Last modified: 2008-08-09 by ian macdonald
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image by Joseph McMillan
Officially established on 2 October 1914, Porto Velho was first settled in
1907 during the construction of the Madeira-Mamoré railroad. It is located
deep in the Amazon forest and is the capital of the state of Rondônia.
It is located among the ravines on the right bank of the Rio Madeira, the largest
tributary on the right bank of the Amazon. It was the principal river port
supporting the construction of the railroad and until the 1960s, when
mineral deposits including gold were discovered in the area, was always
primarily a railroad town. Porto Velho is 3,061 km upstream from the mouth
of the Amazon, and 1,108 km from the junction of the Rio Madeira and the
Amazon, which meet 200 km below Manaus. The population as of the 1996
census was 294,227. The flag and coat of arms were instituted in 1983,
chosen from a public competition won by the poet Antônio Cândido. Both
show the water tanks known as the "Three Marias."
Sources: www.politica-ro.com.br/pvelho.html
www.ronet.com.br/marrocos/pvh.html
Joseph McMillan, 30 July 2002