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Belém

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Belém is a large and busy city in northern Brazil.

Belém (PA)
Belém (PA)

It serves as the capital of the state of Pará. The city sits right on the Pará River. This river is part of the huge Amazon River system.

Vitregias02
Vitregias02

A large island called Ilha de Marajó sits nearby. It separates the river from the wider Amazon delta. Belém acts as a gateway to the Amazon. It has a busy port, an airport, and many bus stations.

Belém International Airport, 2018 (1)
Belém International Airport, 2018 (1)

The weather in Belém is very warm and wet. It has a tropical rainforest climate. This means it stays warm all year long. The average temperature stays around 26.5 degrees Celsius. It rains in every single month of the year. There is no true dry season, but some months are wetter. The wet season lasts from December through May.

Vegetação sobre o Açude Bolônia
Vegetação sobre o Açude Bolônia

Because of the rain, the area is filled with lush green plants. Many people call the city the "City of Mango Trees." This is because so many mango trees grow there.

Belém has a very long and interesting history. The Kingdom of Portugal founded the city in 1616.

Flag of Portugal
Flag of Portugal

A man named Francisco Caldeira Castelo Branco led the expedition. He built a wooden fort called "Presépio." This fort later became known as Forte do Castelo. The city was the first European colony in the Amazon. It did not become part of Brazil until 1775.

Parreiras-conquista
Parreiras-conquista

Over time, the city grew from a small fort into a major center. It has seen many changes in its economy.

Many different things have made the city important. In the past, people traded sugar and cattle there. Later, the city became a center for the rubber industry.

Belém (PA)
Belém (PA)

Today, Belém exports many useful items. These include metals like aluminium and iron ore. People also send out Brazil nuts, pineapples, and wood. The city is also a very large place to live. The metropolitan area has about 2,491,052 people.

Onibus articulados no terminal
Onibus articulados no terminal

It is the 12th most populous city in all of Brazil.

Life in Belém is full of color and tradition. One of the biggest events is the Círio de Nazaré. This happens every year in October.

Círio de Nazaré - Garnier Sampaio (15534517785)
Círio de Nazaré - Garnier Sampaio (15534517785)

Thousands of people join a long walk through the streets. They follow a statue of a saint in a huge procession.

Festas de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, Belém, Pará - Outubro de 2013 (56)
Festas de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, Belém, Pará - Outubro de 2013 (56)

The city also has many beautiful buildings. You can see old churches with blue tiles.

Belem-StoAlexandre1
Belem-StoAlexandre1

You can also see modern skyscrapers in the newer parts of town.

Catedral Metropolitana de Belém
Catedral Metropolitana de Belém
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🖼️ Images & Media (21)
File:Parreiras-conquista.jpg
Parreiras-conquista.jpg
Belém (PA).tif
Brasil Hoje n. 118 (1975) - Documentário...
File:Vitregias02.jpg
Vitregias02.jpg
File:Catedral_Metropolitana_de_Belém.jpg
Catedral_Metropolitana_de_Belém.jpg
File:Festas de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, Belém, Pará - Outubro de 2013 (56).jpg
Festas de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, Belém,...
File:Círio de Nazaré - Garnier Sampaio (15534517785).jpg
Círio de Nazaré - Garnier Sampaio...
File:Belem-StoAlexandre1.jpg
Belem-StoAlexandre1.jpg
File:Belem-TeatroPaz1.jpg
Belem-TeatroPaz1.jpg
File:Estádio Olímpico - Pará.jpg
Estádio Olímpico - Pará.jpg
File:Vegetação sobre o Açude Bolônia.jpg
Vegetação sobre o Açude Bolônia.jpg
File:Mercado Ver-o-Peso e Catedral (34743429846).jpg
Mercado Ver-o-Peso e Catedral (34743429846).jpg

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