Information AboutManaus |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT MANAUS | |
| cities in brazil | |
| amazonas brazilian state | |
| port cities and towns in brazil | |
| settlements established in 1669 | |
| SHOPPER'S DELIGHT | |
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Manaus (formerly '''Manáos''') 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.) 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. 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-nut s 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). SITES AND ATTRACTIONS Manaus is a cosmopolitan city and, because of its location in the middle of the . Reflecting the massive wealth of the rubber boom of the past and among the landmarks of Manaus is the Teatro Amazonas , an opera house which also contains a museum. The elegant interior of this 1896 opera house, completed after 15 years, contains crystal chandeliers, wrought-iron banisters, and Italian frescoes. Enrico Caruso and Sarah Bernardt performed there. The University Of Amazonas was founded in 1965 and about 18km 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. FACTS ABOUT MANAUS
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 . EXTERNAL LINKS
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