Canoas, Industrial municipality in Porto Alegre metropolitan region, Brazil.
Canoas is a municipality covering 131 square kilometers in Rio Grande do Sul state, sharing borders with Porto Alegre, Cachoeirinha, Esteio, and Nova Santa Rita. The town has a petroleum refinery connected by pipeline to the petrochemical complex in Triunfo.
The railway station built in 1874 marked the start of the settlement's growth. The town gained official status as a municipality in 1939.
The name comes from boats built from timbaúva trees that once grew along the waterways. Lasallian brothers founded a school in 1908 that taught farming and general subjects, shaping the local character that remains visible today in the town's educational roots.
Highways connect the town to Porto Alegre and neighboring municipalities in all weather conditions. The location in the Porto Alegre metro area makes it easy to explore as part of a broader travel route.
The refinery was a major step in the region's shift toward industrial work and remains a key employer. The town now forms part of a larger commercial zone that extends across several neighboring municipalities.
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