Porto Alegre

This article is about Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. You may be looking for Portalegre, Alentejo, Portugal.

Porto Alegre, one of the largest cities in southern Brazil, is the capital of Rio Grande do Sul State. Population: 1,416,000 (2004). Metropolitan area: 3,500,000, the 4th largest of Brazil and about the 10th in South America.

The city is located at the conjunction of five rivers, among them Guaíba Lake (popularly known as a river). Although its origins date from the mid- 1700s, when immigrants from the Azores settled in the area, the city was officially established in 1809. The city's geographical coordinates are 30°01′59″S, 51°13′48″W.

Before this, Porto Alegre was the port of Viamão on the shore of Guaíba Lake. Its ancient name was Porto dos Casais (Couples' Port), a reference to the families that ran away from conflicts near the Uruguay border. Many families came from Rio Grande, a military fortress at that time, and today the most important port of Rio Grande do Sul state.

There are more than 70 neighborhoods and 2/3 of the population is concentrated in the Zona Norte (Northern Zone), where most of the economic activity, including the city center, is located.

The climate is humid subtropical, with hot summers and mild winters and wet all year. The average temperature in January is 24,5°C and in July 14,3°C, with record temperatures being 41,3°C in 2005 and -4,0°C in 1918. Snowfall is very rare, having been observed in the late 19th century, 1910, 1984 and 2000. Thunderstorms are very common.

Porto Alegre is the most important industrial center for southern Brazil, and a key city for Mercosul. It also is a center for gaúcho (the popular name for natives of the State) history and culture, famous for its churrasco (grilled meat) and chimarrão (a strong tea prepared from erva mate). Several important Brazilian universities, such as UFRGS and PUCRS are located there.

Since 1999, the largest road work ever in the city, the Terceira Perimetral (Third Perimetral) has been under construction throughout the city. The Terceira Perimetral is 12 km long, connecting the North and the South of the city. There is talk that the work may be finished by 2007.

Because of its strategic position (Porto Alegre is the southernmost metropolis in Brazil) the city is an important stopping point for travellers and international businessmen in the south of South America, especially from the countries of Mercosul.

Porto Alegre is also one of the wealthiest cities in Latin America and one of the most diverse. It has harbored immigrants from all over the world, the largest numbers coming from Portugal, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland. The Arabian, Jewish and Afro-Brazilian population is quite significant as well.

Politics

In comparison with the rest of Brazil the city has been an important convergence zone for left-wing parties and their ideas. This has led to the city being the location of the annual World Social Forum in 2001. Participation in each of the first three forums, which were held exclusively in Porto Alegre, has been estimated to be in excess of one hundred thousand people.

Worker's Party (PT), the most influent left-wing Brazilian party, has established a solid electoral base having won the election for mayor four times, holding office in the city hall from January 1989 to December 2004. This was a major break through for the party being the first major city they had won control of. The administration of the city was held up by the party in its electoral propaganda around the country's major cities as being a popular success. The parties governing of the city included innovative experiments in participatory budgeting that have been held up as a new model of my many across the world, mainly on the left. They have also been criticised for not being able to overcome the contradictions of capitalism. [1]

The popularity of the Workers party declined in 2004 and in the mayoral elections there candidate was replaced by José Fogaça, from the Socialist People's Party (PPS) which, despite its name, is popularly considered a right-wing party in Porto Alegre. Fogaça governs with a coalition that includes five of the six largest parties in the State (only PT being in the opposition), ranging from labour ( PDT) to liberals ( PFL).

Famous people related to Porto Alegre

• Gisele Bündchen, supermodel
• Adriana Calcanhotto, singer and instrumentist
• Ernesto Geisel, military general and politician
• Isaac Karabtchevsky, conductor
• Luís Carlos Prestes, Communist leader
• Mario Quintana, writer
• Elis Regina, singer
• Ronaldinho, football player
• Moacyr Scliar, writer and physician
• Luis Fernando Verissimo, writer