Even though Recife frequently appears as one host city of the World Cup 2014, that is not exactly true. Indeed, Recife and the neighbour city of Olinda were candidates to be a joint host of the Cup; the initial idea was to build a stadium in the border area between the cities.
However, as both cities are densely populated, and the price of real estate is very high, it was verified that the cost of desapropriation would be prohibitively high.
It was then decided that a new stadium and a surrounding sports and business complex, called Cidade da Copa (City of the Cup) would be built in the city of São Lourenço da Mata, in the metropolitan area of Recife, in a terrain which already belonged to the State of Pernambuco.
Recife is the 4th largest Metropolitan area in Brazil with 3,768,902 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the Northeast Region, and the capital of the state of Pernambuco.
Recife is located where the Beberibe River meets the Capibaribe River to flow into the Atlantic Ocean. Recife used to be a major port on the Atlantic Ocean (the city grew around the Port), but recently it has been overshadowed by the Portuary and Industrial Complex of Suape.
The name Recife means “reef” in Portuguese, in allusion to the natural coral reefs that protect all the shores of the State. The many rivers, small islands and over 50 bridges which exist in Recife (most of which built during the
Dutch occupation) make for a characteristic landscape and gives it the moniker of the “Brazilian Venice.”
The Metropolitan Region of Recife is the main industrial zone of the State of Pernambuco; most relevant products are those derived from cane (sugar and ethanol), electronics, food, and others.
Recife has a tradition of being the most important commercial center of the Northeast region of Brazil with more than 50,000 business enterprises in Recife f plus 32,500 in the Metro Area which will total more than 80,000.
In recent years, the Economy of Recife has been concentrating on services (particularly tourism, finances, commerce), while the industrial factories have been moving go Suape.
A combination of a large supply of skilled workers and massive investments turned Recife into second largest medical center in Brazil (second only to São Paulo); modern hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment receive patients from several neighboring States.
The city is also a renowned educational center, and home to the Federal University of Pernambuco, the largest university in Pernambuco. Several Brazilian historical figures, such as the poet and abolitionist Castro Alves, moved to Recife to attain their education.
Like all other cities in the Northeast, Recife is developing its travel and tourism sector. The beach of Porto de Galinhas, 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of the city, has been nominated the most beautiful beach in Brazil for several years in a row now. Business travel is also thriving, and the Convention Center in Olinda is one of the busiest in Brazil.
Recife is served by the Gilberto Freyre Guararapes International Airport (recently refurbished, this is one of the most modern and most beautiful airports in Brazil), which connects Recife to several Brazilian destinations as well as major international cities in Europe, the United States and South America.
Information in Portuguese: Recife.
Tags: brazil, brazil 2014, cultural travel, fifa world cup, olinda, pernambuco, recife, soccer, travel, world cup 2014, world cup brazil
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