Amapá

The municipality of Amapá holds an important place in the history of the border between Brazil and French Guiana. The old town was at the centre of territorial disputes and the 1895 conflict, which remains part of local memory. The border settlement through arbitration in 1900 preceded the municipality’s creation in 1901, in a territory with much older settlement and social relationships.

In the twentieth century, the air base used during the Second World War added another layer to this history. Alongside these international connections, municipal life is tied to grasslands, waterways, fishing and livestock raising. Cheese production is an expression of this rural economy, offering a way to understand Amapá beyond its military landmarks.

Amapá’s memory as a former capital refers to the Federal Territory, the administrative entity that preceded today’s state. This distinction helps visitors recognise its political role beyond frontier disputes and the air base, without confusing it with Macapá, the present capital.