Map of Amazonas

History

Amazonas was originally the captaincy of São Jose do Rio Negro, then a District of Grão-Pará, which became a province and finally a state of Brazil.

1832 – Creation of Judicial District of the Upper Amazonas, under Pará.

At one time the Amazon River flowed westward, perhaps as part of a proto-Congo (Zaïre) river system from the interior of present-day Africa when the continents were joined as part of western Gondwana. Fifteen million years ago, the Andes were formed by the collision of the South American Plate with the Nazca Plate (eastern Pacific oceanic) plate. The rise of the Andes and the linkage of the Brazilian and Guyana bedrock shields, blocked the river and caused the Amazon to become a vast inland sea.

Geography

Characterized by being the largest of the States of Brazil, with an area of 1,559,159.148 square kilometres (601,994.713 sq mi). Amazonas has most of its land occupied by forest reserves and water. The access to the region is mainly made by waterway or by plane. It is located in the North of Brazil, bordering the States of Mato Grosso, Rondônia, and Acre to the South; Pará and Roraima, in the North East beyond the republics of Peru for 1,430 km along the Yavari river, Colombia for 1,644 km and Venezuela for 996 km to the Southwest and Northwest respectively. Most of its territory is in the time zone UTC−4 (with 4 hours less than Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Economy

The industrial sector is the largest component of GDP at 69.9%, followed by the service sector at 23.93% (2012). Agriculture represents 3.6% of GDP (2004). Amazonas exports: mobile phones 48.7%, others electronics 19.5%, motorcycles 7.7% (2002).

Amazonas economy was once reliant almost entirely upon rubber; today it has wide and varied industries, including the farming of cassava, oranges, and other agricultural products.

Recently the Brazilian government is pursuing the development of industries whose main focus will be the exporting of consumer goods. Due to its geographical proximity to the markets in the northern hemisphere and Amazon countries, like Venezuela, they believe this move will have a great economic impact not only in the north region of Brazil but in the entire country.

Demographics

The population of Amazonas represents 1.9% of the population in Brazil.

The chief commercial cities are Barcelos, Benjamin Constant, Eirunepe, Itacoatiara, Lábrea, Manacapuru, Manicoré, Parintins, and Tefé.

The state achieved a very great population growth in the early 20th century, due to the golden period of rubber, and after installation of the Industrial Pole of Manaus, in the 1960s. The state still maintains population rates above the national average. In the 1950s the state had a population growth of 3.6% per year, while Brazil has maintained a growth of 3.2%.