Óbidos | Medieval Town, Portuguese Village, Castle Town | Britannica (original) (raw)

Óbidos, town and river port, west-central Pará estado (state), northern Brazil. It was founded in 1697 as a fortified town. Óbidos overlooks the left (north) bank of the Amazon River 70 miles (110 km) upstream from Santarém near the confluence of the Trombetas River, where the Amazon narrows to a width of 1.25 miles (2 km). River steamers and hydroplanes utilize the facilities at the town, which ships such goods as tobacco, cacao, coffee, sugar, lumber, and cattle. Óbidos also has plants that process preserved fruits (oranges, mangoes, and papayas) and jute products. The town is served by an airport. Pop. (2010) 49,254.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy McKenna.