Welcome to Natal Brazil
A city of northeast Brazil on the Atlantic Ocean north of Recife, Natal is the capital of Rio Grande do Norte state, northeast Brazil, just above the mouth of the Potengi River. It is a modern city that has retained its colonial flavor and is beautifully situated among white palm-studded beaches. Its port is important in the handling of coastal shipping and in the export of tungsten. There is also some light industry. Natal was founded on Christmas Day, 1599. It was occupied by the Dutch from 1633 to 1654 and in 1817 was briefly the seat of a republican government until it was suppressed by imperial authorities. Because of its strategic position (Natal is one of the cities in Brazil nearest to Africa and Europe), an American military base was built in the outskirts of Natal during the World War II years; 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. 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; 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.
posted by Hills @ 8:02 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home