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Amazonas (Brazilian state)

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Amazonas is a massive state located in the north-western corner of Brazil.

Mapa do Estado do Amazonas
Mapa do Estado do Amazonas

It is the largest state in Brazil by total area. Globally, it ranks as the ninth-largest country subdivision. The state covers 1,570,745.7 square kilometers of land. This area is larger than the combined landmass of Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

1562 Diego Gutierrez Amazonas
1562 Diego Gutierrez Amazonas

It sits within the North Region of the country. The state borders several other Brazilian states, including Roraima, Pará, Mato Grosso, Rondônia, and Acre.

Beyond Brazil, Amazonas shares international borders with three different nations. It touches Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru. In Colombia, it meets the departments of Amazonas, Vaupés, and Guainía. In Peru, it borders the Loreto Region.

Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira
Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira

Most of this vast territory consists of tropical jungle. Because the dense forest makes land travel difficult, cities cluster along navigable waterways. Many areas are accessible only by boat or by plane. This makes the river systems the most important highways for the people living there.

The name of the state comes from the Amazon River.

Francisco de Orellana1
Francisco de Orellana1

In 1541, the Spanish explorer Francisco de Orellana traveled the river. He reported fighting a tribe of native women during his journey. He compared these warriors to the Amazons of Greek mythology. Because of this, he named the waterway Río de las Amazonas. This name eventually gave the entire region and the state its identity. The river remains the lifeblood of the entire territory.

The geography of the region has changed through massive geological shifts.

Anavilhanas2
Anavilhanas2

Fifteen million years ago, the Andes Mountains formed. This happened when the South American Plate collided with the Nazca Plate. This collision blocked the Amazon River, which originally flowed westward. The water created a vast inland sea and a massive freshwater lake. Over time, the water carved through sandstone to the west. About ten million years ago, the river began flowing eastward. This shift helped the birth of the modern Amazon rainforest.

Climate changes during the Ice Ages also shaped the forest. During these periods, sea levels dropped and the great lake drained. The forest sometimes retreated into patches of savanna and montane forest. This process separated different species into biological "islands." These isolated periods allowed for genetic differentiation among plants and animals. When the ice ages ended, the forests joined again. This resulted in the tremendous biological diversity seen in the region today. Some species, like certain stingrays, still show links to ancient marine ancestors.

Human history in Amazonas involves many different groups and complex borders.

Barcelos Amazonas
Barcelos Amazonas

Before Europeans arrived, seminomadic peoples lived there using fishing and hunting. In the sixteenth century, approximately two thousand Indian tribes inhabited the region. By the end of the twentieth century, this number fell to about two hundred tribes. Some uncontacted tribes still live in the region today. The territory was once part of the Spanish Empire's Viceroyalty of Peru. Later, Portuguese settlers moved northwest to claim the land. The Treaty of Madrid in 1750 helped define these colonial boundaries.

The state is divided into 62 different municipalities.

Vista Parcial de Manaus
Vista Parcial de Manaus

The capital and largest city is Manaus. It is a modern city with about 2.1 million inhabitants. Manaus sits in the middle of the jungle on the Amazon River. It is located 1,500 km upstream from the Atlantic Ocean. Nearly half of the state's total population lives in this single city.

Encontro das Águas - Manaus
Encontro das Águas - Manaus

Other significant cities like Parintins, Manacapuru, Itacoatiara, Tefé, and Coari also sit along the river. These urban centers are essential for trade and connection in the jungle.

Today, Amazonas is a vital part of Brazil's geography and ecology.

Teatro amazonas
Teatro amazonas

The state's history is a mix of colonial expansion and natural evolution. From the early Spanish expeditions to the rise of the Portuguese Empire, the land has been contested. The transition from a Spanish territory to a Brazilian state was a long process. It officially became a state under the First Brazilian Republic in 1889. The region continues to be a center of biological importance and cultural complexity.

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🖼️ Images & Media (19)
File:Bandeira do Amazonas.svg
Bandeira do Amazonas.svg
File:1562 Diego Gutierrez Amazonas.jpg
1562 Diego Gutierrez Amazonas.jpg
File:Francisco de Orellana1.JPG
Francisco de Orellana1.JPG
File:Barcelos Amazonas.jpg
Barcelos Amazonas.jpg
File:Photo allemã Manaos 1904-05.jpg
Photo allemã Manaos 1904-05.jpg
File:Estado do Amazonas 1906.jpg
Estado do Amazonas 1906.jpg
Praça 15 de novembro, Manaus (AM).tif
Mapa do Estado do Amazonas.tif
File:Amazonas Köppen.svg
Amazonas Köppen.svg
File:Global Forest Change tree-cover loss year in Amazonas, 2001-2024.png
Global Forest Change tree-cover loss year...
File:Vista Parcial de Manaus.jpg
Vista Parcial de Manaus.jpg
File:Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira.jpg
Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira.jpg

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