Caracaraí

Caracaraí is a municipality in the state of Roraima in northern Brazil, standing on the Branco River south of its waterfalls near the meeting of the BR-174 and BR-210 highways. With about 22,000 inhabitants and an area of 47,411 square kilometres it is the largest municipality in Roraima, and its territory cuts the state in two while bordering both the state of Amazonas and Guyana. The name means little hawk, a common bird of the region. The town was founded by cattle ranchers from Moura, was first called Cidade Porto, and served as capital of the Rio Branco Territory that was later renamed Roraima. It became an independent municipality in 1955. Cattle ranching was once the basis of the economy, and the town developed as a supply centre for the region and is now the state's largest producer of fish.