Porto Alegre, the largest city in southern Brazil, is the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is located at the conjunction of five rivers, among them the Guaíba[?].
Though its origins date from the early 1700s, it was officially established in 1809. Porto Alegre's population numbers over 1.3 million (2002).
Porto Alegre is the major port and industrial center of southern Brazil, and a key city for Mercosul[?]. It also is a center for gaúcho (the name for natives of Rio Grande do Sul) history and culture; it is especially famous for its churrasco[?] (grilled meat) cuisine. Several important Brazilian universities are located there.
More information is available (in Portuguese) at [[1] (http://www.portoalegre.rs.gov.br/)].
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