
Last modified: 2022-02-26 by ian macdonald
Keywords: rio de janeiro | belford roxo | 
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 image located by Aristobulo Lima, 19 
February 2022
 image located by Aristobulo Lima, 19 
February 2022
Source: 
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belford_Roxo 
Belford Roxo (Portuguese for "Purple Belfort") is a part of the Metropolitan 
Region of Rio de Janeiro. Its population is now around 495,000 persons (2008) 
and its area is 79 kmē. Its climate is tropical with an average temperature of 
20šC. It's one of the coolest and richest cities in the state. Some industries 
are located there, for example the German chemical industry Bayer and the 
Lubrizol are the biggest companies in the municipality. Unfortunately it doesn't 
reflect on the social conditions for most of population. The crime statistics 
are high in this city, as in the rest of Metropolitan Region, its HDI is 0,870, 
and its GPD is 2.989.323.000 USD.
Belford Roxo became a City in April 3rd 
1993, before it belonged to another municipality, Nova Iguaçu 
as a district. The first white men arrived on the region in 1666, and for more 
than 200 years only we could find over there some big farms for coffee and sugar 
cane plantations. During the year of 1888 a great drought was destroying the 
plantations and also causing a lack of potable water in the city of Rio de 
Janeiro, Empire of Brazil Court in that time. By the efforts of two dedicated 
engineers Paulo de Frontin and Raimundo Teixeira Belford Roxo in 6 days 
15,000,000 litres of water were diverted from some water sources in the region 
ending the drought and saving the economy on the region. This episode nowadays 
is known as the O Milagre das Águas ("the water miracle"). Unfortunately, Mr. 
Belford Roxo died one year later, but he was never forgotten. Due to the decline 
of the plantations, since the 2nd half of 19th century, the region was 
abandoned. When Rio de Janeiro started its industrial development, mainly during 
the 2nd half of 20th century, many workers and their families found there 
cheaper lots to built their homes and its population increased quickly.
Source (in part: 
www.belfordroxo.rj.org.br)
Marcio Trocado, 8 October 2008
The Municipality of Belford Roxo (State of Rio de Janeiro) adopted a new 
flag, a horizontal tribar white-copper-white with the arms overlying the center.
 
Aristobulo Lima, 19 February 2022
 image by Marcio Trocado, 8 October 2008
 image by Marcio Trocado, 8 October 2008
Belford Roxo is a municipality in the Metropolitan Region, with almost 
500,000 inhabitants. The flag remembers the flags of Portuguese municipalities. 
It is a blue-white gyronny of 8 with a centered arms (a 16-pointed star 
containing a red heart).
André Pires Godinho, 20 August 2005
On the previous Belford Roxo flag we can see the state of Rio de Janeiro traditional 
colors, white and blue, one head of wheat and two stars on each side and the 
coat of arms on the middle. Inside the coat of arms we can see the red heart 
representing the people. Belford Roxo is known as "A cidade do coração" ("the 
city of heart"). In the banner we can read the city motto "Paz e Progresso" 
("Peace and Progress"). The "BR" for the city name abbreviation, the chain 
representing the union of the all, the name of city, the year of foundation 
"1993" and four flags with the symbols: a red cross for "Health", an open book 
for "Education", a house for "Dwelling policy" and a factory for "economy". To 
be honest, I donīt know what means the wheat and the stars.
Marcio Trocado, 
8 October 2008