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Home > Travel South America > South America Destinations > Vitoria
Vitoria
South America is thefourth largest continent of the Western Hemisphere. It is divided politically into 12 independent countries namely Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela and the overseas department of French Guiana. The continent extends to 7,640 kilometers from Punta Gallinas, Colombia, in the north to Cape Horn, Chile, in the south. At its broadest point, near where it is crossed by the equator, the continent extends to 5,300 kilometers from east to west. South America is connected to North America by the Isthmus of Panama.
Vitoria is the capital of the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil. It is located on a small island within a bay where a few rivers meet the sea and was founded in 1551. The city has a population of 313,300 at the same time as the Greater Vitoria metropolitan area has a population of over 1,612,885, the 14th largest in Brazil. In 1998, the United Nations rated Vitoria as the fourth best state capital in Brazil to live in, rating cities on health, education, and social improvement projects. Yet, it rates poorly on violence and criminality. Vitoria and its surrounding areas have one of the highest homicide rates in Brazil.
The island was populated shortly after the arrival of Vasco Fernandes Coutinho to Vila Velha, where he first settled colonists, but soon became more popular as the mainland became increasingly dangerous. Other considerations, such as attacks from Dutch and French traders, in search of sugar cane, also contributed to the choice of this island as home to the colonists.
During the first half of the 19th century, Vitoria was still seen as a backward agricultural town, with narrow and disorganized lanes. The commercial capital at the time was Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, and because of that the revenues of commerce would go to Rio de Janeiro, rather than Vitoria. It was only after the adoption of a republican style of government in 1889 that the governors decided to modernize the state capital.
Vitoria's economy is strongly based on industry, being an important port city, having a total of three ports. As such, it performs a very important function for the region, in exporting regional products. A city known for its historic myths and traditions, scenic beauty, luxurious hotels and cottages, Vitoria is one of the favorite holiday destinations for most of the vacation lovers.
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