Vitória da Conquista
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Vitória da Conquista is a city in Bahia, Brazil. It is located at around .
[edit] Founding
Vitória da Conquista was founded in 1753, after several battles against the native Imboré and Mongoió tribes, by the Portuguese hero João Gonçalves da Costa, born in Chaves, Trás-os-Montes, Portugal.
Da Costa had been sent to Brazil by the king of Portugal, Dom João V, to fight against the natives, seize their land, and then convert them to Christianity. He founded a Vila da Conquista ("Conquest Town") on the site of the last battle and began the building of a church in honour of the Holy Mother of Victory.
At the same time, da Costa ordered the construction of two of the main roads in the state of Bahia, one from Vitória da Conquista to Ilhéus and another from Vitória to Jequitinhonha in Minas Gerais. Today this road is known as the Rio-Bahia.
[edit] The city today
In 2006, Vitória da Conquista had an estimated population of almost 300,000 people.
The major economic activities are commerce, medical services, and coffee growing. The city is becoming a centre of university schools.
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