Guárico State (, ) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. Located in the central region of the country, in the Los Llanos region, it is bordered to the north by Carabobo, Aragua, and Miranda; to the east by Anzoátegui; to the south by Bolívar and Apure; and to the west by Barinas and Cojedes. The state capital is San Juan de los Morros, and its largest city is Calabozo, the former capital of the state. Other important cities include Valle de la Pascua, Zaraza, and Altagracia de Orituco. The state covers a total surface area of , making it the fourth largest state in Venezuela, and had an estimated population of 855,381 in 2023.
Guárico is known as "the gateway" to the Central Plains (Los Llanos Centrales), with a geography of contrasts between mountainous areas near the border with Cojedes, the characteristic "morros" (rocky formations) that accompany the course of the Guárico River, and extensive flat plains. The state's economy is based primarily on agriculture, livestock, and agro-industry, with significant production of rice, corn, and sorghum. The state also possesses vast oil reserves, concentrated in the south within the Orinoco Oil Belt. The Guárico River, which gives the state its name, flows through the region and is dammed at the Generoso Campilongo Dam, one of Venezuela's largest irrigation reservoirs.
The state's history is closely linked to the expansion of colonial settlements during the 17th and 18th centuries, the struggle for independence from Spain, and the civil wars that marked 19th-century Venezuela. Guárico was officially created as a province in 1848 and became a state in 1864. Its cultural heritage includes Llanero traditions, music such as the joropo, and a rich culinary tradition featuring dishes like "Pisillo Guariqueño." The state is also home to several national parks and natural monuments, including Aguaro-Guariquito National Park, Guatopo National Park, and the Morros de San Juan Natural Monument.
History
Conquest and colony
When the Europeans arrived in Venezuela, various ethnic groups inhabited the region that would constitute Guárico. Among these were the Caribs Tamanacos, Palenques, and Cumanagotos, as well as groups of Guamos and Otomacos. The latter were in permanent confrontation with the Caribs.
The colonization of the region only began in the 17th century and above all in the 18th century. The cacique Chiparara managed to organize Carib and Otomac groups in the Llanos de Guárico to counter-attack the Spanish colonizing forces. After they were defeated, around 1653, the Carib and Otomac groups would retreat southward or lose cohesion and would be gradually assimilated.
Many of the settlers who settled in the area were Basque missionaries and encomenderos who founded Altagracia de Orituco on March 1, 1676. Miguel de Urbés, a lieutenant of Joan Orpí, founded the city of Zaraza in 1645 with the name of San Miguel de la Nueva Tarragona del Batey. El Sombrero was founded in 1720. Four years later they founded Calabozo. In 1728 they established the town of Chaguaramas in a place where there were settlements of cumanagotos. Fray Anselmo Isidro de Ardales established the town of Tucupido in 1760 with groups of cumanagotes and palenques. San Juan de los Morros would be founded much later, around 1780.
Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland passed through the region in March 1800 on their way to the Orinoco and its tributaries.
During the time of Spanish rule, Guárico was part of the Province of Caracas, which belonged to the Captaincy General of Venezuela.
19th century
During the war of independence, several battles took place in the region of Guárico.
The military chief José Tomás Boves defeated Vicente Campo Elías in La Puerta, near San Juan de los Morros, on February 3, 1814. A few months later, in June, the Spanish troops again under the command of Boves defeated the troops of Simón Bolívar and Santiago Mariño on the same battlefield.
On August 2, 1816, the battle of Quebrada Honda near El Socorro took place. The royalists were defeated by the Republican army led by the Scottish adventurer Gregor MacGregor.
The Plains troops led by José Antonio Páez defeated the Royalist forces of Marshal Pablo Morillo on February 12, 1818, in the Battle of Calabozo. However, Morillo was able to defeat the troops of General Simón Bolívar in the third battle of La Puerta.
After independence, Guárico became the scene of numerous battles in the civil wars that plagued the country in the 19th century.
Venezuela entered into a deep crisis from 1842 onward. In 1846 an uprising took place that was particularly felt in Guárico. Peasants and other poor people complained about social injustice and numerous groups criticized the political situation in which only a few elites held all the power. The protests continued until May 1847.
The creation with the name of Guárico Province dates from 1848 when the province of Caracas was divided into three.
In 1856 Guárico became part of the 21 provinces of Venezuela until 1864 when it was declared an independent state and an integral part of the United States of Venezuela.
On February 17, 1860, the Battle of Coplé between the federalist and central government troops took place near Calabozo. The battle itself did not give clear results, but the continuation of the guerrilla warfare after this episode led to the signing of a peace agreement on April 23, 1863, between the Federalists and the Government.
In 1879 the state became part of the Gran Estado Miranda with what is now Bolívar (present-day Miranda), Guzmán Blanco (present-day Aragua), Apure, and Nueva Esparta. In 1889 this state was renamed Miranda.
On March 11, 1892, the caudillo Joaquín Crespo rose up against the president of that time, Raimundo Andueza Palacio, who had wanted to change the constitution at the beginning of 1892 in order to supposedly govern for two more years. Joaquín Crespo marched from his hacienda in Guárico to Caracas, where he took power.
In 1898, Guárico acquired its autonomy again and in 1899 it was ratified by presidential decree. From this date on, it remained an independent state even though it suffered changes in its territory. Its boundaries with the state of Aragua were established by a protocol signed in 1933.
General Juan Vicente Gómez defeated near San Juan de los Morros the troops of General Luciano Mendoza, who was fighting on the side of the so-called Liberating Revolution against Cipriano Castro.
20th century
Foreign companies began to exploit oil in the Guárico area in 1946. The fields of El Carrizal and El Sombrero began to attract many workers.
In 1957, the construction of the Guárico River reservoir, the Embalse Ing. Generoso Campilongo, began. With 230 km², it is one of the largest irrigation reservoirs in Venezuela and has been contributing to the development of the country.
21st century
In 2018, the state experienced a series of lootings that affected several businesses in Calabozo and other cities, in the context of the economic and social crisis that has affected Venezuela since 2013.
In 2021, Donald Donaire was elected governor of the state. In 2025, Janny Álvarez Mirabal was elected mayor of the Francisco de Miranda Municipality, which includes Calabozo.
Geography
Location
Guárico is known as "the gateway" to the Central Plains, with a geography of contrasts between mountainous areas near the border of the state of Cojedes, "galeras" (because of their hat shape), or "morros" that accompany the course of the Guárico River and an equally wide area of flat land.
Guárico State is bounded on the north by Miranda, Aragua, and Carabobo states; on the south by Bolívar and Apure; on the east by Anzoátegui state; and on the west by Cojedes and Barinas states.
Relief
Most of it is flat and occupies the Central Plains of the country. To the northwest, it has low mountains, also known as Morros, and hills of the Cordillera de la Costa.
The mountainous part of Guárico includes the Fila de los Suspiros, bordering the state of Cojedes to the northwest, continues with the Fila de La Raya, also called La Escalera, until reaching the city of San Juan de los Morros, some of which can reach 2000 meters above sea level. Other mountains to the east of the state include Cerro de las Minas, the Serranía de Guatopo strip on the sides of the Orituco River Valleys.
Climate
The average annual temperature is 26 °C. The climate is predominantly tropical savanna, characterized by a marked dry season and a rainy period.
Hydrography
The state of Guárico is crossed by several rivers, streams, and morichales that remain even during the dry months. The rivers of the Unare Basin from Valle de la Pascua head towards the Caribbean Sea and include the main rivers: Unare, Quebrada Honda, Morichito, Ipire, and Agua Amarilla. The rest of the state has rivers that are tributaries of the Orinoco River, including the Apure River in its lower basin, Chirgua, Espino, Guárico, Macaira, Manapire, Memo, Tamanaco, Tiznados, Tucupido, Orituco, and Zuata.
Municipalities and municipal seats
Guárico State is divided into 15 municipalities and 39 parishes:
Camaguán (Camaguán) Chaguaramas (Chaguaramas) El Socorro (El Socorro) Francisco de Miranda (Calabozo) José Félix Ribas (Tucupido) José Tadeo Monagas (Altagracia de Orituco) Juan Germán Roscio (San Juan de los Morros) Julián Mellado (El Sombrero) Las Mercedes (Las Mercedes del Llano) Leonardo Infante (Valle de la Pascua) Ortiz (Ortiz) Pedro Zaraza (Zaraza) San Gerónimo de Guayabal (Guayabal) San José de Guaribe (San José de Guaribe) Santa María de Ipire (Santa María de Ipire)
Demographics
Historical population
Main cities
+ Cities of Guárico N City Population Municipality Census 1981 Census 1990 Census 2011 1 Calabozo 71,871 99,574 131,989 Francisco de Miranda 2 San Juan de los Morros 68,457 85,434 120,111 Juan Germán Roscio 3 Valle de la Pascua 64,464 75,746 115,902 Leonardo Infante 4 Zaraza 31,467 42,464 78,642 Pedro Zaraza 5 Altagracia de Orituco 25,876 34,434 52,952 José Tadeo Monagas
Race and ethnicity
According to the 2011 Census, the racial composition of the population was:
Racial composition Population % Mestizo 451,650 60.4 White 245,274 32.8 Black 43,368 5.8 Other race 7,447 1.0
Economy
Agriculture is the main economic activity in this state. Guárico also occupies a significant place in the cultivation of cereals such as rice, corn, and sorghum. This activity is linked to the agro-industrial sector, both supported by the existence of 16 reservoirs and three irrigation systems (Guárico, Orituco, and Tiznados rivers).
With respect to livestock, the production of cattle and pigs stands out. As of 2023, Guárico is the fourth largest producer of cattle in Venezuela. Within the timber activity, the production of wood in logs is ranked seventh in the national total.
Petroleum
The state of Guárico also has vast oil reserves concentrated mainly in the south in the so-called Orinoco Oil Belt. In the Boyacá Field located in the south-central part of Guárico State, there are 8 oil blocks with reserves estimated at 489 billion barrels. In the Junín Field, located in the southeast of Guárico State and the southwest of Anzoátegui State, there are 10 blocks with reserves estimated at 557,000 million barrels.
Forest resources
The state's forests include species such as: Aceituno, araguaney (Handroanthus chrysanthus), ceiba, cherry, drago, jobo, puy, and saqui-saqui, among others.
Mineral resources
The state has deposits of silica sands, barite, gravel, vanadium, gypsum, zinc, and gravel.
Tourism
San Juan de los Morros Thermal Waters