Caracaraí () is a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
located in the state of
Roraima in
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
. Its population is 22,283 and its area is , making it the largest municipality in Roraima state. Caracaraí is located on the
Branco River.
Overview
Caracaraí was founded by
cattle ranchers from
Moura. The town was originally known as Cidade Porto and was the capital of the Rio Branco Territory which was later renamed Roraima.
The word ''caracaraí'' means "little hawk", a very common bird in the region.
Its territory cuts Roraima's in two and keeps boundaries with both the Brazilian state of
Amazonas and
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
.
It is not the only municipality in the state to do so;
Caroebe
Caroebe () is a municipality located in the southeast of the state of Roraima in Brazil. Its population is 10,383 (as of 2020) and its area is 12,066 km². It is the easternmost municipality in Roraima and the only one to border the state of P ...
also borders both the state and the country, and has boundaries with
Pará
Pará is a state of Brazil, located in northern Brazil and traversed by the lower Amazon River. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest are the borders of Guyana ...
too.
Caracaraí is located near the intersection of the
BR-174
BR-174 is a federal highway of Brazil. The road connects Cáceres to Pacaraima on the Venezuelan border.
It is the only road connection of the state of Roraima with the rest of the country. 458 kilometres are under construction, and there is no ...
and
BR-210
BR-210 is a federal highway of Brazil. The 411.7 kilometre road, popularly known as ' ("north perimeter"), is primarily located in the Northern Brazilian state of Roraima, with other segments in Amazonas, Pará, and Amapá.
The planning of the ...
highways.
Caracaraí became an independent municipality in 1955. Between 1960 and 1982, the municipality contained the districts of
Santa Maria do Boiaçu and
São José de Anauá. Santa Maria do Boiaçu became part of the municipality of
Rorainópolis
Rorainópolis () is a municipality located in the southernmost point of the state of Roraima in Brazil. Its population is 30,782 (as of 2020) and its area is 33,594 km². The municipality is crossed by the equator.
History
In the 1970s, the ...
.
The municipality contains the
Caracaraí Ecological Station
Caracaraí Ecological Station ( pt, Estação Ecológica de Caracaraí) is an ecological station in the state of Roraima, Brazil.
Location
The ecological station, which covers , was created on 31 May 1982.
It is in the municipality of Caracara ...
and the
Niquiá Ecological Station
Niquiá Ecological Station ( pt, Estação Ecológica de Níquia) is an ecological station in the Caracaraí municipality of Roraima state, Brazil.
History
The station, which has an area of , was created on 3 June 1985.
It is administered by the ...
.
The economy used to be based on cattle ranching. The cattle used to shipped to
Manaus. Caracaraí developed in the supply centre for the region,
because it is located on the
Branco River south of the waterfalls.
It is the largest producer of fish in the state.
References
External links
Official site(in Portuguese)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Caracarai
Populated places established in 1955
Municipalities in Roraima
1955 establishments in Brazil