Santarém: Gateway City of Historic Frontiers of Western Pará

Abstract

This article treats the historical role of Santarém as a gateway city of multiple
frontiers of the middle valley of the Amazon and valley of the Tapajós Rivers. Over the centuries the city has controlled a hinterland that underwent a number of economic surges, from collecting natural spices, herbs and fruit of the forest in the beginning of the Portuguese colonization to agro-industry today. Located midway between Belém and Manaus, and historically subordinated to these cities, Santarém today has become a regional center for administrative, commercial, cultural and specialized services. The economic surges and socio-environmental transformations are interpreted according to the global cities network model of Peter Taylor, adapted to the Amazon with the concept of gateway cities from the literature on historical frontiers of the world.