Caracas (/kəˈrækəs, -ˈrɑːk-/, Spanish: [kaˈɾakas]), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, abbreviated as

CCS, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and centre of the Greater Caracas Area. Caracas is
located along the Guaire River 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 1,140 m (2,490 and 3,740 ft) above sea level, although there is some
settlement above this range. The valley is close to the Caribbean Sea, separated from the coast by a
steep 2,200-metre-high (7,200 ft) mountain range, Cerro El Ávila; to the south there are more hills and
mountains. The Metropolitan Region of Caracas has an estimated population of 2.923.201.[citation
needed]

Strictly speaking, the centre of the city is still Catedral, located near Bolívar Square,[4] even though it is
assumed that it is Plaza Venezuela, located in the Los Caobos neighbourhood.[5][6][7] Chacaíto area, Luis
Brión Square and El Rosal neighborhood are also considered the geographic center of the Metropolitan
Region of Caracas,[8][9] commonly called "Greater Caracas".[5]

Businesses in the city include service companies, banks, and malls. Caracas has a largely service-based
economy, apart from some industrial activity in its metropolitan area.[10] The Caracas Stock Exchange
and Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) are headquartered in Caracas. PDVSA is the largest company in
Venezuela. Caracas is also Venezuela's cultural capital, with many restaurants, theaters, museums, and
shopping centers. Some of the tallest skyscrapers in Latin America are located in Caracas.[11]

Caracas has been considered one of the most important cultural, tourist, industrial and economic centers
of Latin America. The Museum of Contemporary Art of Caracas is one of the most important in South
America. The Museum of Fine Arts and the National Art Gallery of Caracas are also noteworthy.[12] The
National Art Gallery is projected to be the largest museum in Latin America, according to its architect
Carlos Gómez De Llarena.[13] Caracas is home to two of the tallest skyscrapers in South America: the
Parque Central Towers. It has a nominal GDP of 91,988 million dollars, a nominal GDP per capita of
18,992 and a PPP GDP per capita of 32,710 dollars. Being the seventh city in GDP and the seventh
metropolitan area in population of Latin America.[14]

Caracas has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world, with 111.19 homicides per 100,000
inhabitants.[15]