Marabá, Brazil

For the coffee-producing region in Rwanda, see Maraba, Rwanda.

Marabá
—  Municipality  —
The Municipality of Marabá
Photo montage of the city of Marabá
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): "Terra da Castanha"
Country	Brazil
Region	Northern
State	Pará
Founded	April 5, 1913
Government
– Mayor	Maurino Magalhães (PR)
Area
– Total	15.157 km2 (5.9 sq mi)
Population (2010)
– Total	233.462
– Density	13.45/km2 (34.8/sq mi)
Postcode	68500-000
HDI (2000)	0.714 – high
Website	http://www.maraba.pa.gov.br/

Maraba is a city in the state of Pará, Brazil. The reference location is the meeting point between two great rivers, forming a sort of "y" in the city as seen from above. It basically consists of five urban centers, linked by three highways.

It is the fourth most populous city in the state of Para, approximately 233,462 inhabitants according to the IBGE/2010, and the third largest GDP in the state of Pará, with 3115485.000, the main center of political, social and economic development of southern and southeastern Para and one of the most dynamic cities in Brazil.

Maraba has a strategic position, is crossed by five major highway. He also has a large logistics infrastructure, with port, airport and railway. The city has a growing industrial park, especially the steel industry, is important in agriculture, with a vast agricultural frontier, and also has a strong trade and services sector.

Maraba is characterized by its wide mix of peoples and cultures that does justice to the meaning of its popular name of "son of the mix." The city is also known as the City Poem, because his name was inspired by a poem by poet Gonçalves Dias.

Etymology

The etymology of the word "Maraba" is an indigenous term - like many others that we know by name rivers, towns, cities and relieves the state of Pará - and means son of the prisoner or abroad or even India's fruit with white.

A poem written by Gonçalves Dias inspired Francisco Silva, who named his store of goodwill, situated at the confluence of the Tocantins/Itacaiúnas. The store actually a big shed, served the pioneers of all types of dry and wet. There, according to tradition, Cole bought the rubber collected, Andiroba, Copaiba, wild fruits, and several fighters, funds held in a lively cabaret, with the sale of drinks and women who himself had come from far eastern Amazon.

History

Colonization

The settlement of the basin Itacaiúnas plays in shaping the city an important role, because even though this region has been further explored by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century, remained without a permanent occupation for nearly 300 years. Only since 1892 is that, in fact, the space was occupied by settlers. The first to participate in the formation of the town of Maraba in 1892 were political leaders who had escaped from the guerrillas staged at the north of Goias, specifically the city of Boa Vista. The pioneer Carlos Gomes Leitão, accompanied by his family and aides work shifted to the southeast of Pará, establishing their first camp in a locality situated on land bordered by the confluence of the Tocantins and Itacaiúnas. Settling in the end, after a year of observations on the left bank of the Tocantins, about 10 km downstream from the other camp, which he called on local Burgh. The point where they settled began to give way in the woods in search of natural fields that would serve to cattle. In one of these raids, one of its workers struck a tree in some casual shooting until then unknown, whose shot made it abundantly pour into a milky liquid that, some time after touching the ground, clotted spontaneously.

In 1894, the following immigrant Goias to the provincial capital to have a meeting with then president of the province of Grand Para, José Paes de Carvalho, who requested the cooperation, since the need to colonize the southern province, having been awarded 6 with tales of kings in cash and stock of drugs that would be used particularly in combating malaria and other tropical diseases. Succeeded in their attempt to help and for having the tests of the milk plant hardened proven that it was legitimate rubber, Leitão, back to the Burgh, broadcasted the information to all of the little colony. The following year began to arrive the first wave of staff for the extraction of rubber. The dealer and Maranhense Francisco Coelho da Silva would have been the first to establish themselves in the area between the rivers Tocantins and Itacaiúnas. The goal was to negotiate with the miners of Caucho, who through the mouth of the river Itacaiúnas, sailed up the Tocantins River. The records give the name of Francisco Silva city. He would have installed on the local trading house Maraba, whose name was a tribute to poet Gonçalves Dias.

Emancipation Hall

Shipment of Brazil nuts in small boats.

This commercial hub, where the "Itacaiúnas flowing in Tocantins, pressing a strip of land shaped peninsula," came the city of Maraba. So in tribute to its founder, the official name of the neighborhood popularly known as "Dry hair is Francisco Coelho. Created February 27, 1913 by claim Marabá community, the municipality was not formally installed on 5 April of that year, that date is now celebrated as his birthday and only received the title of city on October 27, 1923. The first Mayor Hall, at the time corresponding to the position of mayor, was Colonel Antonio da Rocha Maia, selected and appointed on the date of installation ceremonies. The fronts of migration into the region of Maraba, from the mid-20s, aimed especially the extraction and sale of Brazil nuts, and since the late '30s, in diamond mining in the Tocantins River stones. The city received immigrants from various regions of Brazil, especially Bahia, Ceará, Piauí, Goiás, Paraíba, Maranhão, but also Palestinians and Lebanese immigrants, constituting an important layer in the local society. In 1929, the city is already illuminated by a wood burning power plant and 17 November 1935 the first plane lands at the airport recently opened in town. During this period the city was composed of 450 houses and 1500 inhabitants fixed.

The 1970s

With the opening of Route PA-70, in 1969, Maraba is linked to the Belém-Brasília Highway. The implementation of road infrastructure was part of the strategy the federal government (Military Regime in Brazil) to integrate the region with the rest of the country. Besides the official plan of agricultural colonization, the establishment of construction sites, especially the construction of a hydroelectric plant in Tucuruí and deployment of the Grande Carajás project, the discovery of gold mine of Serra Pelada, streamlined and accelerated migration to Maraba decades 1970 and 1980. In 1970, the city was declared a National Security Area, a condition that lasted until the end of military dictatorship in 1985. Besides the region is strategic to the integration policy, it was the region to fight the Araguaia Guerrilla (movement inspired by the Chinese Communist action), resulting in an overt presence of the troops of the Brazilian Army, the city was one of the bases of operations for troops Federal. Also in 1970 the NIP (National Integration Program), which, among other measures, provided for the construction of the Trans-Amazon Highway, whose first section was opened in 1971, along with the creation of a post at the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA) in Maraba.

Recent facts

In 1980 the city is plagued by the greatest flood in its history, the Tocantins River rises 17.42 meters. As a result there is a redesign of urban growth and city expansion. In 1984, comes into operation the Carajas Railroad, in 1988 and start the preparations for the installation of steel industries, for production of pig iron, a deal that has brought great benefits and growth for the city.

On April 5, 1990 is promulgated the Organic Law of the municipality of Maraba. The district population increased significantly during the 90's, and in mid-1998 the number reached 157,884 inhabitants fixed in the next year, the city itself as the headquarters of major events with national impact. During the administration of then Mayor Geraldo Veloso the council went through a rapid process of structural modernization, and economic policy, highlighting the significant growth experienced. In consequence of these reforms the council during the years 2002 to 2008, received a massive investment, which has culminated in the city became a center metal and mechanical industry. Currently the population Marabá is around 203,049 inhabitants, according to official estimates, this estimate and growth is inevitable, since the city is in the process of accelerated development and receives many people from other localities.

Economy

trade in Maraba.

The municipality of Maraba experienced various economic cycles. Until the early 80's economy was based on the extraction plant. At first revolved around the extraction of latex rubber, whose lucrative attracted large numbers of the Northeast. Since the late nineteenth century (1892) until the late 40s, was marked by the extraction of the rubber boom that has contributed greatly to the economy of the city and the region, however, the rubber crisis led the council to a new cycle . This time, the cycle of Brazil nuts, which for years led the municipal economy. There was also the cycle of diamonds between 1920 and 1940, which were mainly found on the river Tocantins. With the discovery of Serra Pelada and be in the world's largest mineral, Maraba also experienced the cycle of the mines, which had the greatest emphasis, the extraction of gold.

Since the early 70's the city began to experience the installation of the Grande Carajás project, and later steel industries, rather than boosted the local economy.

Primary sector

Today, Maraba is the economic center and a vast administrative region of the Amazon agricultural frontier ", the city has one of the most significant economic growth in the country. Livestock based on cattle ranching is an activity of great importance for the municipality, and ensure the livelihoods of the population, provides the regional and local development by creating large scale, and is marketed in different Brazilian regions and abroad. The herd area is highlighted by its superior quality, being one of the most important cattle herds of the state, a result arising from the use of advanced technology in the selection and fertilization. It has also herds of pigs, horses, sheep and poultry

The fishing sector also has a key role in local economic base by exporting its surplus for the entire north and northeast. Agriculture is diversified, with production cereals, pulses and oilseeds such as corn, rice and beans, fruits such as bananas and acai, and logging

Secondary sector

Inside a steel.

Through the Industrial Development Company of Para - CDI, was installed at the end of the eighties, in an area of 1,300 hectares, the industrial district of Maraba - DIM, to create the base of a steel pole targeting the Carajas iron ore, exploited by the mining company Vale.

Metallurgical Industries and intense livestock activity, accounted for a large environmental devastation in the region. The activity of the steel industry requires large amounts of coal, leading to a devastation of native forests. As a result of public pressure the industries were forced to change its production model, investing in reforestation and charcoal production through the babassu coconut palm.

Besides, to have more than 200 industries, and the steel (pig iron) most important, second is the timber industry and the manufacture of tiles and bricks. The city's economy also relies on the production of manganese and Agribusiness. In Maraba, Agribusiness works with pulp processing, cassava flour, rice processing, milk and palm.

The installation of steel plant came boost the local economy even more, forming a metal pole-mechanical, with a view to verticalize the local mineral production. There are still projects that seen during and after the installation of steel works, among them: The gas pipeline Açailândia-Maraba and construction of new port city.

Tertiary sector

The trade and services sector also has its share of contribution. Maraba has approximately 5 000 outlets divided between trade formed by micro, small, medium and large businesses and services, Hospital, Financial, Education, Construction and Public Utilities. It is a very powerful and comes with high rates of growth. This is because the strategy of state government, to decentralize services from the state capital, Belém. The city is increasingly gaining representation in hosting numerous public institutions. The trade of the city is highlighted, because the city is a major regional commercial hub of South and Southeast of Pará.

Marabá is served by Marabá Airport.

Culture and leisure

Tourism

Maraba is a true haven of natural beauty. Bordered by two major rivers, brings an air of provincial town, but offers great opportunities to those resident and visitors.

Beach Tucunaré (Peacock Bass)

One of the best options during the summer of Pará, the Beach Peacock Bass is the most visited tourist spot in town. Emerging from the ebb of the Tocantins River, just after the rainy season the beach occupies an area of approximately 5 km ², of which three quarters are of fine sand and one quarter of vegetation. Situated opposite the central region of Maraba, the sands of the island are sighted in mid-April, but their high season is in July, making it the main attraction of the city.

The beach provides vacationers, practice water sports and sandy, camping, fishing, and various attractions promoted by the Municipality.

Along the beach is prepared a lot of vendors that offer visitors a multitude of dishes and drinks, including the Coconut Beach, the peacock bass fry

Beach geladinho

Located opposite the district of San Felix, also appears in the summer with the decrease in the level of the river Tocantins. Its natural beauty won a special touch with the vision of Rail/Road bridge over the river Tocantins, to transport the ore extracted from the Serra dos Carajás.

Church of St. Felix of Valois

Church of St. Felix of Valois and the Municipal Library on the left (Old Market Hall).

It was the first chapel built in Maraba. It was made by Francis Acacio, in the 20s in honor of Santa Maria. The first building was destroyed by the flooding of rivers in 1926, then another church was erected on the same site. It is the first historical heritage of the city, officially recognized on April 5, 1993. The church is located in Piazza San Felix, in the central city

Palace Augusto Dias

Seat of the Legislature was built in the 30s to serve the City and the Forum

Municipal Museum of Maraba

House of the Culture Foundation of Maraba.

The Municipal Museum is installed at the Foundation House of Culture of Maraba and includes the following sectors: Division of Anthropology, Department of Botany, Department of Geology, Department of Archaeology and Department of Zoology. In addition to host school of Music, the municipal public archives, the Museum makes several studies on the region southeast of Pará, rescuing and preserving local history. The museum has the support and guidance of the Goeldi Museum, in relation to the training of technicians and identification of the material through an agreement with the institution. The Municipal Museum of Maraba is one of Brazil's most respected institutions in the framework of research, rescue, environmental and historical preservation.

Sport

Águia de Marabá Futebol Clube, the city's principal football club won the state championship in 2010 and reached the Copa do Brasil semi-finals in 2009. In 2010, it placed 3nd on the National Championship's Serie C.

Statistics

• Elevation: 84 m
• Climate: Equatorial hot and dry
• Average annual temperature: 32°C
• Latitude South 05° 22' 08"
• Longitude West: 49° 07' 04"

• Distances from major cities:

• Belém: 485 km
• São Paulo: 2037 km
• Brasília: 1.682 km
• São Luiz: 799 km
• Rio de Janeiro: 2.818 km
• Fortaleza: 2.225 km
• Palmas:801 km
• Imperatriz: 210 km
• Araguaina: 280 km

External links

• Official website
• Marabá Online