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Maceió

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Maceió
Municipality
The Municipality of Maceió
Pajuçara Beach in Maceió
Pajuçara Beach in Maceió
Flag of Maceió
Flag
Official seal of Maceió
Seal
Nickname: 
"The Paradise of Waters"
Motto: 
"Working With You"
Location of Maceió in the State of Alagoas
Location of Maceió in the State of Alagoas
Location of Maceió
Country Brazil
RegionNortheast
State Alagoas
FoundedDecember 5, 1815
Government
 • MayorJosé Cícero Soares de Almeida (PP)
Area
 • Total511 km2 (197 sq mi)
Elevation
7 m (23 ft)
Population
 (2006)
 • Total922,458
 • Density1.800/km2 (4.66/sq mi)
 • Metro density210.9/km2 (546.2/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-3
HDI (2000)0.739 – medium
WebsiteMaceió, Alagoas

Maceió (Mah-say-oh) is the capital and the largest city of the coastal state Alagoas, Brazil.

The city is located between Mundaú Lake and the Atlantic Ocean. The city proper has a total population of 922,458 inhabitants (year 2006) living under a tropical climate with average temperature of 25°C (77°F).

Around 1,180,000 people live in its Metropolitan Region of Maceió (year 2005). The city began in an old sugar mill and plantation complex around the 19th century. Its development started with the arrival of ships taking wood from Jaraguá bay.

With the installation of the sugar mills, Maceió started to export sugar, then tobacco, coconut, leather, and some spices. Prosperity made it possible for the settlement to become a village on December 5, 1815. Thanks to its continued growth, Maceió became the capital of the Alagoas Province on December 9, 1839.

Maceió is also a port city and due to its port development about 200 years ago it changed from a village into a city which would become the capital of Alagoas state in 1839.

The new Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport connects Maceió with many Brazilian cities and also operates some international flights.

The city is home to the Federal University of Alagoas.

Geography

Maceió
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
38
 
 
31
23
 
 
47
 
 
31
23
 
 
66
 
 
31
24
 
 
128
 
 
30
23
 
 
167
 
 
29
22
 
 
210
 
 
28
22
 
 
211
 
 
27
21
 
 
131
 
 
27
20
 
 
81
 
 
28
21
 
 
38
 
 
30
21
 
 
34
 
 
30
22
 
 
28
 
 
31
23
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: MSN Weather
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
1.5
 
 
88
73
 
 
1.9
 
 
88
73
 
 
2.6
 
 
88
75
 
 
5
 
 
86
73
 
 
6.6
 
 
84
72
 
 
8.3
 
 
82
72
 
 
8.3
 
 
81
70
 
 
5.2
 
 
81
68
 
 
3.2
 
 
82
70
 
 
1.5
 
 
86
70
 
 
1.3
 
 
86
72
 
 
1.1
 
 
88
73
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

Climate

Maceió has a typical tropical climate, with warm to hot temperatures and high relative humidity all throughout the year. However, these conditions are relieved by a near absence of extreme temperatures and pleasant trade winds blowing from the ocean. January is the warmest month, with mean maxima of 32°C (89.6°F) and minima of 22°C (71.6°F) and more sun; July experiences the coolest temperatures, with mean maxima of 27°C (80.6°F) and minima of 17°C (62.6°F) and more rain.

Vegetation

Maceió has a Tropical forest. Rainforests are characterized by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 2,000 mm (about 78 inches or 2 meters) and 1700 mm (about 67 inches). The soil can be poor because high rainfall tends to leach out soluble nutrients. There are several common characteristics of tropical rainforest trees. Tropical rainforest species frequently possess one or more of the following attributes not commonly seen in trees of higher latitudes or trees in drier conditions on the same latitude.

Economy

Pajuçara Beach receives many tourists annually.

One substantial local industry is based on chemical products from brine pumped from deep wells on the outskirts of Maceió. Another substantial industry is the fabrication of ethanol and sugar from sugarcane grown in the region. In the last thirty years the tourist industry has transformed the coastal areas of the city into vibrant centers of entertainment for Brazilian and foreign tourists (Americans, Italians, French, Germans, Argentinians, etc).

These coastal neighborhoods include coconut palm trees, playgrounds, squares, open-to-the-public football, volleyball, and basketball fields, residential buildings, bars, nightclubs, tourist-oriented shops, restaurants, banks, hotels, and gambling houses (slot machines and bingo only, since casino games are illegal in Brazil).

The GDP for the city was R$ 6,114,507,000 (2005);[1] The per capita income for the city was R$ 6,768 (2005).[2]

Education

Federal University of Alagoas in Maceió.

Portuguese is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. But English and Spanish are part of the official high school curriculum.

Educational institutions

Primary and secondary schools

Top high schools of the city are Contato, Colégio Santíssimo Sacramento, Inei, Colégio Santa Úrsula, Colégio Anchieta, Colégio Marista de Maceió, Colégio Santa Madalena Sofia, Colégio Pontual, Cefet, Colégio Santa Rosa and Colégio Monteiro Lobato, and others.

Culture

Summer in Maceió."Tranquility city".

Music

American jazz and rock and almost all Brazilian styles and dances all over the city in bars, pubs, restaurants, nightclubs, street festivals, concerts, private gatherings, and churches all the year round. Some classical music in concerts in the University, in the theater, and museums.

Movies

Movie theaters in the Iguatemi and Farol malls in Maceió city.

Theatre

Deodoro Theatre and Gustavo Leite Theatre in Maceió city.

Museum

Théo Brandão Museum (folk and primitive arts), Museum of the Historical and Geografical Institute of Alagoas (fine arts and historical objects), Pierre Chalita Museum (fine arts), Museum of Image and Music (photographic, cinematographic, and sound exhibitions and archives), Museum of sport.

Folk art

Folk art in the Théo Brandão Museum, and in outdoor markets at Pajuçara Beach and Pontal da Barra where one can buy works by local folk artists.

Festa Junina (Saint John Festival)

Festa Junina was introduced to Northeastern Brazil by the Portuguese for whom St John's day (also celebrated as Midsummer Day in several European countries), on the 24th of June, is one of the oldest and most popular celebrations of the year. Differently, of course, from what happens on the European Midsummer Day, the festivities in Brazil do not take place during the summer solstice but during the tropical winter solstice. The festivities traditionally begin after the 12th of June, on the eve of St Anthony's day, and last until the 29th, which is Saint Peter's day. During these fifteen days, there are bonfires, fireworks, and folk dancing in the streets (step names are in French, which shows the mutual influences between court life and peasant culture in the 17th, 18th, and 19th-century Europe). Once exclusively a rural festivity, today, in Brazil, it is largely a city festival during which people joyfully and theatrically mimic peasant stereotypes and clichés in a spirit of joke and good time. Typical refreshments and dishes are served. It should be noted that, like during Carnival, these festivities involve costumes-wearing (in this case, peasant costumes), dancing, heavy drinking, and visual spectacles (fireworks display and folk dancing). Like what happens on Midsummer and St John's Day in Europe, bonfires are a central part of these festivities in Brazil.

Carnival

The four-day period before Lent leading up to Ash Wednesday is carnival time in Brazil. Rich and poor alike forget their cares as they party in the streets.

Warrior

This is a typical Alagoas revelry that resulted from the union of Reisado (an Epiphany celebration), Auto dos Caboclinhos (Caboclinhos’ Play), Chegança (public folk play depicting a naval battle) and Pastoril (outdoor folk play). Its captivating choreography and costumes with colored ribbons and beads reproduce the cathedral’s façades on the monumental hats covered with mirrors.

2005 Carnival in Maceió.

Fandango

This is a dramatic dance motivated by the sea. It tells the sea adventures of the first navigators in its songs accompanied by guitar and ukulele.

Carnival Bull

Boi do Carnaval is a popular culture display derived from Bumba-Meu-Boi. It is always presented together with La Ursa (The Bear), Vaqueiro (Cowboy) and a percussion band whose rhythm captivates everyone that hears it.

Gogó da Ema

Gogó da Ema was a famous palm tree with a crooked trunk roughly shaped like a curvilinear letter N. The tree fell on July 27th, 1955 at 2:20 in the afternoon.[3] It has become a symbol for Maceian culure and tourism, and there is a beach named after the celebrated tree. The tree also appears in folkloric art and music throughout northeastern Brazil.

Infrastructure

International Airport

File:58161271.jpg
Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport (MCZ).

Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport located outside Maceió serves the area with international connections to Milan in Italy and Buenos Aires in Argentina, as well as cities throughout Brazil.

It is a new airport complex, designed by homegrown architect Mário Aloísio, which combines glass, metal, and granite. There is space for art exhibitions, a panoramic deck, chapel, seven escalators, nine elevators, and four boarding bridges. And the whole terminal was designed to permit access by the physically disabled, with ramps and special bathroom fixtures. In the new terminal that is triple the size of the former terminal at 24,000 square meters and can accommodate up to 1.2 million passengers, the Brazilian agency in charge of airports, Infraero, has brought to Maceió "aeroshopping" – the transformation of Brazilian airports into centers for leisure, retail and services. Right now, there is a large amount of vacant commercial space to be occupied gradually. The parking area has also more than tripled. The check-in counters were doubled and can be further increased without structural remodeling. The building features computerized air conditioning. In fact, the building is "intelligent", meaning controlled by a computerized system that regulates factors ranging from the lighting level to air temperature and even the speed of the escalators. This system also controls fire protection and access to restricted areas.

Connection of Maceió to London, Rome, or Cairo, non-stop or connections.

Highways

Maceió is connected to the main cities of Brazil by the BR-104, BR-101, and AL-101 highways.

Distances

Rei Pelé Stadium.

Port

The Port of Jaraguá is a Brazilian port located in Maceió. The commercial and economic development of the Port of Jaraguá, next to the margins of the Mundaú lagoon, was responsible for the emergence of an important settlement that received the name of Maceió and later became the present capital of Alagoas. The Port of Jaraguá is situated in a natural port area that facilitates the ships docking. During the Brazilian colonial period, the most important products exported from there port were sugar, smoke, coconut and spices.

Neighborhoods

There are today about 53 boroughs in Maceió, the following is the list:

Coconut palms in the city.
File:100 0202.JPG
Jatiúca Neighborhood in Maceió.
Ponta Verde Beach in Ponta Verde Neighborhood.
Ponta Verde Beach in Ponta Verde Neighborhood.
Pajuçara Beach in Maceió.
Beach in Maceió.
  • Antares
  • Barro Duro
  • Bebedouro
  • Benedito Bentes
  • Bom Parto
  • Cambona
  • Canaã
  • Centro
  • Chã de Bebedouro
  • Chã da Jaqueira
  • Cidade Universitária
  • Clima Bom
  • Cruz das Almas
  • Farol
  • Feitosa
  • Fernão Velho
  • Garça Torta
  • Gruta de Lourdes
  • Guaxuma
  • Ipioca
  • Jacarecica
  • Jacintinho
  • Jaraguá
  • Jardim Petrópolis
  • Jatiúca
  • Levada
  • Mangabeiras
  • Mutange
  • Novo Mundo
  • Ouro Preto
  • Pajuçara
  • Pescaria
  • Pinheiro
  • Pitanguinha
  • Poço
  • Ponta da Terra
  • Ponta Grossa
  • Ponta Verde
  • Pontal da Barra
  • Prado
  • Riacho Doce
  • Rio Novo
  • Santa Amélia
  • Santo Amaro
  • Santos Dumont
  • São Jorge
  • Serraria
  • Tabuleiro do Martins
  • Tabuleiro do Pinto
  • Tabuleiro Novo
  • Trapiche da Barra
  • Vergel do Lago.

Sports

Maceió provides visitors and residents with various sport activities. There are several soccer clubs based in Maceió, such as CRB, CSA, and Corithians Alagoano.

Surrounding highlights

Pajuçara Neighborhood in Maceió.
  • Praia do Francês (French's Beach)
  • Barra Nova (New Waterway)
  • Dunas de Marapé (Dunes of Marapé)
  • Nove Ilhas (Nine Islands)
  • Massagüera (or Massagueira)
  • Barra de São Miguel (San Miguel Waterway)
  • Praia do Gunga (Gunga's Beach)
  • Sonho Verde (Green Dream)
  • Barra de Santo Antônio (Santo Antonio Waterway)
  • Maragogi
  • Murici
  • Japaratinga
  • Pontal do Coruripe

Notable people

Zagallo football (soccer) coach born in Maceió.

References

  1. ^ GDP (PDF) (in Portuguese). Maceió, Brazil: IBGE. 2005. ISBN 85-240-3919-1. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
  2. ^ per capita income (PDF) (in Portuguese). Maceió, Brazil: IBGE. 2005. ISBN 85-240-3919-1. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
  3. ^ "Praça Gogó da Ema" from Coisas de Maceió: O portal dos alagoanos (Things from Maceió: The port of the Alagoans) (website) (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2008-02-05.

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