Fortaleza, << `fawr` tuh LAY zuh >> , is a city on the northeast coast of Brazil. The municipality of Fortaleza has a population of 2,452,185. A municipality may include rural areas as well as the urban center. Fortaleza is the capital of the state of Ceará. The Metropolitan Cathedral, a large Gothic church, is a major landmark of the city. Fortaleza’s economy depends largely on the activities of the state and city governments and on the processing and export of such products as cotton and carnauba wax.
Fortaleza was first settled in the early 1600’s, when the Portuguese built a fort there. Fortaleza received the status of a town in 1711. In 1799, it became the capital of Ceará. Fortaleza experienced rapid growth in the middle and late 1900’s. Today, it is one of Brazil’s largest cities by population.
