Boa Vista (lit.
Good View) is the capital of the
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...
ian state of
RoraimaRoraima is the northernmost and least populated state of Brazil, located in the Amazon region. It borders the states of Amazonas and Pará, as well as the nations of Venezuela and Guyana. It is the state with the fewest municipalities, 15 in total....
. Situated on the western bank of the River Branco, 220 km (136 mi) from Brazil's border with
VenezuelaVenezuela , officially titled Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It is a continental mainland with numerous islands located off its coastline in the Caribbean Sea...
. It is the only Brazilian capital located entirely above the
EquatorThe equator is the intersection of the Earth's surface with the plane perpendicular to the Earth's axis of rotation and containing the Earth's center of mass. In simpler language, it is an imaginary line on the Earth's surface equidistant from the North Pole and South Pole that divides the Earth...
.
EquatorialEquatorial has different meanings:* In geography it relates to the equator of the Earth.* In meteorology, an Equatorial climate is the type of climate experienced near the equator....
climate predominates in Boa Vista. The temperature in the city is hot throughout the year, with a very low
temperatureIn physics, temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold; something that feels hotter generally has the higher temperature. Temperature is one of the principal parameters of thermodynamics...
range usually of less than 3 degrees celsius. It is also a very wet climate with annual
precipitationIn meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that is deposited on the Earth's surface. The main forms of precipitation include rain, snow, ice pellets, and graupel...
often more than 2000 mm. These hot and wet conditions are ideal for the growth of
plantPlants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. They include familiar organisms such as trees, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The scientific study of plants, known as botany, has identified about 350,000 extant species of plants, defined as seed plants,...
s so the
vegetationVegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
is both dense and varied. The
Equatorial RainforestThe Amazon rainforest , also known as Amazonia, or the Amazon jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
s also have an extremely diverse
faunaFauna is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g...
.
The name Boa Vista means "Nice Sight" or "Nice View". It is also the most populous
municipalityA municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. A municipality is typically governed by a mayor and a city council or municipal council.The notion of municipality...
in the state. Approximately one third of the people in the state live here.
Its business is done mostly with
ManausManaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourism destination....
, capital of the State of Amazonas, with the city of
LethemLethem is a town in Guyana, located in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region of the South American Country. It is named after Sir Gordon James Lethem, who was the Governor of British Guiana from 1946 to 12 April 1947.-Geography:...
, in
GuyanaGuyana officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as British Guiana, is a state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean.Guyana was discovered in 1498 by the Europeans,Guyana's past is punctuated by battles fought and won,...
and the city of
Santa Elena de UairénSanta Elena de Uairén is a small Venezuelan city in the state of Bolívar near the border with Brazil and Guyana. It was Founded by Lucas Fernandez Peña in 1923...
, Venezuela. These cities are the only major cities that can be accessed from Boa Vista via
roadA road is an identifiable route, way or path between places.
, although other smaller state municipalities are also connected by road with the capital city. The airplane is the only way of transportation for other regions in the country. Recently, the federal government started a project do link Manaus and Boa Vista via roads to the major center of Brazil, by asphalting the BR 319 and building several bridges in Amazon forest, allowing a direct road link between Manaus and the central and southern regions of Brazil.
This modern city is distinguished among the capitals in the North Region of Brazil as a planned city with a radial plan. It was planned by the architect Darci Aleixo Deregusson who designed the city in a similar fashion to that of
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
,
FranceFrance , 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...
. It was built under the direction of Captain Ene Garcez, the first governor of Roraima. The main avenues converge at the Civic Center Plaza, where the headquarters of three governmental branches reside (legislative, judiciary, and executive). Aside from the cultural attractions (theaters and
palaceA palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome...
s), there are hotels, banks, post offices, and
cathedralA cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
s.
History
The municipality of Boa Vista formed the first urban area of the state of Roraima.
The
São Joaquim Fort, founded in 1775, is located about 32 km from the capital and is considered to be of great importance to the region.
Boa Vista was created on July 9, 1890 as Boa Vista do Rio Branco. It was founded by Augusto Villeroy (Amazonas's Governor).
The first mayor was João Capistrano da Silva Mota, known as Coronel Mota. After named the mayor, were named two councilors (José Francisco Coelho and José gonzaga de Souza Junior).
The weather is hot and umid, with two seasons well seen only (Summer-drought and winter-rainy).
Capital
In the middle of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1943, Boa Vista became the capital of the recently created Federal Territory of
Rio BrancoRio Branco is the biggest city and the capital of the Brazilian state of Acre. The city of Rio Branco has gone by a number of names throughout its history. It originated when the seringalista Neutel Maia arrived with his family and workers in the region of Acre in end of 1882 in order to produce...
. The territory grew due to the mining in the area. The then Federal Territory of Rio Branco was elevated to statehood, and after some time it was known as "
RoraimaRoraima is the northernmost and least populated state of Brazil, located in the Amazon region. It borders the states of Amazonas and Pará, as well as the nations of Venezuela and Guyana. It is the state with the fewest municipalities, 15 in total....
". Later, mining with machines became prohibited (because of damage to the landscape) which hindered the economy of the
stateThe Federative Republic of Brazil is a union of twenty-six estados and one district, the Distrito Federal which contains the capital city, Brasília....
and the municipality.
Economy
The GDP for the city was R$ 2,265,603,000 (2005).
The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was R$ 9,366 (2005).
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 Roraima (UFRR);
- Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Roraima (Cefet-RR);
- Faculdades Cathedral - Boa Vista (Cathedral-Boa Vista);
- Faculdade de Teologia de Boa Vista (Fatebov);
- and many others.
Tourism and recreation
- The biggest park of the north region of Brazil
The Northern Region of Brazil is the largest Region of Brazil, corresponding to 45.27% of the national territory. It is the least inhabited of the country, and contributes with a minor percentage in the national GDP and population...
is placed here, the Anaua Park, a major recreational park that has inside it a Forrodromo (show place), a square, a lake and a kartracing facility.
- Taumanam is a small artificial coast on Rio Branco. It has several stores and snack bars and was created in 2005.
- Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna da Silva, was a Brazilian race car driver and three-time Formula One world champion...
complex is the most visited touristic area in Boa Vista, it is composed by Ayrton Senna, Velia Coutinho (Alimentation square and a show place), Praça das Águas (a square where there is a water show), Millennium portal (it was created to commemorate the 21's) and Praça das Artes (the newest and the largest squares of the complex, built together with park area).
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 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. Typical foods and beverages are served. It should be noted that, like during Carnival, these festivities involve costumes-wearing (in this case, peasant costumes), dancing, heavy drinking, 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.
The Civic Centre
This sight, in form of an opened fan, starts from the right edge of Rio Branco. This was made by the engineer Darci Aleixo Deregusson during Ene Garcez's government, the first one in Roraima.
From the Civic Centre run 16 avenues in an inspirated system in the sight of
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
,
FranceFrance , 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...
, and
Belo HorizonteBelo Horizonte is the capital of the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country...
and
GoiâniaGoiânia , is the capital and the largest city in the Brazilian state of Goiás. With a population of 1,265,394 people, it is the second largest city in the Central-West Region and the thirteenth largest in the country. Its metropolitan area has a total population of 2,063,744, being the eleventh...
, Brazil. In this square are placed the head offices of the Executive, Law and Legislative forces. Other public buildings are also placed there like: Culture Palace, Amazônia Bank, Government's education secretary, the cathedral and so on.
The civic Centre has a monument paying tribute to the miners, who were the first inhabitants of this land.
Demographic growth
In the beginning, indigenous people were the only inhabitants of Boa Vista. Boa Vista had the highest growth rate of any Brazilian capital in the 1970s which was 3% per year. What attracts immigrants most about this city is
employmentEmployment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as: "A person in the service of another under any contract of hire, express or implied, oral or written, where the employer has the power or right to control and direct...
generated by public service for Brazilians and general commerce attracts immigrants from neighboring countries.
In 1950 Boa Vista had about 5,200 inhabitants. This number has grown 47 fold in only 56 years to approximately 250,000 inhabitants.
Sports
There are several professional
footballAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball...
clubs in Boa Vista:
- Atlético Roraima
Atlético Roraima Clube, also known as Atlético Roraima, or just Roraima, are a Brazilian football team from Boa Vista, Roraima. They competed in the Série C in 1995 and in the Série D in 2009.-History:...
Clube
- Baré Esporte Clube
Baré Esporte Clube, usually known simply as Baré, is a Brazilian football club from Boa Vista, Roraima.The club was founded in 1946. Home matches are played at Flamarion Vasconcelos Stadium, and the club colors are red and white...
- Grêmio Atlético Sampaio (GAS)
- São Raimundo Esporte Clube
- River Esporte Clube
- Atlético Rio Negro Clube
- Náutico Futebol Clube
The city's most important stadium is Estádio Flamarion Vasconcelos, better known as
Canarinho, located in the neighborhood of the same name, Canarinho, in the Southern Zone, with a maximum capacity of 10.000 people. There is also the
Ribeirão stadium, located in the city suburb.
Infrastructure
International Airport
Boa Vista is served by
Boa Vista-Atlas Brasil Cantanhede International AirportBoa Vista-Atlas Brasil Cantanhede International Airport is a Brazilian airport located in Boa Vista, Roraima.-History:It was opened on February 19, 1973, and underwent its first renovation in 1998. The runway, terminal and the apron were then enlarged...
with flights to
BelémBelém is a 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 coach station. Belém lies about 100 km upriver from the Atlantic Ocean...
,
BrasíliaBrasília is the capital of Brazil. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the fourth largest city in Brazil, ahead of Belo Horizonte...
,
GeorgetownGeorgetown, estimated population 239,227 , is the capital and largest city of Guyana, located in the Demerara-Mahaica region. It is situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the mouth of the Demerara River and it was nicknamed 'Garden City of the Caribbean.' Georgetown is located at . The city serves...
(
GuyanaGuyana officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as British Guiana, is a state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean.Guyana was discovered in 1498 by the Europeans,Guyana's past is punctuated by battles fought and won,...
),
ManausManaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourism destination....
,
ParamariboParamaribo is the capital and largest city of Suriname, located on banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 250,000 people...
(
SurinameSuriname , officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America....
), and
Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America. The city was the capital of Brazil for nearly two centuries, from 1763 to 1822 during the Portuguese colonial era, and...
. Boa Vista International Airport was opened on February 19, 1973, and underwent major remodelings in 1998 and 2009. The passenger terminal, runway and apron were all enlarged, and a separate taxiway was built.
The airport currently has capacity to receive 330,000 passengers a year in total comfort and security.
Highways
- BR-174;
- BR-210;
- BR-431;
- BR-432;
- BR-410;
- RR-171;
- RR-175;
- RR-202;
- RR-203.
External links