Manaus, Brazil
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Manaus () is the
capital Capital and its variations may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** Capital region, a metropolitan region containing the capital ** List of national capitals * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Econom ...
and largest city of the
Brazilian state The federative units of Brazil () are subnational entities with a certain degree of autonomy (self-government, self-regulation, and self-collection) and endowed with their own government and constitution, which together form the Federative Repu ...
of Amazonas. It is the seventh-largest city in Brazil, with an estimated 2022 population of 2,063,689 distributed over a land area of about . Located at the east centre of the state, the city is the centre of the Manaus metropolitan area and the largest metropolitan area in the North Region of Brazil by urban landmass. It is situated near the confluence of the
Negro In the English language, the term ''negro'' (or sometimes ''negress'' for a female) is a term historically used to refer to people of Black people, Black African heritage. The term ''negro'' means the color black in Spanish and Portuguese (from ...
and
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology company * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek myth ...
rivers. It is one of the two cities in the Amazon rainforest with a population of over 1 million people, alongside
Belém Belém (; Portuguese for Bethlehem; initially called Nossa Senhora de Belém do Grão-Pará, in English Our Lady of Bethlehem of Great Pará), often called Belém of Pará, is the capital and largest city of the state of Pará in the north of B ...
. The city was founded in 1669 as the Fort of São José do Rio Negro. It was elevated to a
town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
in 1832 with the name of "Manaus", an altered spelling of the indigenous Manaós peoples, and legally transformed into a
city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
on October 24, 1848, with the name of ''Cidade da Barra do Rio Negro'', Portuguese for "The City of the Margins of the Black River". On September 4, 1856, it returned to its original name. Manaus is located in the center of the
Amazon rainforest The Amazon rainforest, also called the Amazon jungle or Amazonia, is a Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, moist broadleaf tropical rainforest in the Amazon biome that covers most of the Amazon basin of South America. This basin ...
, and home to the National Institute of Amazonian Research, being the most important center for scientific studies in the Amazon region and for international sustainability issues. It was known at the beginning of the century as Heart of the Amazon and City of the Forest. Its main economic engine is the Industrial Park of Manaus, a Free Economic Zone. The city has a
free port A free-trade zone (FTZ) is a class of special economic zone. It is a geographic area where goods may be imported, stored, handled, manufactured, or reconfigured and re-exported under specific customs regulation and generally not subject to ...
and an
international airport An international airport is an airport with customs and border control facilities enabling passengers to travel between countries. International airports are usually larger than domestic airports, and feature longer runways and have faciliti ...
. Its manufactures include electronics, chemical products, and soap; there are distilling and ship construction industries. Manaus exports Brazil nuts,
rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Types of polyisoprene ...
,
jute Jute ( ) is a long, rough, shiny bast fibre that can be Spinning (textiles), spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from flowering plants in the genus ''Corchorus'', of the mallow family Malvaceae. The primary source of the fiber is ...
, and rosewood oil. It has a
cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
, the
Amazon Theatre The Amazon Theatre () is an opera house located in Manaus, Brazil, in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. It is the location of the annual '' Festival Amazonas de Ópera'' (Amazonas Opera Festival) and the home of the Amazonas Philharmonic Orc ...
opera house,
zoological Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the anatomy, structure, embryology, Biological classification, classification, Ethology, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinction, extinct, and ...
and
botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...
s, an eco-park, and regional and native peoples
museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...
s. The Solimões and Negro rivers meet just east of Manaus and join to form the Amazon River (using the Brazilian definition of the river; elsewhere, Solimões is considered the upper part of the Amazon). Rubber made it the richest city in South America during the late 1800s. Rubber helped Manaus earn its nickname, the Paris of the Tropics. Many wealthy European families settled in Manaus and brought their love for sophisticated
European art The art of Europe, also known as Western art, encompasses the history of visual art in Europe. European prehistoric art started as mobile Upper Paleolithic rock and cave painting and petroglyph art and was characteristic of the period betw ...
,
architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...
, and
culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...
with them. Manaus was one of the twelve Brazilian host cities of the
2014 World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's national football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014, after the country was awarded the hosting ri ...
, as well as one of the six hosts of football matches at the 2016 Summer Olympics.


Etymology

The name Manaus comes from the native people called Manaós, which means Mother of the Gods.


History


Early settlement of Manaus

The history of the European colonization of Manaus began in 1499 with the Spanish arrival at the mouth of the Amazon River. The Spanish then continued to colonize the region north of Brazil. Development continued in 1668–1669 with the building of the Fort of São José da Barra do Rio Negro by the Portuguese in order to ensure its predominance in the region, especially against the Dutch, at that time headquartered in what is today
Suriname Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, also considered as part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a Human Development Index, high level of human development; i ...
. The fort was constructed in rock and clay, with four
cannon A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during th ...
s guarding the curtains. It continued to function for more than 100 years. Next to the fort there were many indigenous
mestizo ( , ; fem. , literally 'mixed person') is a term primarily used to denote people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in the former Spanish Empire. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturall ...
s, who helped in its construction and began to live in the vicinity. The population grew so much that, in 1695, the missionaries (
Carmelite The Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (; abbreviated OCarm), known as the Carmelites or sometimes by synecdoche known simply as Carmel, is a mendicant order in the Catholic Church for both men and women. Histo ...
,
Jesuit The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
,
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
) built a nearby
chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...
dedicated to ''Nossa Senhora da Conceição'' (Our Lady of the Conception), who, in time, became the patron saint of the city. A Royal Charter of March 3, 1755 created the captaincy of São José do Rio Negro, with capital in Mariuá (now Barcelos), but with the governor, Lobo D'Almada, fearing a Spanish invasion, the seat went back to Lugar de Barra in 1791. Being located at the confluence of the Rio Negro and Amazon Rivers, it was a strategic point. On November 13, 1832, Lugar da Barra was elevated to
town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
status and named Manaus. On October 24, 1848, under Law 145 of the Provincial Assembly of Para, it was renamed the City of Barra do Rio Negro. On September 4, 1856, the governor, Herculano Ferreira Pena, finally gave it the name "Manaus".


Cabanagem

The Cabanagem was the revolt in which blacks, Native Americans, and
mestizo ( , ; fem. , literally 'mixed person') is a term primarily used to denote people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in the former Spanish Empire. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturall ...
s fought against the white political elite and took power in 1835. The Cabanagem reduced the population of the then state of Grão-Pará from about 100,000 to 60,000. The involvement of rebels from the Upper Amazon (Manaus today) in what was originally a movement based in
Belém Belém (; Portuguese for Bethlehem; initially called Nossa Senhora de Belém do Grão-Pará, in English Our Lady of Bethlehem of Great Pará), often called Belém of Pará, is the capital and largest city of the state of Pará in the north of B ...
was crucial for the birth of the current state of the Amazon. During the brief period of revolution, the Cabanos of the Upper Amazon, bands of rebels, roamed throughout the region, occupying Manaus twice, and, in most settlements, their arrival was greeted by the non-white population spontaneously joining their ranks, leading to a greater number of adherents to the movement. With that there was an integration of people in the region thus forming the state.


Rubber boom

Manaus was at the center of the Amazon region's rubber boom during the late 19th century. For a time, it was "one of the gaudiest cities of the world". Historian Robin Furneaux wrote of this period, "No extravagance, however absurd, deterred" the rubber barons. "If one rubber baron bought a vast yacht, another would install a tame lion in his villa, and a third would water his horse on champagne." The city built a grand opera house, with vast domes and gilded balconies, and using marble, glass, and crystal, from around Europe. The opera house cost ten million (public-funded) dollars. In one season, half the members of one visiting opera troupe died of yellow fever. The opera house, called the Teatro Amazonas, was effectively closed for most of the 20th Century. However it was used in scenes of the
Werner Herzog Werner Herzog (; né Stipetić; born 5 September 1942) is a German filmmaker, actor, opera director, and author. Regarded as a pioneer of New German Cinema, his films often feature ambitious protagonists with impossible dreams, people with unusu ...
film ''
Fitzcarraldo ''Fitzcarraldo'' () is a 1982 epic film, epic Adventure film, adventure-Drama (film and television), drama film written, produced, and directed by Werner Herzog, and starring Klaus Kinski as would-be Rubber boom, rubber baron Brian Sweeney Fitzg ...
'' (1982). After a gap of almost 90 years, it reopened to produce live opera in 1997 and is now attracting performers from all over the world. When the seeds of the rubber tree were smuggled out of the Amazon region to be cultivated on plantations in Southeast Asia, Brazil and Peru lost their monopoly on the product. The rubber boom ended abruptly, many people left its major cities, and Manaus fell into poverty. The rubber boom had made possible electrification of the city before it was installed in many European cities, but the end of the rubber boom made the generators too expensive to run. The city was not able to generate electricity again for years.


Free zone

In the 1960s during the establishment of the military dictatorship in Brazil, the newly installed government concerned about the "demographic gap in Brazil", began to introduce numerous projects in the interior of the country, especially in the Amazon region, with the introduction of the Manaus free trade zone in 1967, and with the opening of new roads within the region, the city had a wide period of investments in financial and economic capital, both national and international, attracted by the tax incentives granted by the free zone, in this period, Manaus had enormous demographic growth becoming one of the most populous cities in Brazil.


Recent events

Manaus was one of the host cities of the
2014 FIFA World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
and one of the seats of some Olympic football games. It was the only host city in the Amazon rainforest and the most geographically isolated, being further north and west than any of the other host cities. A massive prison riot occurred in January 2017, having begun in Manaus and later spreading to two additional cities in Brazil, thus unleashing security problems within the country. During the
COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil The COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil has resulted in confirmed cases of COVID-19 and deaths. The virus was confirmed to have spread to Brazil on 25 February 2020, when a man from São Paulo who had traveled to Italy tested positive for the virus. ...
, an estimated 76% of the population of Manaus was infected with coronavirus, and the possibility of
herd immunity Herd immunity (also called herd effect, community immunity, population immunity, or mass immunity) is a form of indirect protection that applies only to contagious diseases. It occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population has become i ...
was discussed. However, a second outbreak infected people in Manaus, this time with the Lineage B.1.1.248 variant starting in early January 2021.


Geography

The largest city in northern Brazil, Manaus occupies an area of , with a density of . It is the neighboring city of
Presidente Figueiredo Presidente Figueiredo is a Municipalities of Brazil, municipality located in the States of Brazil, Brazilian state of Amazonas (Brazilian state), Amazonas. Its population was 37,193 (2020) and its area is 25,422 km2. History The name of the ...
,
Careiro Careiro is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Its population was 38,348 (2020) and its area is 6,092 km2.IBGE The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (; IBGE) is the agency responsible for official co ...
, Iranduba, Rio Preto da Eva,
Itacoatiara Itacoatiara is one of the 48 official neighborhoods into which the city of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is divided. Beach Itacoatiara beach is located about 30 minutes east of downtown Niterói by car, or one hour by bus. Itacoatiara ...
, and Novo Airão.


Vegetation

Manaus is located in the middle of the
Amazon Rainforest The Amazon rainforest, also called the Amazon jungle or Amazonia, is a Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, moist broadleaf tropical rainforest in the Amazon biome that covers most of the Amazon basin of South America. This basin ...
. The Amazon represents over half of the planet's remaining
rainforest Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...
s and comprises the largest and most species-rich tract of
tropical rainforest Tropical rainforests are dense and warm rainforests with high rainfall typically found between 10° north and south of the Equator. They are a subset of the tropical forest biome that occurs roughly within the 28° latitudes (in the torrid zo ...
in the world. Wet tropical forests are the most species-rich
biome A biome () is a distinct geographical region with specific climate, vegetation, and animal life. It consists of a biological community that has formed in response to its physical environment and regional climate. In 1935, Tansley added the ...
, and tropical forests in the
Americas The Americas, sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America and South America.''Webster's New World College Dictionary'', 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. When viewed as a sing ...
are consistently more species-rich than the wet forests in
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
and
Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
.Turner, I.M. 2001. ''The ecology of trees in the tropical rain forest''.
Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press was the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted a letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it was the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessme ...
, Cambridge.
As the largest tract of tropical rainforest in the Americas, the Amazonian rainforests have unparalleled
biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...
. More than one-third of all species in the world live in the Amazon rainforest.


Green areas

Despite being located in the Amazon, Manaus is densely developed and has few green areas in the city. The largest green areas are: * Mindu Park, located in the center-south of the city, the district Park 10. The Park of Mindú, established in 1989, is one of the largest and most visited parks in the city. * Bilhares Park, established in 2005, located in the south-central region of Manaus, in the neighborhood of ("plateau"). * Area of the green hill of Aleixo, created in the 1980s, located in the east of the city and is one of the largest urban green areas. * Sumaúma State Park, a state park located in the north of Manaus, in the New Town district. It is the smallest state park of the Brazilian Amazon Basin. * Castanheiras Pied Tamarin Wildlife Refuge, a refuge created in 1982 to protect a population of endangered
pied tamarin The pied tamarin (''Saguinus bicolor''), sometimes referred to as the Brazilian bare-faced tamarin, is a critically endangered species of primate found in a restricted area of the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. It was named the mascot of Manaus, Ma ...
s. * Adolfo Ducke Forest Reserve, a biological reserve established in 1963, and covers an area of 100 square kilometres (10,000 hectares, 39 square miles). The Reserve is managed by INPA (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia—National Institute for Amazon Research). * Part of the Anavilhanas National Park, a conservation unit that was originally an ecological station created in 1981. * About 75% of the Rio Negro Left Bank Environmental Protection Area, a sustainable use conservation area created in 1995. * The
Tupé Sustainable Development Reserve The Tupé Sustainable Development Reserve () is a Sustainable development reserve (Brazil), sustainable development reserve (RDS) in the state of Amazonas (Brazilian state), Amazonas, Brazil. Location The Tupé Sustainable Development Reserve (R ...
, created in 2005, about west of the city. * The Rio Negro State Park South Section, created in 1995, about by boat to the northwest of the city.


Climate

Manaus has a
tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate subtype that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ' ...
(''Am'') according to the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, just dry enough in its driest month to not be a
tropical rainforest climate A tropical rainforest climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southeast Florida, United States ...
, with the average annual compensated temperature of and high air humidity, with a rainfall index around annually. The seasons are relatively well-defined concerning rain: July to September is relatively dry, and December to May (summer and autumn) is very rainy. Summer and autumn are colder than winter and spring (June to November). Thunderstorms are frequent every day in the summer (December to February), but they can occur at any time of the year. There have been occasional occurrences of
hail Hail is a form of solid Precipitation (meteorology), precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets (American English "sleet"), though the two are often confused. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailsto ...
in the city. Due to the city's proximity to the
equator The equator is the circle of latitude that divides Earth into the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Southern Hemisphere, Southern Hemispheres of Earth, hemispheres. It is an imaginary line located at 0 degrees latitude, about in circumferen ...
, the heat is constant in the local climate. There are no cold days in winter (June to August), instead winter is hotter than summer. There is rarely very intense polar air masses in the South-Central part of Brazil and in the southwest of the
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology company * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek myth ...
have some effect on the city, as occurred in August 1955. But although they are rare, they influence the climate, causing the temperature to drop to or below. The proximity to the forest usually avoids extremes of heat and makes the city wet. According to the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET), the highest temperature registered in the city was , in 2015 and the lowest was in 1989. On November 26, 2009, a case of
acid rain Acid rain is rain or any other form of Precipitation (meteorology), precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it has elevated levels of hydrogen ions (low pH). Most water, including drinking water, has a neutral pH that exists b ...
was recorded in Manaus. Air pollution, caused in large part by the accumulation of smoke from burning, associated with the
sulfur dioxide Sulfur dioxide (IUPAC-recommended spelling) or sulphur dioxide (traditional Commonwealth English) is the chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless gas with a pungent smell that is responsible for the odor of burnt matches. It is r ...
emitted by cars, was the cause of this phenomenon. Although the incidence of acid rain is common in some Brazilian capitals where there is a great concentration of cars, in Manaus and other cities of the Amazonas the situation is aggravated by the prolonged period of drought with the smoke from forest fires.


Hydrology

The urban area covers all or part of four river basins, all tributaries of the Rio Negro. The São Raimundo and Educandos streams are completely contained in the city. The Tarumã Açu forms the western boundary of the city in its lower reaches, and is fed by several tributaries that originate in the Ducke Reserve and run through the north and west of the city. The Puraquequara forms the east boundary of the urban area in its lower section.


Demographics

According to the
IBGE The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (; IBGE) is the agency responsible for official collection of statistical, geographic, cartographic, geodetic and environmental information in Brazil. IBGE performs a decennial national cen ...
in 2019, there were 2,182,763 people residing in the city, and 2,676,936 people in the Metropolitan Region of Manaus. The population density was . * Total population: 2,145,444 inhabitants (87% urban, 13% rural, 52.07% women and 47.93% men) *
Population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
: Manaus is the seventh largest city in
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, after
São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
,
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
, Salvador,
Brasília Brasília ( ; ) is the capital city, capital of Brazil and Federal District (Brazil), Federal District. Located in the Brazilian highlands in the country's Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region, it was founded by President Juscelino ...
,
Fortaleza Fortaleza ( ; ; ) is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeastern Brazil. It is Brazil's 4th largest city—Fortaleza surpassed Salvador, Bahia, Salvador in 2022 census with a population of slightly over 2.4 mi ...
and
Belo Horizonte Belo Horizonte is the List of largest cities in Brazil, sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population of around 2.3 million, and the third largest metropolitan area, containing a population of 6 million. It is the List of cities in Sout ...
. The city's population growth is above the national average, and 10% above the average for the capital (Brasilia). Most of the population is located in the North and East regions of the city, and the New Town (northern area) the
neighborhood A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neigh ...
is the most populous, with more than 260,000 residents. According to the results of the last census, the city's population increased from 343,038 inhabitants in 1960 to 622,733 in 1970. By 1990, the population grew to 1,025,979 inhabitants, increasing its density to . According to a 2013 genetic study, the ancestry of the inhabitants of Manaus is 45.9% European, 37.8% Native American, and 16.3% African.


Religion

The city has been influenced by
Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
since the time of European colonialism, and the majority of Manauenses are
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
—there are nevertheless dozens of different Protestant denominations in the city.
Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...
,
Candomblé Candomblé () is an African diaspora religions, African diasporic religion that developed in Brazil during the 19th century. It arose through a process of syncretism between several of the traditional religions of West and Central Africa, especi ...
,
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
, and
spiritualism Spiritualism may refer to: * Spiritual church movement, a group of Spiritualist churches and denominations historically based in the African-American community * Spiritualism (beliefs), a metaphysical belief that the world is made up of at leas ...
, among others, are also practised. There is a community of
Amazonian Jews Amazonian Jews (; ; ; ) are the Jews of the Amazon basin, mainly descendants of Moroccan Jews who migrated to northern Brazil and Peru in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The migrants were attracted to the growing trade in the Amazon region, esp ...
in Manaus. The city's Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora da Conceição is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manaus. The city has a very diverse presence of Protestant or Reformed faiths, such as the
Presbyterian Church Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Christianity, Reformed Protestantism, Protestant tradition named for its form of ecclesiastical polity, church government by representative assemblies of Presbyterian polity#Elder, elders, known as ...
,
Calvary Chapel Calvary Chapel is an international association of charismatic evangelical churches, with origins in Pentecostalism. It maintains a number of radio stations around the world and operates many local Calvary Chapel Bible College programs. Beg ...
, For Christ International Church of Grace of God, Pentecostal Church of God in Brazil,
Methodist Church Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
, the Anglican Episcopal Church, the
Baptist Church Baptists are a denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers ( believer's baptism) and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of ...
, an Assembly of God Church, the
Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sa ...
, the
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG; ; , IURD) is an international Evangelical Neo-charismatic movement, Neo-charismatic Christian denomination with its headquarters at the Temple of Solomon (UCKG), Temple of Solomon in São Paulo, B ...
, and the
Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination that is an outgrowth of the Bible Student movement founded by Charles Taze Russell in the nineteenth century. The denomination is nontrinitarian, millenarian, and restorationist. Russell co-fou ...
among others. These churches are experiencing considerable growth, mainly in the outskirts of the city.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...
also has a large presence, with a LDS temple having been built in the city, the sixth in Brazil.


Districts and regions


Metropolitan region

The Metropolitan Region of Manaus (RMM) is a
metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...
that comprises eight
cities A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
of the Amazonas state, but without conurbation.


Regions

Manaus is divided into seven regions: North, Southern, Central-South, East, West, Mid-West, and Rural area. The eastern region of the city is the most populated, with approximately 600,000 inhabitants (2007). The northern region of the city has had the highest rate of population growth in recent years, and has the largest
neighborhood A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neigh ...
of the city, the Nova Cidade neighborhood. The Center-South region has the highest
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
. The Eastern Zone is known for having a large number of hills.


Neighborhoods

The first
neighborhood A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neigh ...
(bairro) established in Manaus was Educandos. From there, other areas of the city began to be occupied since the arrival of migrants from other regions of Brazil. Manaus has the largest neighborhood in Latin America, the neighborhood of Cidade Nova, which has 264,449 inhabitants, but it is estimated that the population exceeds 300,000 inhabitants. Cidade Nova is larger than all the
cities A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
inside the rest of Amazonas state. With the permanence and the strengthening of
Free Economic Zone of Manaus The Free Economic Zone of Manaus (, - ZFM) is a free economic zone in the city of Manaus, the capital of the State of Amazonas, Northern Brazil. The initial idea, a free trade port in Manaus, came from Deputy Francisco Pereira da Silva and was s ...
, the city began to receive investments and constant migration of people from many parts of the state and
northern Brazil The North Region of Brazil ( ) is the largest region of Brazil, accounting for 45.27% of the national territory. It has the second-lowest population of any region in the country, and accounts for a minor percentage of the national GDP. The regio ...
. The wealthiest neighborhood in Manaus is Adrianópolis, located in the Central-South Area of the city. Downtown Manaus is located in the Southern area of the city, next to Rio Negro River. After years of development, the historical center has been neglected by the authorities and it has become an area mostly for commerce and poor housing. There is a plan to restore the city centre to its former glory by removing beggars and irregular sellers from sidewalks and by doing that provide more safety for tourists and locals who are trying to walk in the historical areas of the city. All these plans were prompted by the 2014 World Cup.


Economy

Manaus is the sixth-largest economy in Brazil. According to
IBGE The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (; IBGE) is the agency responsible for official collection of statistical, geographic, cartographic, geodetic and environmental information in Brazil. IBGE performs a decennial national cen ...
in 2014, its GDP was R$67,5 billion. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was R$33,446. Although the main industry of Manaus through much of the 20th century was
rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Types of polyisoprene ...
, its importance has declined. Given its location, fish, wild fruits like Açaí and Cupuaçu, and Brazil nuts initiate important trades, as do petroleum refining, soap manufacturing, and chemical industries. Over the last decades, a system of federal investments and tax incentives has turned the surrounding region into a major industrial center (the Free Economic Zone of Manaus). The mobile phone companies LG,
Nokia Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational corporation, multinational telecommunications industry, telecommunications, technology company, information technology, and consumer electronics corporation, originally established as a pulp mill in 1 ...
,
Samsung Samsung Group (; stylised as SΛMSUNG) is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational manufacturing Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in the Samsung Town office complex in Seoul. The group consists of numerous a ...
,
Siemens Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational technology conglomerate. It is focused on industrial automation, building automation, rail transport and health technology. Siemens is the largest engineering company in Europe, and holds the positi ...
, Sagem, Gradiente, and
BenQ-Siemens BenQ Mobile GmbH & Co. OHG was the mobile communications subsidiary of Taiwanese BenQ Corporation, selling products under the BenQ-Siemens brand. The group, based in Munich, Germany, was formed out of BenQ's acquisition of the then strugglin ...
operate mobile phone manufacturing plants in Manaus. Plastic lens manufacturer
Essilor Essilor International is a French multinational corporation specialized in the design, manufacture and sale of ophthalmic lenses, optical equipment and instruments. It is the world's largest manufacturer of ophthalmic lenses. Founded in 197 ...
also has a plant here. The Brazilian
sport utility vehicle A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive. There is no commonly agreed-upon definitio ...
manufacturer Amazon Veiculos is headquartered in Manaus. Two airlines, MAP Linhas Aéreas and Manaus Aerotáxi, have headquarters on the grounds of
Eduardo Gomes International Airport Manaus–Eduardo Gomes International Airport is an international airport serving Manaus, Brazil. On 11 December 1973, while still under construction, the name of the facility was changed from ''Supersonic Airport of Manaus'' (owing to its desig ...
in Manaus.


Free Trade Zone

The initial idea of a Free Trade Port in Manaus came from Deputy Francisco Pereira da Silva and was subsequently formalized by Law No. 3.173 on June 6, 1957. The project was approved by the National Congress on October 23, 1951, under No. 1.310 and regulated by Decree No. 47.757 on February 2, 1960. It was then amended by rapporteur Maurício Jopper, an engineer, who by agreement with the original author, justified the creation of a Free Trade Zone instead of a Free Trade Port. For the first ten years, the ZFM (Manaus Free Trade Zone) was located in a warehouse rented from Manaus Harbour, in the Port of Manaus, and relied on federal funds. It was perhaps due to this lack of its own resources that there was little credibility in the project. On February 28, 1967, President Castelo Branco signed Decree-Law No. 288, which redefined the Manaus Free Trade Zone in more concrete terms. The new Decree-Law stipulated that the Manaus Free Trade Zone would have a radius of with an industrial center as well as an agricultural center and that these would be given the economic means to allow for regional development in order to lift the Amazon out of the economic isolation that it had fallen into at that time. On August 28, 1967, the Manaus Free Trade Zone Authority, SUBFRAME, was created. SUBFRAME is an independent body with its own legal status and assets and has financial and administrative autonomy. Tax incentives and the subsequent complementary legislation created comparative advantages in the region with respect to other parts of the country and as a result the Manaus Free Trade Zone attracted new investment to the area. These incentives constituted tax exemptions administered federally by SUBFRAME and SUDAM.


Government and politics

There is a prison, Anisio Jobim Penitentiary Complex.


Education, science and technology

Manaus has research centers, technology and public and private universities. *
Federal University of Amazonas The Federal University of Amazonas (, UFAM) is a public university A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is State ownership, owned by the state or receives significant funding from a governm ...
—''Universidade Federal do Amazonas''; * University of the State of Amazonas—''Universidade do Estado do Amazonas''; * National Institute of Amazonian Research—''Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia'';
Sidia Institute of Science and Technology
''Sidia Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia''; * Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology—''Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Amazonas''; * Centro Universitário do Norte—UNINORTE; * Lutheran University of Brazil—''Universidade Luterana do Brasil''; * ''Centro de Educação Integrada Martha Falcão''; * Unilasalle—''Faculdade La Salle''; * ''Universidade Nilton Lins''; * ''Centro Universitário de Educação Superior do Amazonas''—CIESA; * ''Escola Superior Batista do Amazonas''; * ''Faculdade Boas Novas''; * ''Faculdade Metropolitana de Manaus''; * ''Universidade Paulista''.


Transportation


Airports

Eduardo Gomes International Airport Manaus–Eduardo Gomes International Airport is an international airport serving Manaus, Brazil. On 11 December 1973, while still under construction, the name of the facility was changed from ''Supersonic Airport of Manaus'' (owing to its desig ...
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 In transportation, cargo refers to goods transported by land, water or air, while freight refers to its conveyance. In economics, freight refers to goods transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. The term cargo is also used in cas ...
terminals. Eduardo Gomes International Airport is Brazil's third largest in freight movement, handling the import and export demand from the Manaus Industrial Complex. For this reason, Infraero invested in the construction of the third cargo terminal, opened on December 14, 2004. TAM Airlines also inaugurated its own cargo terminal near the airport in 2008, which claims to be the largest cargo terminal in Brazil. The country's major dedicated freight route is between Manaus and Viracopos International Airport, which is operated by wide-body jets. Other freight routes include North America and Europe. The passenger terminal had been fully refurbished and expanded in time for the 2014 FIFA Football World Cup, which held 4 games in Manaus. The airport currently operates daily international flights to
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
and
Orlando Orlando commonly refers to: * Orlando, Florida, a city in the United States Orlando may also refer to: People * Orlando (given name), a masculine name, includes a list of people with the name * Orlando (surname), includes a list of people wit ...
, United States, by
American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...
and LATAM Airlines Brasil; to the city of Panama, by
Copa Airlines Compañía Panameña de Aviación, S.A., branded as Copa Airlines, is the flag carrier of Panama. It is headquartered in Panama City, Panama, with its main hub at Tocumen International Airport. Copa is a subsidiary of Copa Holdings and a member o ...
; and to
Barcelona, Venezuela Barcelona is the capital of Anzoátegui State, Venezuela, and was founded in 1671. Together with Puerto La Cruz, Lecheria and Guanta, Barcelona forms one of the most important urban areas of Venezuela, with a population of approximately 950,000 ...
, by Avior Airlines. The airport has direct flights to all major airports in Brazil, operated by the three major carriers: Gol Transportes Aéreos, TAM Airlines, and Azul Brazilian Airlines. The airport's
IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) is an airline trade association founded in 1945. IATA has been described as a cartel since, in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tariff conferences tha ...
code is MAO. Manaus Air Force Base - ALA8, one of the most important bases of the
Brazilian Air Force The Brazilian Air Force (, FAB) is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Brazilian Brazilian Army Aviation (1919–1941), Army and Brazilian Naval Aviation, Nav ...
, is located in Manaus at the former Ponta Pelada Airport. Apart from the Eduardo Gomes International Airport and Ponta Pelada Airport, Manaus is also served by Flores Airport, used by small propeller aircraft and helicopters about north of the city centre, simply known as the "Aeroclube" (). On Sundays, it is used for parachuting and where flying classes can be hired. Due to the fact that it is surrounded by residential areas, and has a recent history of crashes, it is under constant pressure to be moved.


Highways

There are two federal highways that intersect Manaus. There is a paved road heading North (BR-174) connecting Manaus to Boa Vista, the capital of the State of
Roraima Roraima ( ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil. Located in the country's North Region, it is the northernmost and most geographically and logistically isolated state in Brazil. It is bordered by the state of Pará to the southeast, Amazonas t ...
and to Venezuela. Strictly speaking, Manaus is connected by road to the rest of Brazil, as it is possible to drive continuously from Manaus into Venezuela, and then reenter Brazil through the
BR-364 BR-364 is an inter-state highway in Brazil connecting the southeast state of São Paulo (state), São Paulo to the western state of Acre (state), Acre. The highway was opened in the 1960s and paved in the 1980s. It has brought economic development ...
in
Acre The acre ( ) is a Unit of measurement, unit of land area used in the Imperial units, British imperial and the United States customary units#Area, United States customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one Chain (unit), ch ...
and its capital, Rio Branco, therefore passing through the countries of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. As such a route is impractical for most motorists, the vast majority of transportation to and from Manaus is by boat or plane, except for journeys to
Roraima Roraima ( ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil. Located in the country's North Region, it is the northernmost and most geographically and logistically isolated state in Brazil. It is bordered by the state of Pará to the southeast, Amazonas t ...
. ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' noted that "there are still no roads to Manaus" from the rest of the country. The
BR-319 BR-319 is an federal highway that links Manaus, Amazonas to Porto Velho, Rondônia. The highway runs through a pristine part of the Amazon rainforest. It was opened by the military government in 1973 but soon deteriorated, and by 1988 was imp ...
heads South connecting Manaus to
Porto Velho Porto Velho (, ''Old Port'') is the capital (political), capital of the Brazilian States of Brazil, state of Rondônia, in the upper Amazon River basin. The population is 460,434 people (as of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, ...
, the state capital of
Rondônia Rondônia () is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the northern subdivision of the country (central-western part). It is bordered by Acre (state), Acre in the west, Amazonas, Brazil, Amazonas in the north, Mato Grosso in the east, and Bo ...
. However, access to this highway requires a ferry crossing to
Careiro Careiro is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Its population was 38,348 (2020) and its area is 6,092 km2.IBGE The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (; IBGE) is the agency responsible for official co ...
, across the Rio Negro and Amazon River, which takes about 40 minutes, and then is only paved for about another to Castanho. After that, the highway is not paved, and cannot be used. Various governments have promised to recover this land-link with the rest of the country, but environmental issues, high costs and complicated logistics have impeded any progress so far. The two major state highways are the AM-010 and the AM-070. The AM-010 heads east, to
Itacoatiara, Amazonas Itacoatiara is a municipality in the central eastern portion of state of Amazonas, inland northern Brazil. Its population was 102,701 (2020) and its area is 8,600 km2.Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) - The town i ...
at the banks of the Amazon River, which is the third largest city of the state. The AM-070 heads south, starting on the other side of the new
Rio Negro Bridge The Journalist Phelippe Daou Bridge () is the fourth longest bridge in Brazil at long, with a cable-stayed bridge section of , over the Rio Negro that links the city of Manaus with the small town of Iranduba in the state of Amazonas in Brazi ...
at Manaus, and reaching
Manacapuru Manacapuru (''Munychapur'') is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Manacapuru is the third most populous city in the state. Its Human Development Index (HDI) in 2010 was 0.614, and its GDP per capita in 2021 was $2,717.89 ...
, which lies at the banks of the Solimoes River, also known as the upper River Amazon, and which is the fourth largest city of the state. Both roads are paved and operate all year round.


Port

Ships dock at the main port in Manaus directly downtown on the banks of the Negro River. The terraced city is home to a network of bridged channels that divide it into several compartments. Several
mobile phone A mobile phone or cell phone is a portable telephone that allows users to make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while moving within a designated telephone service area, unlike fixed-location phones ( landline phones). This rad ...
companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether natural, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specifi ...
have manufacturing plants in the port area, and other major
electronics Electronics is a scientific and engineering discipline that studies and applies the principles of physics to design, create, and operate devices that manipulate electrons and other Electric charge, electrically charged particles. It is a subfield ...
manufacture Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of the secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to a r ...
rs also have plants there. Major exports going through the port include Brazil nuts,
chemical A chemical substance is a unique form of matter with constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Chemical substances may take the form of a single element or chemical compounds. If two or more chemical substances can be combin ...
s,
petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring un ...
, electrical equipment, and forest products.


Taxis

Regular Manaus taxis are white and can be stopped anywhere. They are organized into separate cooperatives, each with their own contact phone numbers. All taxis are metered, which does not necessarily mean the meter will be used. The 'special' taxi cars are typically black and of a higher quality than the white taxis, and will charge a fixed rate for all journeys or daily hire. Most can only be booked locally; however, the reputable Brazil Airport Transfers has recently started providing airport transfer and general transportation services in Manaus.


Bus

The bus system in Manaus is quite extensive and there are buses and vans that go to most destinations, including the popular tourist destinations. There is a very simpl
bus website
that permits the planning of routes.


Events and holidays

The annual calendar of
festival A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...
s in Manaus starts in late February / early March. The Manaus
carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...
(carnaval) celebrations are a good start to upcoming events and include traditional processions and samba dancing at the Sambódromo in the Centro de Convenções (Convention Centre). May is a popular time to pay a visit to Manaus, since the city hosts both the Ponta Negra Music and the Amazonas de Opera festivals during this month. Staged at the Teatro Amazonas, the Opera Festival lasts around three weeks and usually runs into early June. The Floclorico do Amazonas (Amazonas Folklore Festival) is in June, and this has grown to become a major event, involving a huge array of
folk dancing A folk dance is a dance that reflects the life of the people of a certain country or region. Not all ethnic dances are folk dances. For example, Ritual, ritual dances or dances of ritual origin are not considered to be folk dances. Ritual dances ...
and
music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...
, culminating in the Procissao Fluvial de São Pedro (St. Peter River Procession), when hundreds of riverboats sail along the Rio Negro, honouring the patron saint of fishermen. October 24 was the day in 1848 that Manaus legally became a city. This
anniversary An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded. Most countries celebrate national anniversaries, typically called national days. These could be the List of national independence days, date of independen ...
is always cause for a party, culminating in fireworks at the end of the day. In November is the week-long Amazonas Film Festival, with
film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
s and
documentaries A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". The American author and media analyst Bill ...
often emphasising
ecology Ecology () is the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their Natural environment, environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community (ecology), community, ecosystem, and biosphere lev ...
,
ethnology Ethnology (from the , meaning 'nation') is an academic field and discipline that compares and analyzes the characteristics of different peoples and the relationships between them (compare cultural, social, or sociocultural anthropology). Sci ...
and human relationships. * February—Amazonas Carnival—samba schools parade at the "sambódromo" in the Convention Center * May—Ponta Negra's Music Festival * May—Amazonas Opera Festival * June—Amazonas Folklore Festival * June 29—São Pedro Fluvial Procession * July—Amazonas Jazz Festival * September 5—Elevation of Amazonas to the category of Brazilian Province * October 24—Anniversary of Manaus * December 31—Ponta Negra's New Year's Eve Party


Sights and attractions

Because of Manaus' location within the
Amazon rainforest The Amazon rainforest, also called the Amazon jungle or Amazonia, is a Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, moist broadleaf tropical rainforest in the Amazon biome that covers most of the Amazon basin of South America. This basin ...
, it attracts a substantial number of Brazilian and foreign tourists, who come to see wildlife on land and in the rivers. It is also home to one of the most endangered primates in Brazil, the
pied tamarin The pied tamarin (''Saguinus bicolor''), sometimes referred to as the Brazilian bare-faced tamarin, is a critically endangered species of primate found in a restricted area of the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. It was named the mascot of Manaus, Ma ...
. 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 . Visitors can also explore riverbanks and "igarapes", swim and
canoe A canoe is a lightweight, narrow watercraft, water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles. In British English, the term ' ...
in placid lakes, simply walk in the lush
forest A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense ecological community, community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, ...
or stay at
hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...
s in the jungle. About 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
zoo A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility where animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes. The term ''zoological garden'' refers to zoology, ...
and orchid greenhouse as well as preserved woods and beach are open for public visits. The
Mercado Adolpho Lisboa The Mercado Adolpho Lisboa, also called ''Mercado Municipal'' or ''Mercadão (big market)'', is a marketplace located in Manaus, Brazil. It lies on the shore of the Rio Negro. The market was constructed between 1880 and 1883. The building was ba ...
, founded in 1882, is the city's oldest marketplace, trading in fruit, vegetables, and especially fish. It is 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 the
Federal University of Amazonas The Federal University of Amazonas (, UFAM) is a public university A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is State ownership, owned by the state or receives significant funding from a governm ...
, which was founded on January 17, 1909, and is the oldest federal university in Brazil. Manaus also has several Malls such as Manauara Shopping, Amazonas Shopping Center, Millennium Shopping, Shopping Ponta Negra, Studio 5 Festival Mall, Shopping Cidade Nova, Manaus Plaza Shopping, Shopping Sao José, and other small Shopping Areas. Most of these malls include large food courts and movie theaters.


Culture

The city's cultural calendar throughout the year includes 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.


Amazonas Opera House

The Amazonas Opera House, inaugurated in 1896, has 700 seats and was constructed with bricks brought from
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
, French
glass Glass is an amorphous (non-crystalline solid, non-crystalline) solid. Because it is often transparency and translucency, transparent and chemically inert, glass has found widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in window pane ...
, and Italian
marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...
. Several important
opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
and theater companies, as well as international
orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...
s, have already performed there. The theater is home to the Amazonas Philharmonic orchestra which regularly rehearses and performs there along with choirs, jazz bands, dance performances, and more.


Parks

Ponta Negra Cultural, Sport, and Leisure Park Ponta Negra beach, located from downtown Manaus, is one of the city's most important tourist attractions. It also has an
amphitheater An amphitheatre ( U.S. English: amphitheater) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ('), meaning "place for vie ...
with a capacity of 15.000 people. Adolpho Ducke Botanical Garden The Adolpho Ducke
Botanical Garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...
, inside a ecological reserve, holds a huge number of plant and animal species. Mindu Municipal Park It is located in an
urban area An urban area is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas originate through urbanization, and researchers categorize them as cities, towns, conurbations or suburbs. In urbani ...
, in the November 10 Park district. It was created in 1992 to be an area of ecological interest. It covers an area of of forest remaining from the Township, and is used for scientific, educational, cultural and tourist activities. It is one of the last
habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...
s for the
pied tamarin The pied tamarin (''Saguinus bicolor''), sometimes referred to as the Brazilian bare-faced tamarin, is a critically endangered species of primate found in a restricted area of the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. It was named the mascot of Manaus, Ma ...
, a species of
monkey Monkey is a common name that may refer to most mammals of the infraorder Simiiformes, also known as simians. Traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes. Thus monkeys, in that sense, co ...
that only inhabits the Manaus region and is considered to be at high risk of
extinction Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce and ...
. It is possible to walk through four distinct
ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by Organism, organisms in interaction with their Biophysical environment, environment. The Biotic material, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and en ...
s in the
park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...
: land covered by secondary growth, firm ground brush, sandbanks and degraded areas that were illegally cleared in 1989. It also has an
amphitheater An amphitheatre ( U.S. English: amphitheater) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ('), meaning "place for vie ...
for 600 people,
garden A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...
s planted with
medicinal Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...
and
aromatic herb An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing Volatility (chemistry), volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetherol ...
s, an orchid nursery, aerial trails, and signs aiming to develop environmental
education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...
programs.


Public swimming areas

The Tarumã, Tarumãzinho, and Cachoeira das Almas bayous (branches of rivers), located near the city, are leisure spots 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.


Meeting of Waters

The Meeting of Waters ( Portuguese: ''Encontro das Àguas'') is a natural phenomenon caused by the
confluence In geography, a confluence (also ''conflux'') occurs where two or more watercourses join to form a single channel (geography), channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main ...
of the Rio Negro's dark water and the Solimões River's muddy brown water that come together to form the Amazonas River. For or more, both rivers'
water Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...
s run side by side without mixing. The reason for this is not clear, although it is likely that the main factors are differences in the speed of the current, the volumes of water and the different densities of the two rivers. It is not thought that other differences between the two rivers (temperature and acidity) affect the mixing process significantly.Maguire, T. C., 2012. 'The Amazon Handbook' 2nd Ed., The Negro River flows approximately at , while the Solimões River flows at .


CIGS Zoo

The zoo is open to the public. It is managed by the
Brazilian Army The Brazilian Army (; EB) is the branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible, externally, for defending the country in eminently terrestrial operations and, internally, for guaranteeing law, order and the constitutional branches, subordina ...
and has approximately 300 species of animals from the Amazon
fauna Fauna (: faunae or faunas) is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding terms for plants and fungi are ''flora'' and '' funga'', respectively. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively ...
.


Beaches and waterfalls

For outings to beaches and parks situated near the city, it is often necessary to use
boat A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size or capacity, its shape, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically used on inland waterways s ...
s. 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
water Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...
s 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 from Manaus. This
beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from Rock (geology), rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle beach, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological s ...
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, from Manaus. It is accessed only by boat. The beach is shaped like a crescent moon and is surrounded by rare
vegetation Vegetation is an assemblage of plants and the ground cover they provide. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular Taxon, taxa, life forms, structure, Spatial ecology, spatial extent, or any other specific Botany, botanic ...
. Lion Waterfall is located on km 34 of the AM-010 highway (Manaus-Itacoatiara).


Sports


Football

The most successful club in Manaus is
Nacional Futebol Clube Nacional Futebol Clube, commonly referred to as Nacional, is a Brazilian professional club based in Manaus, Amazonas (Brazilian state), Amazonas founded on 13 January 1913. It competes in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série D, the fourth tier of Br ...
, founded on 13 January 1913. Formerly a participant of the highest division several times between 1970 and 1990, Nacional are 40-time state champions, which makes them the highest-ranked Amazonian football club in the CBF ranking, the national state championships record holder, and the state record holder for the most championship titles. The city has quite a few other clubs with distinguished histories such as Atlético Rio Negro Clube, also founded in 1913, but in November, who have won the state championship 17 times. National Fast Club, founded after a split from Nacional Clube, have won six state championships, in addition to being Northern Region champions and Northeastern Championship runners-up in 1970. São Raimundo EC, founded on November 18, 1918. They have won the state championship six times and the North Cup 3 times. Sul América Esporte Clube, founded on 1 of May, 1932. They have won the state championship twice in 1992 and 1993. Finally, Atlético Clipper Clube who have twice finished as runners-up in the state championship in 1996 and 2002. Manaus Futebol Clube, founded in 2013, competes in the
Campeonato Brasileiro Série C The Campeonato Brasileiro Série C, commonly known as the Série C or the Brazilian Série C to distinguish it from the Italian Serie C, is the third tier of the Brazilian football league system. Unlike the first and second divisions, the Sér ...
.


2014 FIFA World Cup

Manaus was chosen in 2009 to be a host city for the
2014 FIFA World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
, after a competition to represent the North Region of Brazil with neighboring
Pará Pará () is a Federative units of Brazil, state of Brazil, located in northern Brazil and traversed by the lower Amazon River. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins (state), Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas (Brazilian st ...
state capital,
Belém Belém (; Portuguese for Bethlehem; initially called Nossa Senhora de Belém do Grão-Pará, in English Our Lady of Bethlehem of Great Pará), often called Belém of Pará, is the capital and largest city of the state of Pará in the north of B ...
. Manaus was restructured in order to host such a big event. A new airport was built, streets throughout the city were repaved and new and improved sidewalks were built. The communications infrastructure of the city was improved with 4G networks installed by the biggest mobile phone carriers in Brazil. The
Vivaldão Estádio Vivaldo Lima, usually known by its nickname Vivaldão, was a multi-purpose stadium in Manaus, Brazil. It was formerly used mostly for association football, football matches. The stadium held 36,000, with 31,000 seats. It was built betwe ...
, previously the largest stadium in Manaus, was inaugurated in 1970 by the Brazilian national team in their last game in the country before they headed to their victorious 1970 World Cup in Mexico. It was demolished to be replaced by the 44,000-seater Arena Amazônia for the 2014 World Cup. The first 2014 World Cup match held in Manaus was England vs Italy on June 14. The second match was Cameroon vs Croatia on June 18, to be followed by USA vs Portugal on June 22. The last was Honduras vs Switzerland on June 25. Manaus, known for its intense heat and humidity, was the site of the World Cup's first-ever official water break on June 22 in the match between Portugal and the United States.


Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Manaus is the origin of several world-champion Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts, mixed martial artists and submission grapplers. Champions such as Fredson Paixão, Wallid Ismail, Saulo Ribeiro, Cristiane De Souza, Alexandre Ribeiro,
Ronaldo Souza Ronaldo Souza dos Santos (born 7 December 1979), nicknamed " Jacaré" (), is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist, submission grappler and 4th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. Souza was a multiple time BJJ World ch ...
, Diogo Reis, Micael Galvão, Fabricio Andrey, and Bibiano Fernandes hail from Manaus. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a major component of MMA (
mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...
). José Aldo (born September 9, 1986) is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a notable UFC fighter. Aldo defeated Mike Brown at
WEC 44 WEC may stand for: Organizations * Westinghouse Electric Company, a multinational company supplying nuclear services, fuel, and power plants * Wisconsin Elections Commission, an agency that enforces election laws in Wisconsin * Wisconsin Energy ...
to win the title and has since successfully defended his WEC title against
Urijah Faber Urijah Christopher Faber ( ; born May 14, 1979) is an American former mixed martial artist and actor. He competed in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is the founder of Team Alpha Male ...
& Manvel Gamburyan. He later became the UFC Featherweight champion, with title defenses against such notable fighters as Mark Hominick and Kenny Florian.


Consular representations

The following countries have consular representations in Manaus: *
Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
(Consulate) *
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
(Consulate-General) *
Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
(Consulate-General)


International relations


Twin towns – sister cities

Manaus is twinned with:


Notable people

* José Aldo, UFC featherweight champion * Antônio Pizzonia,
Formula 1 Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
and Champion Car World Series driver * Daynara de Paula, swimmer * Fredson Paixão, 4× BJJ world champion, UFC & WEC Featherweight (MMA) *
Diego Brandão Diego Brandão (born 27 May 1987) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently competing in the Lightweight division. A professional since 2005, he formerly competed for the UFC, RIZIN, and Fight Nights Global. He was the winner of Spike TV ...
, Ultimate Fighter Season 14 featherweight winner * Vinicius Cantuária, bossa nova musician * Bibiano Fernandes, jiu-jitsu competitor * Marcelo Gomes, principal dancer with
American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant. Through 2019, it had an annual eight-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spr ...
* Sandro Viana, sprinter, Olympic medallist * Wallid Ismail, jiu-jitsu black belt, UFC competitor * Francisco Lima Govinho, football player *
Priscilla Meirelles Priscilla Meirelles de Almeida-Estrada (born 5 September 1983) is a Brazilian model, television host, actress, environmentalist and beauty queen. She won the Miss Earth 2004 pageant held in the Philippines, becoming the 4th Miss Earth. She a ...
, Miss Brazil Earth 2004, Miss Earth 2004 * Mister No, comic book character * Cristiano Moraes Oliveira, football player * Fábio Pereira de Oliveira, known as Fábio Bala, Brazilian football player * Jefferson Peres, politician * Eliana Printes, MPB singer and composer *
Larissa Ramos Larissa Ramos (born February 4, 1989) is a Brazilian model and beauty queen who won Miss Earth 2009. She was previously crowned Miss Terra Brasil 2009, becoming the second Brazilian to win the title. Miss Terra Brasil 2009 Representing the Stat ...
, Miss Brazil Earth 2009, Miss Earth 2009 * Raimar, footballer * Eduardo Piccinini, swimmer * Saulo Ribeiro, jiu-jitsu world champion *
Xande Ribeiro Alexandre "Xande" Ribeiro (born January 20, 1981) is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, mixed martial artist and submission wrestler. He is a two-time World Black Belt Absolute (open weight) World Jiu-Jitsu Champion, five-time World Black Bel ...
, jiu-jitsu world champion * Malvino Salvador, actor * Cláudio Santoro, conductor and composer of classical music *
Ronaldo Souza Ronaldo Souza dos Santos (born 7 December 1979), nicknamed " Jacaré" (), is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist, submission grappler and 4th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. Souza was a multiple time BJJ World ch ...
, jiu-jitsu world champion,
ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship The ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship is an international submission grappling competition, organised by the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC). ADCC is considered one of the most prestigious No-Gi submission grappling tournaments in the world ...
and UFC competitor


See also

* Benjamin Constant Bridge *
Provincial Palace The Provincial Palace (Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''Palacete Provincial'') is located in the Historic Center of Manaus, historic center of the city of Manaus, capital of the state of Amazonas (Brazilian state), Amazonas. It is a centenary bu ...


Explanatory notes


References


Citations


General bibliography


External links

* {{Authority control 1660s establishments in South America 1669 establishments in the Portuguese Empire Municipalities in Amazonas (Brazilian state) Populated places established in 1669 * Populated places on the Amazon Populated places on the Rio Negro (Amazon) Port cities in Brazil State capitals in Brazil