Manaus

Click a letter for the index

Or search the encyclopaedia:

 

 

Go

 

Capital of Amazonas federal unit (state), northwest Brazil, on the Río Negro, 16 km/10 mi from its confluence with the River Solimó which forms the River Amazon; population (2000 est) 1,394,700. It is the industrial trading and commercial centre of the state, and its chief port, although 1,600 km/1,000 mi from the Atlantic. Hardwood timber, Brazil nuts, and rubber are the main exports, and there are sawmills and an oil refinery. Manaus is an important free-trade zone (established in 1966) that is a major producer of goods such as television sets, video recorders, and motorcycles, which it distributes nationwide.

Founded in 1660, Manaus became a centre of the rubber trade (1890–1920), and developed as a tourist centre in the 1970s, serving as a base for the Amazon region. The harbour has a floating dock designed to deal with the river's annual rise and fall of up to 14 m/46 ft. The Teatro Amazonas opera house, designed by Domenico de Angelis in Italian Renaissance style, took 17 years to build and was completed in 1896; after major refurbishment it was opened in 1990. Manaus is home to the University of Amazonas (1965).

The distinctive pattern in the hoist is designed to look like woven cloth. Effective date: 7 June 1995. >>