Natal, Rio Grande do Norte - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

History

The northeastern tip of South America, Cabo São Roque, 20 miles (32.2 km) to the north of Natal and the closest point to Europe from Latin America, was first visited by European navigators in 1501, in the 1501–1502 Portuguese expedition led by Amerigo Vespucci

Amerigo Vespucci

Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, financier, navigator and cartographer. The Americas are generally believed to have derived their name from the feminized Latin version of his first name.-Expeditions:...

, who named the spot after the saint of the day. For decades thereafter, no permanent European settlement was established in the area, inhabited by the Potiguar tribe.

In 1597, after some years during which French pirates, led by Jacques Riffault, established regular commercial activities with the native population, the ninth Portuguese Governor-General of Brazil, Francisco de Sousa, ordered the expulsion of the buccaneers. The successful expedition against 50 Frenchmen and their Indian allies was led by the Captain-Major of the Captaincy of Pernambuco

Pernambuco

Pernambuco 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 of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...

, Manuel de Mascarenhas Homem, with the assistance of Jerônimo de Albuquerque Maranhão.

Albuquerque Maranhão began on January 6, 1598, the construction of the Fort of the Holy Kings or of the Magi-Kings ("Forte dos Santos Reis" or "Forte dos Reis Magos"), named after the Three Wise Men, honored in the Christian feast of the Epiphany, celebrated on that day.

On December 25, 1599, Natal (whose name means Nativity or Christmas in Portuguese) was established as a village outside the fort. The fort, city, and surrounding areas were occupied by Dutch forces from 1633 to 1654. They rechristened the fort "Fort Ceulen" after one of their commanders.

The sandy soil of Natal prevented the city from becoming a producer of sugarcane, during the colonial times. For centuries, the economy of the State was based on the raising of cattle in the dry interior lands; the cattle was sent alive to the larger centers, to be used as traction, or was turned into jerked beef, to be used as food; the most typical food of Natal, "carne de sol" (sun meat), has origins in that jerked beef.

Last century, Natal benefited from the growth of the industries of salt (the north of Rio Grande do Norte is the largest producer in Brazil) and petroleum (the largest inland Brazilian reserves are in the State). Natal grew quickly, but in a somewhat planned way (compared to other major Brazilian cities); transit flows smoothly, public services are well distributed, ecologic conscience is visible; violence levels are low. Tourists (first Brazilians, more recently foreigners) discovered the city, which became one of the major tourist destinations in Brazil.

Because of its strategic position (Natal is one of the cities in Brazil nearest to Western Europe and Africa, especially Dakar, Senegal), an American air base was built in a suburb of Natal named Parnamirim

Parnamirim

Parnamirim is a city in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. It is located at around . Augusto Severo International Airport, the airport serving the city of Natal, is located there....

during World War II as part of the so-called Operation Rainbow; this base provided support for allied troops combating in the north of Africa. Thousands of American soldiers were sent to Natal, and their presence left traces in the culture of the city.

Demographics

**Population growth in Natal**
>	Year	Inhabitants
1872	20,392
1890	13,725
1900	16,056
1920	30,696
1940	54,836
1950	102,215
1960	160,253

> Year Inhabitants 1970 264,379 1980 416,898 1991 606,541 1996 656,037 2000 709,536 2007 774,230 2008 798,065

According to the IBGE of July 2009, there were 806,203 people residing in the city, and 1,263,547 people residing in the Greater Natal

Greater Natal

The Greater Natal is a metropolitan area located in Rio Grande do Norte state in Brazil...

(metropolitan area). This is the second smallest capital the country in territorial extension, therefore, the population density is high, 4,546,3 per square kilometer 4.638.03 PD/sqkm. It is the 21st largest city in the country and the sixth largest in the northeastern region

Northeast Region, Brazil

The Northeast Region of Brazil is composed of the following states: Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe and Bahia, and it represents 18.26% of the Brazilian territory....

. The racial makeup of the city was 48.38% Brown (Multiracial), 46.99% White

White Brazilian

White Brazilians make up 48.4% of Brazil's population, or around 92 million people, according to the IBGE's 2008 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...

, 3.65% Black

Afro-Brazilian

In Brazil, the term "preto" is one of the five categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with "branco" , "pardo" , "amarelo" and "indígena"...

, 0.30% Asian

Asian Brazilian

An Asian Brazilian is is a Brazilian citizen of full or partial Asian ancestry, who remains culturally connected to Asia, or an Asian-born person permanently residing in Brazil. Brazil received many immigrants from Asia, both from Middle East and East Asia...

or Amerindian

Indigenous peoples in Brazil

The Indigenous peoples in Brazil comprise a large number of distinct ethnic groups who inhabited the country prior to the European invasion around 1500...

Religion

Religion	Percentage	Number
Catholic	76.27%	543,254
Protestant	13.69%	97,545
No religion Atheism Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...	7.26%	51,699
Spiritist Spiritism Spiritism is a loose corpus of religious faiths having in common the general belief in the survival of a spirit after death. In a stricter sense, it is the religion, beliefs and practices of the people affiliated to the International Spiritist Union, based on the works of Allan Kardec and others...	1.35%	9,605

Source: IBGE
IBGE
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics or IBGE , is the agency responsible for statistical, geographic, cartographic, geodetic and environmental information in Brazil...

2000.

Cityscape

Economy

With its dozens of sandy, white beaches, such as Ponta Negra

Ponta Negra

Ponta Negra is a famous beach and neighborhood located in the Brazilian city of Natal, the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Located in the extreme south of the beach is the Morro do Careca , a large dune and an iconic landmark of the city...

and its famous Morro do Careca

Morro do Careca

The Morro do Careca is a large dune located in the city of Natal in Brazil. It is the main symbol and tourist postcard of the city and the state of Rio Grande do Norte. It has a height of 120 meters, with a margin determined by vegetation...

, Tabatinga

Tabatinga

Tabatinga is a municipality in the Três Fronteiras area of Northwestern Brazil. It is located in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Its population was 45,293...

- the cliff of dolphins, Pirangi

Pirangi

Pirangi is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2004 was estimated at 10,126 and the area is 216.48 km². The elevation is 538 m above sea level. This municipality's name comes from the native Tupi language....

, Redinha

Redinha beach

Redinha beach is a beach located on the Brazilian capital city Natal, state of Rio Grande do Norte....

, Pipa

Pipa Beach

Pipa Beach is one of the most famous beaches of Brazil. Located next to city of Natal, the capital city of state of Rio Grande do Norte...

and Genipabu

Genipabu

Genipabu is a beach with a complex of dunes, a lagoon and an environmental protection area located in Natal, one of the most famous post-cards of the Rio Grande do Norte Brazilian state....

with its famous fixed sand dunes and imported dromedaries, tourism is the most important industry of Natal, attracting Brazilians, Europeans (many from Spain, England, Scandinavia

Scandinavia

Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...

, Germany, Portugal

Portugal

Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

and France), and U.S. citizens

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

alike. There has been an increase of 134% in foreign tourism in Natal between 2002 and 2005 (for the same time period the increase of foreign tourism in Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

was 48%); This is a due to the accessibility of Natal and the appeal Brazil has for an increasing number of tourists, clearly showing that Natal is the area leading the Brazilian tourism boom. Natal is the number one area receiving international

International

----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...

investment

Investment

Investment has different meanings in finance and economics. Finance investment is putting money into something with the expectation of gain, that upon thorough analysis, has a high degree of security for the principal amount, as well as security of return, within an expected period of time...

s in Brazil. Natal will benefit enormously from the massive future investments on the coastline.

With in the next five years more than ten golf courses will be developed on the Natal coastline and more than $1.8 billion dollars will be invested in new hotels, resort

Resort

A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....

s and improving infrastructure

Infrastructure

Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...

(the equivalent to 8% of all foreign investments that the entire Brazilian economy received last year). Due to the booming tourism and enormous potential for further growth, the local government has decided to build a new airport

Airport

An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

in Natal which will be the biggest airport in South America (8th biggest in the world). The airport will be specifically designed to be able to cater for the new Airbus A-380, which will further confirm Natal's position as the number one tourist destination in Brazil. Thompson Holidays started direct charter flights to Brazil in early 2006, and to no surprise the chosen destination was Natal. Being the Number one beach tourism area and a symbol of the Northeastern Brazil, Natal will benefit enormously from future domestic economic growth and increasing spending powers of the Brazilian population (180 million). Last year, 1.7 million Brazilians visited Natal (for the same period, 345,000 foreigners visited Natal).

It is also a relevant administrative center for the oil industry (Rio Grande do Norte

Rio Grande do Norte

Rio Grande do Norte is one of the states of Brazil, located in the northeastern region of the country, occupying the northeasternmost tip of the South American continent. Because of its geographic position, Rio Grande do Norte has a strategic importance. The capital and largest city is Natal...

being the second largest oil-producing state in Brazil). Thus, it's Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) is a national scientific research pole on Oil Sciences (ranging from Geophysical to Law studies), supported mostly by Petrobras

Petrobras

Petróleo Brasileiro or Petrobras is a semi-public Brazilian multinational energy corporation headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the largest company in Latin America by market capitalization and revenue, and the largest company headquartered in the Southern Hemisphere by market...

financing.

The fishing industry is strong (shark

Shark

Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....

cartilage

Cartilage

Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found in many areas in the bodies of humans and other animals, including the joints between bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the elbow, the knee, the ankle, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs...

being a major export to Japan) as is the cultivation of tropical fruit, especially mangos, guava

Guava

Guavas are plants in the myrtle family genus Psidium , which contains about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees. They are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America...

s, and cashews (the fruit and the nuts).

In fact, the largest cashew tree in the world is located near the coast in the neighborhood of Pirangi, south of the city center. This tree has a circumference of 500 metres and occupies an area of 7,300 m², making it 70 times the size of average cashew trees.

The GDP for the city was R$ 7,508,466,000 (2006).

The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

for the city was R$ 9,506 (2006).

Education

Portuguese language

Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...

is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. But English and Spanish are part of the official high school curriculum.

Educational institutions

Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN);
International Institute for Neuroscience of Natal
International Institute for Neuroscience of Natal
The International Institute for Neurosciences of Natal - Edmond and Lily Safra is located in Natal, capital city of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte...

(IINN-ELS);
Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Norte (UERN);
Universidade Potiguar (UnP);
Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica do Rio Grande do Norte (Cefet-RN);
Instituto de Educação Superior Presidente Kennedy (Kennedy);
Faculdade Natalense para o Desenvolvimento do Rio Grande do Norte (Farn);
Faculdade de Natal (FAl);
Faculdade de Excelência Educacional do Rio Grande do Norte (FATERN);(IINN-ELS)
Faculdade Câmara Cascudo (FCC);
Faculdade de Ciências Cultura e Extensão (FACEX);
Faculdade Católica Nossa Senhora das Neves (FCNSN);
and many others.

There are more than 15 universities in whole state of Rio Grande do Norte.

Culture and recreation

Natal is your gateway to many attractions of the city and the state of Rio Grande do Norte:

Carnival and Carnatal

Carnatal

The Carnatal is the largest micareta, or off-season Carnival, in Brazil. It is held annually in December in the city of Natal in the state of Rio Grande do Norte....

The four-day period before Lent leading up to Ash Wednesday is carnival

Carnival

Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...

time in Brazil

Brazil

. Carnival in Natal is not big, but "Carnatal

Carnatal

The Carnatal is the largest micareta, or off-season Carnival, in Brazil. It is held annually in December in the city of Natal in the state of Rio Grande do Norte....

" is a different matter: it's one of the largest off-season carnivals in Brazil

Brazil

. Organizing off-season Carnavais is not a Natal-only habit. Fortaleza

Fortaleza

Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.5 million , Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil. It has an area of and one of the highest demographic densities in the country...

has "Fortal", Recife

Recife

Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...

has "Recifolia", Natal has "Carnatal

Carnatal

The Carnatal is the largest micareta, or off-season Carnival, in Brazil. It is held annually in December in the city of Natal in the state of Rio Grande do Norte....

". Carnatal takes place sometime in November or December. It has happened in the streets around Machadão Stadium (traffic around the stadium changes radically during Carnatal days). The transit department isolates about 3 km (1.8 mi) of streets, creating a ring, along which the party takes place. During the days of party, a huge truck (called "trio elétrico

Trio Elétrico

Trio Elétrico is a kind of truck or float equipped with a high power sound system and a music group on the roof, playing for the crowd. It was created in Bahia specifically for Carnival and it is now used in similar events in other districts and countries...

"), with a band on the top and sound boxes all around, drives slowly along the streets. The crowd follows the trio elétrico singing, dancing, jumping to the sound

Sound

Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...

of the music. To be allowed to follow the truck, one must buy admittance to one of the several "blocos" ("block"). A bloco is an enterprise which obtains permission to participate in Carnatal, hires the band, sells admitance and controls access.

Dunas State Ecological Park

The Dunas Park

Dunas Park

The Dunas State Park Journalist Luiz Maria Alves is a considered the second largest urban park in Brazil...

is considered the second largest urban park in Brazil

Brazil

. It includes 1,172 hectares of land, and allows observation of several vegetable and animal species, which are typical of the Atlantic Forest. The tour is along a trail, accompanied by trained guides. The park also has a jogging track, and stays open for visitors from Tuesday to Sunday.

Museums
Museums in Natal include: Museu de Arte Sacra, Museu de Cultura Popular, Espaço Cultural Palácio Potengi, Instituto Histórico e Geográfico do Rio Grande do Norte, Pinacoteca do Rio Grande do Norte, Museum Camara Cascudo, Memorial Camara Cascudo.

Natal Aquarium

The Natal Aquarium

Aquarium

An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...

was founded and is run by a family of biologists and retired environmentalists. Besides the exhibit, the aquarium also serves as a surgery center for sea animals. The Aquarium is located between the Oceânica Avenue and the beach. The Aquarium exhibits about 60 marine species. There are about 30 small aquariums, where the species are put individually or in small groups of two or three species. Most species were collected at the Brazil

Brazil

ian and Rio Grande do Norte

Rio Grande do Norte

coast. Species include several kinds of fish (including piranhas), sea horses, shrimp

Shrimp

Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...

s, lobster

Lobster

Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...

s, stingray

Stingray

The stingrays are a group of rays, which are cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes, and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae , Plesiobatidae , Urolophidae , Urotrygonidae , Dasyatidae , Potamotrygonidae The...

s, octopus

Octopus

The octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...

, etc. In a refrigerated aquarium, there is a couple of penguin

Penguin

Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...

The Largest Cashew Tree in the World
The Maior cajueiro do mundo
Maior cajueiro do mundo
Maior cajueiro do mundo or Cajueiro de Pirangi is a cashew tree in Pirangi do Norte, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. In 1994, the tree entered the Guinness Book of Records. It covers an area of about 7,300 or almost 8,400 square metres...

is the biggest cashew

Cashew

The cashew is a tree in the family Anacardiaceae. Its English name derives from the Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree, caju, which in turn derives from the indigenous Tupi name, acajú. It is now widely grown in tropical climates for its cashew nuts and cashew apples.-Etymology:The...

tree in the world. In 1994, it entered the Guiness book as the tree which covers the largest area, 8,400 square meters; larger than a typical football pitch. Due to a genetic mutation, the branch

Branch

A branch or tree branch is a woody structural member connected to but not part of the central trunk of a tree...

es of this tree grow outwards rather than upwards; thus when a branch touches the ground, root

Root

In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial or aerating . Furthermore, a stem normally occurring below ground is not exceptional either...

s are not created, rather a new ramification

Ramification (botany)

In botany, ramification is the divergence of the stem and limbs of a plant into smaller ones, i.e. trunk into branches, branches into increasingly smaller branches, etc. Gardeners stimulate the process of ramification through pruning, thereby making trees, shrubs and other plants bushier and...

starts to grow. There is even a gazebo located in the cashew, a popular attraction amongst tourists.

Forte dos Reis Magos
Forte dos Reis Magos or Fortaleza dos Reis Magos is a medieval fortress that was the first milestone of the city - founded on 25 December 1599 - on the right side of the bar of the river Potenji (today near the Ponte Newton Navarro). It received its name based on the date of commencement of its construction, 6 January 1598, at Epiphany Catholic calendar.

Natal City Park

The Natal City Park Dom Nivaldo Monte, or simply the City Park is a urban park. Inaugurated on July 21, 2008 with architectural project of Oscar Niemeyer

Oscar Niemeyer

Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho is a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture...

. It has a unique, monumental tower, and has a museum and restaurant. As of January 2011, the entire park is closed due to lack of funding from the city. (source: http://www.natal.rn.gov.br/parquedacidade/)

Festa Junina (Saint John Festival)
Festa Junina

Festa Junina

Festa Junina , also known as festa de São João for their part in celebrating the nativity of St. John the Baptist, are the annual Brazilian celebrations historically related to European Midsummer that take place in the beginning of the Brazilian winter...

was introduced to Northeastern Brazil

Brazil

by the Portuguese

Portugal

for whom St John's day (also celebrated as Midsummer

Midsummer

Midsummer 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 on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...

Day in several European 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 Midsummer

Midsummer

Day, the festivities in Brazil do not take place during the summer solstice

Summer solstice

The summer solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also...

but during the tropical winter solstice

Winter solstice

Winter 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, fireworks

Fireworks

Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used 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. Typical foods and beverages are served. It should be noted that, as during Carnival, these festivities involve wearing costumes (in this case, peasant costumes), dancing, heavy drinking, and visual spectacles (fireworks display and folk dancing). Similar to what happens on Midsummer

Midsummer

and St John's Day in Europe, bonfires are a central part of these festivities in Brazil. Festa Junina in other cities of the state, especially in the city of Mossoró

Mossoró

Mossoró is the second most populous city in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. It is equidistant from Natal , the state capital of Rio Grande do Norte, and from Fortaleza , the capital of the state of Ceará...

which gathers thousands of people during the month of June.

Newton Navarro bridge

The Newton Navarro bridge

Newton Navarro bridge

The Newton Navarro Bridge, is one of the biggest cable-stayed bridge of Brazil located in the city of Natal, capital of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte...

is one of the highest bridges in Brazil and has over a gorgeous sunset seen from Potengi River

Potengi River

The Potenji River , meaning "river of the shrimps" in Tupi, is the principal river in the state of Rio Grande do Norte . Its delta, that discharges in the coastline of Natal, was soon discovered by the first colonists that used to penetrate into the territory with their vessels...

. It makes the connection with the beaches of the north coast of the state. In addition to unburden the city traffic, the bridge became a tourist attraction because of its large size.

Historic Center
The Natal Historic Center it comprises an area of approximately 201278 m² (240,726.48 sq yd), which are included 150 buildings of various styles, including colonial architecture, neoclassical, art-deco and modernist. This area comprises the districts of Ribeira and Cidade Alta, which are the oldest neighborhoods of the city, which have characteristics of the first centuries of the history of Brazil, highlighting important aspects of Portuguese colonization.

Barreira do Inferno
The Barreira do Inferno Launch Center is the first base to launch rockets from Brazil. With the construction of another center in Brazil, today, it only launches rockets, small and medium businesses and is open to visitation of tourists to know the rockets, but must make an appointment to visit the center.

Parrachos de Maracajaú

The Parrachos de Maracajaú

Maracajaú

Maracajaú is a community and beach located in the Brazilian city of Maxaranguape, state of Rio Grande do Norte...

of coral reefs are the seven kilometers of beach in Maracajaú, forming natural pools. Occupy an area of 13 km (8 mi), excellent for snorkeling in the coral diving underwater that, at low tide, touch the surface. It is one of the places in Brazil where the sea is the most crystalline and suitable for diving. The beach of Maracajaú is 60 km (37 mi) from Natal. In Maracajaú also a water park, the Ma-Noa Park.

Genipabu

Genipabu

Genipabu is a beach with a complex of dunes, a lagoon and an environmental protection area located in Natal, one of the most famous post-cards of the Rio Grande do Norte Brazilian state....

(or Jenipabu) is a beach, a complex of dunes, a lagoon and an area of environmental protection (APA) located in Natal capital city, one of the most famous post-cards of the Brazilian state Rio Grande do Norte. It is a huge dunes and a lagoon of fresh water, with strong attraction for tourism. The region has a good infrastructure of hotels, inns, restaurants, beach

Beach

A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...

tent

Tent

A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs...

s, tours of "buggies", rafts and dromedaries. It is played in the dunes around the lake called "esquibunda" stakeholders sit down the dunes on top of planks of wood, to dive in the waters of the lagoon. The tours of "buggies

Dune buggy

A dune buggy is a recreational vehicle with large wheels, and wide tires, designed for use on sand dunes or beaches. The design is usually a modified vehicle and engine mounted on an open chassis. The modifications usually attempt to increase the power-to-weight ratio by either lightening the...

" are offered in the local "with emotion" or "no emotion", according to the degree of risk, it is recommended, however, are chosen accredited professionals responsible for security not only of tourists, but the middle - environment.

Ponta Negra and Via Costeira

Ponta Negra

is a famous beach and a neighborhood located in the Brazilian city of Natal in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. In the extreme south of the beach, is located in Morro do Careca

Morro do Careca

(Bald Hill), a large dune. The extreme north of the beach, is located at Via Costeira (Coastal Way), a road in the middle of coastal dunes that connect the various beaches of the city. The beach is completely urbanized and there are several points shops, restaurants, bars and night clubs. The sand itself is lined with "tents", or huts, that serve food and drinks to beachgoers day and night. A common sight on the beach are "jangadas", simple, multicolored, local fishing boats typical of northeastern Brazil. The Via Costeira

Via Costeira

The Senador Dinarte Mariz Avenue, also known as Via Costeira is one of the most important avenues in Natal, Brazil....

(Coastal Way) is a great avenue built next to the dunes and beaches of the city, including making the connection of several beaches in the state.

Pipa Beach

The Pipa Beach

Pipa Beach

Pipa Beach is one of the most famous beaches of Brazil. Located next to city of Natal, the capital city of state of Rio Grande do Norte...

is located 85 km from Natal and completely away from urban centers. Paradise a beach that attract thousands of tourists every year.

Other attractions

As Natal means Christmas in Portuguese, possibly in December are some attractions such as concerts, plays, meeting writers and the traditional burning of fires, and the city be decorated with Christmas purposes.

Cape São Roque, point of the Brazilian coast close of Africa.

Calcanhar Lighthouse
Calcanhar Lighthouse
Calcanhar Lighthouse , also known as Touros Lighthouse, is an active lighthouse in Touros, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. At a height of it is the nineteenth tallest "traditional lighthouse" in the world, as well as the tallest in Brazil, and one of the tallest concrete lighthouses in the world.The...

, the highest lighthouse in Brazil.

"Mada", festival of pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...

national; and "Verão de Todos", summer festival.

Shopping centers/mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...

s: Midway Mall
Midway Mall (Brazil)
Midway Mall is the largest shopping center in the state of Rio Grande do Norte and one of the largest in the Northeast Region, located in the city of Natal...

, Praia Shopping, Natal Shopping, Norte Shopping and Shopping Cidade Jardim.

International Airport

Located virtually at sea level (169 feet), with favorable weather and geographic conditions, Augusto Severo International Airport

Augusto Severo International Airport

Augusto Severo International Airport , formerly called Parnamirim Airport, is the airport serving Natal, Brazil, located in the adjoining municipality of Parnamirim...

in Parnamirim

Parnamirim

Parnamirim is a city in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. It is located at around . Augusto Severo International Airport, the airport serving the city of Natal, is located there....

is 18 km (11 mi) from Natal. It takes its name from Augusto Severo de Albuquerque Maranhão, a native son of that state who died in an accident in France in 1902. The airport has a total area of 11.3 thousand square meters and capacity for 1.2 million passengers a year. The installations and passenger terminals are air conditioned with equipment that can put out 630 tons of cooled air. With an area of 5.5 million square meters, the airport complex operates with 16,482 square meters of passenger and cargo terminals and administrative and maintenance installations. There are 6,224 meters of runways and 61.5 square meters of apron space, providing connections from the greater Natal region to the main centers of the world. The airport is the only one in the Northeast Region to receive charter flights from Scandinavia

Scandinavia

. The Natal Air Force Base

Natal Air Force Base

Natal Air Force Base – BANT is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Parnamirim, near Natal, Brazil.It shares some facilities with Augusto Severo International Airport.-History:...

is also located on the premises.

Presently a new airport is being constructed in the municipality of São Gonçalo do Amarante

São Gonçalo do Amarante, Rio Grande do Norte

São Gonçalo do Amarante is a town and municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Norte in the Northeast region of Brazil.São Gonçalo do Amarante-Natal International Airport, the new airport to serve the metropolitan area of Natal, scheduled to open in 2014, is presently under construction in the...

, to be called Greater Natal International Airport

Greater Natal International Airport

Greater Natal International Airport or São Gonçalo do Amarante – Natal International Airport is a new airport presently under construction in São Gonçalo do Amarante, Brazil...

Highways

Federal Highway BR-101

BR-101

The BR-101 is a longitudinal highway of Brazil. It is the longest in the country with a length of nearly , and it is also considered the most important....

is the most important access to Natal, coming from the South of Brazil, through the boundary with the municipality of Parnamirim. For those who come from the State of Ceará

Ceará

Ceará is one of the 27 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is currently the 8th largest Brazilian State by population and the 17th by area. It is also one of the main touristic destinations in Brazil. The state capital is the city of...

, the principle access is by the Federal Highway BR-304, through the boundary with the municipality of Macaíba, where you pick up BR-226 taking people to Natal. Leaving Natal, an important access to the southern Potiguar coast is the "Sun

Sun

The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...

Route" (Rota do Sol) as RN-063 is known by, and which takes you to the beach

Beach

es of Pirangi, Búzios, Tabatinga, up to the municipality of Nísia Floresta. The North Shore is accessible from the Newton Navarro bridge

Newton Navarro bridge

The Newton Navarro Bridge, is one of the biggest cable-stayed bridge of Brazil located in the city of Natal, capital of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte...

, following the Praia do Forte to Genipabu, and the Igapó Bridge, following the district of Igapó by BR-101 to Touros, and by BR-406 to Macau.

Natal is connected to all the 167 municipalities of Rio Grande do Norte and dozens of locations and Potiguar districts, through the Passenger Bus Terminal of Natal (Terminal Rodoviário de Passageiros de Natal), located in the Eastern Zone of the city. All the accesses to the countryside of the state are through the Metropolitan region of Natal, composed of the municipalities of Ceará-Mirim, Emaús, Extremoz, Macaíba, Monte Alegre, Nísia Floresta, Parnamirim e São Gonçalo do Amarante. Bus

Bus

A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...

es with direct destinations to various Brazilian capitals also leave from the Passenger Bus Terminal of Natal. The cities with regular weekly schedules are: Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza, Goiânia, João Pessoa, Palmas, Recife, Salvador, São Luiz e Teresina.

Bus

Of course, buses are the cheapest way go move aroung Natal, tickets vary from around US$ 1.00 (most of lines) to US$ 1.20 (the line going from Natal to the airport

Airport

An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

). It's possible to get passes or magnetic cards to pay before hand, but usually it's easiest to pay to the conductor. There are big buses, micro buses and vans, all driving along the same streets, all charging the same prices. All the main touristic spots within Natal are well served by buses. People may expect to travel standing up on the big buses (not so with micros and vans), but very rarely will they be so overcrowded that people have physical contact with other people (in other Brazilian cities, a bus during peak hours reminds much a sardines tin). Typical waiting time is 15 min during the peak hours, and up to one hour.

Taxi

There are plenty of taxi

Taxicab

A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...

s in the city. Taxis are white cars and have a red plate. Fares are the same, regardless of how new and comfortable the car is.
Fare

Fare

A fare is the fee paid by a passenger allowing him or her to make use of a public transport system: rail, bus, taxi, etc. In the case of air transport, the term airfare is often used.-Uses:...

s are regulated by the government. As of today, normal prices are: US$ 2 to start metering, US$ 1 per km and US$ 5 per waiting hour. The only exception to these prices are the so called special taxis at the airport

Airport

An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

. From 10pm to 6am at weekdays, and all hours at weekends (and, depending on a decree by the mayor, all times during the month of December), there is a 20% increase in the above prices, this is indicated by a number 2 showing in the fare meter. There are several tele-taxis companies in Natal.

Buggy

The dune buggy

Dune buggy

is the vehicle used most to drive along the beach

Beach

es. Driving a conventional car is forbidden in some areas (for example, the beaches of Jenipabu) and, even where it is not prohibited, there is a high risk of getting stuck in the sand. Some companies offer tours in Land Rovers and other 4WD vehicles, these cars offer much more comfort, but buggy drivers claim that the buggy is more flexible. Riding a buggy, people feel the sun

Sun

The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...

and the wind. Buggies are safe, accidents with buggies are much less frequent than accidents with other cars (most dune buggy

Dune buggy

drivers are certified by the Tourist Authority

Authority

The word Authority is derived mainly from the Latin word auctoritas, meaning invention, advice, opinion, influence, or command. In English, the word 'authority' can be used to mean power given by the state or by academic knowledge of an area .-Authority in Philosophy:In...

Distances

João Pessoa
João Pessoa
João Pessoa , is the capital city of the state of Paraíba, was founded in 1585 and sometimes called the city where the sun rises first, is a Brazilian city and the easternmost city in the Americas at 34º47'38"W, 7º9'28"S. Local residents call its easternmost point Ponta do Seixas. It is also...

: 180 km (110 mi);
São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...

: 3011 km (1870 mi);
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, 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, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...

: 2750 km (1708 mi);
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...

: 2615 km (1624 mi);
Brasília
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. 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...

: 2383 km (1480 mi);
Salvador
Salvador, Bahia
Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...

: 1100 km (683 mi);
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...

: 4320 km (2684 mi).

Port

The Port of Natal

Port of Natal

The Port of Natal is in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, on the Potengi River. It is the South American port closest to Europe. Inaugurated on January 14, 1922, the port is administered by CODERN , and today has a strong focus on the export of fruit.Despite its prime location, the Port of Natal...

is specialized in cold storage cargo such as fruit, fish and shrimp

Shrimp

, among others. It has its own customs facilities and is connected to Europe by direct navigation lines, mainly to the ports of Vigo

Vigo

Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:...

, Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...

and Sheerness

Sheerness

Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....

Neighborhoods

Neighborhoods of Natal:

North Zone

Potengi
Redinha
Pajuçara
Igapó
Nossa Senhora da Apresentação
Salinas
Lagoa Azul

East Zone

Cidade Alta
Petrópolis
Tirol
Alecrim
Ribeira
Rocas
Barro Vermelho
Santos Reis
Praia do Meio
Areia Preta
Mãe Luíza

West Zone

Quintas
Nordeste
Dix-Sept Rosado
Bom Pastor
Nossa Senhora de Nazaré
Cidade da Esperança
Cidade Nova
Planalto
Felipe Camarão
Guarapes

South Zone

Ponta Negra
Ponta Negra
Ponta Negra is a famous beach and neighborhood located in the Brazilian city of Natal, the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Located in the extreme south of the beach is the Morro do Careca , a large dune and an iconic landmark of the city...
Lagoa Nova
Capim Macio
Candelária
Neópolis
Nova Descoberta
Pitimbu

Sports

The main soccer teams of Natal are:

América de Natal
ABC Futebol Clube
ABC Futebol Clube
ABC Futebol Clube, or ABC, as they are usually called, is a Brazilian football team from Natal in Rio Grande do Norte, founded on June 29, 1915. ABC is the oldest club of Rio Grande do Norte state...
Alecrim Futebol Clube
Alecrim Futebol Clube
Alecrim Futebol Clube, also known as Alecrim, are a Brazilian football team from Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. They competed in the Série A in 1986.-History:Alecrim Futebol Clube were founded on August 15, 1915. They won the Campeonato Potiguar six times...

Stadiums

João Machado Stadium
Machadão
Estádio Dr. João Cláudio Vasconcelos Machado, usually known as Machadão, is a multi-purpose stadium in the Brazilian city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. It is currently used mostly for football matches.Estádio Machadão is owned by the Natal City Hall...

(Machadão)
Maria Lamas Farache Stadium
Frasqueirão
Estádio Maria Lamas Farache, usually known as Frasqueirão is a multi-purpose stadium in the Brazilian city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium has an initial capacity of 18,000 people and will be expanded to 24,000 spectators.Estádio...

(Frasqueirão)
Juvenal Lamartine Stadium

2014 FIFA World Cup

Natal is one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup

2014 FIFA World Cup

The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th FIFA World Cup, an international association football tournament that will take place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014....

, for which Brazil

Brazil

is the host nation. the Dunas Arena will be built in place of Machadão

Machadão

Estádio Dr. João Cláudio Vasconcelos Machado, usually known as Machadão, is a multi-purpose stadium in the Brazilian city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. It is currently used mostly for football matches.Estádio Machadão is owned by the Natal City Hall...

stadium will be demolished. It is building a new airport

Airport

An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

, Greater Natal International Airport

Greater Natal International Airport

Greater Natal International Airport or São Gonçalo do Amarante – Natal International Airport is a new airport presently under construction in São Gonçalo do Amarante, Brazil...

, to be the largest airport in Latin America. It is also investing in a public transport

Public transport

Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...

system using the system of light rail

Light rail

Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...

called VLT de Natal, and other projects of infrastructure.

David Beckham

David Beckham

David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...

has announced plans for a football academy

David Beckham Academy

The David Beckham Academy is a football school founded by England international David Beckham in 2005. , it operates in two locations: in London, United Kingdom, and in Los Angeles, California, United States, though the London location closed in early 2010 .Further Academy sites are planned at...

in Natal, called the Beckham World of Sport

Beckham World of Sport

Beckham World of Sport is a soccer academy , a sports center, and a football stadium for professional players and for children which is being built at the Cape São Roque in the city of Natal, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil.The complex is sponsored by the player David Beckham...

, to coincide with the 2014 World Cup.

11th World Maxibasketball Championship

Natal will be the first Brazilian city to host a World Maxibasketball Championship. The 11th World Maxibasketball Championship will occur in July 2011, winning among the cities which also wanted to host the event: Punta del Este

Punta del Este

Punta del Este is a resort town on the Atlantic Coast in the Maldonado Department of southeastern Uruguay. It is located on the intersection of Route 10 with Route 39, directly southeast of the department capital Maldonado and about east of Montevideo...

in Uruguai; Vancouver

Vancouver

Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

and Eugene

Eugene, Oregon

Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...

in the United States. The facilities of the modern Nélio Dias gym

Gym

The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...

nasium should be used to house the event that will bring to the capital of Rio Grande do Norte about 3,500 athletes from around the world.

Notable Natalenses

Natalenses, as residents of Natal are called in Brazil.

Abraham Palatnik
Abraham Palatnik
Abraham Palatnik is a Brazilian artist and inventor whose innovations include kinechromatic art. He is Jewish and of Russian descent.-References:*Frederico Morais, Abraham Palatnik : A Pioneer of Technological Art, ....

, artist
Aldo Parisot
Aldo Parisot
Aldo Simoes Parisot is a Brazilian-born American cellist and cello teacher, was formerly a member of the Juilliard School faculty, and currently is serving as a professor of music at the Yale School of Music....

, cellist and cello teacher
André Oliveira
André Oliveira de Lima
André Oliveira de Lima or simply André Oliveira born April 20, 1985 in Natal, is a Midfielder and Striker. He currently plays for América Futebol Clube ....

, football player
Antônio Filipe Camarão
António Filipe Camarão
António Filipe Camarão was a Native American from the tribe of the Potiguar near the Rio Grande do Norte area of Brazil. His original tribal name was Poti, which means prawn...

, native American
Carlos Paz de Araújo
Carlos Paz de Araújo
Carlos A. Paz de Araújo , B.S., M.S., PhD, is a Brazilian American scientist and inventor. He collects a portfolio of nearly 600 patents registered in his name...

, scientist and inventor
Clodoaldo Silva
Clodoaldo Silva
Clodoaldo Silva is a Brazilian swimmer.Silva competed at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, winning three silver medals and one bronze. He competed again at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, where he set four world records, five Paralympic records, and won six gold medals and one silver...

, paralympic swimmer
Diego Pelicles da Silva, football player
Fabio Holanda
Fabio Holanda
Fabio Holanda is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who practices out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently fights in TKO and MFC as a lightweight and is a contender for the title in the former organization....

, mixed martial artist
Fernanda Tavares
Fernanda Tavares
Fernanda Tavares is a Brazilian model.-Biography:Born in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, Tavares was appearing in local shows at the age of nine, and at just 13 she won the "Elite Look of the Year" contest. A year later, she was invited by agents to go to São Paulo to pursue a modeling career...

, international model
Garibaldi Alves Filho
Garibaldi Alves Filho
Garibaldi Alves Filho is a Brazilian politician and former President of the Federal Senate....

, politician and former President of the Federal Senate (2007–2009)
Jadson Andre, professional surfer from Ponte Negra
Kell
José Clebson Augustinho
José Clebson Augustinho or simply Kell , is a Brazilian defensive midfielder. He currently plays for Santa Cruz-RN.-External links:...

, football player
João Café Filho
João Café Filho
João Fernandes Campos Café Filho was a Brazilian politician. Born in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte state, Café Filho was a journalist and federal deputy, elected vice-president in 1950, under Getúlio Vargas. Following the Vargas suicide in 1954, Café Filho assumed the presidency...

, lawyer and ex-president of Brazil (1954–1955)
Jussier da Silva
Jussier da Silva
Jussier da Silva, is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently signed with the Shooto. He is the Shooto South America 123-pound champion. da Silva holds a notable win over Shooto's Bantamweight Champion Shinichi Kojima...

, mixed martial artist
Larissa Costa
Larissa Costa
Larissa Costa Silva de Oliveira , commonly known as Larissa Costa, is a Brazilian beauty queen who won the Miss Brasil 2009...

, model and Miss Brasil 2009
Miss Brasil
The Miss Brasil Pageant is a beauty contest that has been held almost every year since 1954 between winners of the Brazilian state pageants.It is one of the most important beauty contest of the world, with USA and Venezuela...
Luís da Câmara Cascudo
Luís da Câmara Cascudo
Luís da Câmara Cascudo was a Brazilian anthropologist, folklorist, journalist, historian, lawyer, and lexicographer....

, anthropologist, folklorist, journalist, historian, lawyer, and lexicographer
Marinho Chagas
Marinho Chagas
Marinho Chagas, real name Francisco das Chagas Marinho, is a former association footballer.-Career:He played left-back with Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas and the Brazilian national team. He played the Football World Cup 1974. He was a skillful and innovative left lateral who was considered at the...

, football player
Matuzalém, football player
Oscar Schmidt
Oscar Schmidt
Oscar Daniel Bezerra Schmidt is a retired Brazilian basketball player. He is also known as Oscar Schmidt Bezerra in Spain, where he played for Fórum Valladolid for the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons, and simply Oscar or Mão Santa in his homeland. At his peak, he was 2.05 m tall and weighed...

, basketball player
Renan Barão
Renan Barão
Renan do Nascimento Mota Pegado, known as Renan Barão , is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He currently fights as a bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...

, mixed martial artist
Ronny Markes
Ronny Markes
Ronny Marki Sales da Silva is an Brazilian mixed martial artist currently competing in the Light Heavyweight division of the UFC. He fights out of the Nova Uniao camp in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.-Early career:...

, mixed martial artist
Ramalho
José Ramalho Carvalho de Freitas
José Ramalho Carvalho de Freitas, or simply Ramalho , is a Brazilian defensive midfielder. He currently plays for Criciúma Esporte Clube.-Beitar Jerusalem:...

, football player
Richarlyson
Richarlyson Barbosa Felisbino
Richarlyson Barbosa Felisbino, simply Richarlyson, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Clube Atlético Mineiro.Mainly a defensive midfielder, he can also play as a left back and central defender....

, football player
Roberta Sá, singer
Virna Dias
Virna Dias
Virna Cristine Dantas Dias is a retired volleyball player from Brazil. She represented her native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia...

, volleyball player

Twin towns

Natal, Rio Grande do Norte is twinned

Town twinning

Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...

with: Bethlehem

Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...

, Palestinian Authority Córdoba

Córdoba, Argentina

Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...

, Argentina

Argentina

Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

Porto Alegre

Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...

, Brazil

Brazil

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, 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, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...

, Brazil

Brazil

Salvador

Salvador, Bahia

Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...

, Brazil

Brazil

External links

Official
Official governmental tourism portal

Newspapers
Nominuto.com Newspaper Tribuna do Norte Newspaper

Education Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte State University of Rio Grande do Norte International Institute for Neuroscience of Natal Potiguar University (Laureate International Universities)

Travel guide
Natal Brazil Guide The New York Times Natal's Travel Guide Images of Natal by Tripadvisor

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