- This article is about Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. You may be looking for Portalegre, Alentejo, Portugal.
Porto Alegre, one of the largest cities in southern Brazil, is the capital of Rio Grande do Sul State. Population: 1,416,000 (2004). Metropolitan area: 3,500,000, the 4th largest of Brazil and about the 10th in South America.
The city is located at the conjunction of five rivers, among them the Guaíba Lake (popularly known as a river). Although its origins date from the mid-1700s, when immigrants from the Azores settled in the area, the city was officially established in 1809. City's geographical coordinates are 30°01′59″S 51°13′48″W / 30.03306°S 51.23000°W.
Before this, Porto Alegre was a port of Viamão in Guaíba Lake. Its ancient name was Porto dos Casais (Couples' Port), a reference about the famalies that run away from de conflicts near by Uruguay border. Many famalies came from Rio Grande, a military fortress on that time, and today the most important port of Rio Grande do Sul state.
There are more than 70 neighborhoods and 2/3 of the population is concentrated in the Zona Norte (Northern Zone). The same place has great part of the economic activity.
The climate is subtropical, with hot summer and cool winter and wet all year. The average temperatures on January is 24,5°C and on july 14,3°C, but its records are 40,7° in 1943 and -4,0° in 1918. Snowfall is very rare, been observed in the late os 19th century, 1910, 1984 and 2000. Thunderstorms are very common.
Porto Alegre is the major industrial center for southern Brazil, and a key city for Mercosul. It also is a center for gaúcho (the popular name for natives of the State) history and culture, famous for its churrasco (grilled meat) and chimarrão (a strong tea prepared from erva mate). Several important Brazilian universities, such as UFRGS and PUCRS are located there.
Since 1999, the largest conduction work ever, the Terceira Perimetral (Third Perimetral) has been done troughout de city. It has 12 km long, connecting the North and the South of the city.
Because of its strategical position (Porto Alegre is the southernmost metropolis in Brazil) the city is an important stopping point for travellers and international businessman in the south of South America, especially coutries of Mercosul.
Porto Alegre is also one of the wealthiest Latin-American cities and one of the most diverse. It has harbored immigrants from all over the world, the largest numbers coming from Portugal, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland. The Arabian, Jewish and Afro-Brazilian population is quite significant as well. As a result of its left-wing tendencies, it was the ___location of the World Social Forum for three years. Participation at each of these Forum has been estimated to be in excess of one hundred thousand people.
Worker´s Party had its first important victory in 1988 mayor election. On that time, Olívio Dutra was elected.
In recent years, Porto Alegre has become widely known for its innovative experiments in Participatory budgeting.
Its current mayor is José Fogaça, elected in 2004.
Famous people from Porto Alegre
- Ronaldinho (football player)
- Elis Regina
- Gisele Bündchen (born in Três de Maio, near Horizontina)
External links
