Macapa (Brazil)

Macapa is an Amazon River cruise port and city in Brazil, located on river's northern channel and close to its mouth on Atlantic Ocean. The city has population around 400,000 (metro over 0,5 million).

The city is also the capital of Brazil's Amapa state. It is built on a small plateau and offers few land connections to other parts of the country. The equator runs right through downtown. Macapa is also located northeast of Marajó Island and south of French Guiana's border.

The city is a major economic center of Brazil's Northern Region, serving as Amapa's commercial hub. Commodities like ores (iron, gold, tin), lumber and oil from state's interior are exported via Port Santana. Macapa is currently ranked Brazil's 5th wealthiest city and enjoys a high rate of economic growth. However, the city is also ranked world's 45th most violent, with 32 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Saint Joseph is a Vauban-style fortress built in late-18th century to replace two old fortifications guarding Amazon River's estuary. Marco Zero (monument marking the equator) also shows the sun passage. At spring and autumn equinox, the sun rises and sets on equator's line and shines on the monument along Avenue Equatorial, running for a mile east of it.