Manaus

From The Book of THoTH (Leaves of Wisdom)

Manaus is a city in north-west Brazil and capital of Amazonas State. Located on the Negro River near its confluence with the Amazon, it is the chief port and a hub for the region's extensive river system. Pop. 1,800,000 (est.)

1 History
2 Economy
3 Sites and attractions
4 Facts about Manaus
5 Transportation
6 External links

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History

Manaus began as a small fort, São José da Barra, created in 1669 by Portuguese settlers as a defense against Spanish incursions into Brazil by way of the Amazon River. On November 13, 1832, the settlement gained the status of Vila, and was named "Manaus", after the indigenous tribe, the "Manaós", which once inhabitated the area. In the local language, the word means "Mother of God". On October 24, 1848, Manaus was awarded the status of city with the name Cidade da Barra do Rio Negro. In 1850, Amazonas became a province. On September 4, 1856, the city was renamed Cidade de Manaus.

From 1890 to 1920, Manaus was a rubber boomtown, which was caused in part by the invention of the process of vulcanization. The plantantion owners became extravagantly wealthy and the city prospered. Immigrants from northeastern Brazil, fleeing drought and poverty, flooded the city seeking riches in the rubber trade. By 1920, synthetic rubber and the growth of plantations in Southeast Asia caused a drastic plunge in the price of rubber, and Manaus declined into poverty. Today Manaus is the financial center of the North Brazil.

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Economy

Although the main industry of Manaus through much of the last century was rubber, it is no longer as important as it once was. Given its location, timber and Brazil-nuts make up important trades, as do petroleum refining, soap manufacture and chemical industries. Over the last decades, a system of federal investments and tax incentives have turned the surrounding region into a major industrial center (the Zona Franca of Manaus).

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Sites and attractions

Manaus is a cosmopolitan city and, because of its location next to the Amazon Rainforest, it attracts a substantial number of Brazilian and foreign tourists who can find plenty of boat and land trips into the surrounding jungle. A great diversity of wildlife can be found even in the surroundings of Manaus. It is also place for one of the most endangered primates in Brazil: the Pied tamarin.

The Teatro Amazonas, an opera house built in 1896 is a notable landmark of Manaus, reflecting the massive wealth of the turn of the century rubber boom. The theatre was prominently featured Werner Herzog's 1982 film Fitzcarraldo. The elegant interior of this 1896 opera house, completed after 15 years, contains crystal chandeliers, wrought-iron banisters, and Italian frescoes; it also contains a museum. Enrico Caruso and Sarah Bernhardt performed there.

The Federal University of Amazonas was founded in 1965. About 18km from downtown is Ponta Negra beach, a neighbourhood that has a beachfront and popular nightlife area. Also, the CIGS zoo may be worth a visit, although part of it is the army's training centre. The Mercado Adolpho Lisboa is a market place with many fish, fruit and vegetable stores.

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Facts about Manaus

Manaus timezone is (UTC - 4) however being close to the equator Manaus does not observe DST.
Roughly two-thirds (60%) of the population of the Brazilian state of Amazonas (which has an estimated population of 2.8 million habitants) lives in Manaus or in the greater metropolitan area.
It is warm all year round and there is a wet season in the summer months with temperatures around 30°C-36°C/86°F-96°F.

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Transportation

Manaus is one of the most isolated metropolitan areas of the world, accessible by ground transportation only by two highways or by the rivers surrounding the city.

The city is served by the Eduardo Gomes International Airport.

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