The city of Bethlehem, State Capital of For around has to his 55 small islands, the majority of wild and uninhabited them, next to others in which small population centers are concentrated. Among them they are the islands of Mosqueiro - surrounded by 14 water beaches fresh - and Caratateua that receive during the summer season great number of visitors.
Besides these, Bethlehem around has to his the island of Tatuoca, where is the unique geodesic station of Latin America, one of the seven existing ones in the world.
Located to borders of the bay of Guajará, on the estuary of the Tocantins rivers and For, the city was founded like fluvial port on 1616, immediately after the expulsion of the French of the city of Sao Luis, today State Capital of Maranhão.
Well-known like “cidade DAS mangueiras” by the great number of handle trees that exist there, Bethlehem owns historical buildings that reflect cultural characteristics of century XVII. Among them are the Municipal Market, of meat, and the Market of Ferro, fish.
In the neighborhood of the markets, and comprising of the same complex, is the See-or-Weigh wharf-market, where the colors, scents and flavors are mixed in this authentic postcard of the city.
At the wharf they arrive colorful boats of fishing and canoes, that on a daily basis disembark from artisan pieces of indigenous ceramics to aromatic grass of the Amazonia.
The colonial architecture of reflected Bethlehem, in many aspects, the architectonic landscape in century XVIII of the city of Lisbon, in Portugal, that served as inspiration to the main projects of houses and buildings, with frequent tile use in its facades. Many of the constructions of end of century XIX and principles of the XX also incorporate characteristics of the French architecture.
Bethlehem is also well-known by its celebrations, between which they are the Wax candle of Nazaré; and to welcome the Museum Emilio Goeldi, important training center and investigations of the Amazonian Floresta.