Mérida

The capital city's population is 199,878 inhabitants, and the metropolitan area (including the municipalities of Libertador, Campo Elías, Sucre, and Santos Marquina) reaches 392,751 people (2011 census). The city accounts for 24% of the total population of Mérida State. 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 plateau nestled in the valley of the Chama River, which runs from end to end. The city of Mérida is located at an altitude of 1,600 metres (5,200 feet). Visible from the city is the country's highest summit Pico Bolívar, with an altitude of 4,981 metres (16,342 feet).