Manaus

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Manaus
—  Municipality  —
The Municipality of Manaus
Teatro Amazonas
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): "A Paris dos Trópicos" ("The Paris of the Tropics")
Location in the State of Amazonas
Country	Brazil
Region	North
State	Amazonas
Founded	1669
Government
- Mayor	Amazonino Mendes (PTB)
Area
- Total	11,401 km2 (4,402 sq mi)
Elevation	92 m (302 ft)
Population (2007)
- Total	1,709,010 (8th)
- Density	144.2/km2 (373.5/sq mi)
Time zone	AST (UTC-4)
- Summer (DST)	DST no longer used (UTC-4)
Postal Code	69000-000
HDI (2000)	0.774 – medium
Website	Manaus, Amazonas

Coordinates: 03°06′00″S 60°01′00″W / 3.1°S 60.016667°W / -3.1; -60.016667

Manaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourism destination. Manaus belongs to mesoregion Center Amazonense and microregion Manaus. It is located in northern Brazil, 1,932 kilometers from the federal capital, Brasília.

The city was founded in 1669 as the Fort of São Jose do Rio Negro.^{[citation needed]} It was elevated to a town in 1832 with the name of "Manaus", which means "mother of the gods" in tribute to the indigenous nation of Manaós, and legally transformed into a city on October 24 of 1848 with the name of Cidade da Barra do Rio Negro, Portuguese for "The City of the Margins of Black River". Only on September 4 of 1856 did it revert to its current name.^{[citation needed]}

It was known at the beginning of the century, as Heart of the Amazon and City of the Forest.^{[citation needed]} Currently its main economic engine is the Industrial Pool of Manaus.

It is the second largest metropolitan area in the Northern Brazil and the twelfth in all of Brazil, with 2,006,870 inhabitants (IBGE/2008). The population at 2008 was of 1.71 million people and it is the eighth most populous city of Brazil according to data from Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the IBGE. The city gradually increased its participation in the GDP of Brazil in recent years, rising to account for 1.4% of the economy of the country. Currently, the city is one of 12 most influential cities of the country. Manaus alone represents 10.89% of the population of the whole Northern Brazil and 49.9% of the population of the Amazon.^{[citation needed]}

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early settling 1.2 Cabanagem 2 Overview 3 Geography 3.1 Climate 3.2 Vegetation 3.3 Hydrography 3.4 Green Areas 4 Demography 4.1 Ethnicity 5 Districts and regions 5.1 Metropolitan region 5.2 Regions 5.3 Neighborhoods 6 Economy 7 Sites and attractions 8 Education 9 Infrastructure 9.1 International Airport 9.2 Highways 9.3 Port 9.4 Distances 10 Religion 10.1 Protestants 11 Events 12 Sights of interest 12.1 Amazonas Theater 12.2 Ponta Negra Cultural, Sport and Leisure Park 12.3 Public Swimming Areas 12.4 Anavilhanas 12.5 Meeting of the Rivers 12.6 Adolpho Ducke Botanical Garden 12.7 Municipal Park of Mindú 12.8 The Science Grove 12.9 Zoo 12.10 Beaches and Waterfalls 13 Sports 13.1 Football 14 International relations 14.1 Sister-cities 15 Notable people 16 References 17 External links

[edit] History

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[edit] Early settling

The history of European colonization of Manaus started in 1669 with a building of fort in rock and clay, with four cannon guarding the curtains. The Fort of São José da Barra do Rio Negro was built to ensure predominance of the crown of Portugal in the region, especially against the invasion of Dutch at the time headquartered where it is today the Suriname, that function for more than 114 years. Next to the fort there were many indigenous people mestizo, which helped in its construction and began to live around them. The population grew so much that to help catechism in 1695 the missionaries (Carmelite, Jesuit is Franciscan s) resolved erect a chapel , near the high of Our Lady, the patron saint of the city.

The Royal Charter of March 3 of 1755, created the Capitania of Sao Jose do Rio Negro, with headquarters in Mariuá (now Barcelos), but the governor Lobo D'Almada, fearing Spanish invasions, the seat went back to the bar in place of 1791, being located at the confluence of the rivers Black and Amazon it was a strategic point. In November 13 of 1832, the place of the bar became the category of town with the name of the town of Manaus and in October 24 of 1848, with Law 145 of the Provincial Assembly Paraense, acquired the name of the Bar of the City of Rio Negro. On September 4 of 1856 the governor Herculano Ferreira Pena finally gave him the name "Manaus".

[edit] Cabanagem

The Cabanagem was the revolt in which blacks, Indians and mestizo protested against the political elite and took power in 1835. The entry of the High Amazonas (Manaus today, which was the cradle of the manifest in the Western Amazon) in Cabanagem was crucial for the birth of the current state of the Amazon. During the period of revolution, the Cabanos of the High Amazon, bands of rebels, roamed throughout the region, and in most settlements their arrival was greeted by the non-white population's spontaneously joining their ranks and there was a greater number of adherents to the movement. With that there was an integration of people surrounding thus forming the state, thanks to Cabanagem.

[edit] Overview

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Geographically, the regions closer to the center in Manaus are generally richer and more developed, while the more remote regions tend to be poorer with the exception of some regions to the north and east of the city.

Currently, Manaus is the eighth largest city in Brazil, housing almost half the population of Amazonas state. Manaus is also among the five cities which contribute at least 15.5% to the Gross Domestic Product of Brazil. It is a pole of attraction across the region. However, this population increase has brought many problems, such as shortfalls in housing and health services.

Manaus receives many tourists throughout the year, especially from cruise ships, which access the city from the Atlantic Ocean via the Amazon River. Potential tourism however, can still be further explored, especially with respect to ecotourism.

Manaus is served by Eduardo Gomes International Airport, the largest and second busiest airport in northern Brazil and the third largest in country in terms of cargo handling. This is partially due to the creation of the Manaus Free Zone, which continues to boost the city's economy and the entire state, with high rates of growth in annual revenue.

[edit] Geography

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Climate chart for Manaus
J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
201   30 23	188   30 23	191   30 23	211   30 24	158   31 23	118   31 23	40   31 23	39   32 23	60   33 24	63   33 23	106   32 23	130   31 24
average temperatures in °C precipitation totals in mm source: MSN Weather
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     7.9   86 73     7.4   86 73     7.5   86 73     8.3   86 75     6.2   88 73     4.6   88 73     1.6   88 73     1.5   90 73     2.4   91 75     2.5   91 73     4.2   90 73     5.1   88 75 average temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches

Largest city in northern Brazil, Manaus occupies an area of 11,401.058 square kilometers, with a density of 144.4 inhabitants / km ². It is the neighboring city of Presidente Figueiredo, Careiro, Iranduba, Rio Preto da Eva, Itacoatiara and Novo Airão.

[edit] Climate

An equatorial climate is a type of tropical climate in which there is no dry season, all months have mean precipitation values of at least 60 mm. It is usually found at latitudes within five degrees of the equator – which are dominated by the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The equatorial climate is denoted Af in the Köppen climate classification.

Tropical rainforest is the natural vegetation in equatorial regions. Although Manaus meets the technical requirements for "Am", or monsoon rainforest, in the Köppen climate classification, Neotropical areas are not usually referred to as monsoon rainforest.

[edit] Vegetation

The Amazon represents over half of the planet's remaining rainforests and comprises the largest and most species-rich tract of tropical rainforest in the world. Wet tropical forests are the most species-rich biome, and tropical forests in the Americas are consistently more species rich than the wet forests in Africa and Asia.^[1] As the largest tract of tropical rainforest in the Americas, the Amazonian rainforests have unparalleled biodiversity. More than 1/3 of all species in the world live in the Amazon Rainforest.^[2]

[edit] Hydrography

The rivers that pass through are the Black and Manaus Solimões and, when found, form the great Amazon River.

• The Black river rises in the east of Colombia, and is the largest tributary of the Amazon and the biggest river of black water in the world.

• The river Solimões born in Peru and enter in Brazil by the municipality of Tabatinga.

• The Amazon River is the largest river on Earth, both in volume of water as in length (6,992.06 kilometers in length). Has its origin in the source of the Apurimac River (top of the western part of the Andes), in southern Peru, and ends at the Atlantic Ocean, next to Tocantins River.

[edit] Green Areas

Despite being located in the Amazon, Manaus has few green areas. The city's stock has been frequent in recent years. The largest green areas of the city:

• Park of Mindu: Located in the Center-South of the city, the district Park 10, the Park of Mindú is now one of the largest and most visited parks of the city Amazon. It was created in 1989, through a popular manifesto initiated by the residents of the neighborhood Park on November 10.

• Park of Bilhares: Established recently in 2005/2006, the Park of Bilhares is located in south-central region of Manaus, in the neighborhood of Plateau in the direction neighborhood-Center. The park is one of the attractions of the city.

• Area of the green hill of Aleixo: Created in the 1980s, the green area of the Hill Aleixo is located in the east of the city and is one of the largest urban green areas. It is not open to visits by constant invasions of landless.

• Park Sumaúma: It is a state park located in the north of Manaus, in the district New Town. It is the smallest state park of the Amazon and is open to visitations every day except on Sundays.

[edit] Demography

• Total population: 1,709,010 inhabitants (87% urban, 13% rural, women 52.07% and 47.93% men)
• Population density: 144.4 inhabitants per square km
• Infant mortality up to five years of age: 21.26 for each thousand children
• Fertility rate: 3.74 children per woman
• literacy rate: 94.63%
• Human Development Index (HDI-M): 0788
  • HDI-M Income: 0.846
  • HDI-M Longevity: 0.776
  • HDI-M Education: 0.946
• Per capita income (data from 2000 expressed in U.S. $, 1 August 2000): U.S. $ 11,998.20

The population of Manaus is 1,709,010 inhabitants (as performed by counting IBGE in 2008), which put in the position of the eighth largest city in the Brazil, after São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Fortaleza, Belo Horizonte and Curitiba. The population growth of Manaus is above the average of the cities of the country. The city grows 10% above the average of the capital of the country.

Most of the population is in the region N and East of the city, and the New Town (northern area) the neighborhood most populous, with more than 260 thousand residents.

According to the results of the last census, the city's population increased from 343,038 inhabitants in 1960 to 622,733 inhabitants in 1970. Hence by 1990 the population grew to 1,025,979 inhabitants, increasing its density to 90.0 inhabitants / km ². In percentage terms, the city's population increase between 1960 and 1970 was 40% while from 1970 to 1980 was 94%.

The city has good indexes, and it is a great place to concentration of investments. The HDI-M is 0.774 and the ICV is 0.835. The hope of life in the city is more than 63 years. 76.9% of households are served by the distribution network of electrical energy, 64.61% by the network of sewage and 86.54% are served by the garbage collection. 68.61% have water supply.

[edit] Ethnicity

Historically the demography of Manaus is the result of the mixing of the three ethnicities that make up the basic people of Brazil: Indians, Europeans and Blacks, thus forming the hybrid people of the region (caboclos, mulatos and cafuzos.) Later, the arrival of immigrants, especially Japanese, Arabs and Jews added more regional elements.

Pardos (caboclos, mulatos and cafuzos) (58%), whites (34%), Amerindian (4%), blacks (3%), and Asian (0.1%).

Pardo

They make up the majority of the population, because they are formed by the caboclos, mulatos and cafuzos, the main groups of the Amazon. The caboclos are the main cultural identity both in Manaus and in the Amazon, and they are descended from white Portuguese with natives of the region. In total, 58% of the population of the city self-reported to be Pardo.

White

The whites are mainly descended from Portuguese. They are the second largest self-reported "race", representing 34% of the population.

Amerindian

Self-reported Amerindians make up 4% of the city's population.

Asian

Most are descended from Japanese, and they make up 0.1% of the population.

Black

Self-reported Blacks are 3% of the population.

[edit] Districts and regions

[edit] Metropolitan region

The Metropolitan Region of Manaus (RMM), which has 2,006,870 inhabitants (as counting the population IBGE in 2008) is a metropolitan area of Brazil that meets eight citys of Amazon, but without conurbation.

[edit] Regions

Manaus is divided into seven regions: North, Southern, central-south, East, W, mid-west and Rural area. The region east of the city is the most populated, with approximately 600,000 inhabitants (2007). But is the region north of the city that has the highest rate of population growth in recent years, and has the largest neighborhood of the city, the New Town. The Center-South region is the most per capita income.

[edit] Neighborhoods

The first neighborhood established in Manaus was Educandos. Only from there to other areas of the city began receiving human occupation, with the arrival of migrant if people from other regions of Brazil.

Manaus has the largest neighborhood of Northern Brazil, the neighborhood New Town, which has 264,449 inhabitants, but it is estimated that the population exceeds 300,000 inhabitants. The New Town is larger than all the cities inside the Amazon.

With the permanence and the strengthening of Zona Franca de Manaus, the city began to receive investments and constant migration of people from various regions of the Brazil. So many neighborhoods were appearing in the city, many came from land invasions.

A

• Acariquara
• Adrianópolis
• Ajuricaba
• Aleixo
• Alvorada
• Aparecida
• Armando Mendes
• Amazonino Mendes

B

• Bairro da Paz
• Bairro da União
• Betânia
• Braga Mendes

C

• Cachoeirinha
• Campos Sales
• Castanheira
• Ceasa
• Centro
• Chapada
• Cidade Nova
• Cidade de Deus
• Colônia Antônio Aleixo
• Colônia Oliveira Machado
• Colônia Santo Antonio
• Colônia Terra Nova
• Colina do Aleixo
• Compensa
• Conjunto 31 de março
• Coroado
• Crespo

D

• Dom Pedro I
• Dom Pedro II
• Déborah
• Distrito Industrial
• Duque de Caxias

E

• Educandos
• Eldorado

F

• Flamanal
• Flores
• Florestal
• Franceses
• Fortaleza

G

• Galiléia
• Gilberto Metrinho
• Glória
• Grande Vitória

H

• Hiléia

J

• Japiim
• Japiinlândia
• Jardins
• Jardim América
• Jardim Belém
• Jardim Curitiba
• Jardim Fortaleza
• Jardim Independente
• Jardim Manaus
• Jardim Paulista
• Jardim Porto Alegre
• Jardim Versalles
• João Paulo
• Jorge Teixeira
• Jornalistas
• José Bonifácio

K

• Kíssia

L

• Lagoa Verde
• Lírio do Vale

M

• Manôa
• Mauazinho
• Monte das Oliveiras
• Monte Pascoal
• Monte Sião
• Monte Sinai
• Morada do Sol
• Morro da Liberdade
• Mundo Novo

N

• Nossa Senhora das Graças
• Nossa Senhora de Fátima
• Nossa Senhora do Perpétuo Soccoro
• Nova Betânia
• Nova Canaã
• Nova Cidade
• Nova Conquista
• Nova Esperança
• Nova Floresta
• Nova República
• Nova Vitória
• Novo Aleixo
• Novo Israel
• Novo Reino

O

• Oswaldo Américo
• Oswaldo Frota
• Ouro Verde

P

• Parque 10 de Novembro
• Parque das Laranjeiras
• Parque das Nações
• Parque Riachuelo
• Parque São Pedro
• Praça 14 de Janeiro
• Petrópolis
• Planalto
• Ponta Negra
• Presidente Vargas

R

• Raiz
• Redenção
• Renato Souza Pinto
• Riacho Doce
• Ribeiro Júnior

S

• Santa Etelvina
• Santa Inês
• Santa Luzia
• Santo Agostinho
• Santo Antônio
• São Raimundo
• Santos Dumont
• São Francisco
• São Geraldo
• São Jorge
• São José
• São Lázaro
• São Lucas
• São Paulo
• Sol Nascente

T

• Tancredo Neves
• Tarumã
• Tiradentes
• Tropical

U

• União da Vitória

V

• Valparaíso
• Vale do Sinai
• Vieiralves
• Vila Amazonas
• Vila Buritis
• Vila da Prata
• Vila Marinho
• Vila Real

Z

• Zumbi dos Palmares

[edit] Economy

Although the main industry of Manaus through much of the 20th century was rubber, its importance has declined. Given its location, timber and Brazil-nuts make up important trades, as do petroleum refining, soap manufacturing, 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).

Manaus sprawls, but the center of town, the Centro where most of the hotels and attractions are located, rises above the river on a slight hill. As the largest city and a major port on the river, Manaus is commercial. Local industries include brewing, shipbuilding, soap manufacturing, the production of chemicals, the manufacture of electronics equipment, and petroleum refining of oil brought in by barge and tourism.^[3]

The mobile phone companies Nokia, Sagem, Gradiente and BenQ-Siemens run mobile phone manufacturing plants in Manaus.^{[citation needed]} Also, many other major electronics manufacturers such as Samsung, Sony and LG have plants there. Plastic lens manufacturer Essilor also has a plant here. The Brazilian sport utility vehicle manufacturer Amazon Veiculos is headquartered in Manaus.

The GDP for the city was R$ 27,214,213,000 (2005).^[4]

The per capita income for the city was R$ 16,547 (2005).^[5]

[edit] Sites and attractions

Manaus is a cosmopolitan city, and, because of its location next to the Amazon rain forest, 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 home to one of the most endangered primates in Brazil, the Pied tamarin.

Tour boats leave Manaus to see the Meeting of the Waters, where the black waters of the Negro River meet the brown waters of the Solimoes River, flowing side by side without mixing for about 9 km. Visitors can also explore river banks and "igarapes", swim and canoe in placid lakes or simply walk in the lush forest. The most adventurous may even choose to spend a night or two in the jungle in close contact with nature. There are many hotels in the jungle with the comfort to enjoy the nature.

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 in Werner Herzog's 1982 film Fitzcarraldo.

About 18 km (11 mi) from downtown is Ponta Negra beach, a neighbourhood that has a beachfront and popular nightlife area. A luxurious hotel is located at the west end of Ponta Negra; its small but very interesting zoo and orchid greenhouse as well as preserved woods and beach are open for public visits.

The CIGS Zoo (military zoo for rescued animals), which doubles as an army training center, also is located in the neighbourhood and houses a few hundred endemic and native amazonian species of mammals, reptiles, and birds.

The Mercado Adolpho Lisboa, founded in 1882, is the city's oldest marketplace, trading in fruit, vegetables, and especially fish. It's a copy of the Les Halles market of Paris. Other interesting historical sites include the customs building, of mixed styles and medieval inspiration; the Rio Negro Palace cultural center; and the Justice Palace, right next to the Amazonas Opera House.

Manaus has also many large parks with native forest preservation areas, such as the Bosque da Ciência and Parque do Mindú. The largest urban forest in the world is located within Federal University of Amazonas, which was founded in January 17, 1909 and is the oldest federal university of Brazil.

The city has a busy cultural calendar throughout the year, including the Opera, Theater, Jazz and Cinema festivals, as well as Boi Manaus (usually held around Manaus' anniversary on the 24th of October), which is a great celebration of Northern Brazilian culture through Boi-Bumbá music.

Much of Fitzcarraldo was shot in or near Manaus.

[edit] Education

Universites, Colleges and superior education institutions:

• Federal University of Amazonas - Universidade Federal do Amazonas
• University of the State of Amazonas - Universidade do Estado do Amazonas
• Federal Center of Technological Education - Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica
• Centro Universitário do Norte - UNINORTE
• Lutheran University of Brazil - Universidade Luterana do Brasil
• Centro de Educação Integrada Martha Falcão
• Centro de Ensino Superior Nilton Lins
• Centro Universitário de Educação Superior do Amazonas - CIESA
• Escola Superior Batista do Amazonas
• Faculdade Boas Novas
• Faculdade Metropolitana de Manaus
• Universidade Paulista

[edit] Infrastructure

[edit] International Airport

Eduardo Gomes International Airport is the airport serving Manaus. The airport has two passenger terminals, one for scheduled flights and the other for regional aviation. It also has three cargo terminals: Terminal I was opened in 1976, Terminal II in 1980 and Terminal III in 2004.

Eduardo Gomes International Airport is Brazil’s third largest in freight movement,^{[citation needed]} handling the import and export demand from the Manaus Industrial Complex. For this reason, Infraero invested in construction of the third cargo terminal, opened on December 14, 2004.

[edit] Highways

There are two federal highways connecting the city to the rest of the country. There is a paved road going North (BR-174) connecting Manaus to Boa Vista, capital of the State of Roraima, and to Venezuela. The BR-319 goes South connecting Manaus to Porto Velho, Rondônia.

[edit] Port

Ships dock at the main port in Manaus directly downtown.

[edit] Distances

• Belém - 1,316 km - access by river ferries or ships
• Porto Velho - 911 km
• Rio Branco - 1,109 km
• Boa Vista - 753 km
• Brasilia - 3,315 km
• Curitiba - 4,036 km
• São Paulo - 3,971 km
• Rio de Janeiro - 4,374 km
• Cuiabá - 2,905 km
• Goiânia - 3,291 km
• Porto Alegre - 4,563 km
• Belo Horizonte - 3,951 km
• Fortaleza - 5,733 km
• Recife - 5,698 km

the cities of South America

• Caracas, Venezuela - 1,890 km
• Bogota, Colombia - 2,063 km

[edit] Religion

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Just like the variety in Manaus verifiable cultural, religious expressions are different in the city. Although it has been developed on a predominantly Catholic social matrix, both because of colonization on immigration - and even today the majority of states manauenses is Catholic, is currently in the city can find dozens of different Protestant denominations, as well as the practice of Candomblé of Islam, spiritualism, among others. In recent years, Buddhism, Mormonism and the Eastern religions have grown considerably in the city. It is estimated that there are over a thousand Buddhist followers, seichonoitas and Hindu the city. It is also apparent that the city has a huge number of Evangelicals and Christians.

[edit] Protestants

The city has the most diverse Protestant faiths or retired, as the Presbyterian Church, For Christ International Church of Grace of God, Pentecostal Church of God in Brazil, Methodist Church, the Episcopal Anglican Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, the Baptist Church, am Assembly of God Church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, the Jehovah's Witnesses among others. There is a considerable advancement of these churches, mainly in the outskirts of the city. Is being built a temple Mormon in the city, the 6th in the Brazil.^[6]

[edit] Events

• February – Amazonas Carnival – samba schools parade at the ‘sambódromo’ in the Convention Center
• May – Ponta Negra’s Music Festival
• May - Festival Amazonas de Opera (Opera Festival)
• June – Amazonas Folklore Festival
• July - Festival Amazonas Jazz
• June 29 – São Pedro Fluvial Procession
• September 5 - The elevation of Amazonas a Brazilian province category
• October 24 – Anniversary of Manaus
• November - Amazonas Film Festival
• December 31 – Ponta Negra's New Year's Eve Party

[edit] Sights of interest

[edit] Amazonas Theater

The Amazon Theatre has 700 seats and was constructed with bricks brought over from Europe, French glass and Italian marble. Several important opera and theater companies, as well as international orchestras, have already performed there.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Ponta Negra Cultural, Sport and Leisure Park

Ponta Negra beach, located 13 km from downtown Manaus, is one of the city's most important tourist attractions. The complex has beach volleyball courts, cycle way, a belvedere, playground, a medical center and a large sidewalk with bars, restaurants and snack bars. It also has an amphitheater with capacity for 15 thousand people, dressing room, and infrastructure for shows.

[edit] Public Swimming Areas

The Tarumã, Tarumãzinho and Cachoeira das Almas bayous (branches of rivers), located near the city, are places of leisure for the population on weekends. Manaus has several public swimming areas that are being remodeled and urbanized lately. There are also many private clubs that can be visited.

[edit] Anavilhanas

Approximately 100 km above Manaus, near the Township of Novo Airão, on the Negro River, there is Anavilhanas, the world's largest archipelago of fluvial islands.^{[citation needed]} There are about 400 islands covered with native forest. During the dry season, the receding waters reveal several white sand beaches and natural formations of roots and trunks.

[edit] Meeting of the Rivers

This natural phenomenon is caused by the confluence of the Negro River's dark water and the Solimões River's muddy brown water that come together to form the Amazonas River. For 6 km, both rivers waters run side by side, without mixing. This phenomenon is caused by the great difference between the water temperatures and current speeds. The Negro River flows approximately 2 km/h at 28°C, while the Solimões River flows 4 to 6 km/h at 22°C.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Adolpho Ducke Botanical Garden

The Adolpho Ducke Botanical Garden, inside a 100 km² ecological reserve, is the world's largest^{[citation needed]}, with a huge number of plant and animal species.

[edit] Municipal Park of Mindú

It is located in an urban area, in the November 10 Park district. It was created in 1992 to be an area of ecological interest. It covers an area of 330.000 m² (33 ha) of forest remaining from the Township, used for scientific, educational, cultural and tourist activities. It is one of the last habitats for the sauim-de-coleira, a species of monkey that only exists in the Manaus region and is threatened with extinction. It is possible to walk through four distinct ecosystems in the park: land covered by secondary growth, firm ground brush, sandbanks and degraded areas that were illegally cleared in 1989. The Park also has a Library, with an information center on the environment connected to the Internet. It also has a parking area, amphitheater for 600 people, gardens planted with medical and aromatic herbs, orchid nursery, above ground trail and signs aiming to develop environmental education programs.

[edit] The Science Grove

The Grove is located in the INPA's – Amazonas National Institute for Research – area. The Grove's main attractions are: otter vivarium, manatee hatchery, bee hives, Science House, educational trails, alligator’s vivarium, botanical garden, above ground trail, free fauna, orchid nursery and bromeliad nursery.

[edit] Zoo

The zoo is open to the public. It is managed by the Brazilian Army and has approximately 300 species of animals from Amazonas fauna.

[edit] Beaches and Waterfalls

For outings to beaches and parks situated near the city, it is often necessary to use boats. The beaches are formed right after the river water level starts dropping, which lasts from August to November. Starting in December, as the river rises, the waters invade the sand and the woods on the banks.

The Paricatuba Waterfall, located on the right bank of the Negro River, along a small tributary, is formed by sedimentary rocks, surrounded by abundant vegetation. Access is by boat. The best time to visit is from August to February.

Love Cascade located in the Guedes bayou, with cold and crystal clear water, is accessible only by boat and, then, hiking through the Forest.

Tupé Beach is approximately 34 km from Manaus, this beach is well frequented by bathers on holidays and weekends. It is accessible only by boat.

Moon Beach is located on the left bank of the Negro River, 23 km from Manaus. It is accessed only by boat. The beach is shaped like a crescent moon and is surrounded by rare vegetation, with a great stretch of sand and clear, cold water.

Lion waterfall is located on km 34 of the AM 010 highway (Manaus-Itacoatiara). Bathing in the cold and clear waterfall is allowed.

[edit] Sports

[edit] Football

In football, the leading clubs in Manaus and the Amazon are the San Raimundo Sports Club, the Typhoon Hill, founded in November 18, 1918, participant of the Series B of the Brazilian Championship until 2000 2006, when he was demoted, seven times champion amazonense, three times champion of the North Cup, due to its rise was a big increase in fans, and thus the largest among the large crowd of Amazonas, the only official competitions to gain outside Amazonas, participate in a Conmebol Cup and thus its name remembered outside the country. We still have the National Football Club, founded on January 9, 1913, called "Lion of the Town Hall," the Athletic Club Rio Negro, called "Rooster's Square Saudade" or club " Barriga Preta ", also founded in 1913, but in November, which is the second largest holder of state titles, and the National Fast Club, the Tricolor of the Boulevard" or "roll", founded in the early 40 years from a dissident's National Football Club, which has won six championships amazonensis, in addition to being champion of the North and vice-champions of the north-northeast in 1970. Besides the "Colina", which has capacity for 18 thousand people, the highest level of the Amazon is the Vivaldo Lima (Vivaldão), which was inaugurated in 1970 by the Brazilian National Team in their last game in the country before the conquest of the world tricampeonato Mexico, and can receive up to 38,000 fans.

Manaus is also a candidate for the seat of the World Cup 2014, being one of the most quoted in the Northern Region of Brazil.

[edit] International relations

[edit] Sister-cities

• Perugia, Italy
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Goiânia, Brazil
• Hamamatsu, Japan
• Salt Lake City, USA
• Mesa, USA

It is also considered city partner:

• Belém, Brazil

[edit] Notable people

• Cláudio Santoro - conductor and composer of classical music
• Márcio Souza - writer and novelist
• Antonio Pizzonia - Formula 1 pilot
• Francisco Xavier de Albuquerque - lawyer
• Marcelo Gomes Mourão - dancer
• Malvino Salvador - the actor Rede Globo
• José Augusto Branco - the actor Rede Globo
• Gabriel Azevedo - the actor Rede Globo
• Helder Agostini - the actor Rede Globo
• Antonio Calmon - author of soap operas and miniseries
• Helda Castro - President of the Nation Mestiça
• Daniel Pellizzari - writer and literary translator
• Vinícius Canterbury - singer and composer
• Terezinha Morango - Miss Brazil 1957
• Arthur Virgilio Neto - diplomat and politician
• Jefferson Peres - political
• Valéria Santarém Lira - swimming
• Cosme Alves Neto - actor
• Arthur Autran - actor, producer and editor
• Wallid Ismail - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and mixed martial arts fighter
• César Manaus - actor
• Carlos Frederico Rodrigues - actor, producer, composer and director
• Saulo Ribeiro - 7th time world champion Brazilian jiu jitsu fighter
• Xande Ribeiro - world champion BJJ

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The Best from Manaus (in Portuguese).
• Manaus Official Site (in Portuguese).
• Globo Site Manaus Online – portal for Manaus (in Portuguese).
• Historic Teatro Amazonas.
• National Institute of Amazonian Research website (in Portuguese and English).
• Federal University of Amazonas website (in Portuguese).
• Manaus travel guide from Wikitravel

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