Quick facts
Mérida overview
Mérida (orange) and the other large cities of Venezuela
Mérida lies in Venezuela at 8.58°N, 71.17°W, about 1,389 m above sea level. The local time zone is America/Caracas (UTC-4); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Turmero (344,700) and larger than San Cristóbal (289,852). The largest city in Venezuela is Caracas with 3,000,000 people; the capital, Caracas, has 3,000,000.
The national capital, Caracas, is about 516 km away; the nearest large city is San Carlos del Zulia, 96 km from Mérida.
Venezuela as a whole has a live population of 28,670,504 (+0.4% a year) and ranks #53 of 238 countries — see the Venezuela population page for the full statistics and the Venezuela atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Mérida
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| San Carlos del Zulia Zulia | 96 km | 126,353 |
| Valera Trujillo | 103 km | 244,708 |
| Barinas Barinas | 103 km | 397,279 |
| Táriba Táchira | 143 km | 138,402 |
| San Cristóbal Táchira | 148 km | 289,852 |
| Guanare Portuguesa | 166 km | 112,286 |
| Ciudad Ojeda Zulia | 181 km | 240,283 |
Largest cities in Venezuela
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CaracasCapital | Distrito Federal | 3,000,000 |
| 2 | Maracaibo | Zulia | 1,752,602 |
| 3 | Valencia | Carabobo | 1,619,470 |
| 4 | Barquisimeto | Lara | 1,240,714 |
| 5 | Ciudad Guayana | Bolívar | 978,202 |
| 6 | Barcelona | Anzoátegui | 815,141 |
| 7 | Maturín | Monagas | 647,459 |
| 8 | Maracay | Aragua | 464,700 |
| 9 | Ciudad Bolívar | Bolívar | 412,619 |
| 10 | Cumaná | Sucre | 405,626 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Mérida?
Mérida has about 300,000 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Mérida the capital of Venezuela?
No. The capital of Venezuela is Caracas (3,000,000 people), about 516 km away. Mérida is the 16th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Mérida compared with the rest of Venezuela?
Its 300,000 residents are 1% of the 28,670,504 people living in Venezuela today. Caracas is larger with 3,000,000 people.
Where is Mérida?
In Venezuela, at latitude 8.58 and longitude -71.17, 1,389 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include San Carlos del Zulia (96 km), Valera (103 km), Barinas (103 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Mérida Population 2026 — Venezuela. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/venezuela/merida/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/venezuela/merida/">Mérida Population 2026 — Venezuela</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.