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Estado Miranda


State flag	State Coat of Arms

Miranda State Anthem

Motto: none

Location within Venezuela

Created
(given current status) 1909

State capital Los Teques

Area
•% 7,950 km²
0,87 (Ranked 17th)

Population
•% 2,857,900 hab. (2007 est.)
10,3 (Ranked 2nd)

Emblematic tree The Roso blanco
(Brownea leucantha)

ISO 3166-2 VE-M

Governor Henrique Capriles Radonski
2008 - 2012

Website: Miranda state government website

Estado Miranda is one of the 23 states (estados) into which Venezuela is divided. It is ranked second in population among Venezuelan states, after Zulia state. In 2007, it had approximately 2,857,943 residents. It also has the greatest Human Development Index in Venezuela according to the Venezuelan National Institute of Statistics. Miranda is also important center for political, economic, cultural and commercial activities. The state relies on a government of 21 municipal mayorships and one governor.

Miranda State covers a total surface area of 7,950 km².

[edit] History

Principal church of Los Teques, 1900s

Aerial view of Altamira neighborhood in Chacao Municipality

The Miranda state was named on December 23, 1889, in honor to Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda, one of the precursors of the independence of the Americas. After that, was called Guzmán Blanco state. The region was inhabited initially by indigenous tribes: Los Teques, Los Caracas, Los Mariches, Los Guarenas and Los Quiriquires. When spanish conquerors arrived, started to use the coast zone, for the cultivation of cocoa, settling their families in the Altos Mirandinos, Guarenas and the Caracas east. To work in agriculture, African slaves were brought.

During the colonial period, the territory was part of the jurisdiction of Borburata. For almost the half of the XIX century, was part of the province of Caracas. In 1864, the province of Caracas was renamed Bolívar. Cause of this, was that the city of Caracas was not part of the province since that year, belonging to the Federal District. In 1868, with the triumph of the Revolución Azul (Blue Revolution), leaded by José Tadeo Monagas, was added to the province three more departments. In 1881 Venezuela was divided into nine states, the provinces of Bolívar and the Margarita island merged, conforming the Guzmán Blanco state.

In December 1889, the entity that conformed Bolívar, was renamed to Miranda, being its capital Bolivia. Three years later, the name is change to Great State of Miranda. On August 5, 1909, with the promulgation of a new constitution was introduced the existence of 20 states, Federal District, two federal territories and federal dependencies. Miranda started to be composed by its present territory. The capital was Ocumare del Tuy, until February 13, 1927 when was moved to Los Teques.

[edit] Law and government

Town of Petare at the beginning of the XX century

State government: The constitution of Venezuela specifies that the state government is divided into executive and legislative branches. The executive government is directed by the governor, while the legislative government is managed by the Legislative council. The Governor of Mirabda is the head of the executive power of the state. According to the 160 article of the Constitution of Venezuela, the governor must be Venezuelan, greater of twenty-five years and Secularity state, is chosen by a four years term, by simple majority, and can be reelected by another period. The current governor is Henrique Capriles Radonski.
Municipal government: The constitution of Venezuela specifies that municipal governments be divided into executive and legislative branches. The executive government of the municipality is governed by the mayor, while the legislative government is managed by the Municipal council. Miranda is comprised by 21 municipalities (municipios).

[edit] Political division

[edit] Municipalities and municipal seats

Municipalities in Miranda

	Municipality	Seat
1.	Acevedo	Caucagua
2.	Andrés Bello	San José de Barlovento
3.	Baruta	Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Baruta
4.	Brión	Higuerote
5.	Buroz	Mamporal
6.	Carrizal	Carrizal
7.	Chacao	Chacao
8.	Cristóbal Rojas	Charallave
9.	El Hatillo	El Hatillo
10.	Guaicaipuro	Los Teques
11.	Independencia	Santa Teresa del Tuy
12.	Lander	Ocumare del Tuy
13.	Los Salias	San Antonio de los Altos
14.	Páez	Río Chico
15.	Paz Castillo	Santa Lucía
16.	Pedro Gual	Cúpira
17.	Plaza	Guarenas
18.	Simón Bolívar	San Francisco de Yare
19.	Sucre	Petare
20.	Urdaneta	Cúa
21.	Zamora	Guatire

[edit] Other important towns

Guatire River

Beach in Higuerote

[edit] Virgin Mary's Betania sanctuary

The Miranda State features a grotto in the area of Cúa (the "Betania sanctuary", after Bethany, Israel), established by Maria Esperanza de Bianchini after what is believed to have been a vision of Virgin Mary, followed by several other apparitions of which she was the one and only witness. These apparitions led her to find a certain parcel of property in Venezuela that had a grotto of Our Lady and running water and establish the place as a site of catholic pilgrimage.

Many locals believe that a Eucharistic miracle occurred at this site on December 8, 1991 during a celebration of Mass. The Miraculous Host, which was declared authentic by Bishop Pio Bello Richardo, currently retired, today is housed at the Chapel at the residence of the local Bishop, or Prelate, in Los Teques. Despite the huge number of believers and pilgrims however, many people believe it all was and is an ingenious hoax.

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Miranda (state)

[edit] External links

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