View source for States of Venezuela

{{Short description|Federated states of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela}}
{{refimprove|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name               = States, Federal Dependencies and Capital District<br>Estados, Dependencias Federales y Distrito Capital ([[Spanish language|Spanish]])
| alt_name           = 
| map                = [[File:Venezuela Administrative Divisions.jpg|300px]]
| category           = [[Federated state]]
| territory          = [[Venezuela|Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela]]
| start_date         = 
| current_number     = {{ubl|23 states|1 Capital District|1 Federal Dependency}}
| number_date        = 
| population_range   = 146,480 ([[Amazonas (Venezuelan state)|Amazonas]]) – 3,704,404 ([[Zulia]])
| area_range         = {{Convert|440|sqmi|km2|abbr=on|order=flip}} ([[Nueva Esparta]]) – {{Convert|92000|sqmi|km2|abbr=on|order=flip}} ([[Bolívar (state)|Bolívar]])
| government         = [[State government]]
| subdivision        = [[Municipalities of Venezuela|Municipality]]<br>[[Federal Dependencies of Venezuela#Principal islands and groups|Island]] (Federal Dependencies)
}}
{{Politics of Venezuela}}

The [[Venezuela|Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela]] is a [[federation]] made up of twenty-three states (''{{langx|es|estados}}''), a [[Capital District (Venezuela)|Capital District]] (''{{langx|es|Distrito Capital}}'') and the [[Federal Dependencies of Venezuela|Federal Dependencies]] (''{{langx|es|Dependencias Federales}}''), which consist of many [[List of islands of Venezuela|islands and islets]] in the [[Caribbean Sea]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=List of States in Venezuela with Latitude and Longitude - States in Venezuela with Latitude Longitude, Popular Places in Venezuela with Lat Long, List of States in Venezuela with Latitude and Longitude, Latitude and Longitude of State Capitals of Venezuela, State wise Latitude and Longitude of Venezuela States - distancelatlong.com|url=https://www.distancelatlong.com/country/venezuela|access-date=2021-12-14|website=www.distancelatlong.com}}</ref> Venezuela claims the [[Guyana–Venezuela territorial dispute|disputed Essequibo territory]] as one of its states, which it calls Guayana Esequiba, but the territory is controlled by [[Guyana]] as part of six of its [[Regions of Guyana|regions]].

The states and territories of Venezuela are usually organized into [[Regions of Venezuela|regions]] ({{langx|es|regiones}}), although these regions are mostly geographical entities rather than administrative entities.

==Historical states==
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}
Prior to the [[Federal War]] (1859&ndash;1863), the country was divided into provinces rather than states (see [[Provinces of Venezuela]]). The victorious forces were supposed to grant more autonomy to the individual states, but this was not implemented.

From 1863 to the early 1900s there were numerous territorial changes, including the merger and splitting of states, but from then until the 1990s the states were left unchanged. States that existed during this time included ''Guzmán Blanco State'' (1873–1889). Originally a renamed Aragua State, in 1881 the states of Miranda, Guárico, Nueva Esparta and the Vargas department of the Federal District were merged into the state. This was part of a territorial reorganisation reducing the number of states from 20 to 9, which was reversed in 1901.

The 1990s saw the creation of three new states: [[Delta Amacuro]] (1991), [[Amazonas (Venezuelan state)|Amazonas]] (1994), and Vargas (1998, renamed [[La Guaira (state)|La Guaira]] in 2019).

==Proposed states==
On 5 December 2023, following a [[2023 Venezuelan referendum|referendum]] held two days earlier, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro published a new map showing the claimed region of Guayana Esequiba as part of Venezuela.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bassant |first1=Mark |title=Maduro releases new map of Venezuela, claiming Essequibo Region |url=https://trinidadexpress.com/newsextra/maduro-releases-new-map-of-venezuela-claiming-essequibo-region/article_a7a41546-9415-11ee-ba3f-d34160300660.html |access-date=7 December 2023 |work=Trinidad Express Newspapers |date=6 December 2023 |language=en}}</ref> He urged legislators to create a law which would establish a new state covering the disputed region.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hernández |first1=Osmary |last2=Almánzar |first2=Fernando |last3=Alberti |first3=Mia |title=Venezuela's president orders creation of new state and map including land from Guyana |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/06/americas/venezuelas-president-orders-creation-of-new-state-and-map-including-land-from-guyana/index.html |access-date=7 December 2023 |work=CNN |date=6 December 2023 |language=en}}</ref> The Venezuelan referendum on annexing the area led to a [[2023 Guyana–Venezuela crisis|diplomatic crisis]] between the two countries.

==Regions==
{{main|Regions of Venezuela}}
{{see also|Geography of Venezuela}}
Venezuela's territory is generally divided into nine geographical regions, which are mostly used for geographical, cultural and planning purposes but do not have active administrative bodies.

{| class="wikitable"
! Region
! Spanish
! States
|-
| [[Andean Region, Venezuela|Andean]]
| ''Andina''
| [[Mérida (state)|Mérida]], [[Táchira]], [[Trujillo (state)|Trujillo]]
|-
| [[Capital Region, Venezuela|Capital]]
| ''Capital''
| [[Caracas]] ([[Capital District (Venezuela)|Capital District]]), [[La Guaira (state)|La Guaira]], [[Miranda (state)|Miranda]]
|-
| [[Central Region, Venezuela|Central]]
| ''Centro''
| [[Aragua]], [[Carabobo]]
|-
| [[Central-Western Region, Venezuela|Central-Western]]
| ''Centro-Occidente''
| [[Falcón]], [[Lara (state)|Lara]], [[Yaracuy]]
|-
| [[Guayana Region, Venezuela|Guayana]]
| ''Guayana''
| [[Amazonas (Venezuelan state)|Amazonas]], [[Bolívar (state)|Bolívar]], [[Delta Amacuro]]
|-
| [[Insular Region, Venezuela|Insular]]
| ''Insular''
| [[Nueva Esparta]], [[Federal Dependencies of Venezuela|Federal Dependencies]]
|-
| [[Los Llanos Region, Venezuela|Los Llanos]]
| ''Los Llanos''
| [[Apure]], [[Barinas (state)|Barinas]], [[Cojedes (state)|Cojedes]], [[Guárico]], [[Portuguesa (state)|Portuguesa]]
|-
| [[Eastern Region, Venezuela|Eastern]]
| ''Oriental''
| [[Anzoátegui]], [[Monagas]], [[Sucre (state)|Sucre]]
|-
| [[Zulian Region, Venezuela|Zulian]]
| ''Zulia''
| [[Zulia]] 
|}

==States==
{{See also|List of Venezuela state legislatures|List of Venezuela state constitutions}}

Below is a list of the 23 states of Venezuela. The states are listed along with their correspondent emblems, data and location.

{|class=" wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
!Flag
!State
!Capital
!Largest city
!Population 
(2021)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population in Venezuela by state 2021 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1171503/venezuela-states-population/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref>
!Population<br>(2011)
!Area<br>(km<sup>2</sup>)
!Density per km<sup>2</sup> (2021)
!Density per km<sup>2</sup> (2011)
!Region
!Map
|-
|[[File:Flag of Amazonas Indigenous State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Amazonas (Venezuelan state)|Amazonas]]'''
|colspan="2"| [[Puerto Ayacucho]]
|180,000
|146,480
|180,145
|0.99
|0.81
|[[Guayana Region, Venezuela|Guayana]]
|[[File:Amazonas in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Anzoátegui State (original version).svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Anzoátegui]]'''
|colspan="2"| [[Barcelona, Venezuela|Barcelona]]
|1,570,000
|1,469,747
|43,300
|36.26
|33.94
|[[Eastern Region, Venezuela|Eastern]]
|[[File:Anzoategui in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Apure State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Apure]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[San Fernando de Apure]]
|570,000
|459,025
|76,500
|7.45
|6.00
|[[Llanos]]
|[[File:Apure in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Aragua State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Aragua]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[Maracay]]
|1,640,000
|1,630,308
|7,014
|233.82
|232.44
|[[Central Region, Venezuela|Central]]
|[[File:Aragua in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Barinas State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Barinas (state)|Barinas]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[Barinas, Barinas|Barinas]]
|830,000
|816,264
|35,200
|23.58
|23.19
|[[Andean Region, Venezuela|Andean]]
|[[File:Barinas in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Bolívar State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Bolívar (state)|Bolívar]]'''
|[[Ciudad Bolívar]]
|[[Ciudad Guayana]] 
|1,730,000
|1,410,964
|238,000
|7.27
|5.93
|[[Guayana Region, Venezuela|Guayana]]
|[[File:Bolivar in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Carabobo State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Carabobo]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[Valencia, Venezuela|Valencia]]
|2,240,000
|2,245,744
|4,650
|481.72
|482.96
|[[Central Region, Venezuela|Central]]
|[[File:Carabobo in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Cojedes State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Cojedes (state)|Cojedes]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[San Carlos, Cojedes|San Carlos]]
|330,000
|323,165
|14,800
|22.29
|21.84
|[[Central Region, Venezuela|Central]]
|[[File:Cojedes in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Delta Amacuro State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Delta Amacuro]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[Tucupita]]
|190,000
|167,676
|40,200
|4.72
|4.17
|[[Guayana Region, Venezuela|Guayana]]
|[[File:Delta Amacuro in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Falcón.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Falcón]]'''
|[[Coro, Venezuela|Coro]]
|[[Punto Fijo]]
|990,000
|902,847
|24,800
|39.92
|36.41
|[[Central-Western Region, Venezuela|Central-Western]]
|[[File:Falcon in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Guárico.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Guárico]]'''
|[[San Juan de los Morros]]
|[[Calabozo]]
|830,000
|747,739
|64,986
|12.77
|11.51
|[[Llanos Region, Venezuela|Llanos]]
|[[File:Guarico in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Vargas State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[La Guaira (state)|La Guaira]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[La Guaira]]
|340,000
|352,920
|1,496
|227.27
|235.91
|[[Capital Region, Venezuela|Capital]]
|[[File:Vargas in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Lara State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Lara (state)|Lara]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[Barquisimeto]]
|1,870,000
|1,774,867
|19,800
|94.44
|89.64
|[[Central-Western Region, Venezuela|Central-Western]]
|[[File:Lara in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Mérida State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Mérida (state)|Mérida]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[Mérida, Mérida|Mérida]]
|880,000
|828,592
|11,300
|77.88
|73.33
|[[Andean Region, Venezuela|Andean]]
|[[File:Merida in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Miranda state.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Miranda (state)|Miranda]]'''
|colspan="2"| [[Los Teques]]
|2,970,000
|2,675,165
|7,950
|373.58
|336.50
|[[Capital Region, Venezuela|Capital]]
|[[File:Miranda in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Bandera de el estado Monagas.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Monagas]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[Maturín]]
|930,000
|905,443
|28,930
|32.15
|31.30
|[[Eastern Region, Venezuela|Eastern]]
|[[File:Monagas in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Nueva Esparta.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Nueva Esparta]]'''
|[[La Asunción]]
|[[Porlamar]]
|570,000
|491,610
|1,150
|495.65
|427.90
|[[Insular Region, Venezuela|Insular]]
|[[File:Nueva Esparta in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Portuguesa.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Portuguesa (state)|Portuguesa]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[Guanare]]
|930,000
|876,496
|15,200
|61.18
|57.66
|[[Central-Western Region, Venezuela|Central-Western]]
|[[File:Portuguesa in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Sucre State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Sucre (state)|Sucre]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[Cumaná]]
|990,000
|896,291
|11,800
|83.90
|75.96
|[[Eastern Region, Venezuela|Eastern]]
|[[File:Sucre in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Bandera del Estado Táchira.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Táchira]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[San Cristóbal, Táchira|San Cristóbal]]
|1,030,000
|1,168,908
|11,100
|92.79
|105.31
|[[Andean Region, Venezuela|Andean]]
|[[File:Tachira in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Trujillo State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Trujillo (state)|Trujillo]]'''
|[[Trujillo, Trujillo|Trujillo]]
|[[Valera]]
|770,000
|686,367
|7,400
|104.05
|92.75
|[[Andean Region, Venezuela|Andean]]
|[[File:Trujillo in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Yaracuy State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Yaracuy]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[San Felipe, Venezuela|San Felipe]]
|670,000
|600,852
|7,100
|94.37
|84.63
|[[Central-Western Region, Venezuela|Central-Western]]
|[[File:Yaracuy in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Zulia State.svg|border|70px]]
|'''[[Zulia]]'''
|colspan="2"|[[Maracaibo]]
|3,830,000
|3,704,404
|63,100
|60.70
|58.71
|[[Zulian Region, Venezuela|Zulian]]
|[[File:Zulia in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|-
! colspan="11" | ''[[Guyana–Venezuela territorial dispute|Disputed]] state whose territory is controlled by [[Guyana]]:''
|- style="height:50px; font-style: italic;"
|
|'''Guayana Esequiba'''
|colspan="2"|[[Tumeremo]]<br/><small>(administrative center)</small>
|128,000
|125,000
|159,542
|0.8
|0.78
|[[Guayana Region, Venezuela|Guayana]]
|[[File:Guayana Esequiba in Venezuela.svg|border|70px]]
|}

===By Human Development Index===
[[File:Venezuelan states by HDI (2017).svg|thumb|HDI of Venezuelan states in 2017]]
{|class="wikitable"
! Rank
! State
! HDI (2022)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/shdi/VEN/?levels=1%2B4&interpolation=1&extrapolation=0&nearest_real=0|title=Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|access-date=2021-07-28}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="10" scope="row" style="color:#00CC00" | High human development
|-
| 1
|| [[File:Flag of Caracas (2022).svg|25px|border]] [[Capital District (Venezuela)|Capital District]] 
|| 0.743
|-
| 2
|| [[File:Flag of Miranda State.svg|25px|border]] [[Miranda (state)|Miranda]]
|| 0.730
|-
| 3
|| [[File:Flag of Aragua State.svg|25px|border]] [[Aragua]]
|| 0.725
|-
| 4
|| [[File:Flag of Carabobo State.svg|25px|border]] [[Carabobo]]
| rowspan="2"| 0.719
|-
|5
|| [[File:Flag of Vargas State.svg|25px|border]] [[La Guaira (state)|La Guaira]]
|-
| 6
|| [[File:Flag of Nueva Esparta.svg|25px|border]] [[Nueva Esparta]]
| 0.718
|-
| 7
|| [[File:Flag of Anzoátegui State.svg|25px|border]] [[Anzoátegui]]
|| 0.710
|-
| 8
|| [[File:Flag of Bolívar State.svg|25px|border]] [[Bolívar (state)|Bolívar]]
|| 0.701
|-
! colspan="7" scope="row" style="color:#FFCC00" | Medium human development
|- style="background: rgb(230, 230, 230);"
|–
| style="text-align: left;" |{{VEN}}
|'''0.699'''
|-
| 9
|| [[File:Flag of Táchira State.svg|25px|border]] [[Táchira]]
|| 0.697
|-
| 10
|| [[File:Flag of Monagas.svg|25px|border]] [[Monagas]]
| rowspan="2"| 0.689
|-
|11
|| [[File:Flag of Falcón State.svg|25px|border]] [[Falcón]]
|-
| 12
|| [[File:Flag of Mérida State.svg|25px|border]] [[Mérida (state)|Mérida]]
|| 0.688
|-
| 13
|| [[File:Flag of Zulia State.svg|25px|border]] [[Zulia]]
|| 0.684
|-
| 14
|| [[File:Flag of Delta Amacuro State.svg|25px|border]] [[Delta Amacuro]]
|| 0.683
|-
| 15
|| [[File:Flag of Amazonas Indigenous State.svg|25px|border]] [[Amazonas (Venezuelan state)|Amazonas]]
| rowspan="2"| 0.679
|-
|16
|| [[File:Flag of Lara State.svg|25px|border]] [[Lara (state)|Lara]]
|-
| 17
|| [[File:Flag of Cojedes State.svg|25px|border]] [[Cojedes (state)|Cojedes]]
|| 0.676
|-
| 18
|| [[File:Flag of Sucre State.svg|25px|border]] [[Sucre (state)|Sucre]]
| rowspan="2" | 0.669
|-
|19
|| [[File:Flag of Trujillo State.svg|25px|border]] [[Trujillo (state)|Trujillo]]
|-
| 20
|| [[File:Flag of Yaracuy State.svg|25px|border]] [[Yaracuy]]
|| 0.666
|-
| 21
|| [[File:Flag of Guárico State.svg|25px|border]] [[Guárico]]
|| 0.661
|-
| 22
|| [[File:Flag of Portuguesa.svg|25px|border]] [[Portuguesa (state)|Portuguesa]]
| rowspan="2"| 0.646
|-
| 23
|| [[File:Flag of Barinas State.svg|25px|border]] [[Barinas (state)|Barinas]]
|-
| 24
|| [[File:Flag of Apure State.svg|25px|border]] [[Apure]]
|| 0.628
|}

==Special status areas==

{|class=" wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
!Flag
!State
!Capital
!Population<br>(2011)
!Area<br>(km<sup>2</sup>)
!Region
!Map
|-
|[[File:Flag of Caracas (2022).svg|70px]]
|[[Capital District (Venezuela)|'''Capital District''']]
|[[Caracas]]
|1,943,901
|433
|[[Capital Region, Venezuela|Capital]]
|[[File:Capital District in Venezuela (special marker).svg|border|70px]]
|-
|[[File:Federal dependencies of Venezuela's Flag.svg|border|70px]]
|[[Federal Dependencies of Venezuela|'''Federal Dependencies''']]
|[[Los Roques Archipelago|Los Roques]]
|2,155
|342
|[[Insular Region, Venezuela|Insular]]
|[[File:Federal Dependencies in Venezuela (special marker).svg|border|70px]]
|}

==State name etymologies==
Several states are named for historical figures:

* [[Anzoátegui]] for [[José Antonio Anzoátegui]]
* [[Bolívar (state)|Bolívar]] for [[Simón Bolívar]]
* [[Falcón]] for [[Juan Crisóstomo Falcón]]
* [[Lara (state)|Lara]] for [[Jacinto Lara]]
* [[Miranda (state)|Miranda]] for [[Francisco de Miranda]]
* [[Monagas]] for [[José Tadeo Monagas]] and [[José Gregorio Monagas]]
* [[Sucre (state)|Sucre]] for [[Antonio José de Sucre]]

Several states are named for natural features:
* [[Amazonas (Venezuelan state)|Amazonas]] is named for the [[Amazon rainforest]]
* [[Apure]] is named for the [[Apure River]]
* [[Aragua]] for the [[Aragua River]]
* [[Cojedes (state)|Cojedes]] for the [[Cojedes River]]
* [[Delta Amacuro]] for the [[river delta]] of the [[Orinoco]], and for the [[Amacuro River]]
* [[Guárico]] for the [[Guárico River]]
* [[Portuguesa (state)|Portuguesa]] for the [[Portuguesa River]]
* [[Táchira]] for the [[Táchira River]]
* [[Yaracuy]] for the [[Yaracuy River]]
* [[Zulia]] for the [[Zulia River]], its name meaning "navigable river" in [[Chibcha language]]

Other naming origins:
* [[Barinas (state)|Barinas]], named after the indigenous ethnic group in the area <ref>{{cite book |last1=Simón |first1=Pedro |title=Noticias historiales de Venezuela |date=1992 |publisher=Biblioteca Ayacucho |location=Caracas, Venezuela |isbn=980-276-210-5 |page=128}}</ref>
* [[Carabobo]], from the local Arawaco language expression ''Karau-bo-bo'', meaning "Savannah of a lot of Ravines"<ref>https://www.clubensayos.com/Historia/ORIGEN-HISTORICO-DEL-ESTADO-CARABOBO/996442.html (Spanish)</ref>
* [[Capital District, Venezuela|Caracas]], named for the ''Caracas'' indigenous group
* [[La Guaira (state)|La Guaira]], for the capital city, [[La Guaira]], named after an indigenous Carib settlement called ''Huaira''
* [[Mérida (state)|Mérida]], for the capital city, [[Mérida, Mérida|Mérida]], itself named for [[Mérida, Spain|Mérida]] in Spain
* [[Nueva Esparta]] ("New Sparta") is named for the heroism shown by its inhabitants during the [[Venezuelan War of Independence]], deemed similar to that of the [[Sparta]]n soldiers of [[Ancient Greece]].
* [[Trujillo (state)|Trujillo]], for the capital city, [[Trujillo, Trujillo|Trujillo]], itself named for [[Trujillo, Cáceres|Trujillo in Spain]]

==See also==
* [[ISO 3166-2:VE]]
* [[Administrative divisions of Venezuela]]
* [[Demographics of Venezuela]]
* [[List of cities and towns in Venezuela]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Some information was retrieved from the Venezuelan [http://www.ine.gov.ve/ National Institute of Statistics].

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.citymayors.com/government/venezuela_government.html CityMayors feature]

{{-}}
{{Administrative divisions of Venezuela}}
{{Venezuela topics}}
{{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of South American countries}}
{{Subnational entities by Human Development Index}}

[[Category:States of Venezuela| ]]
[[Category:Subdivisions of Venezuela]]
[[Category:Lists of administrative divisions|Venezuela, States]]
[[Category:First-level administrative divisions by country|States, Venezuela]]
[[Category:Venezuela geography-related lists]]