Editing Porto Alegre (section)

==The city==
[[File:IBPA 134151 - Centro Histórico de Porto Alegre alagado pela - 2024-05-05 - Gustavo Garbino-PMPA.jpg|thumb|Downtown Porto Alegre during [[2024 Rio Grande do Sul floods]]]]
The city is on a [[River delta|delta]] resulting from the junction of five rivers, officially called [[Guaíba Lake]] (popularly mentioned as a river, too). The city dates from the mid-18th century, when colonist from the Azores, islands in the Atlantic Ocean that are part of Portugal, settled in the area, sponsored by the Portuguese colonyimmi.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Brazil_History |title=General History of Brazil |work=Brazil History on Family Search |access-date=January 7, 2021 }}</ref> The city was officially established in 1742.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://recantodasletras.uol.com.br/mensagensdeaniversario/421892 |title=History of Porto Alegre |publisher=Recantodasletras.uol.com.br |date=2007-03-22 |access-date=2010-10-21 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Porto Alegre is one of the wealthiest cities in Latin America<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.portoalegre.rs.gov.br/infocidade/default.php?p_secao=30 |title=Porto Alegre's Rank |publisher=.portoalegre.rs.gov.br |access-date=2010-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520015635/http://www2.portoalegre.rs.gov.br/infocidade/default.php?p_secao=30 |archive-date=2011-05-20 |url-status=live }}</ref> and one of the most diverse. Its residents includes indigenous Brazilians, afro-Brazilians, immigrants from [[Portuguese Brazilian|Portugal]], [[Russian Brazilian|Russia]], [[German Brazilian|Germany]], [[Italian Brazilian|Italy]], [[Spanish immigration to Brazil|Spain]], [[Ukrainian Brazilian|Ukraine]] and [[Polish Brazilian|Poland]]. There are also significant [[Arab Brazilian|Arab]] and [[History of the Jews in Brazil|Jewish]] contingents among its population.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brazucasoccer.com.br/news/about-porto-alegre-city/ |title=About Porto Alegre City :: Brazuca Soccer Sports & Events |access-date=2014-03-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316051229/http://www.brazucasoccer.com.br/news/about-porto-alegre-city/ |archive-date=2014-03-16 }}</ref> The [[Afro-Brazilian]] population of the state tends to be concentrated in the city.
[[File:IBPA 17299 - Porto Alegre - RS, 24.01.2018- Vista aérea do Parque - 2018-09-28 - Eduardo Beleske-PMPA.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of the historic center of Porto Alegre with Harmonia Park in the foreground]]
Before this,{{when|date=January 2021}} Porto Alegre was the port of [[Viamão]] on the shore of Guaíba Lake. Its previous name was Porto dos Casais (Port of the Couples). and it was initially settled by [[Azores|Azoreans]]. Many families of settlers came from the city of [[Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul|Rio Grande]] in the littoral Lagunar region, to the south, a military fortress at that time. Today [[Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul|Rio Grande]] is the most important port of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is also known as "Porto do Sol" (Port of the Sun) and "Cidade Sorriso" (Smile City).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.carnaval.com/brazil/portoalegre/#BU |title=Porto Alegre City&nbsp;– Names |publisher=Carnaval.com |access-date=2010-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100922123741/http://www.carnaval.com/brazil/portoalegre/#BU |archive-date=2010-09-22 |url-status=live }}</ref> More than 70 [[neighborhood]]s (see below) are part of the city and two-thirds of the population are concentrated in the Zona Norte (Northern Zone), where most of the economic activity, including the city center, takes place.

Porto Alegre was the seat of the [[World Social Forum]] in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2010. As the second largest city in southern Brazil, it is an important industrial center in the area. It is also a center for ''[[gaucho|gaúcho]]'' (the popular name for natives of the state) history and culture, famous for its ''[[churrasco]]'' (barbecue) and ''[[chimarrão]]'' (a strong and hot tea prepared from [[yerba mate]]). In 2000, the [[literacy rate]] was 97%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.portoalegre.rs.gov.br/infocidade/default.php?p_secao=30 |title=Literacy rate of Porto Alegre |publisher=.portoalegre.rs.gov.br |access-date=2010-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520015635/http://www2.portoalegre.rs.gov.br/infocidade/default.php?p_secao=30 |archive-date=2011-05-20 |url-status=live }}</ref> The high [[quality of life]] is one of the city's main features.