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Recife ( , ) is 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 ...
capital of
Pernambuco Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...
,
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, on the northeastern
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
coast of
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
. It is the largest urban area within both the
North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...
and the Northeast Region of Brazil. It is the largest city in Pernambuco state, and the fourth-largest
urban area An urban area is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas originate through urbanization, and researchers categorize them as cities, towns, conurbations or suburbs. In urbani ...
in all of Brazil; the
metro Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...
population of the city of Recife was 3,726,974 in 2022. Recife was founded in 1537, serving as the main harbor of the
Captaincy of Pernambuco The Captaincy of Pernambuco or New Lusitania () was a hereditary land grant and administrative subdivision of northern Portuguese Brazil during the colonial period from 1534 to 1821, with a brief interruption from 1630 to 1654 when it was part of D ...
—known for its large-scale production of sugar cane. At one point, it was known as
Mauritsstad Mauritsstad (or Mauritius) was the capital of Dutch Brazil, and is now a part of the Brazilian city of Recife. History A Dutch fleet of 65 ships led by Hendrick Lonck, Hendrick Corneliszoon Loncq led Siege of Recife (1630), a siege against P ...
, when it served as the capital city of the 17th century colony of New Holland of
Dutch Brazil Dutch Brazil (; ), also known as New Holland (), was a colony of the Dutch Republic in the northeastern portion of modern-day Brazil, controlled from 1630 to 1654 during Dutch colonization of the Americas. The main cities of the colony were the c ...
(founded by the
Dutch West India Company The Dutch West India Company () was a Dutch chartered company that was founded in 1621 and went defunct in 1792. Among its founders were Reynier Pauw, Willem Usselincx (1567–1647), and Jessé de Forest (1576–1624). On 3 June 1621, it was gra ...
). Situated at the confluence of the
Beberibe Beberibe is a municipality in the state of Ceará in Brazil. Its estimated population in 2020 is 53,949. The municipality was created on June 5, 1892, and incorporated July 18, 1892. The name 'Beberibe' means "where the sugar cane grows". Geograp ...
and Capibaribe rivers, before they drain into the
South Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
, Recife is a major
seaport A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manc ...
along the Brazilian Atlantic coast. Its name is an allusion to the stone
reef A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral, or similar relatively stable material lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic component, abiotic (non-living) processes such as deposition (geol ...
s that are present offshore. Together with the urban presence of the Beberibe and Capibaribe rivers and their
tributaries A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream ('' main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which the ...
, the many additional unique, small islands—and more than 50 bridges linking them throughout the city—create a distinct maritime or "riviera" atmosphere, leading to Recife being known as the " Venice of Brazil". , Recife has maintained the highest HDI of any state capital in Northeastern Brazil, and the second-highest of the entire Northern and Northeastern regions (second only to Palmas). However, the city also is known as having some of the highest rates of
gun violence Gun-related violence is violence against a person committed with the use of a firearm to inflict a gunshot wound. Gun violence may or may not be considered criminal. Criminal violence includes homicide (except when and where ruled justifiable ...
in the entire country, despite also being considered the "safest state capital" in the Northeast. Although Recife often has a consistently higher crime rate than Brazil's South Region, it typically has a much lower crime rate than other regional capitals—such as Salvador or São Luís. Nonetheless, crime rose nearly 440% in 2015. The waters along the coastline are also considered to be among the most dangerous "on earth", as there have been many recorded shark attacks on swimmers at the beaches, including fatal incidents. The Metropolitan Region of Recife is the main industrial zone of the State of Pernambuco, major products are those derived from
cane Cane or caning may refer to: *Walking stick, or walking cane, a device used primarily to aid walking * Assistive cane, a walking stick used as a mobility aid for better balance * White cane, a mobility or safety device used by blind or visually i ...
(sugar and
ethanol Ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is an Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol, with its formula also written as , or EtOH, where Et is the ps ...
), motor vehicles, ships, oil platforms, electronics, software, and others. With fiscal incentives by the government, many industrial companies were started in the 1970s and 1980s. Recife has a tradition of being the most important commercial hub of the North/Northeastern region of Brazil, with more than 52,500 business enterprises in Recife plus 32,500 in the Metro Area, totaling more than 85,000. A combination of a large supply of
labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
and significant private investments turned Recife into Brazil's second largest medical hub (the first being
São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
); modern hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment receive patients from several neighbouring States. Recife stands out as a major tourist site within the Brazilian Northeast, known for the city itself, its beaches and for its historical sites, with many places of significance dating back to both the Portuguese and the Dutch colonies in the region. The beach of
Porto de Galinhas Porto de Galinhas is a beach in the municipality of Ipojuca, Pernambuco, Brazil. Porto de Galinhas is a major tourist destination. The beach is famous for its bright-water beaches and the natural pools. It is part of the municipality of Ipojuca ...
, located south of the city, has been repeatedly awarded the title of best beach in Brazil and has drawn many tourists. The Historic Centre of
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
, north of the city, was declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
in 1982, and both cities'
Brazilian Carnival The Carnival of Brazil (, ) is an annual festival held the Friday afternoon before Ash Wednesday at noon, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. During Lent, Roman Catholics and some other Christians traditionally ...
are among the world's most famous. According to The Herald, Recife has the biggest consumption of whisky around the world. The city is an education hub, and home to the
Federal University of Pernambuco Federal University of Pernambuco (, UFPE) is a public university in Recife, Brazil, established in 1946. UFPE has 70 undergraduate courses and 175 postgraduate courses. , UFPE had 35,000 students and 2,000 professors. The university has three c ...
, the largest university in Pernambuco. Several Brazilian historical figures, such as the poet and abolitionist
Castro Alves Antônio Frederico de Castro Alves (14 March 1847 – 6 July 1871) was a Brazilian poet and playwright famous for his abolitionist and republican poems. One of the most famous poets of the Condorist movement, he wrote classics such as '' Esp ...
, moved to Recife for their studies. Recife and
Natal NATAL or Natal may refer to: Places * Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, a city in Brazil * Natal, South Africa (disambiguation), a region in South Africa ** Natalia Republic, a former country (1839–1843) ** Colony of Natal, a former British colony ( ...
are the only Brazilian cities with direct flights to the islands of
Fernando de Noronha Fernando de Noronha (), officially the State District of Fernando de Noronha () and formerly known as the Federal Territory of Fernando de Noronha () until 1988, is an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, part of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, and ...
, a World Heritage Site. Recife was one of the host cities of the
2014 FIFA World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
, and previously hosted the
2013 FIFA Confederations Cup The 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup was the ninth FIFA Confederations Cup, which was held in Brazil from 15 to 30 June 2013 as a prelude to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The most recent winners of the six continental championships appeared in the tourn ...
and the
1950 FIFA World Cup The 1950 FIFA World Cup was the 4th edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international Association football, football championship for senior men's national teams. It was held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July 1950. It was the first Wo ...
.


History

Recife began as a collection of fishing shacks, inns and warehouses on the
delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta"), the fourth letter in the Latin alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * Delta Air Lines, a major US carrier ...
between the Capibaribe and Beberibe Rivers in the
captaincy of Pernambuco The Captaincy of Pernambuco or New Lusitania () was a hereditary land grant and administrative subdivision of northern Portuguese Brazil during the colonial period from 1534 to 1821, with a brief interruption from 1630 to 1654 when it was part of D ...
, sometime between 1535 and 1537 in the earliest days of Portuguese colonisation of ''
Terra de Santa Cruz The name ''Brazil'' is a shortened form of ''Terra do Brasil'' ("Land of Brazil"), a reference to the brazilwood tree. The name was given in the early 16th century to the territories leased to the merchant consortium led by Fernão de Loronha, to ...
'', later called Brazil, on the northeast coast of
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
. It was a settlement of colonial fishermen and way station for Portuguese sailors and passing ships. The first documented reference to the settlement with its "''arrecife dos navios''" (reef of the ships) was in the royal Charter Act of March 12, 1537, establishing
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
, to the north, as a village, with its port where the Beberibe River meets the sea. Olinda (and Igarassu before it) had been settled in 1536 by Captain General
Duarte Coelho Duarte Coelho Pereira ( – ) was a nobleman, military leader, and colonial administrator in the Portuguese colony of Brazil. He was the first Donatario (Lord Proprietor) of the captaincy of Pernambuco and founder of Olinda. Early life The bir ...
, a Portuguese nobleman, proprietor and administrator of the captaincy of Pernambuco. The city is named for the long reef ''recife'' running parallel to the shoreline which encloses its harbour. The reef is not as sometimes stated, a coral reef, but a consolidated ancient beach, now as firm and hard as stone. In 1541, Coelho returned from the
Kingdom of Portugal The Kingdom of Portugal was a Portuguese monarchy, monarchy in the western Iberian Peninsula and the predecessor of the modern Portuguese Republic. Existing to various extents between 1139 and 1910, it was also known as the Kingdom of Portugal a ...
with the machinery for an ''
engenho ''Engenho'' () is a colonial-era Portuguese term for a sugar cane mill and the associated facilities. In Spanish-speaking countries such as Cuba and Puerto Rico, they are called ''ingenios''. Both words mean ''engine'' (from latin ''ingenium ...
'' (sugar mill), and with it, his brother-in-law established the first mill named ''Nossa Senhora da Ajuda'' (Our Lady of Help), in the floodplain of the Beberibe River at Recife. At that time the banks of the Capibaribe River were covered by
sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
. Recife was capital of the 17th century New Holland (Dutch Brazil) established by the
Dutch West India Company The Dutch West India Company () was a Dutch chartered company that was founded in 1621 and went defunct in 1792. Among its founders were Reynier Pauw, Willem Usselincx (1567–1647), and Jessé de Forest (1576–1624). On 3 June 1621, it was gra ...
and was called
Mauritsstad Mauritsstad (or Mauritius) was the capital of Dutch Brazil, and is now a part of the Brazilian city of Recife. History A Dutch fleet of 65 ships led by Hendrick Lonck, Hendrick Corneliszoon Loncq led Siege of Recife (1630), a siege against P ...
. The city was eventually recaptured by the Portuguese in 1654, following their victories at the
first First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
and second Battle of Guararapes. The Mascate War of 1710–1711 pitted merchants of Recife against those of nearby
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
.


Geography

It has often been called "The Venice of Brazil". Recife has a tropical forest. Rainforests are characterised by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between and . The soil can be poor because high rainfall tends to leach out soluble nutrients. There are several common characteristics of tropical
rainforest Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...
trees. The city of Recife is formed by three islands (Recife, Santo Antônio, and Boa Vista). Between the islands are the rivers
Beberibe Beberibe is a municipality in the state of Ceará in Brazil. Its estimated population in 2020 is 53,949. The municipality was created on June 5, 1892, and incorporated July 18, 1892. The name 'Beberibe' means "where the sugar cane grows". Geograp ...
and Capibaribe. Other rivers are the Jiquiá, Tejipió, Jordão and Pina.


Climate

Recife has a
tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate subtype that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ' ...
(''Am'') under the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, with warm to hot temperatures and high relative humidity throughout the year. However, these conditions are relieved by pleasant westwardly
trade wind The trade winds or easterlies are permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in the Earth's equatorial region. The trade winds blow mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere, ...
s blowing in from the ocean. January and February are the warmest months, with mean temperatures ranging from to , with sun. July is the second cloudiest month and experiences the coolest temperatures, with mean temperatures ranging from to . The wettest month is June, receiving an average of of rain. Recife features a short
dry season The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The t ...
which lasts from October to December. The driest and sunniest month is November, when maximum temperatures hover around and an average of of rain is recorded.


Demographics


Population

The
Recife metropolitan area Recife Metropolitan Area, officially the Metropolitan Region of Recife (, or ''Grande Recife''), is a major metropolitan area in Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Brazil with a population of 3.7 million as of 2022, centered on the state capital ...
is the 5th most populous of Brazil, after
São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
,
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
,
Belo Horizonte Belo Horizonte is the List of largest cities in Brazil, sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population of around 2.3 million, and the third largest metropolitan area, containing a population of 6 million. It is the List of cities in Sout ...
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 ...
, and the first in the Northeast region. The most populous neighborhoods of Recife in 2008 were Boa Viagem (100,388), Casa Amarela (69,134), and Várzea (64,512). According to the 2022 census, there were 1,488,920 people residing in the city of Recife. The census revealed the following numbers: 722,555
Pardo In the former Portuguese and Spanish colonies in the Americas, ''pardos'' (feminine ''pardas'') are triracial descendants of Europeans, Indigenous Americans and Africans. History In some places they were defined as neither exclusively ...
(
Multiracial The term multiracial people refers to people who are mixed with two or more races (human categorization), races and the term multi-ethnic people refers to people who are of more than one ethnicity, ethnicities. A variety of terms have been used ...
) people (48.5%), 578,413
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
people (38.8%), 182,546
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
people (12.3%), 2,703 Asian people (0.2%), 2,656
Amerindian In the Americas, Indigenous peoples comprise the two continents' pre-Columbian inhabitants, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with them in the 15th century, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with the pre-Columbian population of ...
people (0.2%). In 2010, the center city of Recife was the 9th most populous city in Brazil. In 2010, the city had 268,160 opposite-sex couples and 1,004
same-sex couple A same-sex relationship is a romantic or sexual relationship between people of the same sex. ''Same-sex marriage'' refers to the institutionalized recognition of such relationships in the form of a marriage Marriage, also called ma ...
s. The gender proportion of the population of Recife was 53.8% female and 46.2% male.2010 IGBE Census


Religion

The Patroness Saint of Recife is ''
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Our Lady of Mount Carmel, or Virgin of Carmel, is a Roman Catholic Titles of Mary, title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated as patron saint, patroness of the Carmelites, Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on M ...
'' (Nossa Senhora do Carmo), dating back one hundred and eight years ago (1909). Every July 16, her day, she is remembered by the
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
s in Recife, in her church. ''Source: IBGE 2010. ''


Economy

According to 2013 IBGE statistics, the GDP was at R$46,445,339,000. And the
GDP per capita This is a list of countries by nominal GDP per capita. GDP per capita is the total value of a country's finished goods and services (gross domestic product) divided by its total population (per capita). Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is ...
was at R$29,037.


Information technology industry

Recife has an area dedicated to information technology called " Porto Digital" (Digital Port) with more than 90 companies and 3,000 high tech Jobs. It was founded in July 2000 and has since attracted major investments. Generating some R$10 billion (Brazilian Reais) a year, it produces technology that is exported to the United States, India, Japan, and China, among other countries. Software manufacturing is the main activity in the Porto Digital. The Porto Digital cluster comprises small and medium companies, but multinationals from across the world, like
Accenture Accenture plc is a global multinational professional services company originating in the United States and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, that specializes in information technology (IT) services and management consulting. It was founded in 1 ...
,
Motorola Motorola, Inc. () was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois. It was founded by brothers Paul and Joseph Galvin in 1928 and had been named Motorola since 1947. Many of Motorola's products had been ...
,
Samsung Samsung Group (; stylised as SΛMSUNG) is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational manufacturing Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in the Samsung Town office complex in Seoul. The group consists of numerous a ...
,
Dell Dell Inc. is an American technology company that develops, sells, repairs, and supports personal computers (PCs), Server (computing), servers, data storage devices, network switches, software, computer peripherals including printers and webcam ...
and
Sun Microsystems Sun Microsystems, Inc., often known as Sun for short, was an American technology company that existed from 1982 to 2010 which developed and sold computers, computer components, software, and information technology services. Sun contributed sig ...
also have operations there.
IBM International Business Machines Corporation (using the trademark IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, and present in over 175 countries. It is ...
and
Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
transferred their regional headquarters to Recife. Porto Digital's startups can count on a ready pool of talent, courtesy of the
Federal University of Pernambuco Federal University of Pernambuco (, UFPE) is a public university in Recife, Brazil, established in 1946. UFPE has 70 undergraduate courses and 175 postgraduate courses. , UFPE had 35,000 students and 2,000 professors. The university has three c ...
(UFPE), which boasts one of the best computer-science departments in all of
Latin America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...
. The university began teaching programmers to use Sun Microsystems Inc.'s (SUNW) Java language in 1996, the year it was introduced. Professors at the school also teamed up to launch the Centro de Estudos e Sistemas Avançados do Recife (C.E.S.A.R), a business incubator that has played a vital role in the birth of some 30
companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether natural, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specifi ...
.


Logistics hub

Due to its ports, airport, and geographic location in the northeastern region of Brazil, Recife is considered one of the biggest logistics hubs in Brazil. The Logistics and Communications sector employs 4% of the people in Recife, 12.3% in
Jaboatão dos Guararapes Jaboatão dos Guararapes () is a city in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. It is a part of the Recife metro area. The population was 706,867 according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in 2020, making it the second mo ...
and over 9% in the
Metropolitan Area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...
. These numbers were due to increase with the conclusion of the Transnordestina (the main NE Trainline) with a 1,800/1,118 km/mi extension, which will cross 3 and connect 7 States (34 municipalities in Pernambuco alone) products with Suape port (PE) and Pecem Port (CE)) with costs that are estimated to be around 4.5 R$. Recife has historically benefited from its central location in the Northeast region. In a radius from Recife are four
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 ...
capitals Capital and its variations may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** Capital region, a metropolitan region containing the capital ** List of national capitals * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Econom ...
, two
international International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...
and three regional airports, five international
ports Ports collections (or ports trees, or just ports) are the sets of makefiles and Patch (Unix), patches provided by the BSD-based operating systems, FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD, as a simple method of installing software or creating binary packages. T ...
, 12 million people, 51% of the research centers of the
Northeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—eac ...
and 35% of the region's GDP. Similarly, in a radius there are seven state capitals, five international and five regional airports, nine international seaports and two
fluvial A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of its course if it ru ...
ports.


Shopping centers

Shopping Center Recife was inaugurated in 1980 and it was subsequently surpassed by Riomar Mall, which gross leasable area is 101.000 m2, compared with 91.200m² of Shopping Recife. Other shopping centers include: * Shopping Center Tacaruna. The first center for purchases in the North/West zone of the Recife
Metropolitan Region A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metropolitan area usually ...
was inaugurated on April 29, 1997, with the intention of improving the economies of the cities of Recife,
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
, and
Paulista Paulista is a municipality in Pernambuco, Brazil, with a population of 334,376 as of 2020. It has the highest Human Development Index (HDI) of the Recife metropolitan area. It is the birthplace of footballer Rivaldo and is also famous for its be ...
. * Shopping Paço da Alfândega * Plaza Shopping Casa Forte, which was inaugurated in November 1998. * Shopping RioMar, which was inaugurated in 2012.


Medical facilities

The
Metropolitan Region A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metropolitan area usually ...
of Recife has the third largest medical pool in Brazil, after
São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
and
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
. Together they make up 417 hospitals and clinics with 72,000 employees in the Metro Area and more than 120,000 in the State of Pernambuco. The medical pool offers a total of 8,990 beds and, according to the Union of the Hospitals of Pernambuco, recorded in the year 2000 an invoicing of R$220 million (Brazilian Reals). It is thanks to the pool that
Pernambuco Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...
has access to more
CT scan A computed tomography scan (CT scan), formerly called computed axial tomography scan (CAT scan), is a medical imaging technique used to obtain detailed internal images of the body. The personnel that perform CT scans are called radiographers or ...
devices than more developed countries such as Canada or France. A large portion of the modern hospitals included in the pool are located between the neighbourhoods of Derby and of the Ilha do Leite. The Hospital Real Português de Beneficência Portuguesa em Pernambuco, or "Hospital Português" (Portuguese Hospital) for short, is one of the most renowned hospitals in the country. Many people from neighbouring states go to Recife for treatment, as it has the largest and best medical facilities in the
North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...
Northeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—eac ...
of Brazil. Recife has three universities / medical schools for medicine, two public,
Federal University of Pernambuco Federal University of Pernambuco (, UFPE) is a public university in Recife, Brazil, established in 1946. UFPE has 70 undergraduate courses and 175 postgraduate courses. , UFPE had 35,000 students and 2,000 professors. The university has three c ...
and University of Pernambuco; and one private, Escola Pernambucana de Medicina FBV/IMIP (Medical School of Pernambuco).


Convention centers

Many events taking place during the year include: * O Virtuosi, Festival International de Musica de Pernambuco (International Music Festival); * O Mimo, Mostra International de Musica em
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
(International Music Show in
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
); * A feira da Musica Brasil/Porto Musical (Brazil Music Port); * A Fispal Recife, Feira Internacional da Alimentacao (International Food Festival); * Recife and Olinda
Carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...
. Because of its geographic location, tourism and city infrastructure, Recife's convention centers are of a high standard. The two centers are: * ''Centro de Convenções de Pernambuco'' (
Pernambuco Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...
Convention Center) The third largest convention center in Brazil. * Centro de Convenções da
UFPE Federal University of Pernambuco (, UFPE) is a public university in Recife, Brazil, established in 1946. UFPE has 70 undergraduate courses and 175 postgraduate courses. , UFPE had 35,000 students and 2,000 professors. The university has three c ...
(Federal University of Pernambuco Convention Center) A modern theatre with 1,931 seats and of exposition area located on the university campus.


Government and politics

Recife's municipal government is divided into an executive branch called the ''Prefeitura'', led by a mayor (''/Prefeita'') and a legislative branch called the ''Câmara Municipal'', consisting of 39 councillors. Elections are held every four years, with the most recent being held in
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
. The current mayor is
João Campos João José Pontes Campos (born 22 September 1958 in Albufeira) is a Portuguese former middle-distance runner who competed in the 1980 Summer Olympics and in the 1984 Summer Olympics The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of th ...
of the
Brazilian Socialist Party The Brazilian Socialist Party (, PSB) is a political party in Brazil. It was founded in 1947, before being abolished by the military regime in 1965 and re-organised in 1989 after the re-democratisation of Brazil. It elected six Governors in 201 ...
(PSB), son of former governor of Pernambuco,
Eduardo Campos Eduardo Henrique Accioly Campos (10 August 1965 – 13 August 2014) was a Brazilian congressman and governor. Born and raised in Recife, in the Northeast Brazil, he graduated in Economics from the Recife's Federal University of Pernambuco. Camp ...
. The city is the capital of the state of Pernambuco, and hosts administrative buildings of the
state governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...
, legislative assembly, and judiciary.


Tourism

Celebrations, holidays and other events are numerous throughout the year. The New Year begins at the beach, Praia de Boa Viagem and in Old Recife. The
carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...
of Recife and
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
(which has its historic town centre considered a
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
by
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
in 1982) begins many weeks ahead in December with innumerable balls and parades. In the city, the carnival festivities begin in January, as locals begin preparing for the official
Carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...
, which starts the week before
Shrove Tuesday Shrove Tuesday (also known as Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day) is the final day of Shrovetide, which marks the end of the pre-Lenten season. Lent begins the following day with Ash Wednesday. Shrove Tuesday is observed in many Christian state, Ch ...
and
Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and marks the first day of Lent: the seven weeks of Christian prayer, prayer, Religious fasting#Christianity, fasting and ...
in the
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
liturgical calendar. The pre-Carnival parties usually consist of percussion groups practising in local clubs, city streets and squares, and even Carnival balls. There is a variety of rhythms from different cultures. Carnival officially starts with the Galo da Madrugada, a party in Downtown Recife where people call old Recife, that attracts many people from several
states of Brazil The federative units of Brazil () are subnational entities with a certain degree of autonomy (self-government, self-regulation, and self-collection) and endowed with their own government and constitution, which together form the Brazil, Federat ...
, and other parts of the world. Recife has many quality 3, 4 and 5-Star International Hotels as well as Pousadas (traditional Bed & breakfast) and Apart-Hotels, totalling more than 11,500 bedrooms and this number increases to over 30,000 when the metropolitan area is considered. The Mercado de São José (Market of Saint Joseph) is an old, iron construction with a popular market nearby. In the Fort Cinco Pontes (Fort of Five Points) is the state museum, Museu do Estado de Pernambuco. At the rectangular Pátio de São Pedro are the Cathedral São Pedro (Cathedral of Saint Peter) dating from the year 1782 and restored colonial houses, with numerous restaurants, bistros and bars. In the Bairro Santo Antônio (Saint Anthony neighborhood), at the meeting place of the rivers Capibaribe and Beberibe, is the Praça da República (Square of the Republic) with the Teatro Santa Isabel (Theatre of Saint Isabel), with its neoclassical front, the Law Courts, and the Palácio da Justiça (Palace of Justice). The Casa da Cultura (House of Culture) is an old prison that has been converted into a cultural space and shopping centre. Built between 1835 and 1855, the
Malakoff Tower Malakoff Tower () is a tower located in Recife Antigo, Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban a ...
, a monument constructed in Tunisian / Arabic style, used to be an
observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysics, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. Th ...
and now is a cultural centre and a place for popular gatherings. It is located at Arsenal da Marinha Square. It has been registered as an Historical Patrimony and was named after a similar monument on the
Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...
n peninsula, off the
Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
, used as a defence centre for Sebastopol. Recife has a zoo known as the Dois Irmãos Park, consisting of 387 hectares of Atlantic Forest reserve and 14 hectares of
botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...
s. It contains 800 animals, the Natural Science Museum and various ecological trails. The
metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...
has also a giant water park North of Recife, called
Veneza water park Veneza is a settlement in the northeastern part of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, ...
which has nearly one million square feet of area, ten million litres of water and many water slides for the youngsters. Among Recife's main tourist attractions are: * Churches, historical monuments, public markets including 17th and 18th century buildings from Portuguese and
Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...
colonizers; * Francisco Brennand's
atelier An atelier () is the private workshop or studio of a professional artist in the fine or decorative arts or an architect, where a principal master and a number of assistants, students, and apprentices can work together producing fine art or vi ...
of ceramic art; *
Ricardo Brennand Institute The Ricardo Brennand Institute (, IRB) is a cultural institute, institution located in the city of Recife, Brazil. It is a Non-profit organization, not-for-profit private organization, inaugurated in 2002 by the Brazilian collector and businessma ...
: cultural institute with
museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...
, art gallery and library; * Recife Antigo (Old Recife) buildings; * Boa Viagem beach is the urban area's most important beach, and one of the many beaches in the Pernambuco area; * Casa da Cultura: souvenir shops in an historic old prison building; * The
Carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...
at locations such as downtown and Recife Antigo; *
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
's historic town centre, considered a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
; * New and historic cinemas, theatres and art galleries. ''
Architectural Digest ''Architectural Digest'' (stylized in all caps) is an American monthly magazine founded in 1920. Its principal subjects are interior design and landscaping, rather than pure external architecture. The magazine is published by Condé Nast ...
'' featured ''Rua do Bom Jesus'' as of the 31 most beautiful streets in the world in 2019, noting its history and the Kahal Zur Israel synagogue. Image:Concatedral de São Pedro dos Clérigos - Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.jpg,
Co-Cathedral of Recife The Co-Cathedral of St. Peter of Clerics () Also Recife Co-Cathedral It is a Catholic church located in the city of Recife, state of Pernambuco in the South American country of Brazil. History and description The Brotherhood of St. Peter of Cler ...
, built between 1728-1784. Image:Altar-mor da Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.jpg,
Basilica and Convent of Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Recife The Basilica and Convent of Nossa Senhora do Carmo (), also called as Basilica of Recife, is a Catholic architectural complex, belonging to the Our Lady of Mount Carmel, that is in Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil. History The first Carmelite f ...
, built between 1665 and 1767. Image:Recife-CapelaDourada1.jpg,
Capela Dourada The Capela Dourada (Portuguese for: Golden Chapel), also called Capela dos Noviços (Chapel of the Novices), is a chapel of the Franciscan Order located in the city of Recife, capital of the Pernambuco State, Brazil within the set of buildings of ...
, built between 1696 and 1724. Image:Igreja do Santíssimo Sacramento de Santo Antônio, Recife (PE).jpg, Mother Church of Santíssimo Sacramento de Santo Antônio, built between 1752 and 1790. Image:Vista da nave da Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição dos Militares - Recife-PE.jpg, Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição dos Militares, built between 1710 and 1771. Image:Igreja Madre de Deus - Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.gif, Church of Madre de Deus, built between 1680 and 1709.


Beaches

Recife beaches * Boa Viagem, Pina and Brasília Teimosa Jaboatão beaches * ''Piedade, Candeias and Barra de Jangada''
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
beaches * Rio Doce, Casa Caiada and Nossa Senhora do Ó North beaches * Janga, Pau Amarelo, Conceição and Maria Farinha (with one of the largest water park in Brazil –
Veneza water park Veneza is a settlement in the northeastern part of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, ...
(Paulista RMR) 18/29 km N * Gavoa, Itamaracá and Jaguaribe. Itamaracá Island has many beaches such as Coroa do Avião, Forte Orange, Quatro cantos and Pontal ( Itamaracá RMR) 30/45 km N


Education

There are international schools, such as the American School of Recife and the ABA Maple Bear Canadian School. Recife is home to several higher education institutions (83), notably several public-owned universities: * Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (Federal University of Pernambuco); UFPE (federal, free); *
Universidade Católica de Pernambuco The Catholic University of Pernambuco (, Unicap) in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, is a Catholic University, private and non-profit, run by the Society of Jesus. It is considered one of the best universities in Brazil, and the best private one in the ...
(Catholic University of Pernambuco); UNICAP (private, run by the
Society of Jesus The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rome. It was founded in 1540 ...
(Jesuits), paid); * Universidade de Pernambuco (University of Pernambuco); UPE (state-owned, free); * Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (Federal Rural University of Pernambuco); UFRPE (federal, oriented to agriculture, free); * Faculdade Estácio do Recife (former Faculdade Integrada do Recife) (School Faculty of Recife); FIR (private, paid); * Faculdade Marista do Recife (Marist Faculty of Recife); FMR (private, run by the Marist Brothers, Marist congregation, paid) * Faculdade SENAC Pernambuco (private, paid); * Centro Universitário Maurício de Nassau (Central University of Maurice de Nassau); UNINASSAU (private, paid) * Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco (Federal Institute of Education - Center of Technology of Pernambuco); IFPE (technological college, federal, free); * Faculdade de Tecnologia de Pernambuco (Faculty of Technology of Pernambuco); FATEC-PE (technological college, state-owned, free).


Culture

Recife is home to the frevo, a regional dance and music, typical in carnival, and Mangue Beat, a type of Brazilian rock with mixture of Maracatu, Ciranda, Hip hop music, Rap and other musical styles. The Festival de São João, held annually in June, celebrates traditional culture and music that originated in the region. During carnival, downtown Recife holds one of the most authentic and democratic celebrations: every year more than two and a half million people open the festivities of the Brazilian Carnival at Galo da Madrugada. Recife and Olinda combined have 25 museums, 38 art galleries, 2 symphony orchestra halls, 15 theatres, 1 opera house and more than 40 movie theatres.


Carnival

The four-day period before the
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
liturgical preparatory season Lent leading up to
Shrove Tuesday Shrove Tuesday (also known as Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day) is the final day of Shrovetide, which marks the end of the pre-Lenten season. Lent begins the following day with Ash Wednesday. Shrove Tuesday is observed in many Christian state, Ch ...
and
Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and marks the first day of Lent: the seven weeks of Christian prayer, prayer, Religious fasting#Christianity, fasting and ...
is
carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...
time in Brazil. Rich and poor alike forget their cares as they gaily party in the streets.
Pernambuco Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...
has large Carnival celebrations with more than 3000 shows in the streets of the historic centre performed by over 430 local groups, including the Frevo, typical
Pernambuco Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...
music. Another famous carnival music style from Pernambuco is Maracatu. The cities of Recife and
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
hold the most authentic and democratic
Brazilian Carnival The Carnival of Brazil (, ) is an annual festival held the Friday afternoon before Ash Wednesday at noon, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. During Lent, Roman Catholics and some other Christians traditionally ...
celebrations. The largest carnival in Brazil is Galo da Madrugada, which takes place in Recife Antigo, Downtown Recife on Carnival Saturday. Another famous event is the "Noite dos Tambores Silenciosos." (literally, Night of the Silent Drums) Carnival. Recife's Carnival is nationally known, attracting thousands of visitors every year. The party starts a week before the official date, with electric trios "shaking" the Boa Viagem neighborhood. On Friday, people take to the streets to dance to the sound of frevo and to dance with maracatu, ciranda, caboclinhos, afoxé, reggae and manguebeat groups. There are still many other entertainment centers spread out around the city, featuring local and national artists. One of the highlights is Saturday when more than two and a half million people follow the Galo da Madrugada group. Every day, there is the Night of the Silent Drums, on the Pátio do Terço, where Maracatus honor slaves that died in prisons.


Museums

The Museu do Estado de Pernambuco, Museum of Pernambuco State is housed in a 19th-century mansion in Recife. Known locally as the "Museu do Estado de Pernambuco (MEPE)", it dates back to 1929. The museum comprises over 12 thousand pieces from Masters who portrayed the Colonial period and the Dutch invasion (1630), to 20th and 21st century pieces. Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue: Sinagoga Kahal Zur Israel, the historic Recife synagogue in Recife Antigo, is the oldest in the Americas, dating to 1646. The original synagogue was destroyed, but a new one was built on site. In the early 21st century, it was restored for use as a museum. It is an important part of Pernambuco's historic patrimony. It was founded by Jews who settled in the Netherlands after expulsion from Spain and Portugal. They emigrated with the Dutch to "Dutch Brazil, New Holland" when the Dutch invaded the northeastern portion of Brazilian lands occupied by the Portuguese. Moses Cohen Henriques led a Jewish 3000 contingent as part of the Dutch invasion. Isaac Aboab da Fonseca, Isaac Aboab de Fonseca was brought from Amsterdam for the synagogue, serving as one of the first rabbis in the new world. When the Portuguese reconquered the land, these Sephardic Jews moved further north with the
Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...
, and helped found "New Amsterdam" (now New York City) on Manhattan island in the United States. The first New York City synagogue was created in Lower Manhattan by the founders of the first synagogue in the New World in Recife. It later moved to the Upper West Side, where it is still called "Congregation Shearith Israel, the Portuguese and Spanish Synagogue". Gilberto Freyre Foundation: This farmhouse from the 18th century was Gilberto Freyre's old residence. Artworks, arts and crafts, book collections and objects that belonged to the Pernambucan writer and sociologist are displayed here. Ricardo Brennand Institute: Set up in a reproduction of a medieval-style castle, there is a collection of pieces from the period of Dutch rule in Recife, as well as daggers and armor from medieval Europe. Recife City Museum: Located in a room in Cinco Pontas Fort (the five-pointed Fort), this museum houses pictures, reproductions of old paintings, and objects that encapsulate Recife since the period of Dutch rule.


Cinema

Also known as ''Recife Audiovisual Festival'' or ''Cine-PE'', Recife Cinema Festival is a competitive film and audiovisual festival. It is dedicated to the Brazilian and Pernambuco, state production of feature film, feature & short films; as well as Streaming media, videos and documentaries. It was founded in 1997 by Alfredo & Sandra Bertini, who have been the directors since then. Between 1997 and 2008, 1806 films have been shown (through either competitive applications or National & International invitations), of all types and genres, for a public of over 250,000. ''Recife'' and consequently
Pernambuco Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...
has a tradition in the Brazilian film making history. In the pioneer times of the Brazilian cinema emerged the ''Regional movements''. One of those, was designated Ciclo de Recife (Recife cycle), between 1922 and 1931. Despite adverse conditions, during this cycle 13 feature films were produced in Recife (usually about drama & romance) and 7 documentary films (usually ordered by authorities to show their public works). Despite the pervasive influence of Cinema of the United States, US and European cinemas in the silent film times, the Recife cycle was one of the most important and productive regional movements. One of the most important films was Aitaré da Praia, which is recognised for pioneering the rise of regional themes (1925). Other successful films were ''Retribuição'' (1923) and ''A Filha do Advogado'' (1926). Another important phase of the Pernambuco/Recife film history was in the 1970s with a movement called Super 8mm film, Super 8, often used for home videos and documentaries made by students, amateurs and aspirant film makers, due to the utilisation of 8 mm film, using the new technology released by Eastman Kodak, Kodak.


Cuisine

The typical regional main dishes include ''caldeirada'' (seafood stew with octopus cooked with various spices and coconut milk, which may be served with white beans or farofa, toasted cassava flour), feijoada Pernambucana (made with brown beans instead of black), sarapatel, buchada (goat stew), dobradinha (bean stew), roast goat, ''mão de vaca'' (cow's foot stew), ''Rabada'' (ox tail stew with manioc flour), ''cozido Pernambucano'' (beef stew), ''chambaril'', ''galinha de cabidela'' (chicken in blood sauce), ''peixada Pernambucana'' (fish stew), macaxeira com charque (cassava with beef jerky), ''quiabada'' (okra with beef), feijão com arroz (rice and beans), and ''guaiamuns'' (giant callinectes, crabs). One of the most traditional dishes, is ''Carne-de-sol'' (Sun-dried beef), which consists of beef dried in the sun and usually served with green beans. For dessert, Recife offers ''bolo de rolo'' (cake roll), cake Souza Leão, and cartola (top hat cake) which consists of fried long bananas with cheese topped with cinnamon and sugar. The diversity continues for the breakfast as one can find couscous, cuscuz of sweet corn or manioc, yams and cassava with charque (corned beef or beef jerky), sweet potato, goiabada, fried long banana, canjica (dish), mugunzá, regional fruits, bread, tapioca, rice pudding, porridge, yogurt, queijo coalho, corn bread, hominy and pamonha. Breakfast is often accompanied by coffee and/or milk and juices from regional fruits such as cashew, pineapple, mangoes, acerola, guava, passion fruit, umbu, hog plum, Eugenia uniflora, pitanga, jackfruit, orange juice, orange, avocado and the regionally most famous sugarcane juice, caldo-de-cana and coconut water, água-de-coco juices. According to ''Abrasel'' (Brazilian Association of Bars & Restaurants), Recife has more than 1,700 bars and restaurants which serve regional (partially listed above), Brazilian (such as moqueca, bobó de camarão, açaí na tigela, açaí) and International dishes from all over the world, which has made it the ''first gastronomic centre of the Northeast'' and the third one in the whole country after
São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
and Rio de Janeiro, Rio.


Transportation


International airport

Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport, Guararapes International Airport, also known as Gilberto Freyre International Airport, is the airport serving Recife. It has been open in its newest structure since July 2004 and is 52,000 square m in area. Recife Air Force Base, Recife Air Force Base - BARF, a base of the Brazilian Air Force, is located in Recife.


Ports

Suape port, is located in the administrative area of the small town of Ipojuca, inside the metropolitan region. Suape serves ships 365 days a year without any restrictions with regard to tidal schedules. The port moves over 8.4 million tons of cargo a year. More than 95 companies from almost all industries are already installed in Suape which includes a Petrobras Refinery, the largest shipbuilder in South American and a large petrochemical Company as well as many others. Recife port, Port of Recife is located in the city of Recife. Road access to Port of Recife is accomplished, mainly, through the federal highways BR-232 (linking the interior of the state) and BR-101 (linking to other States to the north and the south of the State of Pernambuco). The main producing and consuming centres of the interior of the state and of the rest of the
Northeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—eac ...
, are linked to Recife port, Port by paved highways.


Metro

Recife Metro is one of the largest metro systems in Brazil. It reaches from Recife central station to Jaboatão, Timbi (Camaragibe) and Cajueiro Seco (Jaboatão dos Guararapes), being complemented by a light rail, with connections at Curado and Cajueiro Seco stations, which links Recife and Jaboatão to Cabo de Santo Agostinho. This system is also integrated with bus terminals such as at Barro, Joana Bezerra and Tancredo Neves stations. It is possible to ride the metro and the connected bus line by purchasing one ticket only. In March 2009, Recife Metro completed an additional phase of expansion. The system now has 29 stations (18 integrated with buses), plus 9 light rail stations, and is long.


Fleet

According to Vehicle registration plates of Brazil, Detran-PE (Transportation State Bureau Administrator) in 2009, the city of Recife had a total fleet of over 464,000 motor vehicles on its streets. 54,335 cargo vehicles, 318,520 passenger vehicles, 72,719 motorbikes, 14,142 others and 4,855 buses (split between private and public). These buses transport almost two million passengers daily in the
metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...
, distributed between 17 local bus companies.


Highways

Recife metropolitan area Recife Metropolitan Area, officially the Metropolitan Region of Recife (, or ''Grande Recife''), is a major metropolitan area in Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Brazil with a population of 3.7 million as of 2022, centered on the state capital ...
is crossed by 3 main Federal highways: * BR-101 North – Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte; * BR-101 South – Alagoas, Salvador, Bahia, Bahia, Minas Gerais,
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
, São Paulo, Paraná (state), Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul; * BR-232 West – Gravatá, Caruaru, Belo Jardim, Arcoverde, Salgueiro and Parnamirim; * BR-408 NW – Carpina, Timbaúba and Campina Grande;


Public transportation statistics

The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Recife, for example to and from work, on a weekday is 96 min. 34% of public transit riders, ride for more than 2 hours every day. The average amount of time people wait at a stop or station for public transit is 27 min, while 60% of riders wait for over 20 minutes on average every day. The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is 9 km, while 19% travel for over 12 km in a single direction.


Neighborhoods

The city has 6 Political Administrative Regions (''RPA''), which contains all 94 neighborhoods:


Sports

Football in
Pernambuco Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...
began in 1902, when English and
Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...
sailors landed in Recife and played a game of football on the beach. The new game aroused the interest of the people of Pernambuco, and they soon started playing. Recife provides visitors and residents with various sporting activities. There are several football clubs based in Recife, such as Sport Club do Recife, Sport Recife the current 2023 State Champion (43 times state champion and once national champion (1987) and Brazil's Cup champion (2008)), Santa Cruz Futebol Clube, Santa Cruz (29 times state champion) and Clube Náutico Capibaribe, Náutico (23 times state champion and unique 6 consecutives). The Campeonato Pernambucano (Pernambuco's State Championship) is divided into Taça Revolução and Taça Confederação. Also, the city has traditions in another sports as: Basketball, Hockey, Golf, Tenis, Table tennis, Volleyball, beach volley, Handball, Surf, Skateboard, Bodysurf, Swimning pool and Futsal. Provided by clubs such as: Nautico, Sport, Santa Cruz, Portuguese Club of Recife, Caxanga Golf & Country Club, Mauricio de Nassau University, School of Tenis Recife as others.


1950 and 2014 FIFA World Cup

Recife was one of the 12 cities chosen to host games for the
2014 FIFA World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
, for which Brazil was the host nation. The Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Recife project consisted of a new Sports City constructed in São Lourenço da Mata in an intersection area near to Recife,
Jaboatão dos Guararapes Jaboatão dos Guararapes () is a city in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. It is a part of the Recife metro area. The population was 706,867 according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in 2020, making it the second mo ...
and Camaragibe. The new Sports complex is west of Recife city centre and from the Airport. The sports complex 'City' was constructed with a Itaipava Arena Pernambuco, new stadium with 45,000 seats, 9,000 flats, 6,000 car parking spaces, 1 hospital, 1 technical school, 1 shopping centre, 1 integrated metro/bus station and improvement of federal roads, all with an estimated cost of R$1.6 billion. This was the second time Recife has been chosen to be one of the host cities of the FIFA World Cup. In 1950 FIFA World Cup, 1950, Recife hosted just one game, between Chile and the United States, at Ilha do Retiro Stadium. At this time, it was the only city to represent the
Northeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—eac ...
of Brazil.


Social and environmental issues

Violence In 2013, Recife had the 38th highest homicide rate in Americas, The Americas, after Detroit, New Orleans, Baltimore, San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan and other cities. PESP plan The State Governor
Eduardo Campos Eduardo Henrique Accioly Campos (10 August 1965 – 13 August 2014) was a Brazilian congressman and governor. Born and raised in Recife, in the Northeast Brazil, he graduated in Economics from the Recife's Federal University of Pernambuco. Camp ...
introduced the PESP plan (Security state Plan – Plano Estadual de Segurança Pública) on May 2, 2009. This aimed to reduce homicides by 12% each year until they reached half of the previous rate. The plan was based on the fact that 60% of murders were committed by people related to criminal activities and embraces both prevention and correction. Carnival security plan In 2007 ISS servers managed 50 Pelco Spectra PTZ cameras to capture all activity within areas of the city used for Carnival. Continued deployment of this project in Recife aimed to install over 1000 cameras in the city. Immediate statistics during the Carnival period indicated a reduction in violent crime of over 30%.


Recuperation program

UNICEF is an international development agency, which supports locally initiated projects with an emphasis on children. Recife offered an environment to utilise its rich cultural heritage to develop programs aimed at its most serious issues. One of the most hands-on projects was a radio program named "Jovens Comunicadores" (Communicating Youth). It trained a group of eighteen adolescents to produce a weekly radio program focusing on child labour. The program is recorded and sent to community radio stations, most of which are broadcast in the sugar cane area where many children work. Jovens Comunicadores advocates and lobbies against exploitation. All programs are produced and edited by teens. As a radio program, it also plays regional music, giving a boost to Culture of Brazil, local culture. "Criança Feliz" (Happy Child) had the same objective, eliminating child exploitation, but used a different approach. It was begun by a women's organisation and offered after-school activities with the goal of discouraging children and adolescents from working in sex tourism. Besides giving classes and training in computers, English, art, and karate, it also offered psychological services and group therapy. These combined services sought to equip children not only with skills but also a positive self-image and respect to not fall into prostitution. As all the kids came from very poor backgrounds, the financial pull of prostitution was very high. Criança Feliz worked at educating them about the high costs in the long term. This was a very interesting project, since it was actually a house with groups of kids divided into participating in different activities.


Shark attacks

Shark attacks are a recurrent problem in
Recife metropolitan area Recife Metropolitan Area, officially the Metropolitan Region of Recife (, or ''Grande Recife''), is a major metropolitan area in Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Brazil with a population of 3.7 million as of 2022, centered on the state capital ...
. They were addressed in the National Geographic Channel series ''Hunter Hunted (TV series), Hunter Hunted'' in the episode "Shark Invasion." Surfing has been outlawed since 1995 on the urban beaches (Pina, Boa Viagem, Piedade, and Candeias) because of the risk the sport poses to its practitioners due to shark attacks. It is strongly recommended that bathers not climb over and swim beyond the reefs because of strong, unpredictable currents and the possible presence of bull sharks. Several beaches have messages alerting people to the danger of sharks. Before the 1990s there had been virtually no attacks reported here. As of June 28, 1992, Recife began officially registering shark attacks on its beaches (mainly on the beach of Boa Viagem), and between 1992 and 2021 there were 64 shark attacks along a stretch of coast, 26 of them being fatal. The last deadly attack occurred on July 10, 2021. Other facts contribute to the appearance of sharks in the area of Boa Viagem Beach: the marine currents direct the animals for that stretch of 20 kilometers. A sand bank extends into the sea about a thousand meters from Recife's beaches. Between this long strip, with depth between 1 and 3 meters, and the beach a deep channel is formed (between 5 and 8 meters), which becomes a kind of refectory for sharks, since it attracts several species of rays, one of the prey of sharks. The presence of so many prey in that area makes the sharks stay closer to the beaches for longer and when the shark enters these channels, there is a great risk of contact with people. The Council for Shark Hazard Monitoring (Cemit), recommends the following precautions to prevent the attack of sharks on beaches in Recife: Avoid bathing between sunset and sunrise. It is in this period that sharks are most active. Do not enter the sea when the tide is full. Hungry sharks get across the reef if there is enough water flowing over them. Avoid swimming alone and when the water is cloudy. Do not enter the water above the waist and do not swim in the open sea. In 1995, the Pernambuco government prohibited the practice of water sports on 32 km of coastline in the Metropolitan Region of Recife. This ban resulted in the reduction of incidents with sharks thereafter. The state-funded investigation has focused on the long-term ecological Result, effects of the new port of Suape. Based on its findings, local Human rights in Brazil, human rights lawyers are considering a symbolic legal challenge to the Pernambuco, State of Pernambuco, with the aim of securing compensation for the victims of attacks.


Notable people

* Mário Schenberg, physicist, electrical engineer, art critic and writer. * Paulo Freire, educator and philosopher. * José Leite Lopes, physicist. * Clarice Lispector, writer. * Paulo Ribenboim, mathematician. * João Cabral de Melo Neto, poet and writer. * Leopoldo Nachbin, mathematician who is best known for Nachbin's theorem. * Gilberto Freyre, sociologist, poet and writer. * Gauss Moutinho Cordeiro, mathematician. * Josué de Castro, humanist and writer. * Aron Simis, mathematician. * Norberto Odebrecht, entrepreneur from the building industry. * Nelson Rodrigues, poet, writer and journalist. * Manuel Bandeira, poet and writer. * Joaquim Nabuco, writer, journalist and diplomat. * Ariano Suassuna, playwright and author. * Joaquim Cardozo, poet and engineer. *José Inácio de Abreu e Lima, General Abreu y Lima, one of the main leaders of the Spanish American wars of independence. *Hermenegildo Portocarrero, Baron of Forte de Coimbra, the commander of the invasion of Corumbá at the Paraguayan War. * Evaldo Cabral de Mello, historian, history writer and former diplomat. * Francisco Brennand, sculptor, painter and ceramist. * Romero Britto, sculptor and painter. * Karol Meyer, free-diver. * Jaqueline Carvalho, volleyball player. * Dani Lins, volleyball player. * André Ferreira (volleyball), Pampa, volleyball player. * Samira Rocha, handball player. * Eduardo Agra, basketball player. * Etiene Medeiros, swimmer. * Joanna Maranhão, swimmer. * Rivaldo, footballer. * Vavá, footballer. * Ademir de Menezes, footballer. * Juninho Pernambucano, footballer. * Ricardo Rocha (footballer, born 1962), Ricardo Rocha, footballer. * Hernanes, footballer. * Junior Assuncao, mixed martial artist. * Braulio Estima, jiu-jitsu practitioner. * Robyn Regehr, ice hockey player. * Kiko Porto, racing driver. * Rafael Câmara, racing driver. * Beto Monteiro, racing driver. *
Eduardo Campos Eduardo Henrique Accioly Campos (10 August 1965 – 13 August 2014) was a Brazilian congressman and governor. Born and raised in Recife, in the Northeast Brazil, he graduated in Economics from the Recife's Federal University of Pernambuco. Camp ...
, economist and politician. * Marco Maciel, lawyer and politician. * Cristovam Buarque, mechanical engineer, economist and politician. * Marco Nanini, actor. * Guilherme Berenguer, actor. * Bruno Garcia (actor), Bruno Garcia, actor. * Augusto da Silva, Augusto Álvaro da Silva (1876–1968), Brazilian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia * Patrícia França, actress. * Kleber Mendonça Filho, movie director. * Heitor Dhalia, movie director. * Marcelo Gomes (director), Marcelo Gomes, movie director. * Arlindo Grund, television presenter and personal stylist. * Clarice Falcão, actress and singer-songwriter. * Naná Vasconcelos, composer and musician. * Lenine (musician), Lenine, singer-songwriter. * Alceu Valença, singer-songwriter. * Chico Science, singer-songwriter. * Bezerra da Silva, singer-songwriter. * Antônio Maria, composer. * Fred Zero Quatro, singer-songwriter. * Walter Wanderley, organist and pianist. * Antonio Nóbrega, singer, dancer and actor. * Maria Prestes, activist.


Consular representations

The following countries have consular representations in Recife: *Argentina (Consulate) *China (Consulate-General) *France (Consulate-General) *Germany (Consulate-General) *Italy (Consulate) *Japan (Consulate-General) *Portugal (Vice-Consulate) *United Kingdom (Consulate-General) *United States (Consulate-General) File:Consulado-Geral dos Estados Unidos no Recife.jpg, Consulate-General of the United States


International relations


Twin towns – sister cities

Recife is Sister city, twinned with: * A Coruña, Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain * Guangzhou, Guangdong, China * Porto, North Region, Portugal, North Region, Portugal


Partner cities

Recife cooperates with: * Nantes, Pays de la Loire, France.


References


Bibliography


External links


Official homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Recife Recife, Historic Jewish communities Populated coastal places in Pernambuco Municipalities in Pernambuco Populated places established in 1537 Port cities in Brazil 1537 establishments in Brazil Populated places established by the Dutch West India Company 1637 establishments in the Dutch Empire State capitals in Brazil