Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. It is Brazil's 4th largest city—Fortaleza surpassed Salvador in 2024 census with a population of slightly over 2.5 million. Currently, it is the eleventh richest city in the country by gross domestic product and the richest in the Northeast, with a GDP of about 73 billion reais. It forms the core of the Fortaleza metropolitan area, which is home to almost 4 million people.