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Canoas () is a municipality in the state of
Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...
, Brazil, forming part of the
Greater Porto Alegre Greater Porto Alegre or the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre is the 5th most populous metro area in Brazil, with an estimated population of 4.3 million inhabitants encompassing 34 municipalities around Porto Alegre, the capital of the state of ...
area. It is the largest municipality of the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre and the third largest municipality of Rio Grande do Sul. Officially declared a city on June 27, 1939, after its separation from São Sebastião do Caí and Gravataí, Canoas derives its name from the historical crafting of
canoes A canoe is a lightweight, narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles. In British English, the term ''canoe'' ca ...
in the area. It is the second largest city in the Porto Alegre metropolitan area, with the third-largest population and the third-highest GDP in the state. It is also ranked as the 79th most populous city in Brazil. Canoas is an industrial and educational hub, drawing residents from surrounding municipalities. It hosts a campus of the
Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul The Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (, IFRS), or in full: Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul () is an institution that offers high and professional educations by having a pluricurricular form. It is ...
and several universities including Ulbra, UniRitter, Universidade La Salle, and IPUC. The city is positioned at an elevation of eight meters above sea level, and is distinguished by the Gravataí and Sinos rivers that traverse its landscape.


Etymology

The city's name, Canoas, which means
canoes A canoe is a lightweight, narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles. In British English, the term ''canoe'' ca ...
in Portuguese, traces back to the area's early settlement period during the construction of the railway line from
Porto Alegre Porto Alegre (, ; , ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian Federative units of Brazil, state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its population of roughly 1.4 million inhabitants (2022) makes it the List of largest cities in Brazil, 11th-most p ...
to
São Leopoldo São Leopoldo () (Portuguese for ''Saint Leopold'') is a Brazilian industrial city located in the south state of Rio Grande do Sul. Geography It occupies a total area of 103.9 km2 (around 80 km2 urban area) at ''circa'' 30 km fr ...
in
1874 Events January * January 1 – New York City annexes The Bronx. * January 2 – Ignacio María González becomes head of state of the Dominican Republic for the first time. * January 3 – Third Carlist War: Battle of Caspe &n ...
. A significant local event was the use of a large ''timbaúva'' tree (''Enterolobium contortisiliquum'') for constructing vessels on what was then the ''Gravataí'' Farm. This site became known as ''Capão das Canoas'', influencing the names of the railway station and subsequent settlement. The ''timbaúva'' tree is also recognized as the city's symbolic tree.


History

The region that is now ''Canoas'' was originally inhabited by the ''Tapes''
Indigenous peoples There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...
until the arrival of
Portuguese explorers Portuguese maritime explorations resulted in numerous territories and maritime routes recorded by the Portuguese on journeys during the 15th and 16th centuries. Portuguese sailors were at the vanguard of European exploration, chronicling and mapp ...
and settlers in the early 18th century. Francisco Pinto Bandeira, a notable early
settler A settler or a colonist is a person who establishes or joins a permanent presence that is separate to existing communities. The entity that a settler establishes is a Human settlement, settlement. A settler is called a pioneer if they are among ...
, established the ''Gravataí'' Farm in the area by
1733 Events January–March * January 13 – Borommarachathirat V becomes King of Siam (now Thailand) upon the death of King Sanphet IX. * January 27 – George Frideric Handel's classic opera, ''Orlando'' is performed for the ...
. Over the following decades, the farm was subdivided and sold in smaller plots, leading to increased settlement. The construction of the railway in 1871 to connect
São Leopoldo São Leopoldo () (Portuguese for ''Saint Leopold'') is a Brazilian industrial city located in the south state of Rio Grande do Sul. Geography It occupies a total area of 103.9 km2 (around 80 km2 urban area) at ''circa'' 30 km fr ...
and
Porto Alegre Porto Alegre (, ; , ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian Federative units of Brazil, state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its population of roughly 1.4 million inhabitants (2022) makes it the List of largest cities in Brazil, 11th-most p ...
marked a pivotal development for the area. The establishment of a railway station in 1874 catalyzed the growth of the settlement that would become Canoas. The use of local timber for
canoe A canoe is a lightweight, narrow watercraft, water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles. In British English, the term ' ...
making at the station helped name the area ''Capão das Canoas''. Significant growth continued into the 20th century with the arrival of the Lasallian brothers in
1908 This is the longest year in either the Julian or Gregorian calendars, having a duration of 31622401.38 seconds of Terrestrial Time (or ephemeris time), measured according to the definition of mean solar time. Events January * January ...
, who founded a school that offered agricultural, primary, and secondary education. The military also played a crucial role in the city's development, particularly with the establishment of the 3rd Military Aviation Regiment in 1937, which was instrumental in advocating for the city's emancipation. ''Canoas'' officially became a city in
1939 This year also marks the start of the World War II, Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Events related to World War II have a "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Coming into effect in Nazi Ger ...
and continued to expand rapidly, especially from the 1970s onwards, establishing itself as a key economic player in the
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
.


Economy


Gallery

Image:Canoasmap.png, Canoas subdivisions Image:Guajuviras canoas rs brazil.jpg, Guajuviras neighbourhood Image:Base canoas.jpg, Canoas Air Base Image:Centro canoas.jpg, Downtown Canoas Image:Bairro Getulio Vargas Canoas.jpg, Getulio Vargas neighbourhood Image:Jogo Ulbra X Joinville Serie C.jpg, Soccer game at the Ulbra Sport Club in the São José neighbourhood Image:Ulbra canoas.jpg, Ulbra University Image:Museudaulbra.jpg, ULBRA Technological Museum Image:CapelaUlbragr-1-.jpg, Chapel at the ULBRA Image:Unilasalle.jpg, La Salle University Image:Estrada de ferro na tabaí.jpg, Old rail line in the Industrial neighbourhood Image:Postoagasnatural.jpg, Gas station in the Igara neighbourhood Image:Zaffaribourbon.jpg, Zaffari Bourbon grocery store in the Getulio Vargas neighbourhood Image:Fundaçao cultural de Canoas.jpg, Cultural Foundation of Canoas in the historical train station building Image:DCP Canoas.jpg, BR-116 Federal Highway in Canoas Image:Trensurb.JPG, Urban Train that passes through Canoas Image:Rodoviaria de Canoas.jpg, Canoas Intermunicipal Bus Station Image:Estaçãoferrea.jpg, Canoas Train Station in 1874 Image:Igrejamatriz1931.jpg, Main Catholic Church, 1931 Image:Vegetaçaocanoas.jpg, Typical vegetation in Canoas


See also

*
List of municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul This is a list of the municipalities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), located in the South Region of Brazil. Rio Grande do Sul is divided into 497 municipalities, which are grouped into 35 microregions, which are grouped into 7 mesoregio ...
*
Porto Alegre Porto Alegre (, ; , ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian Federative units of Brazil, state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its population of roughly 1.4 million inhabitants (2022) makes it the List of largest cities in Brazil, 11th-most p ...
* Alvorada


External links


Canoas Mayoral Office
(in Portuguese)
Satellite view of Canoas


(in Portuguese) Images of homes are not representative of the rest of the city – the homes shown are part of one wealthy subdivision in the city
SOGAL – Sociedade de Ônibus Gaúcha: Canoas City's Bus Transport
(in Portuguese)
ULBRA – Lutheran University of Brazil
(in Portuguese)


References

{{Authority control Municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul