Recife, Brazil
Recife is the fourth largest metropolitan area in Brazil and the capital of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. In 2007, Recife’s population was over one and a half million. This municipality is located where the Beberibe River meets the Capibaribe River and both flow into the Atlantic ocean. It is also a major port on the Atlantic Ocean. Recife’s name is the Portuguese word for “reef”, which refers to the many coral reefs that are present along the city’s shores. Recife is also often called the “Brazilian Venice” due to its many rivers and bridges that characterize its geography.
The state of Pernambuco’s main industrial zone is located in the metropolitan region of Recife. The most important products that are derived from this area are cane (both sugar and ethanol), food, electronics, and many others. It was thanks to the fiscal incentives of the government that many industrial enterprises were started in the 1970s and 1980s. Recife now has a tradition of being the most important commercial center in Northeastern Brazil.
Recife is also Brazil’s second largest medical center, second only to Sao Paulo, thanks to a combination of massive labor supply and significant private investments. There are many modern hospitals in Recife that have state of the art equipment that treats patients from all over the state as well as several neighboring states. Recife also has a greatly developing toruist sector. The beach of Porto de Galinhas is south of the city and has been repeatedly named the best beach in Brazil. It draws many tourists each year. Recife’s infrastructure is also one of the most developed in Brazil for travelers and businessmen, though there is still a great deal of room for improvement.
Finally, the city is also a renowned educational center, as it is home to the Federal University of Pernambuco, which is the largest university in the state. There have been several historical figures in Brazil’s history that have moved to Recife to become educated, most notably the poet and abolitionist Casto Alves. In recent years, however, Recife’s education has lagged compared to its neighboring cities. The Gilberto Freyre/Guararapes International Airport connects Recife to several other Brazilian destinations and major international cities in Europe and the United States.
There are many popular shopping centers in Recife, including the Shopping Center Recife which was the first shopping center in the North and Northeastern regions and was inaugurated in 1980 thanks to the initiatives of two groups of entrepreneurs, Ancar and Ecisa. The shopping center houses four hundred and sixty-five stores, ten movie theaters, eight restaurants, four food service courts containing fifty-seven fast food mini-restaurants, and five thousand parking spaces, thanks to twenty-three years of renovations. Each day, ninety thousand people circulate through the establishment, amounting to over four hundred thousand consumers each year. Other popular shopping centers include Shopping Center Tacaruna, Sopping Paco da Alfandega, and Plaza Shopping Casa Forte.
There are plenty of recreational activities for tourists in Recife, including historical landmarks, beaches, and the seasonal Carnival.