Boa Vista is the capital of the Brazilian state of Roraima. Situated on the western bank of the River Branco, 220 km (136 mi) from Brazil's border with Venezuela. It is the only Brazilian capital located entirely above the Equator. Equatorial climate predominates in Boa Vista. The temperature in the city is hot throughout the year, with a very low temperature range usually of less than 3 degrees celsius. It is also a very wet climate with annual precipitation often more than 2000 mm. These hot and wet conditions are ideal for the growth of plants so the vegetation is both dense and varied. The Equatorial Rainforests also have an extremely diverse fauna.
The name Boa Vista means "Nice Sight" or "Nice View". It is also the most populous municipality in the state. Approximately one third of the people in the state live here.
Its business is done mostly with Manaus, capital of the State of Amazonas, with the city of Lethem, in Guyana and the city of Santa Elena de Uairén, Venezuela. These cities are the only major cities that can be accessed from Boa Vista via road, although other smaller state municipalities are also connected by road with the capital city. The airplane is the only way of transportation for other regions in the country. Recently, the federal government started a project do link Manaus and Boa Vista via roads to the major center of Brazil, by asphalting the BR 319 and building several bridges in Amazon forest, allowing a direct road link between Manaus and the central and southern regions of Brazil.
This modern city is distinguished among the capitals in the North Region of Brazil as a planned city with a radial plan. It was planned by the architect Darci Aleixo Deregusson who designed the city in a similar fashion to that of Paris, France. It was built under the direction of Captain Ene Garcez, the first governor of Roraima. The main avenues converge at the Civic Center Plaza, where the headquarters of three governmental branches reside (legislative, judiciary, and executive). Aside from the cultural attractions (theaters and palaces), there are hotels, banks, post offices, and cathedrals. |
