Falcón is one of the 23 states that, together with the Capital District and the Federal Dependencies, form the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. It was baptized with that name in honor of Juan Crisóstomo Falcón, leader of the Federal War. Its capital is Coro, founded on July 26,1527. It is located in the central-western region: it borders on the north with the Gulf of Venezuela, the Caribbean Sea and the leeward group of the Netherlands Antilles, on the east with the Golfo Triste, on the south with Yaracuy and Lara, and west with Zulia.
To the north of the city of Coro is the peninsula of Paraguaná, united to the continent by the isthmus of the Médanos, with 27 km long and 6 km wide. The main economic activities of the state are related to the oil industry. In the peninsula of Paraguaná there are two refineries of great capacity, as well as the city of Punto Fijo. Its surface is of 24 800 km ² and its population is of 1 029 638.