Development continued in 1668–1669 with the building of the Fort of São José da Barra do Rio Negro by the Portuguese in order to ensure its predominance in the region, especially against the Dutch, at that time headquartered in what is today Suriname.

[11] The population grew so much that, in 1695, the missionaries (Carmelite, Jesuit, Franciscan) built a nearby chapel dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Conception), who, in time, became the patron saint of the city.

[12] A Royal Charter of March 3, 1755 created the captaincy of São José do Rio Negro, with capital in Mariuá (now Barcelos), but with the governor, Lobo D'Almada, fearing a Spanish invasion, the seat went back to Lugar de Barra in 1791.

During the brief period of revolution, the Cabanos of the Upper Amazon, bands of rebels, roamed throughout the region, occupying Manaus twice, and, in most settlements, their arrival was greeted by the non-white population spontaneously joining their ranks, leading to a greater number of adherents to the movement.

[19] When the seeds of the rubber tree were smuggled out of the Amazon region to be cultivated on plantations in Southeast Asia,[Note 1] Brazil and Peru lost their monopoly on the product.

A massive prison riot occurred in January 2017, having begun in Manaus and later spreading to two additional cities in Brazil,[23] thus unleashing security problems within the country.

There is rarely very intense polar air masses in the South-Central part of Brazil and in the southwest of the Amazon have some effect on the city, as occurred in August 1955.

Although the incidence of acid rain is common in some Brazilian capitals where there is a great concentration of cars, in Manaus and other cities of the Amazonas the situation is aggravated by the prolonged period of drought with the smoke from forest fires.

Manaus is the seventh largest city in Brazil, after São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Brasília, Fortaleza and Belo Horizonte.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also has a large presence, with a LDS temple having been built in the city, the sixth in Brazil.

[57] With the permanence and the strengthening of Free Economic Zone of Manaus, the city began to receive investments and constant migration of people from many parts of the state and northern Brazil.

Given its location, fish, wild fruits like Açaí and Cupuaçu, and Brazil nuts initiate important trades, as do petroleum refining, soap manufacturing, and chemical industries.

Over the last decades, a system of federal investments and tax incentives has turned the surrounding region into a major industrial center (the Free Economic Zone of Manaus).

[63][64] The initial idea of a Free Trade Port in Manaus came from Deputy Francisco Pereira da Silva and was subsequently formalized by Law No.

Tax incentives and the subsequent complementary legislation created comparative advantages in the region with respect to other parts of the country and as a result the Manaus Free Trade Zone attracted new investment to the area.

Eduardo Gomes International Airport is Brazil's third largest in freight movement,[66] handling the import and export demand from the Manaus Industrial Complex.

However, access to this highway requires a ferry crossing to Careiro, across the Rio Negro and Amazon River, which takes about 40 minutes, and then is only paved for about another 100 kilometers (60 mi) to Castanho.

Various governments have promised to recover this land-link with the rest of the country, but environmental issues, high costs and complicated logistics have impeded any progress so far.

The Manaus carnival (carnaval) celebrations are a good start to upcoming events and include traditional processions and samba dancing at the Sambódromo in the Centro de Convenções (Convention Centre).

May is a popular time to pay a visit to Manaus, since the city hosts both the Ponta Negra Music and the Amazonas de Opera festivals during this month.

The Floclorico do Amazonas (Amazonas Folklore Festival) is in June, and this has grown to become a major event, involving a huge array of folk dancing and music, culminating in the Procissao Fluvial de São Pedro (St. Peter River Procession), when hundreds of riverboats sail along the Rio Negro, honouring the patron saint of fishermen.

Visitors can also explore river banks and "igarapes", swim and canoe in placid lakes, simply walk in the lush forest or stay at hotels in the jungle.

[71] A luxurious hotel is located at the west end of Ponta Negra; its zoo and orchid greenhouse as well as preserved woods and beach are open for public visits.

It is possible to walk through four distinct ecosystems in the park: land covered by secondary growth, firm ground brush, sandbanks and degraded areas that were illegally cleared in 1989.

It also has an amphitheater for 600 people, gardens planted with medicinal and aromatic herbs, an orchid nursery, aerial trails, and signs aiming to develop environmental education programs.

[75] The Tarumã, Tarumãzinho, and Cachoeira das Almas bayous (branches of rivers), located near the city, are leisure spots for the population on weekends.

The Paricatuba Waterfall, located on the right bank of the Negro River, along a small tributary, is formed by sedimentary rocks, surrounded by abundant vegetation.

The city has quite a few other clubs with distinguished histories such as Atlético Rio Negro Clube, also founded in 1913, but in November, who have won the state championship 17 times.

The Vivaldão, previously the largest stadium in Manaus, was inaugurated in 1970 by the Brazilian national team in their last game in the country before they headed to their victorious 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

Manaus, known for its intense heat and humidity, was the site of the World Cup's first-ever official water break on June 22 in the match between Portugal and the United States.