CARACAS (SANTIAGO DE VENEZUELA), ARCHDIOCESE of. – Capital of Venezuela; city founded in 1567 by Diego Losada; it was erected as a diocese on 20 June 1637 and became an archiepiscopal see on 27 November 1803. Its suffragan dioceses at present are those of Barquisimeto, Calabozo, Coro, Cumana, Guayana, and Valencia in Venezuela.
The archdiocese covers an area of 15,480 sq. km. and has a population of 745,551, of whom 740,515 are Catholics, distributed among 60 parishes; it has 85 diocesan priests and 150 religious. The Cathedral is dedicated to ss. Anna and James.
BIBL.: J. Montes de Oca y Orregon, s. V. in Cath. Enc., III, pp. 328–29. Enrico Josi