Benjamin Constant is a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality ...
located in the
Brazilian state of
Amazonas. Its population was 43,935 (2020) and its area is 8,793 km² (5,495 mi²).
The town is located by the confluence of the
Javary River and the
Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
, close to the border with
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
. However, there are no customs or immigration facilities in Benjamin Constant, and entry and exit formalities take place at
Tabatinga on the opposite bank of the Amazon. There are no roads into Benjamin Constant and the only access is by river boat. By fast boat it is about 31 hours from
Manaus (about 7 days by slow boat). The nearest airport is at Tabatinga, 2 hours by boat.
The area is inhabited by
Ticuna Indians
The Ticuna (also Magüta, Tucuna, Tikuna, or Tukuna) are an indigenous people of Brazil (36,000'')'', Colombia (6,000), and Peru (7,000). They are the most numerous tribe in the Brazilian Amazon.
History
The Ticuna were originally a tribe th ...
. The Magüta Museum in the town is devoted to their culture and language. In 1988 the town was the scene of the murder of 14 Ticunas in a dispute between them and logging interests.
The town was named after the Brazilian revolutionary
Benjamin Constant
Henri-Benjamin Constant de Rebecque (; 25 October 1767 – 8 December 1830), or simply Benjamin Constant, was a Franco-Swiss political thinker, activist and writer on political theory and religion.
A committed republican from 1795, he backed t ...
(1836–1891).
Climate
References
Municipalities in Amazonas (Brazilian state)
Populated places on the Amazon
{{AmazonasBR-geo-stub