Belém
Encyclopedia
Belém is a Brazilian
city, the capital and largest city of state of Pará
, in the country's north region
. It is the entrance gate to the Amazon with a busy port, airport and bus/coach station. Belém lies approximately 100 km upriver from the Atlantic Ocean
, on the Pará River
, which is part of the greater Amazon River system, separated from the larger part of the Amazon delta by Ilha de Marajó (Marajo Island
). With an estimated population of 1,402,056 people — 2,249,405, or considering its metropolitan area — is the 11th most populous city in Brazil (besides being the second largest in the North Region
, second only Manaus
, in Amazonas state) as well as be the 16th by economic relevance
.
Founded in 1616 by the Kingdom of Portugal
, Belém was the first European colony
on the Amazon but did not become part of Brazil until 1775. The newer part of the city has modern buildings and skyscrapers. The colonial portion retains the charm of tree-filled squares, churches and traditional blue tiles. The city has a rich history and architecture from colonial times. Recently it witnessed a skyscraper boom. Its metropolitan area has over 2 million inhabitants.
Belém is also known as the Metropolis of the Brazilian Amazon region or the Cidade das Mangueiras (city of mango
trees) due to the vast number of those trees found in the city. Brazilians often refer to the city as Belém do Pará ("Belém of Pará") rather than just Belém so as to differentiate it from the biblical Bethlehem
in the West Bank
(Palestinian territories) and also from Belém
in Portugal
.
Belém is served by two airports: Val de Cães International Airport
which connects the city with the rest of Brazil and other cities in South America and Brig. Protásio de Oliveira Airport (Júlio César) Airport
dedicated to general aviation.
The city is also home to the Federal University of Pará.
for Bethlehem
, the city where Jesus Christ was born. The city had a few other names before becoming Belém. Notice also that Brazil has a city called Natal
, which means Christmas
.
These include the islands of Mosqueiro, fringed by 14 freshwater beaches, and Caratateua which receive a large number of visitors in summertime. In addition to these and also near Belém, is the island of Tatuoca which is the location of the only geophysical station in Latin America, one of seven in the world.
Situated in the Guajará bay, on the estuary of the Rivers Guamá River
and Pará
, the city began as a river port in 1616, immediately after the French
were driven out of São Luís, the capital of the state of Maranhão
. It is known as the "City of the Mango
Trees" because of the large number of those trees growing there.
. A tropical rainforest climate, also known as 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 tropical rainforest climate is denoted Af in the Köppen climate classification
. Tropical rainforest
is the natural vegetation in equatorial regions.
The Amazon represents more than half 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. As the largest tract of tropical rainforest in the Americas, the Amazonian rainforests have unparalleled biodiversity
. More than one-third of all species in the world live in the Amazon Rainforest.
in 1772. The early decades of the 19th century were marked by political instability. Uprisings and internecine strife were finally ended in 1836, after considerable loss of life.
The sugar trade was important in the Belém region until the end of the 17th century. Thereafter the city's economic importance alternately rose and fell. Cattle ranching supplanted sugar until the 18th century, when cultivation of rice, cotton, and coffee became profitable. With the settlement of southern Brazil, where such crops could be produced more reasonably, Belém declined again. The city subsequently became the main exporting centre of the Amazon rubber industry, and by 1866 its position was further enhanced by the opening of the Amazon, Tocantins, and Tapajós
rivers to navigation. The rubber era terminated after the boom of 1910–12, but Belém continued to be the main commercial centre of northern Brazil and the entrepôt
for the Amazon valley.
The most valuable products now exported from the Amazon by way of Belém are aluminium
, iron ore, and other metals. Nuts (chiefly Brazil nuts), pineapples, cassava
, jute
, wood veneers, and hardwoods. Japanese immigration after the 1930s was an important factor in developing jute and black pepper, notably at Tomé-Açu, just south of Belém, and near Santarém. Marajó Island, the largest fluvial
island in the world, which lies just across the Rio Pará from Belém, has some livestock grazing. Electricity is provided by the massive Tucuruí Dam, some 300 km southwest of the city on the Tocantins River.
Belém has a modern appearance with tree-lined streets, several plazas and public gardens, and many noteworthy buildings. The north's leading educational and cultural centre, it is the seat of a bishopric
, and its cathedral
(Igreja da Sé, founded in 1917) is one of Brazil's largest. Santo Alexandre, the oldest of Belém's churches, was built in 1616. The Museu (museum) Paraense Emílio Goeldi
, the Teatro da Paz (a classical theatre), and the public library and archives are other notable institutions. The Universidade Federal do Pará (1957), a teacher-training school, an agricultural institute, and an institute for research on tropical diseases are also in the city. The Ver-o-Peso (Portuguese: "see the weight") market in the old port centre is a major tourist attraction. The city is also home to a large football stadium.
of 2008, there were 2,139,000 people residing in the Metropolitan Region of Belém. The population density was 1337.2 PD/sqkm. The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 1,379,655 Pardo
(brown) people (64.5%), 588,225 White
people (27.5%), 156,147 Black
people (7.3%), 14,973 Asian
or Amerindian
people (0.7%).
According to an autosomal DNA genetic study from 2011, the ancestral composition of the population of Belém is: 69,70% European, 19,40% Native American and 10,90% African.
of the Círio of Nazaré. History goes that the popular Círio tradition started when a farmer and lumberman called Plácido José de Souza found an image of the Saint at the margin of the Murucutu creek, where the Basilica
of Nazaré stands today. The humble man, then, decided to take the image home. However, the image would mysteriously go back to the place where it was initially found every time he took it home. So Plácido decided to build, at the margin of the creek, a small chapel
. This episode was reported throughout the region as miraculous, attracting hundreds of believers to see the image and pay homage to it.
Since then, the Círio is celebrated as a long procession of faith, in which thousands of people follow the saint through the streets of Belém, in a manifestation that lasts around five hours for unity, emotion and devotion, with no distinction of social classes, to express the strongest devotion to the belief. The Círio is the regarded as the "Christmas of the Amazon" because it is a moment of congregation in which everyone is involved in the arrangements to receive the saint, in an atmosphere of fraternity with people becoming more sympathetic and happier. In early September, minor celebrations take place as a spiritual preparation for the Círio, with thousands of images scattered all over the capital and neighboring cities, gathering families from different parts of the capital to run pilgrimage
of Our Lady among choirs and prayers.
In the old times the celebration was limited to the Trasladação (Transfer), the Círio, the Procession and the Re-círio (post-Círio). But it was necessary to incorporate new manifestations to the tradition due to the people's yearning to honor their patron saint. On Saturday morning, prior to the Círio, the Saint is taken to the square of Ananindeua
, a nearby city, in front of the Main Church to start at 6 am the Road Pilgrimage, organized by the Pará State Cargo Transportation Companies' Union (SINDICARPA), which conducts the image to the Icoaraci pier by road for a field mass.
Then, the river pilgrimage starts. It was created and organized by the former president of the Pará Tourism Company (PARATUR), Carlos Roque, to honor the "water men" who regard the Virgin of Nazareth as their patron saint. PARATUR also promotes a traditional ship contest to award the most originally decorated boat. When the Sacred Image leaves Icoaraci in the event's official ship, a Navy Corvette
, it is followed by tens of boats and ships of all colors and types, decorated to greet the Virgin and follow her through the waters of the Guajará Bay to the pier of Belém, where it will be escorted by motorcyclists all the way to the Gentil Bittencourt School, only leaving at 6 pm for the Trasladação (Transfer), which is a symbolism for reviving the story of the discovery of the Saint and its return to the place where it was found, in a candle-lit procession, following the Carriage that is tied to a rope that is carried by the faithful until it arrives at the Sé Cathedral.
During its course, a firework show takes place with thousands of colorful fireworks, sponsored by the Stevedore
s' Union, marking the passage of the Saint until its arrival at the Cathedral
, where it is received, gently, with a religious program. At daybreak of the next day, the faithful start to gather at the Old City, believing that this will bring them closer to the Virgin. At around 4 am, the rope is stretched by Our Lady's guards and, within minutes, is held by the "vowers", who have long looked forward to an incredible back-and-forth choreography, like human waves, sparking the solidarity from the bystanders, who try to quench the thirst of those carrying the rope by offering them water.
While the 12 cars that take part in the procession, like the scouts' barge, the new barge, the angels' barge, the miracle's barge, amongst others, are orderly positioned to receive wax figures, wooden house miniatures and other images to thank for their achievements over the year. At 7 o'clock, the archbishop
conducts Our Lady's image to the carriage as the bells toll and the fireworks explode, thus setting the beginning of the biggest religious event of Latin America.
Throughout the course, the faithful make reflections on biblical themes, pray, sing, pay homage with a shredded paper shower, lifting their arms towards the sky, acclaiming during the procession and praising the Virgin. From the Padre Champagnat
Street towards the Ver-o-Peso Market, passing by Portugal Avenue and Castilho França Boulevard, going up the Presidente Vargas
Avenue, reaching the Republic Square to get to the Nazaré Avenue as far as the Architectonic Centre of Nazareth, known for its Sanctuary Square.
As it arrives at the square, the image is removed from the carriage for the celebration of a mass and then lifted so that everybody will be blessed by the patron saint of Pará. This marks the end of the procession, which is filled with emotion and endless applause by the crowd.
The festivities are 15 days long, with religious celebrations, like the Children's Círio, and its procession, held two Sundays after the Círio. Cultural activities, visiting the Círio Museum, and leisure, with an amusement park at the Arraial de Nazaré. The Re-Círio marks the end of the celebrations, with a shorter course, but with no less emotion, for the Saint's farewell, with tears, waving with white handkerchiefs, hope and thanks, to the Gentil Bittencourt chapel, bringing a feeling of lightness and renovation to expect for another year.
, distributed in two big buildings with a parking lot for 800 vehicles. In the outdoor area, genuine Amazonian trees will soon be planted. With Hangar, Belém joins the market for national conventions that take place in a different city each time. National conventions have never been held in the Northern region. An example is the Brazilian Computer Society
Congress.
Hangar has some of the best technologies available in the world and is the most modern and functional space for events in the country. The business tourism sector has recently grown all over Brazil. According to the Brazilian Association of Convention and Fair Centers (ABRACCEF), on average, there are 17,500 events happening in the 53 main convention and exhibition centres of Brazil. These activities bring together approximately 28 million participants. Belém has a great potential for this type of tourism. The auditorium has room for 2,160 participants.
in Portugal which served as the inspiration for the main housing projects of the time, with the frequent use of tile-hung facades. Neoclassical architecture
is also present in buildings such as the Theatro da Paz
, built in 1874. Many of the buildings at the end of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century also echo French architecture
.
Belém began with the narrow streets of the Cidade Velha (Old City), a district which still preserves some structures that the Portuguese colonials built here, places like Forte do Castelo, a fort built to defend the region against French, Dutch and British colonization attempts, and one of the first structures in the capital. The Ver-o-pêso market is the biggest open market in Latin America where you can find everything, from the most exotic fruit, to the scented baths.
, adding up to the most authentic of regional cuisines. One such dish, "Cupuaçu", comes from the Cupuaçu tree, found in the Amazonian woods. Cupuaçu is easily identified by its smell and sour taste and it is highly appreciated both by local people and by tourists. Its pulp is also extracted to make juices, candies, jellies, liquors, and ice cream. Açaí
is a palm tree with a long thin stem. Açaí is also known as Jussara, is purple-colored and has a delicious taste. It has been appreciated by the local population for a long time, but lately it has reached the national menu.
Freshwater crab
is a very popular dish in the city's cuisine, and is only found in swamps. Its meat, well tempered, can be served in different forms: as a shell, the so-called unha (the claws) or toc-toc. It is a traditional local delicacy. "Maniçoba
", is one of the highlights of the local cuisine. Its preparation is long and its final appearance is quite surprising for those who have never tried it, due to the dark look of the cooked maniva (ground manioc leaves). But this first impression ends pretty soon, after you taste the meal and its seemingly awkward ingredients. The maniçoba is served either in pottery dishes or in ordinary ones. It can be eaten with rice or only with manioc flour and capsicum
.
2009 took place from January 27 to February 1 in Belém.
A large attractive Bioparque is the Museum of Paleontology and Malacology where visitors can watch a collection of three thousand pieces of exposed shells and mollusks collected from all continents. On site, you will also see paintings with motifs of cabloco Amazon.
Bioparque The Amazon is a private investment, authorized and licensed by IBAMA to function as C class zoo, the only category of Pará There are four different species of alligators in a population of thousands of individuals, highlighting açu for alligator, monkeys, anteaters, and the otters, hyacinth macaw, papagaios, tucannos, pacaranas, harpy eagle, among other animals.
The space is also used research and environmental education, Bioparque is today one of the attractions of the most sought after leisure tourism. Access can be made waterway Maracacuera across the river, through the company specializes in travel and tourism in the Amazon Amazon Atakan Tour, departing by speedboat from the Docks and land by the highway Augusto Montenegro.
The total cost of attraction including the museum for a family of four individuals, two adults and two children is approximately $ 150.00. The Bioparque also offers a guide during the tour that lasts about three hours and can be reached by car within the zoo. A different program for you to break out of Bethlehem and instructive, the kids love it. A suggestion to complement the steak houses are paseio Rodovia Augusto Montenegro for lunch or restaurants with a menu of Icoaraci irresistible.
Park in Paris, the Rodrigues Alves
Wood is a little piece of Amazonia preserved in the middle of the city. Comprising 16 hectare
s, in the ample Avenida Almirante Barroso
, one of the city's busiest thoroughfares, having 2,500 native species, an orchidary, lakes, caverns, waterfalls and even a replica of a mountain. There you can see small animals characteristic to the region, such as squirrel monkey
s, agouti
s and macaw
s.
There are 18 thousand square meters of urbanised area, with coffee bar services, various restaurants, stores, travel agencies, banks, in addition to an auditorium and two memorials: The Porto Memorial and the Fortaleza de São Pedro Nolasco Memorial There is, also, a fluvial station and extensive external area.
Medicinal herbs, various regional fruits, arts and crafts, domestic utilities, meats, fish and seasonings and spices can be found there. The Market brings together two thousand stalls and traders in every part and is located near to the old Mercado de Ferro (Iron market), on the quays.
Belém International Airport (Val de Cães)
is the major airport serving the city of Belém. Since 2001, Belém International Airport has served as an example of the standards that Infraero
implements at its airports.
The building design uses plane curves on its roof to permit light to enter its entire large terminal hall.
The architect Sérgio Parada used adopted multiple-use totems integrated with light projectors, a sound system, air conditioning and public telephones. Currently Belém International Airport serves 2.7 million passengers a year, in a constructed area of 33,255.17 square metres.
Traditionally called Val-de-Cães Airport, it is responsible for increasing tourism in the Amazon region, as well as for the outflow of products and attracting new investments. The passenger terminal is fully air conditioned on two levels and has "futuristic" architecture, designed to take advantage of natural lighting. People with special needs have individualized service with own equipment at specific locations to facilitate their access. The terminal's interior is decorated with plants native to the Amazon region and is enclosed by a source able to imitate the sound of the rains that fall every day in the region.
The smaller Brig. Protásio de Oliveira Airport (Júlio César)
also administrated by Infraero, is used for general aviation.
in the South, and also PA-150, a route that links Belém to Southern Pará.
and Amazonas River and by the Atlantic Ocean.
The city of Belem has been referenced in the opening episode of the TV series- No Ordinary Family, where Powell's go for a family vacation.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
city, the capital and largest city of state of Pará
Pará
Pará is a state in the north of Brazil. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest it also borders Guyana and Suriname, and to the northeast it borders the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Belém.Pará is the most populous state...
, in the country's north region
North Region, Brazil
The North Region of Brazil is the largest Region of Brazil, corresponding to 45.27% of the national territory. It is the least inhabited of the country, and contributes with a minor percentage in the national GDP and population...
. It is the entrance gate to the Amazon with a busy port, airport and bus/coach station. Belém lies approximately 100 km upriver from the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, on the Pará River
Pará River
The Pará River is the southern arm of the mouth of the Amazon River. It flows round the west and south of the island of Marajó. It takes some water from the main Amazon, however much of its power comes from the Tocantins River flowing from the south. The state capital of Pará, Belém, is located on...
, which is part of the greater Amazon River system, separated from the larger part of the Amazon delta by Ilha de Marajó (Marajo Island
Marajó
Marajó is an island located at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil. It is part of the state of Pará.- Geography :With a land area of 40,100 km² , which compares to the size of Switzerland, it is the largest island to be completely surrounded by freshwater in the world...
). With an estimated population of 1,402,056 people — 2,249,405, or considering its metropolitan area — is the 11th most populous city in Brazil (besides being the second largest in the North Region
North Region, Brazil
The North Region of Brazil is the largest Region of Brazil, corresponding to 45.27% of the national territory. It is the least inhabited of the country, and contributes with a minor percentage in the national GDP and population...
, second only Manaus
Manaus
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 ecotourist destination....
, in Amazonas state) as well as be the 16th by economic relevance
Economy of Brazil
The economy of Brazil is the world's seventh largest by nominal GDP and eighth largest by purchasing power parity. Brazil has moderately free markets and an inward-oriented economy...
.
Founded in 1616 by the Kingdom of Portugal
Kingdom of Portugal
The Kingdom of Portugal was Portugal's general designation under the monarchy. The kingdom was located in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Europe and existed from 1139 to 1910...
, Belém was the first European colony
Colonial Brazil
In the history of Brazil, Colonial Brazil, officially the Viceroyalty of Brazil comprises the period from 1500, with the arrival of the Portuguese, until 1815, when Brazil was elevated to kingdom alongside Portugal as the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves.During the over 300 years...
on the Amazon but did not become part of Brazil until 1775. The newer part of the city has modern buildings and skyscrapers. The colonial portion retains the charm of tree-filled squares, churches and traditional blue tiles. The city has a rich history and architecture from colonial times. Recently it witnessed a skyscraper boom. Its metropolitan area has over 2 million inhabitants.
Belém is also known as the Metropolis of the Brazilian Amazon region or the Cidade das Mangueiras (city of mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
trees) due to the vast number of those trees found in the city. Brazilians often refer to the city as Belém do Pará ("Belém of Pará") rather than just Belém so as to differentiate it from the biblical Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
(Palestinian territories) and also from Belém
Santa Maria de Belém
Santa Maria de Belém, or just Belém , whose name is derived from the Portuguese word for Bethlehem, is a civil parish of the municipality of Lisbon, in central Portugal...
in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
Belém is served by two airports: Val de Cães International Airport
Val de Cães International Airport
Belém-Val de Cães/Júlio Cezar Ribeiro International Airport is the main airport serving Belém, Brazil. Val de Cães, the name of the neighborhood where the airport is located, is the most common spelling although Val de Cans is also considered correct...
which connects the city with the rest of Brazil and other cities in South America and Brig. Protásio de Oliveira Airport (Júlio César) Airport
Protásio de Oliveira Airport
Belém-Brigadeiro Protásio de Oliveira Airport , formerly called Júlio César Airport, is an airport serving Belém, Brazil. Since 14 April 2010, it is named after Protásio Lopes de Oliveira former president of Infraero and commander of the 1st Regional Air Force .It is operated by...
dedicated to general aviation.
The city is also home to the Federal University of Pará.
Name
The name Belém is the PortuguesePortuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
for Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
, the city where Jesus Christ was born. The city had a few other names before becoming Belém. Notice also that Brazil has a city called Natal
Natal, Rio Grande do Norte
-History:The northeastern tip of South America, Cabo São Roque, to the north of Natal and the closest point to Europe from Latin America, was first visited by European navigators in 1501, in the 1501–1502 Portuguese expedition led by Amerigo Vespucci, who named the spot after the saint of the day...
, which means Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
.
Geography
The city of Belém, capital of Pará, is full of indentations and recesses forming islands all around it. There are 55 of these islets, most of which are wild and uninhabited, although some are home to small populations.These include the islands of Mosqueiro, fringed by 14 freshwater beaches, and Caratateua which receive a large number of visitors in summertime. In addition to these and also near Belém, is the island of Tatuoca which is the location of the only geophysical station in Latin America, one of seven in the world.
Situated in the Guajará bay, on the estuary of the Rivers Guamá River
Guamá River
-References:*...
and Pará
Pará River
The Pará River is the southern arm of the mouth of the Amazon River. It flows round the west and south of the island of Marajó. It takes some water from the main Amazon, however much of its power comes from the Tocantins River flowing from the south. The state capital of Pará, Belém, is located on...
, the city began as a river port in 1616, immediately after the French
French Brazilian
A French Brazilian is a Brazilian citizen of full, partial, or predominantly French ancestry, or a French-born person residing in Brazil. Between 1850 and 1965 around 100,000 French people immigrated to Brazil. The country received the second largest number of French immigrants to South America...
were driven out of São Luís, the capital of the state of Maranhão
Maranhão
Maranhão is a northeastern state of Brazil. To the north lies the Atlantic Ocean. Maranhão is neighbored by the states of Piauí, Tocantins and Pará. The people of Maranhão have a distinctive accent...
. It is known as the "City of the Mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
Trees" because of the large number of those trees growing there.
Climate
Belém has a tropical rainforest climateTropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate, also known as an equatorial climate, is a tropical climate usually found along the equator...
. A tropical rainforest climate, also known as an equatorial climate, is a type of tropical climate
Tropical climate
A tropical climate is a climate of the tropics. In the Köppen climate classification it is a non-arid climate in which all twelve months have mean temperatures above...
in which there is no dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
. All months have mean precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of 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
Intertropical Convergence Zone
The Intertropical Convergence Zone , known by sailors as The Doldrums, is the area encircling the earth near the equator where winds originating in the northern and southern hemispheres come together....
. The tropical rainforest climate is denoted Af in the Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
. Tropical rainforest
Tropical rainforest
A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator . This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall...
is the natural vegetation in equatorial regions.
Vegetation
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
, and tropical forests in the Americas are consistently more species rich than the wet forests in Africa and Asia. As the largest tract of tropical rainforest in the Americas, the Amazonian rainforests have unparalleled biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
. More than one-third of all species in the world live in the Amazon Rainforest.
History
In 1616 the fortified settlement of Feliz Lusitânia, later called Nossa Senhora de Belém do Grão Pará (Our Lady of Bethlehem of the Great Para River) and Santa Maria de Belém (St. Mary of Bethlehem), was established, consolidating Portuguese supremacy over the French in what is now northern Brazil. Belém was given city status in 1655 and was made capital of the State when Pará state was separated from MaranhãoMaranhão
Maranhão is a northeastern state of Brazil. To the north lies the Atlantic Ocean. Maranhão is neighbored by the states of Piauí, Tocantins and Pará. The people of Maranhão have a distinctive accent...
in 1772. The early decades of the 19th century were marked by political instability. Uprisings and internecine strife were finally ended in 1836, after considerable loss of life.
The sugar trade was important in the Belém region until the end of the 17th century. Thereafter the city's economic importance alternately rose and fell. Cattle ranching supplanted sugar until the 18th century, when cultivation of rice, cotton, and coffee became profitable. With the settlement of southern Brazil, where such crops could be produced more reasonably, Belém declined again. The city subsequently became the main exporting centre of the Amazon rubber industry, and by 1866 its position was further enhanced by the opening of the Amazon, Tocantins, and Tapajós
Tapajós
The Tapajós, a Brazilian river running through a humid and hot valley, pours into the Amazon River 500 miles above Pará and is about 1200 miles long.It rises on the lofty Brazilian plateau near Diamantino in 14 degrees 25' south latitude...
rivers to navigation. The rubber era terminated after the boom of 1910–12, but Belém continued to be the main commercial centre of northern Brazil and the entrepôt
Entrepôt
An entrepôt is a trading post where merchandise can be imported and exported without paying import duties, often at a profit. This profit is possible because of trade conditions, for example, the reluctance of ships to travel the entire length of a long trading route, and selling to the entrepôt...
for the Amazon valley.
The most valuable products now exported from the Amazon by way of Belém are aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
, iron ore, and other metals. Nuts (chiefly Brazil nuts), pineapples, cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
, jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
, wood veneers, and hardwoods. Japanese immigration after the 1930s was an important factor in developing jute and black pepper, notably at Tomé-Açu, just south of Belém, and near Santarém. Marajó Island, the largest fluvial
Fluvial
Fluvial is used in geography and Earth science to refer to the processes associated with rivers and streams and the deposits and landforms created by them...
island in the world, which lies just across the Rio Pará from Belém, has some livestock grazing. Electricity is provided by the massive Tucuruí Dam, some 300 km southwest of the city on the Tocantins River.
Belém has a modern appearance with tree-lined streets, several plazas and public gardens, and many noteworthy buildings. The north's leading educational and cultural centre, it is the seat of a bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
, and its cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
(Igreja da Sé, founded in 1917) is one of Brazil's largest. Santo Alexandre, the oldest of Belém's churches, was built in 1616. The Museu (museum) Paraense Emílio Goeldi
Émil Goeldi
Émil August Goeldi , was a Swiss-Brazilian naturalist and zoologist....
, the Teatro da Paz (a classical theatre), and the public library and archives are other notable institutions. The Universidade Federal do Pará (1957), a teacher-training school, an agricultural institute, and an institute for research on tropical diseases are also in the city. The Ver-o-Peso (Portuguese: "see the weight") market in the old port centre is a major tourist attraction. The city is also home to a large football stadium.
Demographics
According to the IBGEIBGE
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics or IBGE , is the agency responsible for statistical, geographic, cartographic, geodetic and environmental information in Brazil...
of 2008, there were 2,139,000 people residing in the Metropolitan Region of Belém. The population density was 1337.2 PD/sqkm. The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 1,379,655 Pardo
Pardo
In Brazil, Pardo is a race/colour category used by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics in Brazilian censuses. It is a Portuguese word that encompasses various shades of brown, but is usually translated as "grayish-brown"...
(brown) people (64.5%), 588,225 White
White Brazilian
White Brazilians make up 48.4% of Brazil's population, or around 92 million people, according to the IBGE's 2008 PNAD . Whites are present in the entire territory of Brazil, although the main concentrations are found in the South and Southeastern parts of the country...
people (27.5%), 156,147 Black
Afro-Brazilian
In Brazil, the term "preto" is one of the five categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with "branco" , "pardo" , "amarelo" and "indígena"...
people (7.3%), 14,973 Asian
Asian Brazilian
An Asian Brazilian is is a Brazilian citizen of full or partial Asian ancestry, who remains culturally connected to Asia, or an Asian-born person permanently residing in Brazil. Brazil received many immigrants from Asia, both from Middle East and East Asia...
or Amerindian
Indigenous peoples in Brazil
The Indigenous peoples in Brazil comprise a large number of distinct ethnic groups who inhabited the country prior to the European invasion around 1500...
people (0.7%).
According to an autosomal DNA genetic study from 2011, the ancestral composition of the population of Belém is: 69,70% European, 19,40% Native American and 10,90% African.
Education
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.Education institutions
- Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA);
- Universidade do Estado do Pará (UEPA);
- Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia (UFRA);
- Universidade da Amazônia (UNAMA);
- Centro Universitário do Pará (Cesupa);
- Amazon Valley Academy International School (AVA);
Círio de Nazaré
On the second Sunday in October, Pará celebrates the largest and greatest religious event in Brazil. The processionProcession
A procession is an organized body of people advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner.-Procession elements:...
of the Círio of Nazaré. History goes that the popular Círio tradition started when a farmer and lumberman called Plácido José de Souza found an image of the Saint at the margin of the Murucutu creek, where the Basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
of Nazaré stands today. The humble man, then, decided to take the image home. However, the image would mysteriously go back to the place where it was initially found every time he took it home. So Plácido decided to build, at the margin of the creek, a small chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
. This episode was reported throughout the region as miraculous, attracting hundreds of believers to see the image and pay homage to it.
Since then, the Círio is celebrated as a long procession of faith, in which thousands of people follow the saint through the streets of Belém, in a manifestation that lasts around five hours for unity, emotion and devotion, with no distinction of social classes, to express the strongest devotion to the belief. The Círio is the regarded as the "Christmas of the Amazon" because it is a moment of congregation in which everyone is involved in the arrangements to receive the saint, in an atmosphere of fraternity with people becoming more sympathetic and happier. In early September, minor celebrations take place as a spiritual preparation for the Círio, with thousands of images scattered all over the capital and neighboring cities, gathering families from different parts of the capital to run pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
of Our Lady among choirs and prayers.
Ananindeua
Ananindeua is a city in Pará, Brazil. It is a part of the Metropolitan Region of Belém, and is the second most populous city in the state. It has a population estimated by IBGE of 498,095 in 2006....
, a nearby city, in front of the Main Church to start at 6 am the Road Pilgrimage, organized by the Pará State Cargo Transportation Companies' Union (SINDICARPA), which conducts the image to the Icoaraci pier by road for a field mass.
Then, the river pilgrimage starts. It was created and organized by the former president of the Pará Tourism Company (PARATUR), Carlos Roque, to honor the "water men" who regard the Virgin of Nazareth as their patron saint. PARATUR also promotes a traditional ship contest to award the most originally decorated boat. When the Sacred Image leaves Icoaraci in the event's official ship, a Navy Corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
, it is followed by tens of boats and ships of all colors and types, decorated to greet the Virgin and follow her through the waters of the Guajará Bay to the pier of Belém, where it will be escorted by motorcyclists all the way to the Gentil Bittencourt School, only leaving at 6 pm for the Trasladação (Transfer), which is a symbolism for reviving the story of the discovery of the Saint and its return to the place where it was found, in a candle-lit procession, following the Carriage that is tied to a rope that is carried by the faithful until it arrives at the Sé Cathedral.
Stevedore
Stevedore, dockworker, docker, dock labourer, wharfie and longshoreman can have various waterfront-related meanings concerning loading and unloading ships, according to place and country....
s' Union, marking the passage of the Saint until its arrival at the Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, where it is received, gently, with a religious program. At daybreak of the next day, the faithful start to gather at the Old City, believing that this will bring them closer to the Virgin. At around 4 am, the rope is stretched by Our Lady's guards and, within minutes, is held by the "vowers", who have long looked forward to an incredible back-and-forth choreography, like human waves, sparking the solidarity from the bystanders, who try to quench the thirst of those carrying the rope by offering them water.
While the 12 cars that take part in the procession, like the scouts' barge, the new barge, the angels' barge, the miracle's barge, amongst others, are orderly positioned to receive wax figures, wooden house miniatures and other images to thank for their achievements over the year. At 7 o'clock, the archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
conducts Our Lady's image to the carriage as the bells toll and the fireworks explode, thus setting the beginning of the biggest religious event of Latin America.
Throughout the course, the faithful make reflections on biblical themes, pray, sing, pay homage with a shredded paper shower, lifting their arms towards the sky, acclaiming during the procession and praising the Virgin. From the Padre Champagnat
Marcellin Champagnat
Saint Marcellin Joseph Benedict Champagnat was born in Rozet, village of Marlhes, near St. Etienne , France...
Street towards the Ver-o-Peso Market, passing by Portugal Avenue and Castilho França Boulevard, going up the Presidente Vargas
Getúlio Vargas
Getúlio Dornelles Vargas served as President of Brazil, first as dictator, from 1930 to 1945, and in a democratically elected term from 1951 until his suicide in 1954. Vargas led Brazil for 18 years, the most for any President, and second in Brazilian history to Emperor Pedro II...
Avenue, reaching the Republic Square to get to the Nazaré Avenue as far as the Architectonic Centre of Nazareth, known for its Sanctuary Square.
As it arrives at the square, the image is removed from the carriage for the celebration of a mass and then lifted so that everybody will be blessed by the patron saint of Pará. This marks the end of the procession, which is filled with emotion and endless applause by the crowd.
The festivities are 15 days long, with religious celebrations, like the Children's Círio, and its procession, held two Sundays after the Círio. Cultural activities, visiting the Círio Museum, and leisure, with an amusement park at the Arraial de Nazaré. The Re-Círio marks the end of the celebrations, with a shorter course, but with no less emotion, for the Saint's farewell, with tears, waving with white handkerchiefs, hope and thanks, to the Gentil Bittencourt chapel, bringing a feeling of lightness and renovation to expect for another year.
Convention and Fair Centre of the Amazon
Built in a 23,000-square-metre area, the Hangar Convention and Fair Center of the Amazon has 12 rooms, ticket offices, baggage keeping, press room, and a food courtFood court
A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls and airports, and in various regions may be a standalone development...
, distributed in two big buildings with a parking lot for 800 vehicles. In the outdoor area, genuine Amazonian trees will soon be planted. With Hangar, Belém joins the market for national conventions that take place in a different city each time. National conventions have never been held in the Northern region. An example is the Brazilian Computer Society
Brazilian Computer Society
The Brazilian Computer Society was established in 1978, as a scientific and educational organization dedicated to the advancement of Computer Science in Brazil and the associated technologies and applications...
Congress.
Hangar has some of the best technologies available in the world and is the most modern and functional space for events in the country. The business tourism sector has recently grown all over Brazil. According to the Brazilian Association of Convention and Fair Centers (ABRACCEF), on average, there are 17,500 events happening in the 53 main convention and exhibition centres of Brazil. These activities bring together approximately 28 million participants. Belém has a great potential for this type of tourism. The auditorium has room for 2,160 participants.
Architecture
In many ways, Belém's colonial architecture reflects the seventeenth century architecture of LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
in Portugal which served as the inspiration for the main housing projects of the time, with the frequent use of tile-hung facades. Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
is also present in buildings such as the Theatro da Paz
Theatro da paz
The Theatro Nossa Senhora da Paz theater, or simply Theatro da Paz , is located in the city of Belém, in the state of Pará, in Brazil....
, built in 1874. Many of the buildings at the end of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century also echo French architecture
French architecture
The history of French architecture runs in parallel with its neighbouring countries in Europe, with France being home to both some of the earliest pioneers in many architectural styles, and also containing some of the finest architectural creations of the continent.-Roman:The architecture of...
.
Belém began with the narrow streets of the Cidade Velha (Old City), a district which still preserves some structures that the Portuguese colonials built here, places like Forte do Castelo, a fort built to defend the region against French, Dutch and British colonization attempts, and one of the first structures in the capital. The Ver-o-pêso market is the biggest open market in Latin America where you can find everything, from the most exotic fruit, to the scented baths.
Cuisine
The local Amerindian culture extracts colors, scents, flavors and native tastes from the nature for a rich and exotic cuisineCuisine
Cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, often associated with a specific culture. Cuisines are often named after the geographic areas or regions that they originate from...
, adding up to the most authentic of regional cuisines. One such dish, "Cupuaçu", comes from the Cupuaçu tree, found in the Amazonian woods. Cupuaçu is easily identified by its smell and sour taste and it is highly appreciated both by local people and by tourists. Its pulp is also extracted to make juices, candies, jellies, liquors, and ice cream. Açaí
Açaí Palm
The açaí palm is a species of palm tree in the genus Euterpe cultivated for their fruit and superior hearts of palm. Its name comes from the Portuguese adaptation of the Tupian word ïwasa'i, '[fruit that] cries or expels water'. Global demand for the fruit has expanded rapidly in recent years,...
is a palm tree with a long thin stem. Açaí is also known as Jussara, is purple-colored and has a delicious taste. It has been appreciated by the local population for a long time, but lately it has reached the national menu.
Freshwater crab
Freshwater crab
There are around 1,300 species of freshwater crabs, distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics, divided among eight families. They show direct development and maternal care of a small number of offspring, in contrast to marine crabs which release thousands of planktonic larvae. This limits...
is a very popular dish in the city's cuisine, and is only found in swamps. Its meat, well tempered, can be served in different forms: as a shell, the so-called unha (the claws) or toc-toc. It is a traditional local delicacy. "Maniçoba
Maniçoba
Maniçoba is a festive dish in Brazilian cuisine, especially from the Amazonian region. It is of indigenous origin, and is made with leaves of the Manioc plant that have been finely ground and boiled for a week...
", is one of the highlights of the local cuisine. Its preparation is long and its final appearance is quite surprising for those who have never tried it, due to the dark look of the cooked maniva (ground manioc leaves). But this first impression ends pretty soon, after you taste the meal and its seemingly awkward ingredients. The maniçoba is served either in pottery dishes or in ordinary ones. It can be eaten with rice or only with manioc flour and capsicum
Capsicum
Capsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its species are native to the Americas where they have been cultivated for thousands of years, but they are now also cultivated worldwide, used as spices, vegetables, and medicines - and have become are a key element in...
.
World Social Forum
The World Social ForumWorld Social Forum
The World Social Forum is an annual meeting of civil society organizations, first held in Brazil, which offers a self-conscious effort to develop an alternative future through the championing of counter-hegemonic globalization...
2009 took place from January 27 to February 1 in Belém.
Amazon Biopark Zoo
Located less than 15 kilometers from the center of Bethlehem, in the neighborhood of Tenon, the Bioparque Amazon - Crocodile Safari is surrounded by forests, rivers and streams. Summary of the Amazon landscape with lush flora and fauna, the zoo has about 14 Para miles of trails in an area composed of four interconnected ecosystems.A large attractive Bioparque is the Museum of Paleontology and Malacology where visitors can watch a collection of three thousand pieces of exposed shells and mollusks collected from all continents. On site, you will also see paintings with motifs of cabloco Amazon.
Bioparque The Amazon is a private investment, authorized and licensed by IBAMA to function as C class zoo, the only category of Pará There are four different species of alligators in a population of thousands of individuals, highlighting açu for alligator, monkeys, anteaters, and the otters, hyacinth macaw, papagaios, tucannos, pacaranas, harpy eagle, among other animals.
The space is also used research and environmental education, Bioparque is today one of the attractions of the most sought after leisure tourism. Access can be made waterway Maracacuera across the river, through the company specializes in travel and tourism in the Amazon Amazon Atakan Tour, departing by speedboat from the Docks and land by the highway Augusto Montenegro.
The total cost of attraction including the museum for a family of four individuals, two adults and two children is approximately $ 150.00. The Bioparque also offers a guide during the tour that lasts about three hours and can be reached by car within the zoo. A different program for you to break out of Bethlehem and instructive, the kids love it. A suggestion to complement the steak houses are paseio Rodovia Augusto Montenegro for lunch or restaurants with a menu of Icoaraci irresistible.
Rodrigues Alves Wood–Botanic Garden
Inspired by the Bois de BoulogneBois de Boulogne
The Bois de Boulogne is a park located along the western edge of the 16th arrondissement of Paris, near the suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt and Neuilly-sur-Seine...
Park in Paris, the Rodrigues Alves
Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves
Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves, PC was a Brazilian politician who first served as governor of the State of São Paulo in 1887, and as Treasury minister in the 1890s. Rodrigues Alves was elected president of Brazil in 1902 and served until 1906....
Wood is a little piece of Amazonia preserved in the middle of the city. Comprising 16 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s, in the ample Avenida Almirante Barroso
Francisco Manoel Barroso da Silva
Commodore Francisco Manoel Barroso da Silva directed the Brazilian fleet while the Marquis of Tamandaré was absent during the Battle of Riachuelo in the War of the Triple Alliance....
, one of the city's busiest thoroughfares, having 2,500 native species, an orchidary, lakes, caverns, waterfalls and even a replica of a mountain. There you can see small animals characteristic to the region, such as squirrel monkey
Squirrel monkey
The squirrel monkeys are the New World monkeys of the genus Saimiri. They are the only genus in the subfamily Saimirinae.Squirrel monkeys live in the tropical forests of Central and South America in the canopy layer. Most species have parapatric or allopatric ranges in the Amazon, while S...
s, agouti
Agouti
Agouti refers to a number of species of rodents as well as a number of genes affecting coat coloration in several different animals. Agouti fur contains a pattern of pigmentation in which individual hairs have several bands of light and dark pigment with black tips.* When referring to a rodent,...
s and macaw
Macaw
Macaws are small to large, often colourful New World parrots. Of the many different Psittacidae genera, six are classified as macaws: Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, and Diopsittaca...
s.
The Estação das Docas Complex
The Estação das Docas Complex reopened the windows of Belém to Guajará Bay. The restoration project covers the area of old warehouses of the Pará Docks Company. Constructed from prefabricated metal structures in England and that were built at the beginning of the twentieth century in Belém.There are 18 thousand square meters of urbanised area, with coffee bar services, various restaurants, stores, travel agencies, banks, in addition to an auditorium and two memorials: The Porto Memorial and the Fortaleza de São Pedro Nolasco Memorial There is, also, a fluvial station and extensive external area.
Ver-o-Peso Market
Created in 1688, as a result of the Portuguese deciding to levy a tax for everything entering and leaving Amazonia. Despite resembling a large retailer, the mixture of colours, fragrances and objects is very interesting as well as folkloric.Medicinal herbs, various regional fruits, arts and crafts, domestic utilities, meats, fish and seasonings and spices can be found there. The Market brings together two thousand stalls and traders in every part and is located near to the old Mercado de Ferro (Iron market), on the quays.
Airports
Val de Cães International Airport
Belém-Val de Cães/Júlio Cezar Ribeiro International Airport is the main airport serving Belém, Brazil. Val de Cães, the name of the neighborhood where the airport is located, is the most common spelling although Val de Cans is also considered correct...
is the major airport serving the city of Belém. Since 2001, Belém International Airport has served as an example of the standards that Infraero
Infraero
Empresa Brasileira de Infraestrutura Aeroportuária, Infraero in short, is a Brazilian government corporation created in 1972 and responsible for operating the main Brazilian commercial airports. In 2009, Infraero's airports carried 128,135,616 passengers and 1,114,754 tons of cargo and operated...
implements at its airports.
The building design uses plane curves on its roof to permit light to enter its entire large terminal hall.
The architect Sérgio Parada used adopted multiple-use totems integrated with light projectors, a sound system, air conditioning and public telephones. Currently Belém International Airport serves 2.7 million passengers a year, in a constructed area of 33,255.17 square metres.
Traditionally called Val-de-Cães Airport, it is responsible for increasing tourism in the Amazon region, as well as for the outflow of products and attracting new investments. The passenger terminal is fully air conditioned on two levels and has "futuristic" architecture, designed to take advantage of natural lighting. People with special needs have individualized service with own equipment at specific locations to facilitate their access. The terminal's interior is decorated with plants native to the Amazon region and is enclosed by a source able to imitate the sound of the rains that fall every day in the region.
The smaller Brig. Protásio de Oliveira Airport (Júlio César)
Protásio de Oliveira Airport
Belém-Brigadeiro Protásio de Oliveira Airport , formerly called Júlio César Airport, is an airport serving Belém, Brazil. Since 14 April 2010, it is named after Protásio Lopes de Oliveira former president of Infraero and commander of the 1st Regional Air Force .It is operated by...
also administrated by Infraero, is used for general aviation.
Highways
BR-316 is the major access highway for those coming from the Northeastern Brazil. For visitors from the Southern, Southeastern and Mid-Eastern Regions, the best route is BR-010, which originates in BrasíliaBrasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
in the South, and also PA-150, a route that links Belém to Southern Pará.
Fluvial
Belém can be reached by the Tocantins RiverTocantins River
The Tocantins is a river in Brazil, the central fluvial artery of the country. In the Tupi language, its name means "toucan's beak" . It runs from south to north for about 2,640 km. It is not really a branch of the Amazon River, although usually so considered, since its waters flow into the...
and Amazonas River and by the Atlantic Ocean.
The city of Belem has been referenced in the opening episode of the TV series- No Ordinary Family, where Powell's go for a family vacation.
Distances
- São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
: 2933 km (1,822.5 mi) - Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
: 3250 km (2,019.5 mi) - BrasíliaBrasíliaBrasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
: 2132 km (1,324.8 mi) - ManausManausManaus 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 ecotourist destination....
: 1489 km (925.2 mi) - TeresinaTeresinaTeresina is the capital and most populous municipality in the Brazilian state of Piauí. It is located in North-central Piauí 366 km from the coast.It is therefore, the only capital in the Northeast that is not located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. With 814 439 inhabitants, it is the 19th...
: 923 km (573.5 mi) - São Luis: 806 km (500.8 mi)
- Santarém/ParáParáPará is a state in the north of Brazil. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest it also borders Guyana and Suriname, and to the northeast it borders the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Belém.Pará is the most populous state...
: 807 km (501.4 mi) - FlorianópolisFlorianópolis-Climate:Florianópolis experiences a warm humid subtropical climate, falling just short of a true tropical climate. The seasons of the year are distinct, with a well-defined summer and winter, and characteristic weather for autumn and spring. Frost is infrequent, but occurs occasionally in the winter...
: 3577 km (2,222.7 mi) - CuiabáCuiabáUnder the Koppen climate classification, Cuiaba features a tropical wet and dry climate. Cuiabá is famous for its searing heat, although temperatures in winter can arrive sporadically at 10 degrees, indeed atypical, caused by cold fronts coming from the south, and that may only last one or two...
: 2970 km (1,845.5 mi) - Belo HorizonteBelo HorizonteBelo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
: 2824 km (1,754.8 mi)
Personalities
- Benedito NunesBenedito NunesBenedito Nunes was a Brazilian philosopher and literary critic. He was born Benedito José Viana da Costa Nunes in Belém, a major city in the north of Brazil, where he was a professor at the Federal University of Pará. He has also lectured at other universities in the south of Brazil, France and...
- philosopher - Caroline RibeiroCaroline RibeiroCaroline Ribeiro is a Brazilian model. As a teenager, Ribeiro moved to São Paulo to begin modeling. She states of her own looks, "I think my face is different, it's exotic - not like normal beauty. I don't have what you would call perfect beauty.....
- model - Fafá de BelémFafá de BelémFafá de Belém, born Maria de Fátima Palha de Figueiredo in Belém do Pará on August 9, 1956, is a Brazilian singer considered one of the great female singers of MPB...
- singer - Giovanni Silva de Oliveira - footballer
- Giuseppe Antonio LandiGiuseppe Antonio LandiGiuseppe Antonio Landi was an 18th century Italian neoclassical architect and painter of quadratura.Landi was born in Bologna. He was a pupil of Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena, and was received as an Academician of Bologna, where he was professor of architecture and perspective...
- architect - Hélio GracieHélio GracieHélio Gracie was a Brazilian martial artist who, together with his brother Carlos Gracie, founded the martial art of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, known internationally as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...
- martial artist
- João AmazonasJoão AmazonasJoão Amazonas de Souza Pedroso was a Brazilian Marxist theoretician, revolutionary, guerrilla member and leader of the Communist Party of Brazil.He was born on January 1, 1912 in the Paraense capital, Belém, and died in São Paulo on May 27th, 2002....
- Marxist theoretician - João Clemente Baena SoaresJoão Clemente Baena SoaresJoão Clemente Baena Soares is a Brazilian diplomat.Soares was born in Belém. He working at the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations for 31 years before being elected to serve as Secretary General of the Organization of American States from 1984 to 1994.Between 1997 and 2006, he was a member of...
- diplomat - Lyoto MachidaLyoto MachidaLyoto Carvalho Machida is a Japanese-Brazilian mixed martial artist from Belém, Brazil who fights as a light heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
- mixed martial artist - Paulo Henrique Chagas de LimaPaulo Henrique Chagas de LimaPaulo Henrique Chagas de Lima commonly known as Paulo Henrique Ganso or Ganso , is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Santos...
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- footballer and physician - Lucio Flavio PintoLucio Flavio PintoLúcio Flávio de Faria Pinto is an independent journalist who lives in Belém, Brazil. He is the publisher and editor of Jornal Pessoal, which is published bi-weekly....
- Environmental and Political Journalist