Baruta Municipality

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Municipio Baruta
(Baruta Municipality)
nickname = Baruta
motto =


image_caption = Nuestra Señora del Rosario Church


image_



map_caption = Baruta in Miranda State
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_type2 = Seat
subdivision_name = Venezuela
subdivision_name1 = Miranda
subdivision_name2 = Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Baruta
established_title = Founded
established_date = August 19, 1620
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = September 22, 1987
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Henrique Capriles Radonski (Primero Justicia)
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 93.9
population_as_of = 2001
population_footnotes =
population_total = 260853
population_density_km2 = 2778
timezone = VST
utc_offset = -4:30
timezone_DST = not observed
utc_offset_DST = -4:30
latd = 10 |latm=25 |lats=59 |latNS=N
longd = 066 |longm=52 |longs=59 |longEW=W
elevation_footnotes=
elevation_ft =
elevation_m =
area_code = 0212
website = [http://www.baruta.gov.ve/ www.baruta.gov.ve]
footnotes =

Baruta Municipality (pop. 317,288) belongs politically to the Greater Caracas Municipality in Venezuela. It is located geographically in the South-East section of the city. Its western limit is the "Los Chaguaramos" neighborhood (which belongs to the Libertador Municipality) and limits to the east with the "Colinas de Los Ruices" neighborhood, in the Sucre Municipality. To the North, it borders with the Francisco Fajardo Highway and to the Southeast with the El Hatillo Municipality and to the Southwest with the "Hoyo de la Puerta" neighborhood (Libertador Municipality).

Although some of the political functions overlap with the Greater Caracas Municipality, Baruta has its own Mayor, Henrique Capriles Radonski. The local government has its own police force, among other responsibilities. The City Hall is currently located in the "Bello Monte" district, but there are plans for it to be moved to the old Baruta town.

The main economic activity in Baruta is non-manufacturing business in the many office buildings within the Municipality. For example, the Procter & Gamble Latin American Headquarters are located there. Commerce is also a great source of revenue for the "Baruteños", as some of the most attractive night spots in the Greater Caracas are located in "Las Mercedes" district. The Baruta Zip Code is 1080 and the Area Code is 212, the same as the Greater Caracas area.

History

The name "Baruta" was associated with the exuberant vegetation existing in the zone, specifically the "Jabillo", that in native language expresses "Baruta", which give the name to the cacique and his territory. on March 20, 1568, Diego de Losada offers to the "Captain Alonso Andrea de Ledesma" an important charge to located the land and possessions of the Baruta cacique, with the purpose of coverting the Indians to catholicism, and teaching them to read and to write, as well as to train them in the exercise of the chieftainship. This offer was ratified by the City Hall of Caracas on February 20, 1582, considering this date the beginning of the process of foundation.

On August 19, 1620 Baruta town was founded with the name of “"San Francisco de Paula"”, taking place therefore the first establishment of population of certain importance in the Southeastern part of Caracas. The Governor of the Province st the teim and the Bishop, "Francisco de Hoz y Berrío" and "Fray Gonzalo de Angulo", respectively, decreed to the consecration of the Church of "Villa del Rosario de Baruta" on July 14, 1655. The great land extensions of the zone were conformed by prosperous properties, whose yield was based on the production of coffee, cane and cacao, as well as alcoholic beverages, sugar and "papelón". "La Guairita, Manzanares," "La Trinidad" and "Las Mercedes" were great farms, constituting themselves in the origins of the most important urbanizations of the Municipality at the present time. The construction of the road from Caracas to Baruta and the Hatillo took place between 1927 and 1929, giving the urbanizing process in "Las Mercedes" in the 1940s, and in the 1950s the Municipality begins to experience a great demographic expansion, that characterizes it nowadays.

In 1961 the "Prados del Este Highway" was concluded and in 1965 the project of the Universidad Simón Bolívar began in "Sartenejas", in the 1960s the urbanizations "El Cafetal, Santa Marta, Santa Sofía, San Luis, Santa Paula", "Cerro Verde" and "Los Naranjos" were constructed. Baruta was semi-independent until 1954, date in which passes its administration to the Council of Petare, forming part of the extinct Sucre District of the Miranda state, jointly with "Petare, Chacao" and "El Hatillo". Due to the height and vertiginous growth that the Municipality has confronted, the Legislative Assembly of the Miranda state declared Baruta like independent Municipality on September 22 1987. In this sense, their characteristics of socioeconomic and geographic development allowed the creation of the El Hatillo Municipality on January 1992. On April 1992 the parish of "Las Minas de Baruta" was created.cite web |url=http://www.baruta.gov.ve/detalle.asp?id=853&plantilla=8 |title=Historia del Municipio Baruta | author = Alcaldía del Municipio Baruta|accessdate=2006-10-01 es_icon]

Geography

The Baruta Municipality comprises the territory of the Miranda state, jointly with other 20 Municipalities. As well, it forms part of the metropolitan area of Caracas next to the Chacao Municipality, "Libertador, Sucre" and the El Hatillo municipality. It has a favorable geographic location, acting like integrating element of the Southeastern of Caracas with the rest of the municipalities of the metropolitan area of Caracas. It limits by the North with the municipalities "Libertador, Chacao" and "Sucre", by the East with the municipalities: "Sucre, El Hatillo" and "Paz Castillo" by the South with the municipalities "Cristóbal Rojas" and "Guaicaipuro" and by the West with the municipality "Los Salias" and the Libertador Municipality of the Capital District.cite web |url=http://www.baruta.gov.ve/detalle.asp?id=783&plantilla=8 |title=Geografía, Socioeconomía y Cultura del Municipio Baruta | author = Alcaldía del Municipio Baruta|accessdate=2006-10-01 es_icon]

It has a surface of 9,392, 65 km², representing approximately 14% of the metropolitan area of Caracas. It is important to indicate that of the total area of the municipality, 43% comprise of the Protective Zone of Caracas, which is under the Regime of Special Administration. It is located between the coordinates (UTM - Canoe): (729,900 me - 745,037 me; 1.144.245 mN - 1.160.854 mN)

Climate

The climate is characteristically tropical, with the temperature varying according to the altitude. The annual average temperature is 21.66°C, with a maximum of 28°C during the months of July and August and a minimum of 21°C during the months of December and January. According to the classification of Koeppen, the type of climate is savannah (AW). The basic speed of the wind calculated for all the Metropolitan Area of Caracas is of 78 km/h. The annual average precipitation varies between 800 and 1,000 mm3, being greater in the month of July with a period of rain that begins in the month of May and culminates in the month of October. The index average of humidity is of 80%.

Vegetation

The predominant vegetation corresponds to a dry forest and a humid forest. Some species of trees can reach 20 meters high, the South and southwestern zone of the Municipality is under the "Regime of Special Administration", with the figure of Protective Zone called "La Virgen Forest". Other protective zones like "El Volcán" exist and a part of the Protective Zone of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas.

Topography and Relief

The topography appears in rough form, to have a predominantly mountainous relief, whose altitude varies between the 421 m and 1476 m the slopes generally are superior to 45%, although in the rivers appears in 5%. The original topography has been modified through time by the city-planning developments, responding to the necessities of expansion of the city.

Hydrography

The hydrography of the Municipality is constituted mainly by two courses of first order as they are the Guaire River to the north of the Municipality and the Guairita river to the east. To the south of the Municipality is the "Soapire" stream, that represents all the South limit. Between the secondary affluents, that run towards the channels of first order, are the streams: "Baruta, Manzanares, Sorokaima, Sartenejas, La Virgen, El Sitio, Canoas, Don Pancho," and "El Cafetal", between many others of second and third order of intermittent type, which are activated in the periods of rain. The drainage of the municipality is associated to the particular characteristics of the type of material, the disposition of the layers and the characteristics of the relief.

Demographics

*317,288 inhabitants.
*Density: 2.600 hab. /km².

Parishes
* "Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Baruta"
* "Las Minas de Baruta"
* "El Cafetal"

Law and 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. On March 8, 2000, the year after a new constitution was introduced in Venezuela, it was decreed in "Gaceta Official" N° 36,906, that the Metropolitan District of Caracas would be created, and that some of the powers of Baruta would be delegated to the "Alcaldía Mayor", which would also start governing the Libertador, Sucre, El Hatillo and Chacao municipalities. Venezuelan municipalities are subdivided in parishes.cite web |url=http://www.tsj.gov.ve/gaceta/Marzo/080300/080300-36906-00.html |title=Gaceta Oficial N° 36,906 |date=2000-03-08|author=Tribunal Supremo de Justicia |accessdate=2006-07-19 es_icon]

Mayors

*Gloria Lizarraga de Capriles (1989-1993)
*Ángel Enrique Zambrano (1993-1996)
*Ivonne Attas (1996-2000)
*Henrique Capriles Radonsky (2000-2008)

Socioeconomics

According to the 1990 Census, 57% of the population of the municipality were economically active. Of the labor force, the feminine population of age to work represents almost 55% of the total of this segment of population. In addition to the indicated particularitity, we found that 43% of the resident population have reached the secondary level of studies, determining that the illiteracy index is one of lowest of the Metropolitan Zone, being of a 2.03% for the population of 15 years and more, for the population between 5 and 14 years the index is of 1.76%. The educative indices of the population place to the Baruta Municipality in a privileged situation forehead to other localities of the capital and the country. If we inferred statistically we found that only a 1.34% of the greater population of 15 years are without no educative level and a 3.95% for the included one between 5 and 14 years. It is observed that the Municipality for being a zone of residential use, has a high index of occupied houses (86%). According to the percentage presented by the OCEI in 1990, the buildings predominate with a 59% with respect to the total of houses, villas with a 20.39% and houses with a 16.63%.cite web |url=http://www.baruta.gov.ve/detalle.asp?id=853&plantilla=8 | ]

Low indices of construction of shanty towns, locating themselves in 3% approximately.

Culture

In the Municipality diverse cultural manifestations are developed, some associates to popular celebrations, like:
* Day of the Candlemas (Paradura del niño), "Date of celebration": February 2.
* Carnival, "Date of celebration": movable.
* Holy week, "Date of celebration": movable.
* The cross of May, "Date of celebration": May 3.
* Saint Anthony, "Date of celebration": June 13.
* Saint John, "Date of celebration": June 24.
* Day of Our Lady of the Rosary of Baruta (Month of Baruta), "Date of celebration": October 29.
* Day of Our Lady of Fatima ("Las Minas" and "Monterrey"), "Date of celebration": October 30.

As well as other activities related to national historical celebrations in which is involve the scholastic population through the municipal schools. In "Las Mercedes" district a series of cultural-musical activities are developed in the "Plaza Alfredo Sadel" and the Río de Janeiro avenue, that zones serve as recreation for the community.cite web |url=http://www.baruta.gov.ve/detalle.asp?id=853&plantilla=8 | ]

Cultural institutions

At the House of the Culture of Baruta “Oswaldo Perez Perazzo” a cultural and educative work stands out directed to the population of limited resources by means of the execution of specific programs on the part of the Independent Service of Art and Culture of the Baruta Municipality, such as: infantile and youthful painting, enamels on metal, ceramics, painting on porcelain, engraving, weave and embroidering, factories of dance, theater, courses of ballet, folklore, corporal expression, flamenco, choral factories of pop music, retreats, classes of cuatro, guitar, and others. In this order of ideas, the “Baruta Festival of the Arts” appears, event that is made with the joint effort of several communities and artistic groups, with the interest to contribute to the cultural development of the municipality during the months of August, September and October.

They are present also cultural institutions like the "National Library Independent Institute" with two premises: The Library Raul Leoni located in the Cafetal urbanization, and the public library “Aurelio Alvarez Echezarreta”, located in the House of the Culture of Baruta “Oswaldo Perez Perazzo” (in agreement between the Rotary Club and the "National Library Independent Institute"), who offer cultural activities, for the population in prescholastic and basic age.

The Municipality also has, since September 10, 1990 the Athenian of Baruta, who is in charge of the diffusion and promotion of the artists who make activities within the Municipality. This Athenian has like seat the House of the Culture “Oswaldo Perez Perazzo”, also in the Baruta town, it counts since October 1997 the "Casa de todos" , (House of All), construction that emphasizes by its architecture from its construction in the 1950s, at the present time it works like seat of the Independent Service of Socioeconomic Development and the Parochial Meeting, it offers permanent attention to the community, permanent exhibitions of plastic arts (made of porcelain, painting, sculpture, among others), factories of different nature, events and spectacles for the people of the third age.

The Municipality has spaces destined to sports and associations, that include an ample range of sport activities: swimming, athletics, volleyball, baseball, kickball, aerobics, basketball, kung fu, gymnastics, softball, and Ping Pong, among others. Baruta houses at its downtown the "Plaza Bolívar" (Bolívar square), the Parochial House and "Nuestra Señora del Rosario" Church (Our lady of the Rosary), which dates from 1655, undergoing modifications with the years.

ee also

*Miranda State
*Caracas
*Municipality
*Venezuelan Capital District

References

External links

* [http://www.baruta.gov.ve Baruta Municipality official website]