Porto Alegre, one
of the largest cities in southern Brazil, is the capital of Rio Grande do
Sul State. Population: over 1.5 million (2004). It should not be confused
with Portalegre, which is a town in the Alentejo region of Portugal.
The city is located at the conjunction of five
rivers, among them the Guaíba River (actually a lake). Although its origins
date from the early 1700s, the city was officially established in 1809. |
