than 750,000 inhabitants (Census 2001). It is home to the University of Los Andes and the Archdiocese of Mérida. It also has the highest and longest cable car in the world. It is the largest student and tourist center of western Venezuela. The mass transit system (Trolebús Mérida) is available as a means of tourist transport.

This city sits on a tableland nestled in the valley of the Chama River, which runs from end to end. The town of Mérida is located at an altitude of 1,600 metres (5,200 feet). As background on the horizon rises the country's highest summit: the Pico Bolívar with an altitude of 4,981 metres (16,342 feet).

Mérida was founded by Juan Rodríguez Suárez on October 9, 1558 in one of the Pamplonian mining expeditions he led. The first settlement of Mérida was not the current one but 30 kilometres (19 miles) to the south, in Xamú, where today stands Lagunillas. Nevertheless, in November 1559, Juan de Maldonado moved the settlement to nearby El Punto (presently the Zumba area), because of constant confrontations with the native neighbours.

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Wikipedia