26 Jul Manaus – The Amazon Metropolis

Home to over 2 million people, Manaus is the capital of the Amazon state with one of the largest economic regions of Brazil. Founded in 1169 by Portuguese colonists, its original name was later changed to the current Manaus to honor the indigenous people of similar name.

Even if this weren’t just a mere metropolis, Manaus has distinct additional features that make it even more interesting to observe through satellite imagery. Though it’s not the only populated area of the Amazon, it is its largest urban settlement as satellite views make very obvious. On the other hand it is located on the Rio Negro (the Black river) banks, right next to the place where it meets the upper section of the Amazon river (or Rio Solimões), or the Meeting of Waters.

This confluence is distinctive as the waters of Rio Negro meet with a sandy-colored Amazon river, running along for over 6km without mixing, and is due to differences in water temperatures, speeds and densities.

The wider area satellite view of this region of Earth also reveals sections of the Amazon chopped down, creating a mesh of clear paths in the region.

Satellite Maps Source: https://binged.it/2a8J7Qj