Boa Vista Attractions

Visitors entering these countries by road require a visa, which is not issued at the frontier; it is advisable, therefore, to apply for a visa to an embassy or consulate of the country concerned before traveling.

History

The first evidence of the establishment of Luso-Brazilian settlers in Roraima dates from 1670. In the early years of the 18th century the Indian villages in this region drew large numbers of settlers (sertanistas) and Christian missionaries. The construction of the fort of São Joaquim in 1765 was a clear sign that the Portuguese feared the intrusion of other European powers into the area. Two hundred years later, when rich seams of gold and other minerals were discovered in Roraima, thousands of garimpeiros (gold- and diamond-prospectors) seeking to make their fortune streamed into the territory occupied by the Indians. The conflicts which then arose between garimpeiros, representatives of the government and the native tribes such as the Yanomami affected the relationship between the sertanistas and the churchmen and continue to influence attitudes to the problems of the far north of Brazil.