Amazonas is the largest state in Brazil and one of the most famous places in the world due to its location amidst the planet’s largest tropical rainforest - the

2 Amazônia. With over 1.5 million km, it covers an area that is equivalent to the sum of France, Spain, Sweden, and Greece. On the other hand, it has one of the lowest population densities in Brazil: 2.23 inhabitants per km2 according to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

The late 19th century marked one of the region’s golden moments, with the discovery of rubber trees and latex. Manaus was the wealthiest city in Brazil at that time, and housed elegant buildings such as the Opera House, with its eclectic style and neo-classical and Greco- Roman influences.

The State is one of the best-preserved in the country, with protected areas, parks and forest reserves occupying approximately 98% of their original area. In the last decade issues such as sustainable development and preservation of the Floresta Amazônica were among the main political directives of the State, with economic incentives for projects that incorporate local products, sh farming, agribusiness, and rural production. Today, this concern with the maintenance of natural resources makes nature tourism one of the main attractions in Amazonas, with trips by boat and canoe on several of the region’s rivers, overnight stays in forest lodges and forest hikes.

Amazonas also has one of the highest rates of an indigenous population in Brazil, with 65 different indigenous ethnic groups totaling about 170,000 people according to the 2010 population Census.

In addition to industry, tourism also drives the local economy. With a large number of hotels, Manaus has comfortable and even luxurious forest lodges, ideal for nature lovers, as well as restaurants that offer dishes based on typical regional sh, such as tucunaré e pirarucu.

The City is a perfect destination for ecotourism, with its parks and ecological reserves. Tourists can also see animals typical of the region, such as the Amazon manatee and several species of macaws. Rich aquatic resources provide phenomena such as the Encontro das Águas, where the muddy waters of the Rio Solimões mingle with the dark waters of the Rio Negro.

Image by Sergio Biron Burgardt from Pixabay