Map - Pacaraima

Pacaraima is a municipality located in the northwest of the state of Roraima in Brazil. It is second most northern municipality in Brazil, behind Uiramutã.

Located here within Indigenous Land San Marcos is a major indigenous artifact. Pedra Pintada is a large rock that is covered with ancient indigenous pictographs and other designs of an early culture. Visitation to the site may only be arranged through explicit permission from the National Indian Foundation.

The history of the municipality of Pacaraima is linked to the demarcation of the border with Venezuela by the Brazilian Army, originating around the landmark known as BV-8, gateway to Brazil from Venezuela. Also noteworthy is the deployment of a Special Border Squadron in the region.

However, colonization would intensify with the full arrival of Brazilians, mainly from the Northeast Region of Brazil, attracted by the dream of easy enrichment with the garimpo. Free cross-border mobility made it necessary to formalize the demarcation and protection of that frontier.

The pioneer Brazilians in the region are considered their pioneers, although they are accidental founders and almost unknown to the municipality. Once known as Vila Pacaraima, or simply BV-8, adopting the name of the landmark, the village was part of the then Federal Territory of Roraima, present state of Roraima.

Pacaraima was emancipated by State Law No. 96, dated October 17, 1995, and the municipality was formed by the dismemberment of Boa Vista, the state capital. Its installation took place on January 1, 1997, with the inauguration of the first mayor elected by direct vote, the agronomist engineer Hiperion de Oliveira and the nine councilors that compose the City Council, in an election held on October 3, 1996.

The municipal headquarters functions until today as a commercial warehouse, attracting several buyers of basic consumer goods from the neighboring municipality.