Natal

Founded on Christmas Day in 1599 on the banks of the Potengi River, Natal is the coastal capital of Rio Grande do Norte in northeastern Brazil, with Atlantic beaches, a walkable centre full of cafés and historic churches, and a stretch of coastal highway connecting the beaches of Areia Preta and Ponta Negra along the edge of Natal Dunes State Park. The city was occupied by the Dutch between 1633 and 1654 — briefly renamed New Amsterdam — and later served as a key Allied base during World War II, its position near the eastern tip of South America earning it recognition as one of the most strategically significant points in the world. It is also home to South America's first rocket launch facility, the Barreira do Inferno Launch Center.

• Population896,708
• Nearest water from center0.3 km
• Nearest mountain from center4.5 km