page_title: Mérida, Mérida
section_title: Transportation
hierarchical_section_title: Mérida, Mérida / Transportation
caption_attribution_description: Mapa de Transporte de la ciudad de Mérida, Venezuela. Se identifican las principales avenidas de la ciudad así como el terminal regional de autobuses y el aeropuerto nacional. Hecho por Jorge Paparoni. Para uso externo favor indicar fuente y autor.
context_page_description: Mérida, officially known as Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida, is the capital of the municipality of Libertador and the state of Mérida, and is one of the main cities of the Venezuelan Andes. It was founded in 1558 by Captain Juan Rodríguez Suárez, forming part of Nueva Granada, but later became part of the Captaincy General of Venezuela and played an active role in the War of Independence.
  The capital city's population is 204,879 inhabitants, and the metropolitan area, that includes the municipality of Libertador, reaches 345,489 people. The city accounts for 28% of the total population of Mérida State, which has more than 750,000 inhabitants. 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 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 town of Mérida is located at an altitude of 1,600 metres.
context_section_description: During the colonial era and long after independence, the city was isolated from other parts of the country because of the lack of transportation routes to the outside world. Midway through the 19th century, the first highway was built, linking the city with the rest of the country, thereby facilitating access and vehicular traffic. After this point other routes were planned, but lack of maintenance and the nature of the terrain have caused significant interruptions in land traffic between Mérida and the rest of the country.
caption: Transportation map of Mérida
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