AMAZZONI (MANÁOS), DIOCESE of. - In the state of Amazonas (Brazil), which is the largest of the Brazilian states (1,826,000 sq. km.), but very sparsely populated (fewer than 500,000 inhabitants), being largely occupied by the equatorial forest. The inhabited centres are located almost exclusively along the rivers, and the capital, Manáos, on the Amazon River, contains about one fifth of the population of the whole state, which is composed approximately half of Indians, some of them semi-savage. The diocese, erected on 27 Apr. 1892, is suffragan to Belem do Pará (since 1906); residence at Manáos. The Cathedral is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. In 1907 the region crossed by the Rio Branco was separated and erected into a prefecture. On 1 May 1925, with three parishes of the diocese of A., the prelature
millius of Labrea was erected; on the same day the parish of Hu-mayrá and the city of Porto Velho were detached to form the prelature millius of Porto Velho.