Manaus

Lore & Background

Manaus, the capital of Amazonas, lies near the meeting of the Negro and Amazon rivers in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. It is one of only two Amazonian cities with over a million people, and its metropolitan area is the largest in Brazil’s North Region by urban land. The city’s name derives from the indigenous Manaós people, meaning “Mother of the Gods.” Founded in 1669 as a Portuguese fort to counter Dutch incursions, it grew around a chapel built by missionaries in 1695. Elevated to a town in 1832 and legally made a city in 1848, it was briefly called Cidade da Barra do Rio Negro before returning to the name Manaus in 1856. During the Cabanagem revolt (1835), rebels from the Upper Amazon occupied Manaus twice, and the uprising helped shape the future state of Amazonas. The late-19th-century rubber boom transformed Manaus into a famously extravagant city, where rubber barons spent fortunes on yachts, lions, and champagne. The Teatro Amazonas opera house, built with European marble, glass, and crystal for ten million public dollars, stands as a monument to that era; after nearly a century of disuse, it reopened for live opera in 1997. When rubber seeds were smuggled to Southeast Asia, the boom collapsed, plunging the city into poverty. Today, its economy relies on the Industrial Park of Manaus, a free economic zone producing electronics, chemicals, and soap, alongside shipbuilding and distilling. Exports include Brazil nuts, rubber, jute, and rosewood oil. The city hosts the National Institute of Amazonian Research, a cathedral, zoological and botanical gardens, an eco-park, and museums of regional and native peoples. It was a host city for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Reader's Guide

Manaus is a major urban center in the Amazon rainforest, one of only two cities in the region with a population exceeding one million. Its history is marked by dramatic economic cycles. Founded in 1669 as a Portuguese fort to secure the region against Dutch incursion, the settlement grew around a chapel built by missionaries. The city was officially named after the indigenous Manaós people. During the late 1800s, the rubber boom transformed Manaus into the richest city in South America, attracting wealthy European families who imported sophisticated art and culture, earning it the nickname "Paris of the Tropics." This era saw the construction of the grand Amazon Theatre opera house, built with materials from across Europe. However, the collapse of the rubber monopoly led to decades of decline. Today, Manaus is home to the National Institute of Amazonian Research, making it a vital center for scientific studies and international sustainability issues. Its economy is now driven by the Industrial Park of Manaus, a free economic zone, with industries including electronics, chemical products, shipbuilding, and the export of Brazil nuts, rubber, jute, and rosewood oil. The city also features a cathedral, zoological and botanical gardens, and museums dedicated to regional and native peoples.

Did You Know?

• The name Manaus comes from the native Manaós people, meaning 'Mother of the Gods.'
• During the rubber boom, the city built the Teatro Amazonas opera house, which cost ten million dollars and featured materials from Europe.
• An estimated 76% of the population of Manaus was infected with coronavirus during the COVID-19 pandemic.