Alagoas (AL) is a small
stateThe Federative Republic of Brazil is a union of twenty-six estados and one district, the Distrito Federal which contains the capital city, Brasília....
in northeastern
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
lying between the states of
PernambucoPernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about 187 kilometers of beaches, some of the most...
and
SergipeSergipe , is the smallest state of the Brazilian Federation, located on the northeastern Atlantic coast of the country. It borders on two other states, Bahia in the south and west and Alagoas in the north, and in the east on the Atlantic Ocean...
; touching the state of
BahiaBahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast.It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
along a part of its southwestern border. The southern border of Alagoas is defined by the
Rio São FranciscoThe São Francisco is a river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil...
(São Francisco River). From the lagoons came the name of the state, which, in the 16th century, was invaded by
PortuguesePortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
and
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
searching for
pau-Brazil (a type of wood). The
DutchThe Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, aided by their skills in shipping and trade and the surge of nationalism accompanying the...
first arrived in the neighboring state of
PernambucoPernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about 187 kilometers of beaches, some of the most...
and ended up conquering the territory.
The capital,
MaceióMaceió is the capital and the largest city of the coastal state Alagoas, Brazil.The city is located between Mundaú Lake and the Atlantic Ocean. The city proper has a total population of 922,458 inhabitants living under a tropical climate with average temperature of 25°C .Around 1,180,000 people...
, which borders the
Rio MundaúThe Mundaú River is a river in northeastern Brazil. The Mundaú originates in the Borborema Plateau of Pernambuco state, and flows southeast through Pernambuco and Alagoas states to empty into the Mundaú Lagoon at Maceió, Alagoas' capital. Mundaú Lagoon is an estuary, connected to the Atlantic Ocean...
, is famous for its beaches and seafood and is Alagoas' most popular tourist attraction.
Geography
The state's name originates with the lakes along its coast near the city of Maceió. The coast is bordered by fringing reefs and many fine beaches. Behind the beaches, sometimes only hundreds of meters and defined by steep scarps, lies a stretch of green coastal hills having enough rainfall for considerable agriculture and scarce remnants of the
Mata AtlânticaThe Atlantic Forest is a region of tropical and subtropical moist forest, tropical dry forest, tropical savannas, and mangrove forests which extends along the Atlantic coast of Brazil from Rio Grande do Norte state in the north to Rio Grande do Sul state in the south, and inland as far as Paraguay...
(Atlantic Rain Forest) that now is largely limited to steep hill tops or steep valley sides and bottoms. This is the area long dominated by sugar cane.
Still further inland lies the Sertão of the Northeast region of the nation. The Sertão is a high dry region dominated by scrub that is often thorn filled and sometimes toxic, the
caatingaCaatinga is a type of vegetation, and an ecoregion characterized by this vegetation in the northeastern part of Brazil. The name "Caatinga" is a Tupi word meaning "white forest" or "white vegetation"...
. This area and its people is famed in legend and song. It is the land of the cowboy who is clad from head to toe (if he is lucky) with very thick leather to avoid the tearing vegetation.
History
During the first three centuries of its history, Alagoas was part of the captaincy of Pernambuco, only changing into an independent captaincy in 1817. As a reprisal against the Pernambucan Revolution, the King John VI of
PortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
ordered a vast portion of the Pernambucan territory to be taken from it, most including its southern portion, one part given to the captaincy of
BahiaBahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast.It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
, the other portion made independent and creating Alagoas as a new Brazilian captaincy.
Initially, in the first years of the 16th century, Alagoas settlement went on slowly, however helped by
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
ns turned into slaves whose work urged the local economy. In the period of the 16th and 17th centuries, French pirates invaded its territory attracted by the commerce of Brazil wood.
Some time later, Duarte Coelho, owner of the captaincy of Pernambuco, gave the control of the region back to the Portuguese, running the territory as part of his captaincy. He increased the number of sugar cane plantations and built some sugar mills, as well as founding the cities of
PenedoPenedo is a municipality in the state of Alagoas in Brazil. Its population was 59,968 and its area is 689 km².Founded in 1614, Penedo lies 173 km from the state capital of Maceió. Penedo has many important examples of Portuguese and Dutch colonial architectures, as well as beautiful landscapes...
and Alagoas – this last one originally baptized by Portuguese as Santa Maria Madalena da Alagoa do Sul (Saint Mary Magdalene of the Southern Lake), currently the historic heritage town of
Marechal DeodoroMarechal Deodoro is a municipality and an important tourist center of Alagoas, Brazil. Its population is 42,793 and its area is 334 km².- History :...
.
In 1570, a second expedition ordered by Duarte Coelho and led by Cristóvão Lins, explored the north of Alagoas and founded the settlement of
Porto CalvoPorto Calvo is a city and municipality in Alagoas, Brazil. Its population was 24,761 and its area is 260 km². It was founded in 1636....
and five sugar mills, which two of them still endure, Buenos Aires and Escurial.
In 1630, the territory was taken by the
DutchThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
, whose interest was to manage the commerce of
sugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline substances, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose. Human taste buds interpret its flavor as sweet. Sugar as a basic food carbohydrate primarily comes from sugar cane and from sugar beet, but also appears in fruit, honey, sorghum, sugar maple , and in many...
in most parts of the northeastern region of Brazil. As part of one of the wealthiest Brazilian captaincies, Alagoas prospered along with the sugar trade. They built
Fort Maurits in Penedo, on the river São Francisco. However, the Dutch colonizers abandoned the territory after being defeated in 1646.
Decades before Alagoas was formed in 1817, its sugar industry had 200 mills, and agriculture also involved
cottonCotton is a soft, staple fiber that grows in a form known as a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant, a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, India and Africa. The fiber most often is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft,...
,
tobaccoTobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as an organic pesticide, and in the form of nicotine tartrate it is used in some medicines. In consumption it most commonly appears in the forms of smoking, chewing, snuffing, or...
and
cornMaize , is a herbaceous plant domesticated in Mesoamerica and subsequently spread throughout the American continents...
plantations. With Brazilian independence from Portugal in 1822, Alagoas becomes a
provinceA province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Roman provinces:The word is attested in English since c.1330, deriving from Old French province , which comes from the Latin word provincia, which referred to the sphere of activity which a...
. In 1839, the capital of the province was changed definitively from the town of Alagoas to Maceio, mainly due to the increasing growth of the city because of its port.
Demographics
According to the
IBGEThe Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics or IBGE , is the agency responsible for statistical, geographic, cartographic, geodetic and environmental information in Brazil...
of 2007, there were 3,057,000 people residing in the state. The population density was 109.9 inh./km².
UrbanizationUrbanization is the physical growth of urban areas from rural areas as a result of population immigration to an existing urban area. Effects include change in density and administration services. While the exact definition and population size of urbanized areas varies amongdifferent countries,...
: 67.4% (2006);
Population growthPopulation growth is the change in population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals in a population using "per unit time" for measurement...
: 1.3% (1991-2000);
HouseA house is generally a shelter, building or structure that is a dwelling or place for habitation by human beings. The term includes many kinds of dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to high-rise apartment buildings...
s: 779,000 (2006).
The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 1,742,490
PardoIn Brazil, the Pardos are a mixture of Whites, Blacks and Amerindians, varying from light to dark complexion, as used by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics in censuses since 1950. The word is Portuguese for "brown" or "grey-brown"...
(Brown) people (57.0%), 1,069,950
WhiteWhite Brazilians make up 49.7% of Brazil's population, or around 93 million people, according to the IBGE's 2006 PNAD . Whites are present in the entire territory of Brazil, although the main concentrations are found in the South and Southeastern parts of the country...
people (35.0%), 235,000
BlackAfro-Brazilian, African-Brazilian or Black Brazilian, is the term used to racially categorize Brazilian citizens who self-reported to be of black or brown skin colors to the official IBGE census...
people (7.7%), 9,000
AsianAn Asian Brazilian is a Brazilian-born person of Asian ancestry. Brazil received many immigrants from Asia, both from Middle East and East Asia. The first Asian immigrants to arrive in Brazil were a small number of Chinese people during the colonial period...
or
AmerindianThe Indigenous peoples in Brazil comprise a large number of distinct ethnic groups who inhabited the country prior to the arrival of Europeans around 1500...
people (0.3%).
Interesting facts
Vehicles: 287,018 (March/2007);
Mobile phoneA mobile phone or mobile is a long-range, electronic device used for mobile telecommunications...
s: 1.4 million (April/2007);
TelephoneThe telephone is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sound, most commonly the human voice. It is one of the most common household appliances in the developed world, and has long been considered indispensable to business, industry and government...
s: 302 thousand (April/2007); Cities: 102 (2007).
Economy
The service sector is the largest component of GDP at 55.8%, followed by the industrial sector at 36.9%.
AgricultureAgriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and...
represents 7.3%, of GDP (2004). Alagoas exports:
sugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline substances, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose. Human taste buds interpret its flavor as sweet. Sugar as a basic food carbohydrate primarily comes from sugar cane and from sugar beet, but also appears in fruit, honey, sorghum, sugar maple , and in many...
58.8%,
alcoholIn chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. An important group of acohols is formed by the simple acyclic alcohols, the general formula for which is C
nH
2n+1OH...
29.4%, chemicals 9%,
tobaccoTobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as an organic pesticide, and in the form of nicotine tartrate it is used in some medicines. In consumption it most commonly appears in the forms of smoking, chewing, snuffing, or...
2.1% (2002).
Share of the Brazilian economy: 0.7% (2004).
The economy has been
agriculturalAgriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and...
, dependent largely on large sugar cane plantations with some
tobaccoTobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as an organic pesticide, and in the form of nicotine tartrate it is used in some medicines. In consumption it most commonly appears in the forms of smoking, chewing, snuffing, or...
farming that is concentrated around the city of Arapiraca. Sugar cane formed the basis for an
alcoholIn chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. An important group of acohols is formed by the simple acyclic alcohols, the general formula for which is C
nH
2n+1OH...
industry that is in decline. Small to medium sized tanker ships took alcohol onboard in Maceio's port with considerable frequency during the peak period. Such loads still take place with less frequency. Another local industry is based on chemical products from
brineBrine is water saturated or nearly saturated with a salt .It is used to preserve vegetables, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining . Brine is also commonly used to age Halloumi and Feta cheeses.Brine is a common fluid used in large refrigeration installations for the transport of heat from...
pumped from deep wells on the outskirts of Maceió.
In the last twenty years the
touristTourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty-four hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other...
industry has found the beaches and Maceió itself has changed from a rather sleepy little port with coconut palm plantations along its beaches to high rise hotels. The northern coast, particularly around the towns Maragogi and Japaratinga is beginning to see some of this development in the form of resorts attracting people from the south and from
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
. There is considerable European investment (as of 2007) in beach property north of Maceió with walled compounds of beach homes.
Education
PortuguesePortuguese is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia and northern Portugal. It is derived from the Latin spoken by the romanized Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula around 2000 years ago...
is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. But
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
and
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
are part of the official
high schoolHigh school is the name used in some parts of the world, particularly in Scotland, Northern America and Oceania, to describe an institution that provides all or part of secondary education...
curriculum.
Educational institutions
- Universidade Federal de Alagoas (UFAL) (Federal University of Alagoas);
- Universidade Estadual de Alagoas (Uneal) (State University of Alagoas);
- Universidade de Ciências da Saúde de Alagoas (Uncisal) (University of Sciences of the Health of Alagoas);
- Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Alagoas (Cefet-AL);
- Centro de Ensino Superior de Maceió (CESMAC) (Center of Higher Education of Maceió);
- Faculdade de Alagoas (FAL) (College of Alagoas);
- and many others.
Festa Junina (Saint John Festival)
Festa JuninaFesta Junina, typically termed São João as it is centered on that saint's day, is the name of annual Brazilian celebrations which take place in the beginning of the Brazilian winter, consequently during the European summer...
was introduced to Northeastern
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
by the
PortugueseThe Portuguese people are the ethnic group or nation native to the country of Portugal, in the far west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe...
for whom St John's day (also celebrated as
MidsummerMidsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place around the 24th of June and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between cultures...
Day in several
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
an countries), on the 24th of June, is one of the oldest and most popular celebrations of the year. Differently, of course, from what happens on the European
MidsummerMidsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place around the 24th of June and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between cultures...
Day, the festivities in Brazil do not take place during the summer solstice but during the tropical
winter solsticeWinter solstice may refer to:* Winter solstice, astronomical event* Winter Solstice , former band* Winter Solstice: North , seasonal songs* Winter Solstice , 2005 American film...
. The festivities traditionally begin after the 12th of June, on the eve of St Anthony's day, and last until the 29th, which is Saint Peter's day. During these fifteen days, there are bonfires,
fireworksA firework is a low explosive pyrotechnic device used primarily for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
, and folk dancing in the streets (step names are in French, which shows the mutual influences between court life and peasant culture in the 17th, 18th, and 19th-century Europe). Once exclusively a rural festivity, today, in Brazil, it is largely a city festival during which people joyfully and theatrically mimic peasant stereotypes and cliches in a spirit of joke and good time. Typical refreshments and dishes are served. It should be noted that, like during Carnival, these festivities involve costumes-wearing (in this case, peasant costumes), dancing and visual spectacles (fireworks display and folk dancing). Like what happens on
MidsummerMidsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place around the 24th of June and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between cultures...
and St John's Day in Europe, bonfires are a central part of these festivities in Brazil.
Carnival
The four-day period before Lent leading up to Ash Wednesday is
carnivalCarnival is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during January and February...
time in
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
. Rich and poor alike forget their cares as they party in the streets.
Warrior
This is a typical Alagoas revelry that resulted from the union of Reisado (an Epiphany celebration), Auto dos Caboclinhos (Caboclinhos’ Play), Chegança (public folk play depicting a naval battle) and Pastoril (outdoor folk play). Its captivating choreography and costumes with colored ribbons and beads reproduce the
cathedralA cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
’s façades on the
monumental-Other uses:* Monumental * Monumental Axis, a central avenue in Brasília's city design* Monumental brass* Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno* Monumental Church* Monumental Funk* Monumental Games* Monumental inscription* Monumental Possession...
hats covered with mirrors.
Fandango
This is a dramatic
danceDance is a sport and art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
motivated by the
seaA sea is any large amount of water filled with animals such as crabs, whales, sharks, and fish, but there is inconsistency as to its precise definition and application. Most commonly, a sea may refer to a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, but it is also used sometimes for a...
. It tells the sea adventures of the first navigators in its songs accompanied by
guitarThe guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that adapts readily to a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six strings, but four-, seven-, eight-, ten-, eleven-, twelve-, thirteen- and eighteen-string guitars also exist. The size and shape of the neck and the base of the guitar...
and ukulele.
Carnival Bull
Boi do Carnaval is a popular
cultureCulture is a term that has different meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
display derived from Bumba-Meu-Boi. It is always presented together with La Ursa (The
BearBears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
), Vaqueiro (
CowboyA cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century became a figure of special significance and legend. A subtype, called a wrangler,...
) and a percussion band whose rhythms captivate all who hear them.
International Airport
The “Terra dos Marechais” (as the state is nicknamed) gained a stunning new airport complex,
Zumbi dos Palmares International AirportZumbi dos Palmares International Airport is an international airport serving Maceió in Brazil. The airport has connections to several major airports in Brazil and international connections to Milan in Italy and Buenos Aires in Argentina....
, in
MaceióMaceió is the capital and the largest city of the coastal state Alagoas, Brazil.The city is located between Mundaú Lake and the Atlantic Ocean. The city proper has a total population of 922,458 inhabitants living under a tropical climate with average temperature of 25°C .Around 1,180,000 people...
Metropolitan Area, designed by homegrown architect Mário Aloísio, which combines
glassIn general Glass refers to a solid, brittle, transparent material, commonly used for windows, bottles, or eyewear. Examples of glassy materials include, but are not limited to, soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass, acrylic glass, sugar glass, Muscovy-glass, or aluminium oxynitride. The term glass...
,
metalA metal is a chemical element that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat, forms cations and ionic bonds with non-metals. In chemistry, a metal is an element, compound, or alloy characterized by high electrical conductivity. In a metal, atoms readily lose electrons to form positive ions...
and
graniteGranite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite has a medium to coarse texture, occasionally with some individual crystals larger than the groundmass forming a rock known as porphyry. Granites can be pink to dark gray or even black, depending on their...
in a design that is as functional as it is beautiful. There is space for art exhibitions, a panoramic deck,
chapelA chapel is a building used as a place for fellowship and of worship for Christians. It may be attached to an institution such as a large church, a college, a hospital, a palace, a prison or a cemetery, or may be an entirely free-standing building, sometimes with its own grounds...
, seven
escalatorAn escalator is a moving staircase conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.Escalators are used around the world...
s, nine
elevatorAn elevator or lift is a vertical transport vehicle that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building...
s and four boarding bridges. And the whole terminal was designed to permit access by the physically disabled, with ramps and special bathroom fixtures.
In the new terminal,
InfraeroEmpresa Brasileira de Infraestrutura Aeroportuária, Infraero in short, is a Brazilian government corporation created in 1970 and responsible for administering the main Brazilian commercial airports. In 2003, Infraero's airports carried approximately 250 million passengers. Infraero is a very...
also brings to Maceió “Aeroshopping” – a concept that is transforming the country’s airports into centers for leisure and high-quality products and services. The entire
buildingIn architecture, construction, engineering and real estate development the word building may refer to one of the following:# Any man-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy, or...
has a computerized
air conditioningAn air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area, or provide heat to an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
, with commercial spaces that will be occupied gradually. The parking area was more than tripled. Demand will be able to grow to 1.2 million passengers a year since the new passenger terminal has 24,000 square meters, the triple of its former size. The check-in counters were doubled and can reach higher numbers without any structural remodeling.
The building is “intelligent”, meaning controlled by a computerized system that regulates factors ranging from the lighting level to air temperature and even the speed of the escalators. This system also controls access to restricted areas and the fire protection system, among others.
Port
The
Port||-||-||-||-||-||-||-||-|}A port is a facility for receiving ships and/or transferring cargo. It is usually found at the edge of an ocean, sea, river, or lake. The best ports have deep water in channels or berths, and protection from the wind and waves...
of Jaraguá is located in Maceió. The commercial and economic development of the Port of Jaraguá, on the margins of the Mundaú lagoon, was responsible for the emergence of an important settlement that received the name of Maceió and later became the present capital of Alagoas. The Port of Jaraguá is situated in a natural port area that facilitates the ships docking. During the
Brazilian colonial periodIn the History of Brazil, Colonial Brazil comprises the period from 1500, with the arrival of the Portuguese, until 1815, when Brazil was elevated to United Kingdom with Portugal....
, the most important products exported through the port were sugar, smoke, coconut and spices.
Sports
Alagoas provides visitors and residents with various sport activities. There are several soccer clubs based in
MaceióMaceió is the capital and the largest city of the coastal state Alagoas, Brazil.The city is located between Mundaú Lake and the Atlantic Ocean. The city proper has a total population of 922,458 inhabitants living under a tropical climate with average temperature of 25°C .Around 1,180,000 people...
, such as ASA de Arapiraca,
CRBClube de Regatas Brasil, or CRB as it is usually called, is a Brazilian football team from Maceió in Alagoas.Founded on September 20, 1912, its greatest rival is Centro Sportivo Alagoano, and it plays in red shirts, shorts and socks.-History:...
,
CSACentro Sportivo Alagoano, or CSA , as they are usually called, is a Brazilian football team from Maceió in Alagoas, founded on September 7, 1913....
and Corithians Alagoano.
MaceióMaceió is the capital and the largest city of the coastal state Alagoas, Brazil.The city is located between Mundaú Lake and the Atlantic Ocean. The city proper has a total population of 922,458 inhabitants living under a tropical climate with average temperature of 25°C .Around 1,180,000 people...
was one of the 18 candidates to host games of the
2014 FIFA World CupThe 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th World Cup, an international tournament for football, that is expected to take place between June and July 2014 in Brazil....
, for which
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
is the selected host, but it did not make the final cut. Nevertheless it was not selected in that selection.
Major cities
- Arapiraca
Arapiraca is a municipality located in the center of the Brazilian state of Alagoas. It was founded in 1924 and it is 135,6 km far from the state capital Maceió. Its population is 208,447 and its area is 351 km²...
- Coruripe
Coruripe is a municipality located in the southern coast of the Brazilian state of Alagoas. Its population is 44,272 and its area is 913 km². It is situated at the edge of Coruripe river....
- Maceió
Maceió is the capital and the largest city of the coastal state Alagoas, Brazil.The city is located between Mundaú Lake and the Atlantic Ocean. The city proper has a total population of 922,458 inhabitants living under a tropical climate with average temperature of 25°C .Around 1,180,000 people...
- Maragogi
Maragogi is a municipality of the Brazilian state of Alagoas in the 125 km north of Maceió capital city. Has 25,726 inhabitants, a city situated on the northern coast of Alagoas state, Brazil, being the easternmost city of that state....
- Marechal Deodoro
Marechal Deodoro is a municipality and an important tourist center of Alagoas, Brazil. Its population is 42,793 and its area is 334 km².- History :...
(H)
- Palmeira dos Indios
Palmeira dos Índios is a municipality located in the western of the Brazilian state of Alagoas. Its population is 69,466 and its area is 461 km²....
- Penedo
Penedo is a municipality in the state of Alagoas in Brazil. Its population was 59,968 and its area is 689 km².Founded in 1614, Penedo lies 173 km from the state capital of Maceió. Penedo has many important examples of Portuguese and Dutch colonial architectures, as well as beautiful landscapes...
(H)
- Piranhas
Piranhas is a historic city and municipality in the western of the State of Alagoas, in the Northeast Region of Brazil. Located on the bank of the São Francisco River, just at the border with the State of Sergipe, Piranhas was founded in 1891 and originally named Floriano Peixoto...
(H)
- Porto Calvo
Porto Calvo is a city and municipality in Alagoas, Brazil. Its population was 24,761 and its area is 260 km². It was founded in 1636....
- Porto de Pedras
Porto de Pedras is a municipality located in the northern coast of the Brazilian state of Alagoas. Its population was 10,628 and its area is 266 km²....
(H)
- São Miguel dos Campos
São Miguel dos Campos is a municipality located in the western of the Brazilian state of Alagoas. Its population was 43,338 and its area is 361 km²....
- Santana do Ipanema
Santana do Ipanema is a city and a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Alagoas. It is situated at the edge of Ipanema river.Its population was 44,866 and its area is 438 km². It was founded in 1875....
- União dos Palmares
União dos Palmares is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Alagoas. Its population was 59,369 and its area is 428 km².- History :...
- Viçosa
Viçosa is a Brazilian town and municipality in Alagoas state. Located inland on the zone of a former portion of the Atlantic Rain Forest, it is 86 km away from the state capital Maceio. Its population was 27,950 and its area is 354,76 km²....
Notable people
- Aurélio Buarque de Holanda Ferreira
Aurélio Buarque de Holanda Ferreira was a Brazilian lexicographer, philologist, translator, and writer, best known for editing the Novo Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa, a major dictionary of the Portuguese language....
- Lexicographer, philologist, translator, and writer
- Renan Calheiros
Renan Calheiros is a Brazilian politician and former President of the Senate of Brazil. He represents the state of Alagoas in the senate for the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party party....
- PMDB politician and president of the Senate of BrazilThe Federal Senate of Brazil is the upper house of the National Congress of Brazil. Created by the first Constitution of the Brazilian Empire in 1824, it was inspired in United Kingdom's House of Lords, but with the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889 it became closer to the United States...
- Deodoro da Fonseca
Marshal Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca became the first president of the Republic of Brazil after heading a military coup that deposed Emperor Pedro II.- Biography :...
- First president of BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
- Djavan
Djavan is a Brazilian singer/songwriter, Djavan combines traditional Brazilian rhythms with popular music drawn from the Americas, Europe and Africa. He can arguably be categorized in any of the following musical genres: Música Popular Brasileira , samba, or Latin dance...
- Singer/songwriter
- Hermeto Pascoal
Hermeto Pascoal is a Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in Arapiraca, area of Alagoas, Brazil . Pascoal is a greatly beloved musical figure in the history of the music of Brazil, known for his abilities at orchestration and improvisation as well as a record producer and...
- Composer and multi-instrumentalist
- Graciliano Ramos
Graciliano Ramos was widely considered one of the most important Brazilian authors of the 20th century. He was a seminal voice in the literary "regionalism" movement.As a child Ramos lived in many cities of Northeastern Brazil, stricken by poverty and severe weather conditions...
- Author
- Marta Vieira da Silva - Women's football striker
Flag
The coat of arms symbolizes the first Alagoan settlements,
Porto CalvoPorto Calvo is a city and municipality in Alagoas, Brazil. Its population was 24,761 and its area is 260 km². It was founded in 1636....
and
PenedoPenedo is a municipality in the state of Alagoas in Brazil. Its population was 59,968 and its area is 689 km².Founded in 1614, Penedo lies 173 km from the state capital of Maceió. Penedo has many important examples of Portuguese and Dutch colonial architectures, as well as beautiful landscapes...
. Some
plantationA plantation is a large farm or estate, usually in a tropical or subtropical country, where crops are grown for sale in distant markets, rather than for local consumption. The term plantation is informal and not precisely defined....
s, sugar cane and
cottonCotton is a soft, staple fiber that grows in a form known as a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant, a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, India and Africa. The fiber most often is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft,...
, that stood out as the foremost wealth in the past are incorporated in the design. The colors in each stripe, red, white and blue, that bring to mind the French flag, symbolize exactly the motto of the
French RevolutionThe French Revolution was a period of political and social upheaval and radical change in the history of France, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based...
: liberty, equality and fraternity. The star above the coat represents the state itself.
External links
Official Website Brazilian Tourism Portal Visit Alagoas Guide of Alagoas Ministry of Transport port data including main products exported Brazilian Embassy in London: São Francisco River