Fortaleza – The Capital Of The Ceará State, Brazil

Ceará is a Brazilian state in the Northeast Region of the country on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. With an area of 146,348 square km, it is the 17th largest state by area. The population of the state is 8,606,005 individuals that makes it the 8th most populous state in Brazil. Ceará is one of the top tourist destinations in Brazil. It is known for its beautiful landscapes including an extensive coastline, mountains, plateaus, forests, and valleys. It has a varied environment of mangroves, tropical forest, jungle, scrubland, and more, and is home to a great diversity of flora and fauna.

Capital Of Ceará

Fortaleza is the capital city of Ceará. The city is located on the banks of the Pajeú creek 2285 km from country’s capital of Brasilia. The municipality of Fortaleza occupies an area of 314.93 square km and the metro area spreads across 7,440.053 square km. The average elevation of the city is 21 m. Fortaleza experiences a typical tropical climate. High temperatures and humidity prevail all year round.

Fortaleza

Fortaleza is Brazil’s fifth largest city by population. As per the 2010 Census, Fortaleza was home to a population of 2,315,116 people. 

The recorded history of the capital of Ceará began on February 2, 1500, when the Portuguese first landed on the Atlantic coast near where the city now stands. In 1603, the Portuguese began colonizing the territory and established a fort in the area. The Dutch drove out the Portuguese and occupied the fort in 1637. In 1644, however, battles between the natives and the Portuguese led to the destruction of the fort and the building of a new fort in 1649. When the Portuguese came back to power in 1654, the fort was handed over to them by the Dutch and renamed Fortaleza da Nossa Senhora de Assunção after which the city is named. The settlement of Fortaleza was formally founded as a village in 1726 and it was declared the capital of the Ceará state in 1799. It soon started rapidly developing and its nearness to the coast allowed trade and commerce to flourish.

Economy Of Fortaleza

As of 2013, Fortaleza was ranked as Brazil’s 12th most prosperous city with a GDP of US$21 billion. It is also the North and Northeast Region’s richest metropolis. Fortaleza has emerged as one of the major commercial and industrial hubs of the country. The tertiary sector of Fortaleza is extremely diversified and is its main economic source. It is also one of the most visited Brazilian cities and tourism revenues contribute significantly to the wealth of the city.