Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul

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City of Rio Grande

Flag

Seal

Nickname: "Bride of the Sea"

Coordinates: 32°02′06″S, 52°05′55″W

Founded

1737

Incorporated

1835

Government

- Mayor

Janir Branco (PMDB)

Area

- City

2,814 km² (1,086.5 sq mi)

Elevation

1 m (3.3 ft)

Population (2006 est.)

- City

196,982

- Density

70/km² (181.3/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC -3 (UTC-3)

- Summer (DST)

UTC -2 (UTC-2)

Website: www.riogrande.rs.gov.br

Rio Grande (lit. "Large River") is the oldest city in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and also the former state capital. It is the most important port in the state and one of the most important maritime ports in Brazil.

The city is named after a nearby channel which indirectly connects the Lagoa dos Patos, to the northeast, and Lagoa Mirim, to the west, with the Atlantic Ocean. The municipality is bordered by Santa Vitória do Palmar on the south and Pelotas on the north, which lies across the São Gonçalo Channel.

The city built up its wealth over the course of its long history of strong industrial movements. Today it is still one of the richest cities in Rio Grande do Sul, principally because of its port, the second busiest in Brazil, and its refinary, which processes Ipiranga petroleum.

1 History
2 Geography
3 References
4 Gallery

[edit] History

The history of Rio Grande is as old as the history of the whole region. It was explored by Portuguese sailors led by Martim Afonso de Sousa who sought fortified places along the southern Brazilian coast for a defense against the French corsairs. He discovered the tributary which indirectly connects the Lagoa dos Patos and Lagoa Mirim to the Atlantic Ocean and called the place Rio Grande de São Pedro (Large River of Saint Peter).

In 1669 the Portuguese established a colony further down the South American coastline along the Río de la Plata, which they called Colônia do Sacramento. With the first permanent Portuguese settlement in the region, livestock were introduced and began to spread far and wide over the territory. With the new settlers, the Portuguese decided to make a church-sanctioned settlement and, in 1736, created the Freguesia de São Pedro which covered what is today all of Uruguay and Rio Grande do Sul.

The city of Rio Grande was founded in 1737 by Brigadier General José da Silva Pais and his men to defend Portugal's territory. The Jesus Maria e José Fortress was constructed, which was built on the site of the future city. The fortress was transformed into a town when colonists from the Azores and Madeira arrived in the 1750's. In 1751, the growing colony became the Village of Rio Grande de São Pedro. In 1760, Rio Grande de São Pedro, which was formerly governed from Santa Catarina became its own captaincy, a type administrative division.

In 1763 the village was occupied by the Spanish. After constant disputes, Portugal reconquered the village in 1776, thanks to the actions of General Rafael Pinto Bandeira. However, when the fortress was taken by Spanish troops, many families fled to Viamão and established around its port the city of Porto Alegre. In 1835, Rio Grande became a city and, during the War of Tatters, it became the province's seat of government. Sometime after the revolution died down, Porto Alegre again became the capital.

[edit] Geography

Dock stretching into the Lagoa dos Patos from the Ilha dos Marinheiros

Rio Grande, as the name suggests, is a littoral city, which boasts what many call the longest beach in the world—the Praia do Cassino. This beach is approximately 250 km (155 mi) of uninterrupted Atlantic coastline. The entire municipal lies at a very low altitude—at its highest point only 10 meters (33 ft) above sea level. Additionally, the city, which is surrounded by water, sinks about one centimeter every year.

The municipality is named after its 24-mile long tidal channel which indirectly mingles the waters of the Lagoa dos Patos and Lagoa Mirim with the Atlantic Ocean. The largest and most populated island in the Lagoa dos Patos is the Ilha dos Marinheiros, which is part of the municipality.

For the most part, Rio Grande is made up of fields of low and herbacious vegetation, characteristic of the pampas. There are also planted trees, mostly eucalyptus and pine. Sand dunes are found all up and down the coastline.

The climate of Rio Grande is subtropical and mild, with a strong oceanic influence and relatively cool winters, warm summers and regular precipitation all year. The average temperature in the city is 17.8°C (64°F) and the average annual precipitation is 1050 mm (41 in). The hottest month is January, with an average temperature of 22.8°C (73°F). The coldest month is July, with an average temperature of 12.8°C (55°F), but due to intense winds in the city, the wind chill temperature frequently drops to 6°C (42°F).