The first settlement in the area of Manaus was set up by Captain Francisco da Mota Falcão who built the São José do Rio Negro fortress in 1669. Until 1889 when Brazil became a republic, the Sertão das Amazonas (Amazon's Hinterland) as it was called, became a state. Shortly after, with the beginning of the exploration of rubber trees, the Amazon experienced a progress boom that spanned the years of 18955 until 1911. The São José do Rio Negro fortress became the nucleus of a city that received the name of Manaus in 1856. During the opulent years, Manaus was a thriving port and a magnet to cultural manifestations that took place in the Amazonas Theater. Manaus bears today witness to that period with highlights such as the Manaus Opera House, the Manaus Floating Dock, Rio Negro Palace (Government) and the Customs Building. For the last 10 years, Manaus has become the main entranceway to the Amazon forest and the many inns that were installed in the area.

Climate
From December to May it rains a lot, embellishing the citys waterfalls. For the rest of the year, when there is less rain, river beaches are formed on the Negro River.

How to get there
By Air: The Eduardo Gomes International Airport receives domestic flights and flights from some Latin America cities, London, Miami and others.
By Highway: Road access from the south, southwest, midwest, and northeast regions is to Belém, capital of the State of Pará. From there, boat or river ferry trip over the Pará and Amazonas rivers to Manaus takes 96 hours. There is a paved road connecting Manaus to Boa Vista, capital of the State of Roraima, and to Venezuela. In most places in the north, trips are made by boat and by plane using regional airlines. There are also road connections between Manaus and neighbouring towns.

Main access roads:
From Boa Vista to Manaus: BR-174
From Brasília to Belém: Belém-Brasília Federal Highway (BR-153, BR-226 and BR-010)