Cidades pequenas na Amazônia: um estudo das particularidades urbanas da cidade de Brasil Novo, Pará

Abstract

The Legal Amazon, which encompasses a vast area of tropical forest, has been deeply affected by economic and political dynamics since the mid-twentieth century. In this context, this study aims to understand the urban dynamics of the city of Brasil Novo, considering its unique characteristics as a small city in the Amazon. The socio-spatial formation of the city is understood to have resulted from policies aimed at developing and integrating the Brazilian Amazon into the national economy. The method used to analyze the processes shaping Brasil Novo is historical and dialectical materialism, which supports interpretations based on the periodization of the city’s spatial phenomena to explain its reality. The following methodological procedures were employed: a) documentary and bibliographic research; b) secondary data collection; c) administration of surveys in the city’s commercial sector; and d) administration of surveys in residential neighborhoods. The research revealed that Brasil Novo, which emerged with the construction of the BR-230 highway, exhibits socio-spatial dynamics marked by strong integration between rural and urban areas, driven by agricultural production and the actions of various social and economic agents. The highway plays a central role in connecting the city to external markets and integrating it into the regional urban network. Additionally, it was observed that the neighborhoods of Centro, Cidade Alta, and Jardim Valadares display distinct socioeconomic dynamics, reflecting the productive and social transformations that have occurred over time.