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Belem

Belém
Municipality
Município de Belém
Municipality of Belém
Top row left: Theatro da Paz and Vitória Régia, in Paraense Emílio Goeldi Museum.  Middle row: The city of Belem seen from the River Guama.  Bottom row left: Cathedral of Sé and Ver-o-Peso market.
Top row left: Theatro da Paz and Vitória Régia, in Paraense Emílio Goeldi Museum.
Middle row: The city of Belem seen from the River Guama.
Bottom row left: Cathedral of Sé and Ver-o-Peso market.
Flag of Belém
Flag
Official seal of Belém
Seal
Nickname(s): "City of Mango Trees", "Metropolis of Amazon".
Motto: Os Estados do Norte estão conosco e nos seguem
(Northern states are with us and follow us)
Location of Belém in the State of Pará
Location of Belém in the State of Pará
Belém is located in Brazil
Belém
Belém
Location in Brazil
Coordinates: 1°27′21″S 48°30′14″W / 1.45583°S 48.50389°W / -1.45583; -48.50389Coordinates: 1°27′21″S 48°30′14″W / 1.45583°S 48.50389°W / -1.45583; -48.50389
Country  Brazil
Region North
State Bandeira do Pará.svg Pará
Founded 12 January 1616
Government
 • Mayor Zenaldo Coutinho (PSDB) 2013–2016
Area
 • Municipality 1,059.40 km2 (409.04 sq mi)
Elevation 10 m (30 ft)
Population (2015 census)
 • Municipality 1,439,561 (11th)
 • Density 1,322/km2 (3,420/sq mi)
 • Metro 2,249,405
Time zone BRT (UTC-3)
Postal Code 66000-000
Area code(s) +55 91
HDI 0.746 (UN)
Website Official website

Belém (Portuguese pronunciation: [beˈlẽj]), literally Portuguese for Bethlehem, is a Brazilian municipality, the capital and largest city of the state of Pará in the country's north. It is the gateway to the River Amazon with a busy port, airport, and bus/coach station. Belém lies approximately 100 km upriver from the Atlantic Ocean, on the Pará River, which is part of the greater Amazon River system, separated from the larger part of the Amazon delta by Ilha de Marajó (Marajo Island). With an estimated population of 1,439,561 people — or 2,249,405, considering its metropolitan area — it is the 11th most populous city in Brazil, as well as the 16th by economic relevance. It is the second largest in the North Region, second only to Manaus, in the state of Amazonas.

Founded in 1616 by the Kingdom of Portugal, Belém was the first European colony on the Amazon but did not become part of Brazil until 1775. The newer part of the city has modern buildings and skyscrapers. The colonial portion retains the charm of tree-filled squares, churches and traditional blue tiles. The city has a rich history and architecture from colonial times. Recently it witnessed a skyscraper boom.

Belém is also known as the Metropolis of the Brazilian Amazon region or the Cidade das Mangueiras (City of Mango Trees) due to the vast number of those trees found in the city. Brazilians often refer to the city as Belém do Pará ("Belém of Pará") rather than just Belém, a reference to an earlier name for the city, Santa Maria de Belém do Grão Pará, and also to differentiate it from a number of other towns called Belém in Brazil. It is named after Santa Maria de Belém in Lisbon, also better known by its shortened name, Belém.


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