sign in sign up
<<
Home , Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Pacajus, Pindoretama

Fortaleza profile Global Initiative

(rank among 13 Brazilian metros) Overview

Population, 2012 Employment, 2010 GDP per capita, 2012 Exports in billions, SÃO GONÇALO DO AMARANTE in millions in millions 2007-2012

3.7 (7th) 1.6 (8th) $8,389 (13th) $4.5 (11th) MARACANAÚ EUZÉBIO Economic performance, 2011-2012 PACATUBA Rank among 13 Brazilian metros: Rank among 300 metros: st GUAIÚBA HORIZONTE th Miles 7 131 0 5 10 15 20 , 2010 Top employment sectors, 2012 FORTALEZA BRAZIL Less than 50,000 50,000 - 250,000 JOB SHARE JOB CHANGE, 2011-2012 250,001 - 500,000 500,001 - 1,000,000 Distribution/retail Distribution/retail More than 1,000,000 25 2.2

Manufacturing 2010 metro share of 43 65 19 2.5

Business services Business services State State population GDP 11 1.5

Public services Public services 1.9 1.3 10 3.0 National National 0 % 10 20 30 -1 0 % 1 2 3 4 5 population GDP

Key statistics (national values) Population Migration GDP per capita Employment Change, 1990-2012: Share born outside the state: Share with a college degree: Change, 1990-2012: Change, 1990-2012: 41% (34%) 5.6% (14%) 11% (11%) 46% (42%) 74% (37%) Working age share of total: Emigrants per 1,000 residents: rate: Change, 2011-2012: Change, 2011-2012: 64% (63%) 2.1 (2.6) 91% (91%) 0.9% (0.5%) 1.8% (1.4%) Fortaleza metropolitan area profile Global Cities Initiative

OVERVIEW share of Fortaleza’s residents (6.3 percent) than average for Fortaleza has the 11th largest GDP among the 13 metro areas large metro areas (6.8 percent). Fortaleza ranks 10th for the at $31 billion, which contributes 65 percent of Ceara’s state Situated on the northeastern coast of Brazil where the Pajeú proportion of its population who are of working age (64 GDP. Its GDP has more than doubled (ranked fifth) since River meets the Atlantic Ocean, Fortaleza is a port and the percent). 1990, and experienced the second highest growth rate over capital of state, the eighth most populous state in Brazil. the last year (2.1 percent). Fortaleza’s low GDP, in light of its Portuguese for “fort,” Fortaleza was originally the site of a fort Educational attainment in Fortaleza is among the lowest. It mid-sized population, reflects its low GDP per capita among built to defend Portuguese colonizers from indigenous attack. ranks last among the 13 large metro areas for the share of its Brazilian metro areas ($8,389, more than $3,000 below the Today, the metropolitan area is the seventh largest in Brazil, population age ten and older who are literate (91 percent, the national average). Yet it has experienced above-average and its beaches attract both domestic and international same as the national rate). Only 11 percent of its adults 25 GDP per capita growth over the long term (46 percent since tourists. and older have tertiary education, lower than all other metro 1990, fifth overall) and short term (0.9 percent since 2011, areas except . also fifth). POPULATION Fortaleza is not a major destination for migrants, domestic or The Fortaleza metropolitan area’s economy is similar to With 3.7 million people, the area is roughly the foreign. Just 6 percent of the metro area’s population was ’s. The largest sector is distribution and retail (25 same size as and Salvador, the two other major born outside the state of Ceará, 11th highest among the large percent), followed by manufacturing (19 percent), and metropolitan areas of northeastern Brazil. Among U.S. metro metro areas profiled here, and its foreign-born share is lowest, business and public services (11 and 10 percent). The metro areas, it is closest in size to Seattle. Fortaleza’s population with just 0.1 percent of all residents born abroad. Italy and has higher shares of workers in distribution and retail, accounts for 43 percent of Ceará state’s, and 68 percent of its account for the most foreign-born residents (about 15 manufacturing, hotels and catering, and other services, but inhabitants live in the central , with the remainder in the 14 percent each), while Cape Verdeans make up 9 percent, specializes in utilities. other that make up the metropolitan area. making Fortaleza the only major metro area in which they rank Fortaleza ranks sixth for the share of its population who live in among the top three immigrant groups. Fortaleza also ranks Fortaleza is a small exporter. Its exported goods are valued at (irregular settlements) (12 percent). low as a sending region for emigrants. The 2010 census $4.5 billion over the past five years, ranking it 11th among counted about 7,700 people who “resided” in Fortaleza but profiled Brazilian metros. The United States is the second Fortaleza’s growth in the 19th century was supported by its who were currently living in another country, or 2.1 per 1,000 largest export recipient after Argentina, but the 23 percent of production of cotton and its relative proximity to . In the residents, which places the metro area lower than all but Fortaleza goods sent to the United States represent the 20th century, the area grew as a result of urbanization that was Manaus among the thirteen large metro areas profiled here. largest share among any of the 13 metros profiled. Major happening across Brazil. In the 1990s, Fortaleza’s population Italy, the United States, and Portugal are the top destinations exports include commodities such as fruits and nuts (the growth was on par with the nation’s (16 percent versus 17 and together account for half of emigrants. metro is a global leader among cashew nut exports), leather percent), ranking ninth among large metro areas. Between and animal hides, mineral fuels and oils, and or crusta- 2000 and 2012, its growth rate increased to 21 percent, the ECONOMY ceans. fourth fastest for large metro areas and well surpassing the national growth rate of 14 percent. Fortaleza is the eighth largest employment center in Brazil with 1.6 million workers. The metro’s long- and short-term Fortaleza’s population is relatively young with 30 percent of employment growth rates rank above the nation’s, but in the residents younger than 18 compared to 28 percent for large middle of the 13 metropolitan areas profiled here (eighth and metros overall. Likewise, seniors make up a slightly smaller seventh respectively).