Belém is a largest-city on the banks of the Amazon estuary, in the northern part of Brazil. It is the capital of the state of Pará. It is the entrance gate to the Amazon with a busy port, airport and bus/coach station. Belém lies about 100 km upriver from the Atlantic Ocean. The river is the Pará, part of the greater Amazon River system, separated from the larger part of the Amazon delta by Ilha de Marajó (Marajo Island). Founded in 1616 by the Portuguese, Belém was the first European colony on the Amazon but did not become part of Brazil until 1775. Its metropolitan area has approximately 2.09 million inhabitants. It is also known as Metropolis of the Brazilian Amazon region or Cidade das Mangueiras (city of mango trees) due to the number of those trees found in the city. 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. Belém is served by the Val de Cães International Airport (BEL) that connects the city to the rest of the country and other cities in South America. 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. The city is home to the Federal University of Pará. The city has a rich history and architecture from colonial times. Recently it witnessed a skyscraper boom. ( source Wikipedia )

• published: 30 Aug 2010
• views: 3599
• author: THEWORLDOFTRAVEL