Map of Guárico
Guárico is a first-level division of Venezuela. Its largest mapped city is Calabozo, with about 117,132 people in the metropolitan area. The interactive map below is centred on Guárico, and the tables list its 5 mapped cities along with the mountains, lakes, ports, World Heritage Sites nearest to them.
- Cities Mapped
- 5
- Largest City
- Calabozo
- Country
- Venezuela
- Highest Point Mapped
- 2,765 m
Interactive Map of Guárico
About Guárico
Guárico State (Spanish: Estado Guárico, IPA: [esˈtaðo ˈɣwaɾiko]) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. Located in the central region of the country, in the Los Llanos region, it is bordered to the north by Carabobo, Aragua, and Miranda; to the east by Anzoátegui; to the south by Bolívar and Apure; and to the west by Barinas and Cojedes. The state capital is San Juan de los Morros, and its largest city is Calabozo, the former capital of the state. Other important cities include Valle de la Pascua, Zaraza, and Altagracia de Orituco. The state covers a total surface area of 66,400 km2 (25,600 sq mi), making it the fourth largest state in Venezuela, and had an estimated population of 855,381 in 2023.
Guárico is known as "the gateway" to the Central Plains (Los Llanos Centrales), with a geography of contrasts between mountainous areas near the border with Cojedes, the characteristic "morros" (rocky formations) that accompany the course of the Guárico River, and extensive flat plains. The state's economy is based primarily on agriculture, livestock, and agro-industry, with significant production of rice, corn, and sorghum. The state also possesses vast oil reserves, concentrated in the south within the Orinoco Oil Belt. The Guárico River, which gives the state its name, flows through the region and is dammed at the Generoso Campilongo Dam, one of Venezuela's largest irrigation reservoirs.
The state's history is closely linked to the expansion of colonial settlements during the 17th and 18th centuries, the struggle for independence from Spain, and the civil wars that marked 19th-century Venezuela. Guárico was officially created as a province in 1848 and became a state in 1864.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Guárico (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Guárico in Depth
History
When the Europeans arrived in Venezuela, various ethnic groups inhabited the region that would constitute Guárico. Among these were the Caribs Tamanacos, Palenques, and Cumanagotos, as well as groups of Guamos and Otomacos. The latter were in permanent confrontation with the Caribs.
The colonization of the region only began in the 17th century and above all in the 18th century. The cacique Chiparara managed to organize Carib and Otomac groups in the Llanos de Guárico to counter-attack the Spanish colonizing forces. After they were defeated, around 1653, the Carib and Otomac groups would retreat southward or lose cohesion and would be gradually assimilated.
Geography
Guárico is known as "the gateway" to the Central Plains, with a geography of contrasts between mountainous areas near the border of the state of Cojedes, "galeras" (because of their hat shape), or "morros" that accompany the course of the Guárico River and an equally wide area of flat land.
Guárico State is bounded on the north by Miranda, Aragua, and Carabobo states; on the south by Bolívar and Apure; on the east by Anzoátegui state; and on the west by Cojedes and Barinas states.
Most of it is flat and occupies the Central Plains of the country. To the northwest, it has low mountains, also known as Morros, and hills of the Cordillera de la Costa.
Economy
Agriculture is the main economic activity in this state. Guárico also occupies a significant place in the cultivation of cereals such as rice, corn, and sorghum. This activity is linked to the agro-industrial sector, both supported by the existence of 16 reservoirs and three irrigation systems (Guárico, Orituco, and Tiznados rivers).
With respect to livestock, the production of cattle and pigs stands out. As of 2023, Guárico is the fourth largest producer of cattle in Venezuela. Within the timber activity, the production of wood in logs is ranked seventh in the national total.
The state of Guárico also has vast oil reserves concentrated mainly in the south in the so-called Orinoco Oil Belt.
Tourism
These are sulphurous, alkaline, borate waters, with a blue color and an average temperature of 33.5 °C. It is a thermo-mineral spring with a capacity of 6,800 L/h. They are surrounded by a dry tropical forest, with very arid vegetation. It has bathrooms, pools, and various services. They are located northwest of San Juan de los Morros, 58 km from Maracay.
These are waters that flow from galleys, forming four wells or springs. It has pools and bathing rooms. They are located between the towns of Ortiz and San Francisco de Cara, 60 km from San Juan de los Morros.
It was created on March 7, 1974. It covers an area of 569,000 ha, making it the fifth largest national park in Venezuela.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Guárico (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Guárico: Key Facts
| Population | 964,264 (2018) |
|---|---|
| Area | 64,986 km² |
| Capital | San Juan de Los Morros |
| Head of government | José Manuel Vásquez |
| Established | 1900 |
Facts from Wikidata Q202075 (CC0).
History of Guárico: Empires and States
The atlas records 3 polities whose mapped territory included part of Guárico, from The Spanish Empire in 1572 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here |
|---|---|
| The Spanish Empire | 1572–1821 CE |
| Gran Colombia | 1822–1833 CE |
| Venezuela | 1834–2024 CE |
Historical Maps of Guárico
Guárico on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Guárico
Guárico is a region in central Venezuela. Although not backwards, it is considered a place where human beings can feel connected to nature and away from the stress of civilization.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Guárico (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Guárico
5 cities mapped. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calabozo | 117,132 | Guárico | Populated place |
| 2 | Valle de la Pascua | 89,080 | Guárico | Populated place |
| 3 | San Juan De Los Morros | 87,739 | Guárico | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Zaraza | 41,483 | Guárico | Populated place |
| 5 | Altagracia de Orituco | 40,052 | Guárico | Populated place |
Highest Mountains in Guárico
1 mountain mapped. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pico Naiguatá | 2,765 m | 9,072 ft | South America |
Largest Lakes in Guárico
3 lakes mapped. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lago de Valencia | 332 km² | Lake |
| 2 | Embalse de Gurico | 184 km² | Reservoir |
| 3 | Camatague | 110 km² | Reservoir |
Ports in Guárico
4 ports mapped. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catia la Mar | 45.7 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | medium vessels |
| 2 | Puerto Borburata | 38.4 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | large vessels |
| 3 | Puerto Cabello | 38.4 m | Minor | Caribbean Sea | large vessels |
| 4 | Venterminals | 34.7 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | point_of_interest |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Guárico
1 World Heritage Site mapped. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University City of Caracas | 2000 | Cultural | (i) (iv) |
Guárico: Quick Answers
- Where is Guárico?
- Guárico is a first-level division of Venezuela, in South America. Its mapped cities centre on 9.4464° N, 66.5028° W.
- What is the largest city in Guárico?
- Calabozo is the largest city mapped in Guárico, with a metropolitan population of about 117,132.
- How many cities are in Guárico?
- YearMaps maps 5 cities and towns in Guárico, with a combined metropolitan population of about 375,486. This counts mapped settlements, not every municipality.
- What is the highest mountain in Guárico?
- The highest summit mapped in Guárico is Pico Naiguatá at 2,765 m.
- What is the largest lake in Guárico?
- The largest lake mapped in or beside Guárico is Lago de Valencia, at about 332 km².