Fortaleza on the map.

Fortaleza ([foʁtaˈlezɐ], locally [fɔɦtaˈlezɐ], Portuguese for Fortress) is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. It belongs to the Metropolitan mesoregion of Fortaleza and microregion of Fortaleza. Located 2285 km (1420 miles) from Brasilia, the federal capital, the city has developed on the banks of the creek Pajeú, and its name is an allusion to Fort Schoonenborch, which gave rise to the city, built by the Dutch during their second stay in the area between 1649 and 1654. The motto of Fortaleza, present in its coat of arms is the Latin word Fortitudine, which means "with strength/courage".

In 2013, Fortaleza was the twelfth richest city in the country in GDP and second in the Northeast, with 49 billion reais (US$21 billion). It also has the third richest metropolitan area in the North and Northeast regions. It is an important industrial and commercial center of Brazil, the nation's eighth largest municipality in purchasing power. According to the Ministry of Tourism, the city reached the mark of second most desired destination of Brazil and fourth among Brazilian cities in tourists received. The BR-116, the most important highway of the country, starts in Fortaleza. The municipality is part of the Common Market of Mercosur Cities, and also the Brazilian state capital which is closest to Europe, 5608 km (3484 miles) from Lisbon, Portugal.Fortaleza is symptomatic of the wealth divide in Brazil. It ranks 83rd in a measure of wealth disparity (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_inequality). This, and a prevalence of drug trafficking (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Brazil_prison_riots), has contributed to a serious crime problem. Many neighborhoods (barrios)are in fact favelas (https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favela) and not safe, particularly at night. Fortaleza ranks 9th worldwide in intentional murder rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_murder_rate), exceeding the national rate of over 59 per 100,000. While the major tourist attractions are well policed or segregated with security barriers for the well to do, it is evident that the majority of the population lives in defgensively equipped homes and that the old time custom of evening sidewalk socializing is disappearing.