Porto Alegre: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Porto Alegre, one of the largest cities in southern Brazil, is the capital of Rio Grande do Sul State. Population: over 1.5 million (2004). It should not be confused with Portalegre, which is a town in the Alentejo region of Portugal.

The city is located at the conjunction of five rivers, among them the Guaíba River (actually a lake). Although its origins date from the early 1700s, the city was officially established in 1809.

Porto Alegre is a major 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 are located there.

Porto Alegre has recently been a convergence point for the Anti-Globalization movement, with the World Social Forum gathering more than 100,000 people in the city.