Manaus

Lore & Background

The rubber boom of the late 19th century made Manaus 'one of the gaudiest cities of the world,' with rubber barons spending extravagantly. The city built the grand Teatro Amazonas opera house, which cost ten million dollars and featured marble, glass, and crystal from Europe. After the rubber seeds were smuggled to Southeast Asia, the boom ended, and Manaus fell into poverty.

Reader's Guide

Manaus holds significance as a major urban center in the Amazon rainforest, one of only two cities in the region with a population over one million. Its history reflects cycles of boom and bust: the rubber boom of the late 1800s brought immense wealth and European influence, earning it the nickname 'Paris of the Tropics,' but the collapse of the rubber monopoly led to decades of decline. Today, Manaus is home to the National Institute of Amazonian Research, making it a key center for scientific studies and sustainability issues.

Did You Know?

• The name Manaus comes from the native Manaós people, meaning 'Mother of the Gods.'
• During the rubber boom, the city built the Teatro Amazonas opera house, which cost ten million dollars and featured materials from Europe.
• An estimated 76% of the population of Manaus was infected with coronavirus during the COVID-19 pandemic.