Belém is the capital and largest city of the state of Pará in northern Brazil. Located approximately 100 km upriver from the Atlantic Ocean on the Pará River, it serves as a primary gateway to the Amazon River system. The city is separated from the larger part of the Amazon delta by Ilha de Marajó.
The city functions as a major transportation hub, featuring a busy port, airport, and bus station. With an estimated population of 1,398,531 people—or 2,491,052 in its metropolitan area—it ranks as the 12th most populous city in Brazil and the 16th by economic relevance. It is also the second largest city in the North Region, following Manaus.