Manaus

Capital of Amazonas federal unit (state), northwest Brazil, on the Río Negro, 16 km/10 mi from its confluence with the River Solimó which forms the River Amazon; population (2000 est) 1,394,700. It is the industrial trading and commercial centre of the state, and its chief port, although 1,600 km/1,000 mi from the Atlantic. Hardwood timber, Brazil nuts, and rubber are the main exports, and there are sawmills and an oil refinery. Manaus is an important free-trade zone (established in 1966) that is a major producer of goods such as television sets, video recorders, and motorcycles, which it distributes nationwide.

Founded in 1660, Manaus became a centre of the rubber trade (1890–1920), and developed as a tourist centre in the 1970s, serving as a base for the Amazon region. The harbour has a floating dock designed to deal with the river's annual rise and fall of up to 14 m/46 ft. The Teatro Amazonas opera house, designed by Domenico de Angelis in Italian Renaissance style, took 17 years to build and was completed in 1896; after major refurbishment it was opened in 1990. Manaus is home to the University of Amazonas (1965).