CARÁCAS, a large city of South America, capital of the United States of Venezuela and of the federal district, is situated on the declivity of a mountain 2880 feet above the level of the sea, 16 miles south-south-east of La Guayra, its port on the Caribbean Sea, in 10° 30' N. lat., 67° 4' W. long. Population in 1873, 48,897. The city is finely-situated, and has a temperate and healthy though variable climate. The mean temperature of the year is about 72° Fahr., being in the hot season 75°, and in the cold season 6G 0 . The thermometer, however, sometimes rises to 84° or 85°, and at other times descends as low as 51° or 52°. Rain is abundant during the months of April, May, and June, but not so incessant as in other tropical countries; the rest of the year is rather dry. The city is much subject to earthquakes, from which it has frequently suffered; in that of 1812,12,000 persons are said to have perished. Carácas is separated from the sea-coast, and from its port of Guayra by the high ridge of the Cerro de Avila, and lies on the western skirt of the plain of Chacao, which has a steep slope from north-north-west to south-south-east. The Guayra, a tributary of the River Tuy, which falls into the ocean thirty-six miles east of Cape Codera, flows past the southern side of the city, and is joined by the streams called the Anauco, Catuche, and Caroata passing through the town from the north. Two miles east the great double-peaked mountain known as the Silla de Carácas rises to 8600 feet. The Cal vario hill, west of the city, was the scene of a battle between the Spaniards and patriots in June 1821. The town is well and regularly built; the streets are wide and well paved, crossing each other at right angles. There are several squares, of which the Plaza Mayor, or ...