Pedra Branca do Amapari

Pedra Branca do Amapari (White Stone of Amaphary), also known simply as Amapari, is a municipality located in the midwest of the state of Amapá in Brazil. Its population is 17,067 and its area is 9,495 km2. The municipality has a population density of 1.13/km2, and the population remains even divided between rural and village areas.

Geography
Pedra Branca do Amapari is bordered by the municipalities of Oiapoque to the north, Serra do Navio to the east, Porto Grande to the southeast, Mazagão to the south, and Laranjal do Jari to the west. The town is rich in rivers and streams (igarapé). The Amapari River and its tributaries, the Mururé, Tucumpi and Cupixi, all cross through the municipality. The Amapari River feeds in to the Araguari River in the southwest of the town. The municipality contains 12% of the 806184 ha Rio Iratapuru Sustainable Development Reserve, created in 1997. It contains 6.39% of the 2369400 ha Amapá State Forest, a sustainable use conservation unit established in 2006.

History
The municipality of Amapari was originally explored by members of the Saramaka, a Maroon group from Suriname, who searched for gold in the area. Manganese ore was discovered in the region in 1953. Travel to Pedra Branca do Amapari was possible only by airplane, and pilots used a huge white rock (pedra branca) in the Amapari River as a reference point. Thereafter the town was known as Pedra Branca do Amapari. The town can nowadays be accessed via the BR-210 highway.

Economy
Amapari supports the small-scale production of rice, corn, beans, and cassava for the domestic market. Cupuaçu, pineapples, oranges, bananas, and melons are grown for local consumption. Per capital income in Amapari is R$ 24,782 (US$9629), as compared to the Brazilian national average of R$20,988 (US$12,536).

Gold mining has become a major part of the economy, and resulted in a steep population growth. The biggest concession is the Tucano mine which is operated by Great Panther Mining.