Map

Itacoatiara (Itacoatiara)

Itacoatiara is a municipality in the central eastern portion of state of Amazonas, inland northern Brazil. It is 176 km east by air or 270 km downstream by river from Manaus. It is the third most populous town in the state, on the bank of the Amazon River. Its population was 102,701 (2020) and its area is 8,600 km². The town is known as "City of painted stone" - which is its name translated from Tupi. Itacoatiara has an important port, which is responsible for a considerable amount of cargo transportation in Amazonas.

Its Catedral Prelatícia Nossa Senhora do Rosário, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, is the episcopal see of the pre-diocesan Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Itacoatiara.

* In 1655, an aldeia (hamlet) named Arroquis, on Albi Island on the Madeira River, was founded by Portuguese Jesuit missionary António Vieira. It was thereafter moved four times due to aggression by the indigenous Mura people.

* In 1757, the inhabitants of aldeia Abacaxi (where did the inhabitants of Arroquis go?) moved to the left bank of the Amazon River, where Itacoatiara is now located.

* In 1758, Francisco Xavier de Mendonça passed through the region for the second time in order to found the captaincy of São José do Rio Negro.

* In 1759, the aldeia was elevated to the category of village, and was then called Serpa.

* Itacoatiara became an actual town by law 74 of December 10, 1857, but in 1858 it was once more demoted as village, named Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Serpa. Finally, on April 25, 1874, by law 283, Itacoatiara was again elevated to the category of town, with its current name.