The original city was founded under the name Altamira de Caceres on June 30, 1577, by Captain Juan Andres Varela fulfilling orders of the governor of La Grita Francisco de Cáceres, who had founded this Andean city and established it governorate in 1576.

[citation needed] The name of the city comes from an indigenous word which identifies a strong wind that occurs during the rainy season, from the valleys of Santo Domingo.

[citation needed] Barinas experiences a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: Aw) characterized by consistently hot temperatures throughout the year and a distinct wet and dry season pattern.

[1] The city has become an important administrative centre being the headquarters of major educational institutions such as the National Experimental University of the Western Plains "Ezequiel Zamora" and the more immediate market for everything produced in the state both in the field of agriculture and animal husbandry and oil exploitation.

In recent years an important tourist industry has emerged in the city since it has served as a base or point of entry to all eco-tourism locations in the region of Western Plains.