Fortaleza
Fortaleza | |
|---|---|
| Municipality of Fortaleza Município de Fortaleza | |
| Nicknames: Fortal Miami Brasileira (Brazilian Miami) Terra da Luz (Land of Light) | |
| Motto: "Fortitudine" (Latin) | |
![]() Interactive map of Fortaleza | |
| Coordinates: 03°43′39″S 38°31′39″W / 3.72750°S 38.52750°W | |
| Country | |
| Region | Northeast |
| State | |
| Founded | 13 April 1726 |
| Named after | "Fort of Our Lady of the Assumption" (Virgin Mary) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-council |
| • Mayor | Evandro Leitão (PT) |
| • Deputy mayor | Gabriella Aguiar (PSD) |
| Area | |
| 312.353 km2 (120.600 sq mi) | |
| • Metro | 7,440.053 km2 (2,872.621 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 16 m (52 ft) |
| Population (2024 [1]) | |
| 2,574,412 | |
| • Rank | 4th |
| • Density | 8,654.92/km2 (22,416.1/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 3,903,945 |
| • Metro density | 560.21/km2 (1,450.9/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Portuguese: Fortalezense |
| GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values) | |
| • Year | 2023 |
| • Total (Metro) | $39.6 billion[2] |
| • Per capita | $10,600 |
| Time zone | UTC−3 (BST) |
| Postal code | 60000-001 to 61599-999 |
| Area code | +55 85 |
| HDI (2010) | 0.754 – high[3] |
| Website | fortaleza.ce.gov.br |
Fortaleza (/ˌfɔːrtəˈleɪzə/ FOR-tə-LAY-zə ⓘ; Brazilian Portuguese: [foʁtaˈlezɐ] ⓘ; Portuguese for 'Fortress') is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. It is Brazil's 4th largest city—Fortaleza surpassed Salvador in 2024 census with a population of slightly over 2.5 million[4]. Currently, it is the eleventh richest city in the country by gross domestic product and the richest in the Northeast, with a GDP of about 73 billion reais. It forms the core of the Fortaleza metropolitan area, which is home to almost 4 million people.
Fortaleza is an important industrial and commercial center of Northeast Brazil. According to the Ministry of Tourism, it is the fourth most visited city and tourist destination in the country. The BR-116, the most important highway in the country, starts in Fortaleza. The municipality is part of the Mercosur common market, and vital trade port which is closest to mainland Europe, being 5,608 kilometres (3,485 mi) from Lisbon, Portugal.[5][6]
To the north of the city lies the Atlantic Ocean; to the south are the municipalities of Pacatuba, Eusébio, Maracanaú and Itaitinga; to the east is the municipality of Aquiraz and the Atlantic Ocean; and to the west is the municipality of Caucaia. Residents of the city are known as Fortalezenses. Fortaleza is one of the three leading cities in the Northeast region together with Recife and Salvador.[6][7]
History
[edit]Colonial period
[edit]
Colonisation began in 1603 when Portugal was part of the Iberian Union, when the Portuguese Pero Coelho de Souza constructed the Fort of São Tiago and founded the settlement of Nova Lisboa (New Lisbon).[citation needed] After a victory over the French in 1612, Martins Soares Moreno expanded the Fort of São Tiago and changed its name to Forte de São Sebastião.[8]
In 1630 the Dutch invaded the Brazilian Northeast and in 1637 they took the Fort of São Sebastião and ruled over Ceará. In battles with the Portuguese and natives in 1644 the fort was destroyed.[8] Under captain Matthias Beck the Dutch West Indies Company built a new fortress by the banks of river Pajeú. Fort Schoonenborch ("graceful stronghold") officially opened on 19 August 1649. After the capitulation of Pernambuco in 1654, the Dutch handed over this fortress to the Portuguese, who renamed it Fortaleza da Nossa Senhora de Assunção ("Fortress of Our Lady of the Assumption"), after which the city of Fortaleza takes its name.[9]
Fortaleza was officially founded as a village 1726, becoming the capital of Ceará state in 1799.[10]
Imperial period
[edit]During the 19th century, Fortaleza was consolidated as an urban centre in Ceará, supported by the cotton industry. With the transformation of the city into a regional export center and with the increase of direct navigation to Europe, the customs building of Fortaleza was built in 1812. In 1824, the city was targeted by the revolutionaries of Confederation of the Equator.[citation needed]
Republican period
[edit]
The city gained a number of new districts in the 1930s, including Messejana and Porangaba.[11] In 1954, the first university in the city was created, the Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC).[12]
In 1983 the city started to integrate the territory of the new city of Maracanaú, which, just some years ago, was made again part of the Greater Fortaleza (the city's Metropolitan area). In the 1980s, Fortaleza exceeded Recife in population terms, becoming the second most populous city in Northeastern Brazil, with 2,571,896 inhabitants.[13]
Geography
[edit]
Climate
[edit]Fortaleza has a typical tropical climate, specifically a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classification: Aw/As), with high temperatures and relative humidity throughout the year. However, these conditions are usually relieved by pleasant winds blowing from the ocean. Average temperatures are not much different throughout the year. December is the warmest month, with a high of 31.7 °C (89.1 °F) and low of 24.9 °C (76.8 °F). The rainy season spans from January to July, with rainfall particularly prodigious in March and April. The average annual temperature is 27.0 °C (80.6 °F). The relative humidity in Fortaleza is 77.5%, with average annual rainfall of 1,584.0 millimetres (62.36 in). There is usually rain during the first seven months of the year from January to July. During this period, relative humidity is high. Fortaleza's climate is usually very dry from August to December, with very little rainfall.[14]
Rainfall is akin to all of Northeastern Brazil among the most variable in the world, comparable (for similar average annual rainfalls) to central Queensland cities such as Townsville and Mackay.[15] In the notorious drought year of 1877 as little as 468 millimetres or 18.43 inches fell, and in 1958 only 518 millimetres or 20.39 inches, but in the Nordeste's record wet year of 1985 Fortaleza received 2,841 millimetres or 111.85 inches.[citation needed]
| Climate data for Fortaleza (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1931–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 35.2 (95.4) |
35.2 (95.4) |
34.8 (94.6) |
34.9 (94.8) |
33.6 (92.5) |
33.8 (92.8) |
33.9 (93.0) |
34.4 (93.9) |
34.6 (94.3) |
34.8 (94.6) |
34.8 (94.6) |
35.2 (95.4) |
35.2 (95.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.2 (88.2) |
31.1 (88.0) |
30.8 (87.4) |
30.6 (87.1) |
30.8 (87.4) |
30.5 (86.9) |
30.6 (87.1) |
31.1 (88.0) |
31.4 (88.5) |
31.6 (88.9) |
31.7 (89.1) |
31.7 (89.1) |
31.1 (88.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.4 (81.3) |
27.3 (81.1) |
27.0 (80.6) |
26.8 (80.2) |
26.8 (80.2) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.6 (79.9) |
27.0 (80.6) |
27.4 (81.3) |
27.7 (81.9) |
27.8 (82.0) |
27.0 (80.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24.5 (76.1) |
24.3 (75.7) |
23.9 (75.0) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.2 (73.8) |
22.8 (73.0) |
22.9 (73.2) |
23.6 (74.5) |
24.3 (75.7) |
24.7 (76.5) |
24.9 (76.8) |
23.9 (75.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 18.2 (64.8) |
19 (66) |
18 (64) |
18.8 (65.8) |
18.6 (65.5) |
17.9 (64.2) |
17.9 (64.2) |
17.7 (63.9) |
19.2 (66.6) |
20.3 (68.5) |
20 (68) |
19.4 (66.9) |
17.7 (63.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 156.4 (6.16) |
187.0 (7.36) |
336.9 (13.26) |
385.0 (15.16) |
229.0 (9.02) |
130.0 (5.12) |
69.7 (2.74) |
20.0 (0.79) |
13.6 (0.54) |
9.5 (0.37) |
9.8 (0.39) |
37.1 (1.46) |
1,584 (62.36) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 13 | 14 | 20 | 21 | 16 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 118 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 78.4 | 80.4 | 83.0 | 85.1 | 82.6 | 79.9 | 76.9 | 73.3 | 71.7 | 72.0 | 72.7 | 74.4 | 77.5 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 23.6 (74.5) |
23.9 (75.0) |
24.3 (75.7) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.0 (75.2) |
23.0 (73.4) |
22.1 (71.8) |
21.5 (70.7) |
21.6 (70.9) |
22.1 (71.8) |
22.6 (72.7) |
23.0 (73.4) |
23.0 (73.4) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 220.4 | 183.0 | 172.7 | 152.8 | 211.9 | 219.2 | 254.2 | 288.5 | 287.1 | 294.2 | 287.7 | 274.2 | 2,845.9 |
| Source 1: Brazilian National Institute of Meteorology (INMET)[14][16][17] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (dew point)[18] | |||||||||||||
Vegetation
[edit]In Fortaleza there are some remaining areas of mangrove in preserved areas, including Cocó Park.[19][20] Ten miles offshore is the Pedra da Risca do Meio Marine State Park, created in 1997 to protect the reefs.[21]
Ecology and environment
[edit]


The vegetation of Fortaleza is typically coastal. The restinga areas are found in dune regions near the mouths of the Ceará, Cocó and Pacoti rivers, in the beds of which there is still a mangrove forest. In other green areas of the city, there is no longer native vegetation, consisting of varied vegetation, fruit trees primarily.[22] The city is home to seven environmental conservation units. These are the Sabiaguaba Dunes Municipal Natural Park, the Sabiaguaba Environmental Protection Area, the Maraponga Lagoon Ecological Park, the Cocó Ecological Park, the Ceará River Estuary Environmental Protection Area, the Environmental Protection Area of the Rio Pacoti and the Pedra da Risca do Meio Marine State Park.[23] There is also, in the city, the Area of Relevant Ecological Interest of Sírio Curió, that protects the last enclave of Atlantic Forest in the urban zone.[24]
The Cocó River is part of the river basin of the east coast of Ceará and has a total length of about 50 km in its main area. The park is inserted in the area of greater environmental sensitivity of the city, where it is possible to identify geoenvironmental formations such as coastal plain, fluvial plain and surface of the coastal trays. The Cocó river mangrove is home to mollusks, crustaceans, fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. The park has a structure of visitation, with guides, ecological trails and equipment and events of environmental education and ecotourism. The Coaçu River, affluent of the river Cocó, forms in its bed the lagoon of the Precabura.[25][26]
The Rio Pacoti provides much of the water supply for Fortaleza.[27] At the municipal boundary with Caucaia, the estuary of the Rio Ceará is covered by an environmental protection area (APA), which was set up in 1999.[28]
Demographics
[edit]According to the 2022 census, there were 2,428,708[29] people residing in the city of Fortaleza. The census revealed the following numbers: 1,456,901 Pardo (multiracial) people (60%), 793,975 White people (32.7%), 171,018 Black people (7%), 3,127 Asian people (0.1%), 3,000 Amerindian people (0.1%).[29]
In 2010, the city of Fortaleza was the 5th most populous city proper in Brazil, after São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Brasília. Currently, Fortaleza is the 4th largest city in Brazil in terms of population.[30] In 2010, the city had 433,942 opposite-sex couples and 1,559 same-sex couples. The population of Fortaleza was 53.2% female and 46.8% male.[31]
The following cities are included in the metropolitan area of Fortaleza (ordered by population): Fortaleza, Caucaia, Maracanaú, Maranguape, Aquiraz, Pacatuba, Pacajus, Horizonte, São Gonçalo do Amarante, Itatinga, Guaiúba and Chorozinho.[32]
At the beginning of the 20th century, the city experienced a significant wave of foreign immigration, with a strong presence of Portuguese. Several families of Syrian-Lebanese origin also formed a strong community in Fortaleza during that period, in addition to Spaniards, Italians, English, and French. During World War II, the city was active with the presence of American military personnel and even received a consulate from that country.[33]
Motivated by leisure tourism, groups of Portuguese, Italians, Spaniards, and people from various other European countries have migrated to Fortaleza. In the 2000 census, there were 2,562 residents in Ceará who were born in other countries. According to the Immigration Office of the Federal Police in Fortaleza, in 2013 there were about 15,014 foreigners living in the city, demonstrating sustained growth in the index throughout the 2000s.[34] In addition, a survey conducted in 2017 by the U.S. Consul General for the Northeast revealed that Fortaleza is the city in the region that has the largest number of Americans, both visitors and residents.[35]
According to a genetic study from 2011, 'pardos' and whites' from Fortaleza, which comprise the largest share of the population, showed European ancestry of about 70%, the rest divided between Native American and African ancestries.[36] A 2015 study, however, found out the following composition in Fortaleza: 48.9% of European contribution, 35.4% of Native American input and 15.7% of African ancestry.[37]

Slums and risk areas
[edit]
Although it decreased throughout the 2000s, income inequality remains significant in Fortaleza, with a Gini coefficient of 0.61. In 2010, the poorest 20% of the city held only 2.83% of the municipality’s total income. Expanding the range to the poorest 80%, they possessed only 33.4% of the total. Meanwhile, 3.36% of residents remained in extreme poverty and 12.14% in poverty — still indicative of progress compared to 1991, when these rates were 15.25% and 38.97%, respectively.[38]
According to 2022 data, about 22.9% of Fortaleza’s population lives in favelas, making it the seventh most slum-affected state capital in the country.[39] Frequent droughts and the resulting rural exodus from the interior of Ceará worsen the problem of slum formation. At the beginning of the 1980s, there were 147 such areas in the city, and by 2014 this number had increased to 509. The capital is the main contributor to the total of 533 slums in the state, which ranks seventh nationally on this indicator.[40]
The municipal civil defense service has prioritized gathering intelligence on so-called “risk areas,” (áreas de risco) which are locations prone to flooding, inundation, and other critical situations. In 2015, Fortaleza had 89 areas in this category.[41]
Religion
[edit]Even though it emerged from a Dutch Protestant occupation and was established as a village due to a fortification rather than a religious mission, Catholicism proved dominant in Fortaleza from the beginning of its history. According to the census of 2010,[31] 1,664,521 people, 67.88% of the population, followed Roman Catholicism, 523,456 (21.35%) were Protestant, 31,691 (1.29%) represented Spiritism and 162,985 (6.65%) had no religion whatsoever. Other religions, such as Umbanda, Candomblé, other Afro-Brazilian religions, Spiritualism, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, other Eastern religions, Esotericism and other Christian churches like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) had a smaller number of adherents.[42]
The proportion of Catholics in Fortaleza was higher than the Brazilian average, and the proportion of the non-religious was lower, though still greater than the combined percentage of all other non-Christian religions.[43]
According to the 2022 Brazilian census, the religious composition of the city was:
| Religious affiliation | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Catholic | 60.03% |
| Protestant | 26.31% |
| Non-religious | 7.64% |
| Other religions | 3.97% |
| Spiritist | 1.21% |
| Umbanda and Candomblé | 0.61% |
| Undeclared | 0.12% |
| Not informed | 0.10% |
| Traditional religions | 0.01% |
Politics
[edit]
The administration of the municipality is made from the executive and legislative branches.[45] Former mayor Roberto Cláudio, of the PDT, won 650,607 votes in the 2012 election, and was elected mayor.[46][47] Legislative power rests with the City Council of Fortaleza, composed of 43 city councilors, elected for four-year terms, responsible for drafting municipal laws and supervising the executive.[48] The municipality is, in addition, governed by organic law. In January 2015, there were 1,659,091 voters in Fortaleza (26.457% of the total state),[49] distributed in thirteen electoral zones. The number of persons directly and indirectly employed in the municipal public administration in 2013 was respectively 31,318 and 4,950.[50]
The city also houses the seat of state executive power, the Abolition Palace, previously occupied by former governor Camilo Santana, of the PT, elected in the general elections in Brazil in 2014.[51] historically headquarters of the Iracema Club, which was Ceded to the Municipal Hall and now houses municipal executive bodies.[52] In the city, there is the Administrative Center Governor Virgílio Távora.[53]
Among the institutions present in the city, are the Fortaleza Air Base, the Port Authority of Ceará, School of Apprentice Sailors of Ceará and the Command of the Tenth Military Region.[citation needed] The city also has units of the International Committee of the Red Cross and UNICEF.[54] Since 1996, a city is part of the Common Market of Cities of Mercosur.[55]
Economy
[edit]Fortaleza has the largest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the Northeast Region, surpassing Recife and Salvador.[56] In 2021, the GDP of Fortaleza reached the value of 73.4 billion Reais, the eleventh highest of the country.[57] In the same year, the value of taxes on products net of subsidies at current prices was R$12,811,311,235 and the municipality's GDP per capita was R$27.164,45.[58] The city's booming economy is reflected in purchasing power, the country's eighth largest, with estimated consumption potential at 42 billion reais in 2014.[59]
The main economic source of the municipality is centered in the tertiary sector, with its diversified segments of commerce and service rendering. Next, the secondary sector stands out, with the industrial complexes.[58] In 2021, the city had 848,283 people in employment.[60]
Culture
[edit]According to the Master Plan of Fortaleza, the Special Areas for the Preservation of Historic, Cultural and Archaeological Heritage are the regions of the center, Parangaba, Alagadiço Novo/José de Alencar, Benfica, Porangabuçu and Praia de Iracema. Properties of conservation interest.[61] The architectural heritage of Fortaleza in the form of fallen goods[clarification needed], however, is predominantly concentrated in the center of the city.[62][63] The Mucuripe Lighthouse is unfortunately in ruins today, Ceará and Fortaleza were part of the pioneering group of states and cities to adopt public policies to protect the living intangible heritage of their culture, through the Masters of Culture program.[64] The city is recognized as a "Design City" by UNESCO's Creative Cities Network.
Museums, theatres and cultural spaces
[edit]Among the theaters, the largest and most popular are Theatro José de Alencar, São José Theater, São Luiz Cinema Theater, and Teatro RioMar and Teatro Via Sul.[65] The Ceará Museum houses numerous artifacts, including pieces of paleontology and furniture.[66] The Dragão do Mar Center of Art and Culture is the main cultural centre, and includes the Ceará Museum of Culture, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Ceará, theaters, a planetarium, cinemas, shops and spaces for public presentations, as well as housing the Public Library Governador Menezes Pimentel, Oporto Iracema of the Arts and the School of Arts and Crafts Thomaz Pompeu Sobrinho.[67] The Casa de José de Alencar is one of the Brazilian museums recognised as dealing with Brazilian literature.[68] It was opened in 1964 and houses art collections, a gallery, a library and the ruins of the first steam power plant in Ceará.[69] In the different SERs of the city, the complexes of the CUCA Network are spread, which are facilities dedicated to art, leisure and education, especially for young people.[70]
Freemasonry is represented by the Grand Masonic Lodge of Ceará and the Great State East of Ceará. There are also service clubs in the city, such as the Lions Club and Rotary International.[71]
The Ceará handicraft has its main market and showcase in Fortaleza. In the city, there are several specific places for trade in handicraft products, such as the Ceará Craft Center (CeArt), Ceará Tourism Center (Emcetur), Crafts Fair of Beira-Mar, and on Avenida Monsenhor Tabosa.[72]
Literature and cinema
[edit]The main literary manifestation of Fortaleza's history emerged at the end of the 19th century, in the cafes of Praça do Ferreira, known as the Spiritual Bakery, a pioneer in the dissemination of modern ideas in Brazilian literature that would only be adopted nationally in the following century, in the Modern Art Week.[73][74] The most important historical entities of high culture still present in the city are the Ceará Institute and the Ceará Academy of Letters, the first academy of letters created in Brazil, founded in 1887 and 1894 respectively. The Ceará Institute has helped launch important names in national historiography and philosophy, such as Farias Brito and Capistrano de Abreu.[75] Among the writers who are members of the Cearense Academy of Letters and members or patrons of the Brazilian Academy of Letters, are Gustavo Barroso, Araripe Júnior, José de Alencar, Heráclito Graça, Franklin Tavora, Clóvis Beviláqua and Rachel de Queiroz, the first woman to Be part of the entity. The Casa de Juvenal Galeno is another historical cultural institution of Fortaleza, named after one of the greatest poets born in the city, Juvenal Galeno. The house became well known for its festivals of poetry and seminaries.[76]
In cinema, the most well known name is Zelito Viana, director of films like Villa-Lobos: A Life of Passion and Life and Death of Severina. More recently, Karim Aïnouz has directed Madame Satã, Suely in the Sky and Futuro Beach, and script of Lower City, Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures and Behind the Sun. Another current exponent of cinema born in Fortaleza is Halder Gomes, director and screenwriter of Holliúdy Cinema. New filmmakers in the city have gained in recent years prominent exhibitions such as at the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival.[77] The most traditional cinema event in Fortaleza is the Cine Ceará (Ibero-American Film Festival), considered one of the main festivals of the country.[78]
Fashion
[edit]The main fashion name in the city is the Lino Villaventura [pt], who, from Fortaleza, designed himself nationally and internationally and today is one of the main names of São Paulo Fashion Week, besides being one of the founding designers of this fashion week.[79] There are major events in the city, such as the Dragão Fashion Brasil, considered the largest fashion event in the Northeast and the third largest in the country.[80]
Much of the clothing that is produced in Ceará flows through Fortaleza, which in turn is recognized as one of the most important textile centers of the country, giving the garment industry great weight in the metropolitan economy.[81] Brands of the city like Santana Textiles and headquarters of brands like Esplanada and Otoch have considerable regional influence.[82]
Humor
[edit]
The collective imagination regarding the role of humor in the identity of the people of Ceará dates back to the late 19th century, when Adolfo Caminha and Oliveira Paiva coined the term Ceará Moleque, referring to the jokes and social and political mockery practiced by the population.[83] One example was the April 1 “lying contest”, which awarded, under the “Cajueiro da Mentira” at Praça do Ferreira, the greatest teller of tall tales in Ceará.
Bode Ioiô is another symbol of Fortaleza’s humorous spirit. The goat became famous in the 1920s for roaming public places, drinking cachaça, and even having been a candidate for city council. After its death, the animal was taxidermied and remains on display at the Ceará Museum; however, in 1996 its tail was stolen.[84] Historical events like these and the traditions they inspired contributed to the development of a local humor industry. Bars, restaurants, and specialized venues serve as stages for the most acclaimed comedians, while public squares attract clowns and other performers.
Fortaleza is known as the humor capital of Brazil.[85] Comedy shows are a major pillar of its tourist appeal, drawing three million spectators per year.[86] Contemporary celebrities such as Tom Cavalcante and Wellington Muniz, both nationally famous, were born in Fortaleza. Comedians from other cities and states also built their careers there, such as Renato Aragão and Tiririca. Another major Ceará-born comedian who began his career in the capital is Falcão, who gained national recognition by combining humor with brega music, eventually becoming one of the greatest icons of that musical style. In Greater Fortaleza was born Chico Anysio, regarded as the greatest Brazilian comedian of all time.[87]
Music
[edit]Forró is the most popular musical genre in the city. Bands originating in Fortaleza, such as Desejo de Menina and Aviões do Forró, were responsible for the popularization of electronic forró, which promoted the revaluation of the accordion in the genre and brought it closer to pop music. The forró pé-de serra, however, still holds great cultural influence and commercial prominence in the city.[88]
Genres such as rock and its various branches, blues, jazz, samba, hip hop, among other contemporary styles, are also part of Fortaleza’s cultural production and are common in the city’s nightlife. Fortaleza-based bands such as Selvagens à Procura de Lei and Cidadão Instigado have gained notable recognition by performing at festivals like Rock in Rio and Lollapalooza.
Another musical style strongly tied to the identity of the people of Fortaleza is lambada, which achieved great popularity in the city in the late 1980s.[89]
In Música popular brasileira, some of the names from Fortaleza were Fagner, Ednardo, Belchior (from Sobral but lived in Fortaleza) and Amelinha.[88] The musical tradition of Fortaleza, however, goes back to the composer Alberto Nepomuceno, one of the greatest names in classical music in Brazil, a pioneer in the development of the country's musical nationalism, and therefore considered the "founder of Brazilian music". The Alberto Nepomuceno Conservatory is one of the city's leading music schools.[88]
Carnival
[edit]Fortaleza hosts one of the noted Brazilian Carnivals. Its main locations are Iracema Beach and Avenue Domingos Olimpio.[90]
Cuisine
[edit]

Fortaleza’s gastronomy is very close to typical Northeastern cuisine, and locally, traditional dishes stand out, such as baião de dois, usually served with grilled mutton or carne de sol. Seafood is another key ingredient in typical dishes of Fortaleza’s cuisine, such as ray moqueca and cavala (mackerel) or pargo (snapper) stews, whose original popular purpose was to help restore the strength of the jangadeiros returning from the open sea.[91][92]
The signature seafood of the state’s coast is crab. Every Thursday, the traditional caranguejada takes place—an event in which restaurants, bars, and beach tents across the city’s coastline serve dishes made from the crustacean, eaten with the help of a small wooden mallet.[93]
Shrimp and lobster are also widely used in dishes such as shrimp rice and shrimp bobó. At Mercado dos Peixes (Fish Market) in Mucuripe, you can buy a wide variety of fish and have them cooked in neighboring restaurants. The most common practice is to buy shrimp and have it prepared with garlic and oil. A strong tradition in Fortaleza is to enjoy this dish on-site during weekend sunsets, while watching the return of the jangadeiros after a day of fishing.[93]
The gastronomic hubs of Varjota, Praia de Iracema, and Avenida Beira Mar are the areas with the greatest diversity of international cuisine restaurants,[93] with emphasis on Arab,[94] French, Chinese,[95] Japanese,[96] Italian, German, Portuguese,[97] Spanish, and Swiss cuisines, as well as pizzerias, steakhouses, and contemporary and regional cuisine.
There is another gastronomic hub in southern Fortaleza, near the border with Eusébio, known as the Tapioqueiras, a center of restaurants specialized in preparing tapioca, another hallmark dish of local cuisine.
Tourism
[edit]
Acquario Ceará, due to be one of the largest oceanariums in Brazil, is currently under construction.[98] Attractions such as the Beach Park theme park, located in the Great Fortaleza, Avenida Beira Mar and its bars, restaurants and music clubs, the beaches of Futuro and Iracema and Pirata Bar have placed Fortaleza among the Brazilian destinations preferred by Europeans.[99]
Scuba diving is possible in the area of Pedra da Risca do Meio Marine State Park, a marine protected area located about 10 nautical miles from the shoreline of Fortaleza.[100]
Fortaleza has about 25 kilometres (16 mi) of urban beaches.[101] Mucuripe is the place where jangadas can be found. Still used by fishermen to go into high seas, jangadas can be seen along the way during the afternoon and evenings, and returning from the sea in the morning; part of the catch of the day is sold in an old-style fish market.[102]
Education
[edit]
In 2010, the level of the education factor of the Strengthening Human Development Index was medium, despite its great advance, which went from 0.367 to 0.695 between 1991 and 2010. According to data from the 2010 Human Development Atlas of Brazil, Fortaleza's adult education levels were divided as follows: 8.57% did not complete primary school or were illiterate, 62.43% had completed elementary education, 45.93% had completed high school and 13.73% had completed higher education.[31]
Health
[edit]The health indexes of the Fortaleza population are better than the Brazilian average. According to data from 2010, the infant mortality rate up to one year old was 15.8 per 1000 live births in Fortaleza, against a Brazilian average of 16.7.[103] By 2013, 90.6% of children under one year of age had their immunization records up to date. In 2012, 37,577 live births were registered, and the infant mortality rate up to five years of age was 13.2 per 1000. Of the total number of children under two years old weighed by the Family Health Program in 2013, 0.8% were malnourished.[104]
In 2009, Fortaleza had a total of 35 general hospitals, of which 11 were public, 21 were private, two were philanthropic, and one was a trade union. The Doctor José Frota Institute is the largest hospital administered by the Municipal Government, and the General Hospital of Fortaleza is the largest hospital administered by the State Government.[citation needed] In addition, it had 54 specialized hospitals and eight polyclinics. The total number of physicians working in the health network of the municipality was 13,604, approximately 5.4 per thousand inhabitants.[105] Fortaleza has 117 units of health posts, three UPAs administered by the municipality and six administered by the state.[106][107] The first hospital built in Fortaleza was the Santa Casa de Misericórdia, founded in 1861.[108] Among the most important public health institutions in the city, the most important is the Dr. José Frota Institute, the largest hospital administered by the Municipal Government, and the General Hospital of Fortaleza, the largest hospital administered by the State Government. Among the private institutions, the largest are the Unimed Fortaleza Regional Hospital, Antônio Prudente Hospital, Monte Klinikum Hospital and São Mateus Hospital.[109]
One of the most important basic health programs in Fortaleza is the Family Health Program, within which the city is in third place in the country in extension of coverage, with hundreds of teams distributed in dozens of care units.[110] The Emergency Mobile Care Service (SAMU) is the municipality's health care service, which serves an average of 200 daily occurrences.[111]
The University Hospital Walter Cantídio is the largest liver transplantation facility in the country.[112] The Faculty of Medicine of the UFC is the 13th best medical school in Brazil, 2nd best medical school in the North and Northeast regions and the best medical school in Ceará. UFC's medical degree is still one of the most popular in the country.[113]
Transportation
[edit]International Airport
[edit]
The current passenger terminal of Pinto Martins – Fortaleza International Airport, located in the center of Fortaleza, was built between 1996 and 1998.[114] The airport has undergone an expansion process, from which the number of boarding bridges increased from seven to sixteen and the passenger terminal has been expanded from 38,000 m2 to 133,000 m2. In 2014, the airport was capable of serving 6.2 million passengers per year, but after the expansion, capacity is at 11.2 million.[115]
Pinto Martins Airport is the third busiest airport in the Northeast Region and one of the busiest in the country, receiving on average 1,500 international aircraft and 65,000 domestic aircraft per year. In 2013, it received more than 5.9 million passengers.[116]
Air Force Base
[edit]Fortaleza Air Force Base - BAFZ, a base of the Brazilian Air Force, is located in Fortaleza.
Roads and public transport
[edit]
Land access to the municipality is provided by the highways BR-116, BR-020, BR-222, CE-090, CE-085, CE-065, CE-060, CE-040, and CE-025, in addition to the Engenheiro João Thomé Bus Terminal, where intermunicipal and interstate routes are concentrated. The city’s road transport system is regulated by the Empresa de Transporte Urbano de Fortaleza (ETUFOR), an agency of the Municipal Government of Fortaleza, while vehicle traffic is monitored by the Autarquia Municipal de Trânsito, Serviços Públicos e Cidadania (AMC).
Public transport by bus is called the Integrated Transport System (SIT-FOR), and its operation began in 1992. The system provides users with travel options and access to different zones of the city through single-fare integration within regional terminals. The SIT-FOR network is based on three types of routes: those that connect neighborhoods to terminals, those that connect terminals to the city center, and those that connect one terminal to another.

Fortaleza has seven integrated terminals (Antônio Bezerra, Papicu, Parangaba, Lagoa, Siqueira, Messejana, and Conjunto Ceará) and three open terminals (Sagrado Coração de Jesus, José Walter, and Washington Soares).[118] More than 1 million passengers per day use the closed terminals through 263 regular bus lines, offering 11,000 combinations with routes distributed throughout the city. There are 25 operating companies with a fleet of more than 2,000 buses (not including buses circulating in the metropolitan region), which make nearly 20,000 trips daily.
In 2013, the single ticket system was introduced in the city, allowing users unlimited use of buses and vans with a single fare for a period of two hours, without needing to pass through terminals for integration.[119] The city is also in the process of implementing seven Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors, called Expresso Fortaleza. The first to open was the Antônio Bezerra/Papicu express corridor.
In 2015, Fortaleza began the process of air-conditioning the entire SIT-FOR bus fleet. The city already has 122 km of exclusive lanes for public transport.[120]
The system of traffic monitoring is known by the acronym CTAFOR,[121] which stands for "Controle de Tráfego em Área de Fortaleza" (Traffic Control of the Area of Fortaleza).
Metro systems
[edit]

The Fortaleza Metro is operated by the Companhia Cearense de Transportes Metropolitanos, a mixed-economy company with majority control by the Government of the State of Ceará. Founded on May 2, 1997, the company is responsible for managing, building, and planning metro transport in the state of Ceará, overseeing five public transport lines in the three regions with the greatest activity in the state. The company is responsible for 62 stations distributed across 84.3 kilometers of railway lines throughout the state, forming the largest metro infrastructure administered by a single company in the Northeast. It serves more than 56,000 people every day in the cities of Fortaleza, Caucaia, Maracanaú, Pacatuba, Sobral, Juazeiro do Norte, and Crato.[122]
Operations of the Fortaleza Metro began on June 15, 2012, with the opening of a section of the South Line in assisted operation. Commercial operation began on October 1, 2014, with fare collection set at the same price as the Fortaleza Integrated Transport System (SIT-FOR) at the time.
The system currently consists of:
- One metro line: South Line (Central–Chico da Silva ↔ Carlito Benevides)
- Two diesel Light Rail Vehicle (VLT) lines: West Line (Moura Brasil ↔ Caucaia) and Northeast Line (Parangaba ↔ Iate)
Its design allows integration with the Parangaba and Papicu urban bus terminals, two major hubs of intense passenger movement in the capital. There is also potential future connection to the Port of Mucuripe passenger terminal, through an extension of the Northeast Line and the Fortaleza International Airport, through the future airport branch.
Currently, approximately 42,000 passengers per day are transported on the three lines in the capital.[123]
According to data released in November 2023, the system ranks as the fifth largest in Brazil in terms of length, among the fifteen urban passenger rail systems in the country, with 56.8 km. It is behind the systems of São Paulo (377.2 km), Rio de Janeiro (287.5 km), Recife (71 km) and Natal (57.9 km). The lines of the Fortaleza Metropolitan Region represented about 5.1% of Brazil’s total urban rail network in 2023, which was 1,133.4 km according to the National Association of Rail Passenger Transporters (ANPTrilhos).[124]
Rail transport
[edit]Rail access to the municipality is provided by the Fortaleza–Oiticica line (North Line / North Trunk Line) and the Fortaleza–Crato line (South Line / Crato Branch), along their full extensions, as well as by the Mucuripe Branch. All of these are controlled by Ferrovia Transnordestina Logística (FTL), which operates freight transport destined for the ports of Pecém and Mucuripe, both located in the state of Ceará.
On the first two lines, long-distance passenger transport used to be operated by the Rede Ferroviária Federal (RFFSA), the system’s original administrator. RFFSA coordinated long-distance passenger trains alongside freight services and urban passenger transport (the latter was transferred to CBTU and later to Metrofor). These services connected Fortaleza to the cities of Crato, Juazeiro do Norte, Crateús, and Oiticica, as well as to other capitals such as Teresina and Recife, with stops in Natal and João Pessoa.
Long-distance trains departed from the João Felipe Railway Station, with operations continuing until 1988, nine years before Regional Superintendency SR-11 was transferred to the private sector. However, interstate passenger connections departing from Fortaleza had already been discontinued in the mid-1980s, due to the increasing priority given to freight traffic.[125][126][127][128][129][130]
Port transport
[edit]With the construction of Fort Schoonenborch by the Dutch in 1649, near the Pajeú stream, a major docking structure was envisioned as a port for 300 years. Constructions such as the Ponte Metálica (Metal Bridge) and the Ponte dos Ingleses (English Bridge) were part of this effort. The city’s first port operated in the region of the former Prainha, today known as Praia de Iracema, but Fortaleza’s port infrastructure only truly began to develop with the construction of the Port of Mucuripe in the 1940s, which transformed the city’s structure.
The port features a 1,054-meter-long quay, an exclusive platform for petroleum products, a warehouse area of 6,000 m², and nearly 200,000 m² of container yard. It also contains three wheat mills and is connected to the railway system through a large switching yard.
Meanwhile, the Port Terminal of Pecém, or Port of Pecém, is located in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza, in the municipality of São Gonçalo do Amarante. Due to its geographic location, the Port of Pecém has the shortest transit time between Brazil and the United States and Europe, averaging six and seven days, respectively,[131] which places it in a strategic position of regional influence. In the surrounding area, a development hub for petroleum, chemical, metallurgical, and other industrial sectors is taking shape, forming the Industrial and Port Complex of Pecém, of which the Port of Pecém is a part.
Bike lanes
[edit]Fortaleza officially has 116.4 kilometres (72.3 mi) of bike lanes.[132]
Sports
[edit]
Football is the most popular sport in the city. The Campeonato Cearense de Futebol, held since 1914, has its main matches in the capital.[133] The most notable teams in the city and the state are Fortaleza Esporte Clube, Ceará Sporting Club, and Ferroviário Atlético Clube. The first two, the most traditional, compete in the Série A and Série B of Campeonato Brasileiro respectively, and are the protagonists of the Clássico-Rei derby. There are also several association football clubs in the city, including Floresta EC, AE Tiradentes, América FC and Atlético Cearense.
Fortaleza Esporte Clube has won the state championship 46 times, while Ceará Sporting Club has won it 45 times.[134] Ferroviário Atlético Clube is the third-largest titleholder, with 9 championships. In national competitions, Fortaleza’s clubs have also stood out: Ferroviário became the city’s first national champion by winning the 2018 Série D of Campeonato Brasileiro,[135] and in the same year Fortaleza won the Série B title.[136] These two clubs are the only national champions from the capital of Ceará.
Beyond these titles, clubs from Fortaleza have had other significant campaigns in national competitions. Fortaleza was twice runner-up of the Série A, in 1960 and 1968, while Ceará was runner-up of the Copa do Brasil in 1994.[137][138]
Fortaleza has two stadiums accredited by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF): Estádio Governador Plácido Castelo (Castelão), with capacity for about 67,000 people, owned by the state government, and Estádio Presidente Vargas (PV), owned by the municipal government, with a capacity of 20,600 people.[139]
Fortaleza was one of the host cities of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup with matches played at the Arena Castelão.[140][141] The city hosted six World Cup matches, including two Brazil games, one Germany match, one Round of 16, and one Quarter-final game. Fortaleza will also host matches at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup[142]
In futsal, the city is home to the Brazilian Futsal Confederation, a national body affiliated with CONMEBOL and FIFA. The Fortaleza-based Sumov Atlético Clube is a six-time Taça Brasil champion and two-time South American champion.[143]
Other sports
[edit]
Most clubs keep football as their main activity but support and develop other sports, such as futsal, volleyball, and basketball. Less popular sports have gained visibility in the city, such as cricket, golf, and especially rugby.
Water and beach sports are widely practiced and have strong tradition in Fortaleza, including surfing, windsurfing, sailing, sandboarding, triathlon, diving, and kitesurfing. Many national and international competitions in these modalities take place in the city.[144]
Jangada (traditional raft sailing) is considered a competitive sport in Fortaleza. The Mucuripe Bay and Náutico Beach annually host races of the Circuito Cearense de Jangadas.[145]
Fortaleza has a large variety of martial arts schools and academies. Motorsport is practiced at kart tracks around the municipality and at the Virgílio Távora International Speedway, in Greater Fortaleza.
The city hosted the first Red Bull Soapbox Race held in Brazil, in 2008.
Some of the municipality’s most important athletics events, with broad public participation, include Pão de Açúcar Relay Marathon, Pague Menos Running Circuit, and Fortaleza International Half Marathon, which celebrates the city’s anniversary and is the largest in northern and northeastern Brazil. The race attracts athletes from countries such as Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Kenya, Tanzania, and Morocco.[146]
Fortaleza is home to Centro de Formação Olímpica do Nordeste Olympic (Training Center of the Northeast), part of the National Training Network of the Ministry of Sports, created as a legacy of the 2016 Olympic Games. The center is responsible for high-performance athletic development and, together with Arena Castelão, forms the largest sports complex in Brazil, with 313,000 m² dedicated to 26 Olympic sports. The center also houses the largest indoor arena in the country, with capacity for 21,000 people.
Fortaleza is home to the Centro de Formação Olímpica do Nordeste (CFO), which opened in 2014.[147] CFO hosted UFC Fight Night 106 on 11 March 2017.[148]
Official subdivision
[edit]Fortaleza is subdivided in 121 neighborhoods, that are grouped in 39 administrative territories, managed by 12 subprefectures (Secreterias Executivas Regionais). Each subprefecture has a holder appointed by the municipal government.[149][150]
Neighborhoods
[edit]People
[edit]

- Neuma Aguiar (1938–2023), Brazilian sociologist who pioneered women's studies in the country
- José de Alencar, famous writer from the 19th century
- Alberto Nepomuceno, famous composer from the 19th century
- Rachel de Queiroz, first female writer in Academia Brasileira de Letras
- André Diamant, international chess grandmaster
- Casimiro Montenegro Filho, founder of the Brazilian Air Force Aeronautical Technologic Institute - ITA
- Maurício Peixoto, mathematician, one of the founders of IMPA
- Gilberto Câmara, former director of Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE)
- Tom Cavalcante, Brazilian actor and comedian
- Castelo Branco, former dictator[152] of Brazil (1964–67)
- Márcio Araújo, Brazilian beach volleyball player, Olympic medallist
- Ed Lincoln, musician and composer
- Thiago Monteiro, table tennis player
- Evanilson, professional footballer
- Raffael, professional footballer
- Ronny Araújo, professional footballer
- Mário Jardel, retired professional footballer
- José Gerardo Moreira Rocha Júnior, footballer
- Otávio Dutra, professional footballer
- Marcus Aurélio, mixed martial arts professional
- Wilson Gouveia, mixed martial arts professional
- Thiago Alves, mixed martial arts professional
- Hermes França, mixed martial arts professional
- Jorge Gurgel, mixed martial arts professional
- Shelda Bede, Brazilian beach volleyball player, Olympic medallist
- Thiago Monteiro, tennis player
- Sávio Santos, professional footballer
Consular representation
[edit]Portugal has a Vice-consulate in Fortaleza.[153]
International relations
[edit]Fortaleza is twinned with:[154]
Ferreira do Alentejo, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal
Miami Beach, United States
Montese, Italy
Praia, Cape Verde
Racine, United States
Sal, Cape Verde
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "IBGE 2021". Archived from the original on September 29, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
- ^ "TelluBase—Brazil Fact Sheet (Tellusant Public Service Series)" (PDF). Tellusant. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 8, 2014. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "As dez maiores cidades do Brasil em população". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). June 28, 2023. Archived from the original on April 16, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
- ^ "Fortaleza é a quinta capital mais populosa e lidera a sétima maior região metropolitana - Ceará - O POVO Online". Archived from the original on December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
- ^ a b Garmany, Jeff (2011). "Situating Fortaleza: Urban space and uneven development in northeastern Brazil". Cities. 28 (1). Elsevier: 45–52. doi:10.1016/j.cities.2010.08.004.
- ^ Istrate, Emilia; Nadeau, Carey Anne (November 30, 2012). "Global Metro Monitor: Slowdown, Recovery, and Interdependence 2012" (PDF). Brookings Institution. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 27, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- ^ a b History of Fortaleza and Ceará Archived July 14, 2014, at the Wayback Machine at Fortaleza, Ceará site
- ^ The Fortress of Nossa Senhora da Assunção Archived June 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine at Fortaleza, Ceará site
- ^ "Fortaleza". 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. FIFA. Archived from the original on May 15, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
- ^ "Fortaleza: Historia" (in Portuguese). IBGE. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ "Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC)". December 13, 2012. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
- ^ "Define fortaleza - Dictionary and Thesaurus". Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
- ^ a b INMET. "Normais climatológicas do Brasil" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ Dewar, Robert E. and Wallis, James R; 'Geographical patterning of interannual rainfall variability in the tropics and near tropics: An L-moments approach'; in Journal of Climate, 12; pp. 3457-3466
- ^ INMET. Normais Climatológicas do Brasil (1931-1960) (in Brazilian Portuguese). Rio de Janeiro, 1979.
- ^ INMET. "Banco de dados meteorológicos" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Fortaleza". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
- ^ Manguezal do Rio Ceará Archived September 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese)
- ^ Manguezal do Rio Cocó Archived November 13, 2013, at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese)
- ^ Parque Estadual Marinho da Pedra da Risca do Meio, SEMACE, Governo do Estado do Ceará, archived from the original on November 29, 2016, retrieved June 1, 2019
- ^ "Plano de gestão integrada da orla do município de Fortaleza" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Ministério do Meio Ambiente do Brasil. August 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
- ^ "Meio Ambiente". Anuário de Fortaleza 2012-2013. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ^ "ARIE do Sítio Curió". SEMACE. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ^ "Unidades de conservação". Anuário de Fortaleza 2012-2013. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ^ "Lagoas de Fortaleza". Anuário de Fortaleza 2012-2013. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ^ "Corredor Ecológico do Rio Pacoti" (in Portuguese). SEMACE. Archived from the original on May 6, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
- ^ "Área de Proteção Ambiental do Estuário do Rio Ceará" (in Portuguese). SEMACE. Archived from the original on May 6, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
- ^ a b "Censo 2022 - Panorama". Archived from the original on June 28, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
- ^ "As dez maiores cidades do Brasil em população". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). June 28, 2023. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c 2010 IGBE Census Archived May 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese)
- ^ "Fortaleza Ceara Brazil - travel information". Archived from the original on April 1, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
- ^ Blanchard, Girão (1997). O Liceu e o Bonde na Paisagem Sentimental da Fortaleza-província. Fortaleza: Abc Fortaleza. p. 301.
- ^ "Estrangeiros escolhem Fortaleza como local para viver e trabalhar". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). November 3, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Fortaleza é a cidade que mais concentra norte-americanos no Nordeste, diz Cônsul". O Povo (in Portuguese). October 2, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ Pena, Sérgio D. J.; Pietro, Giuliano Di; Fuchshuber-Moraes, Mateus; Genro, Julia Pasqualini; Hutz, Mara H.; Kehdy, Fernanda de Souza Gomes; Kohlrausch, Fabiana; Magno, Luiz Alexandre Viana; Montenegro, Raquel Carvalho; Moraes, Manoel Odorico; Moraes, Maria Elisabete Amaral de; Moraes, Milene Raiol de; Ojopi, Élida B.; Perini, Jamila A.; Racciopi, Clarice; Ribeiro-dos-Santos, Ândrea Kely Campos; Rios-Santos, Fabrício; Romano-Silva, Marco A.; Sortica, Vinicius A.; Suarez-Kurtz, Guilherme (February 16, 2011). "The Genomic Ancestry of Individuals from Different Geographical Regions of Brazil Is More Uniform Than Expected". PLOS ONE. 6 (2) e17063. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...617063P. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0017063. PMC 3040205. PMID 21359226.
- ^ Magalhães da Silva, Thiago; Sandhya Rani, M. R.; de Oliveira Costa, Gustavo Nunes; Figueiredo, Maria A.; Melo, Paulo S.; Nascimento, João F.; Molyneaux, Neil D.; Barreto, Maurício L.; Reis, Mitermayer G.; Teixeira, M. Glória; Blanton, Ronald E. (July 1, 2015). "The correlation between ancestry and color in two cities of Northeast Brazil with contrasting ethnic compositions". Eur J Hum Genet. 23 (7): 984–989. doi:10.1038/ejhg.2014.215. PMC 4463503. PMID 25293718.
- ^ "Fortaleza, CE". atlasbrasil.org.br. Archived from the original on December 31, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Censo Demográfico 2022: Favelas e Comunidades Urbanas" (PDF). Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Ceará é sétimo em número de favelas". oestadoce.com.br (in Portuguese). November 7, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Prefeitura apresenta ações preventivas para quadra chuvosa". O Estado (in Portuguese). January 16, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "População residente por cor ou raça e religião - Fortaleza". IBGE. Archived from the original on September 3, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Tabela 2094 - População residente por cor ou raça e religião". Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Archived from the original on March 23, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Sistema IBGE de Recuperação Automática – SIDRA". Sidra.ibge.gov.br. Archived from the original on June 14, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
- ^ "Constituição do Brasil". Palácio do Planalto. Archived from the original on May 5, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Eleições 2012: Apuração: Fortaleza". G1. Archived from the original on April 30, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Fortaleza: Apuração do segundo turno". Uol. October 30, 2012. Archived from the original on October 25, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Fortaleza já conhece os 43 vereadores que ocuparão a Câmara Municipal". Diário do Nordeste. September 7, 2012. Archived from the original on October 25, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Lei Orgânica de Fortaleza". CMFOR. 2012. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Perfil dos municípios brasileiros - Fortaleza". IBGE. 2013. Archived from the original on October 25, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "No Ceará, Camilo Santana sucede padrinho político e ministro Cid". G1. January 1, 2015. Archived from the original on October 25, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Palácio Iracema". Governo do Estado do Ceará. April 25, 2011. Archived from the original on August 2, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Governo do Estado do Ceará, Secretários e Órgãos vinculados". Governo do Estado do Ceará. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Faça a diferença". Catraca Livre. July 22, 2014. Archived from the original on February 15, 2015. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Fortaleza". Mercociudades. Archived from the original on May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Produto Interno Bruto dos Municípios Edição 2021". IBGE. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ "Posição ocupada pelos 100 maiores municípios, em relação ao Produto Interno Bruto". IBGE. 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ a b "Fortaleza". IBGE. Archived from the original on December 3, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2024.[verification needed]
- ^ "IPC Maps 2014" (PDF). IPC Marketing. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 8, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Trabalho e Rendimento" (in Portuguese). IBGE. 2021. Archived from the original on September 29, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ "Zonas de preservação do patrimônio". O Povo. November 24, 2012. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
- ^ "Patrimônio Histórico e Cultural". Prefeitura Municipal de Fortaleza. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
- ^ "Histórico dos Bens Tombados". Prefeitura Municipal de Fortaleza. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
- ^ "Políticas públicas contemplam mestres da cultura". Portal Brasil. June 4, 2014. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
- ^ "Palco para todas as artes". Diário do Nordeste. March 9, 2014. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
- ^ "Fortaleza. Cronologia da Cidade". Revista Fale!. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
- ^ "Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura". Governo do Estado do Ceará. July 31, 2014. Archived from the original on July 9, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
- ^ "Os museus e a memória da literatura brasileira" (PDF). Instituto Brasileiro de Museus. 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
- ^ "Casa de José de Alencar" (PDF). Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
- ^ "Rede Cuca comemora aniversário com programação especial". O Povo. February 20, 2015. Archived from the original on February 25, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
- ^ "Clubes inovam para atrair público". Diário do Nordeste. June 9, 2012. Archived from the original on February 19, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
- ^ "Artesanato" (in Portuguese). Governo do Estado do Ceará. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
- ^ Gilmar de Carvalho. "Letras sob o sol e o areal". Folha de S. Paulo. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
- ^ Luciana Brito (2012). "Presença da Padaria Espiritual na História da Imprensa e das Artes no Ceará". Unesp. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
- ^ (Escreve), João Soares Neto (August 29, 2014). "Academia Cearense de Letras: nova aos 120 anos". O Estado CE. O Estado. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- ^ "Batista de Lima". Diário do Nordeste. July 13, 2010. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
- ^ "A vez dos cearenses". Folha de S. Paulo. January 11, 2012. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
- ^ "Principais festivais de cinema formam uma frente". Revista de Cinema. November 16, 2011. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
- ^ "Santo de casa faz milagre". Diário do Nordeste. April 19, 2008. Archived from the original on January 19, 2012. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ^ Andressa Zanandrea. "Dragão Fashion Brasil - dia 1". IG. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
- ^ "Linhas íntimas". Tribuna do Ceará. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
- ^ Jomar Morais (January 1, 2000). "Alma de mascate". Info Exame. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
- ^ "Francisco Secundo: Do Ceará moleque ao Cine Holliúdy". vermelho.org.br. August 15, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Bodes são tratados como gente no Ceará". cadaminuto.com.br (in Portuguese). October 28, 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Fortaleza". terra.com.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "'Cidade-sede da Alegria', Fortaleza inspira a Seleção com humoristas". O Globo (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "A Alegria do Eterno Humorista". Rolling Stone Brazil (in Portuguese). April 13, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Para pesquisador, forró eletrônico renova a tradição". Diário do Nordeste. November 10, 2012. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
- ^ "Baladas de vários estilos agitam Fortaleza sete noites por semana". dialogospoliticos.wordpress.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ Jenna Francisco (January 14, 2020). "8 Places to Celebrate Carnaval in Brazil (3 of 8)". TripSavvy. Dotdash. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ Arima, Kátia (August 29, 2012). "Fotos: 9 restaurantes para comer bem em Fortaleza". viagemturismo.abril.com.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Fortaleza". UOL Viagem. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Fortaleza, no Ceará, oferece sol, calor humano, vista para o mar e, de bandeja, vida noturna animada". Guia de Viagem - UOL Viagem (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ Carvalho, Lívia (June 17, 2022). "Volta ao mundo gastronômica: visite 15 países sem sair de Fortaleza". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Asiáticos dominam restaurantes". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). October 27, 2006. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "A sofisticação oriental que caiu no gosto do cearense". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). November 4, 2006. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Estado mantém influências portuguesas no cotidiano". Diário do Nordeste. June 9, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Obra de aquário encalha em praia famosa de Fortaleza" (Haus) (in Portuguese). Coritiba: Gazeta do Povo. April 26, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
- ^ "Slowing the Pace Along Brazil's Coast". New York Times. February 20, 2005.
- ^ Soares, Marcelo de Oliveira; Paiva, Carolina Cerqueira de; Freitas, João Eduardo Pereira de; Lotufo, Tito Monteiro da Cruz (2011), "Gestão de unidades de conservação marinhas: o caso do Parque Estadual Marinho da Pedra da Risca do Meio, NE – Brasil", Revista da Gestão Costeira Integrada, 11 (2), archived (PDF) from the original on November 29, 2016, retrieved November 28, 2016
- ^ "The better beaches of Fortaleza, Brazil". Fortaleza International Airport. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
- ^ "Mucuripe, Fortaleza - Veja dicas no Férias Brasil". Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
- ^ Atlas do Desenvolvimento Humano do Brasil 2013 (2010). "Perfil do município de Fortaleza no Atlas do IDH 2013". Programa das Nações Unidas para o Desenvolvimento (PNUD). Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Fortaleza - CE". Acompanhamento Brasileiro dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento do Milênio. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
- ^ DATASUS (April 10, 2010). "Caderno de Informações de Saúde - Informações Gerais". ftp.datasus.gov.br (FTP). Retrieved February 25, 2015. (To view documents see Help:FTP)
- ^ "UPAs". Secretaria Municipal da Saúde. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
- ^ "Onde ficam os novos CEOs, policlínicas, UPAs e hospitais". Secretaria da Saúde do Estado. July 15, 2013. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
- ^ "Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Fortaleza comemora 150 anos". Diário do Nordeste. February 20, 2011. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
- ^ "Os Maiores Hospitais Privados". Anuário de Fortaleza 2012-2013 (Fundação Demócrito Rocha). Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
- ^ "Fortaleza é a 3ª capital do Brasil com maior cobertura do Programa Saúde da Família". Diário do Nordeste. July 25, 2012. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
- ^ "SAMU 192 -Fortaleza". Secretaria Municipal de Saúde. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
- ^ "HUWC é o maior centro de transplantes de fígado da América Latina". TV Diário (in Portuguese). Verdes Mares. February 27, 2015. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "Medicina na Federal do Ceará é o curso mais concorrido do Sisu". Estadão. January 8, 2013. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
- ^ Wellington Ricardo Nogueira Maciel (2006). "Aeroporto de Fortaleza: usos e significados contemporâneos" (PDF). UFC. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
- ^ "Infraero lança edital para conclusão de obras do aeroporto de Fortaleza". G1. January 6, 2015. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
- ^ "Movimento Operacional da Rede Infraero de Janeiro a Dezembro de 2013" (PDF). Infraero. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
- ^ Fernanda Castello Branco. "As 11 estradas mais incríveis do Brasil". iG. Archived from the original on April 11, 2018. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
- ^ "Anuário de transportes públicos de Fortaleza" (PDF). mobilize.org.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Bilhete Único de Fortaleza conta com mais de 1 milhão e 200 mil usuários cadastrados". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). April 20, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Ônibus de Fortaleza terão ar-condicionado". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). November 11, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Autarquia Municipal de Trânsito". CTAFOR. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ^ "Sistema Metroviário do Ceará". Metrofor - Metrô e VLTs no Ceará (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "CARTA ANUAL DE POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS E GOVERNANÇA CORPORATIVA" (PDF). Metrofor - Metrô e VLTs no Ceará (in Portuguese). December 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Balanço do Setor 2023". ANPTrilhos (in Portuguese). April 2, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Gerodetti, João Emilio. Railways of Brazil in Postcards and Souvenir Albums.
- ^ "VIAGEM pelo Brasil em trem de ferro. Passageiro, um marginal na terra onde a carga é rei". biblioteca.ijsn.es.gov.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "ANEXO 2 Art. 573., do RICMS RELAÇÃO DAS FERROVIAS". lefisc.com.br. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "História da ferrovia no Ceará é eternizada em documentário". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). June 18, 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Último trem de passageiros que saiu de Fortaleza para o Crato ce, em 1988". Facebook. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ Bezerra, Wilton (October 9, 2021). ""Banho de civilização": o trem de Crato para Fortaleza". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Porto do Pecém e localização são diferenciais". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). March 16, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Prefeitos planejam dobrar ciclovias em capitais até 2016 - 15/04/2015 - Cotidiano - Folha de S.Paulo". Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
- ^ Marcelo Sena, João (January 4, 2014). "Ao longo de 100 anos, três órgãos comandaram Campeonato Cearense". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ Vitor, Matheus (April 21, 2019). "Fortaleza é campeão cearense invicto nos clássicos; veja os números da campanha!". O Povo (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "ESPECIAL: Ferrão é campeão da Série D após 23 anos sem conquistar um título". O Povo (in Portuguese). August 4, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "É campeão! Fortaleza vence o Avaí por 1x0 e conquista o título da Série B". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). November 10, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Ao eliminar Sampaio Corrêa, Fortaleza chega à 4ª final nacional em sua história". Globoesporte (in Portuguese). October 8, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Há 15 anos, o Ceará fazia história na Copa do Brasil". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). August 8, 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "História volta a ser contada no PV". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). May 7, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ Associated Press (April 15, 2013). "Two killed in shooting near Brazil World Cup stadium site". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020.
The fans were killed about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the Arena Castelao in the city of Fortaleza, one of the six venues hosting matches in the Confederations Cup in June.
- ^ Griffin, Jo (June 4, 2014). "Brazil World Cup city guide: Fortaleza". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020.
Since being named a World Cup host city, Fortaleza has punched above its weight (it was first to complete its new stadium on time) but has also seen violent protests against Fifa's lavish spending during the Confederations Cup in June 2013.
- ^ "Eight vibrant Host Cities to dazzle the world at the FIFA Women's World Cup Brazil 2027™". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. May 7, 2025.
- ^ "45 anos de conquistas". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). August 12, 2010. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Ceará é point dos velejadores". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). July 26, 2008. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Jangadas colorem os nossos verdes mares". Diário do Nordeste (in Portuguese). July 28, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Meia Maratona Internacional de Fortaleza reúne oito mil participantes". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). April 13, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Incompleto, Centro de Formação Olímpica é inaugurado em Fortaleza". ge (in Portuguese). Globo. December 30, 2014. Archived from the original on December 28, 2024.
- ^ Staff (March 12, 2017). "UFC Fight Night 106 draws announced attendance of 14,069 for sell-out in Fortaleza, Brazil". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
- ^ "12 regionais de Fortaleza, confira a nova divisão da capital cearense". G1 (in Portuguese). January 6, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ^ "Fortaleza em Bairros". Fortaleza em Mapas (IPLANFOR) (in Portuguese). 2020. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ^ "See the Timeline of the Military Dictatorship, from 1964 to 1985". Folha de S.Paulo. June 29, 2020. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
- ^ "See the Timeline of the Military Dictatorship, from 1964 to 1985". Folha de S.Paulo. June 29, 2020. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
- ^ "Mapa da rede diplomática". Portal Diplomático (in Portuguese). Retrieved October 12, 2024.
- ^ Ribeiro, Natasha (June 30, 2016). "Fortaleza se torna cidade irmã de Lisboa". oestadoce.com.br (in Portuguese). Oestado. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
Bibliography
[edit]External links
[edit]- (in Portuguese) Fortaleza City Council home page
- (in Portuguese) Fortaleza Tourism Office home page
