VITORIA

city, capital of Esprito Santo state, eastern Brazil, situated on the western side of Ilha (island) de Vitria, in Baa (bay) do Esprito Santo. Founded in 1535 by Vasco Fernandes Coutinho, who was given the original captaincy of Esprito Santo by the Portuguese crown, Vitria attained city status and was made a provincial capital in 1823. It is the seat of Universidade Federal do Esprito Santo (1961). In and near the city are textile factories, sugar refineries, and other small manufacturing plants. After World War II Vitria became Brazil's leading iron-ore port, but after 1962 the volume of exports greatly exceeded the old port's capacity. New facilities, which can accommodate the largest ore carriers, were built at Tubaro, just to the north. Vitria exports small amounts of coffee, cocoa, cereals, meats, molasses, alcohol, monazite sands, and lumber. Minerals exported include iron ore, steel, monazite, and coal. There has been oil exploration in the bay. The city has rail connections with Rio de Janeiro (260 mi southwest) and Belo Horizonte and is accessible by highway and air as well as by sea. Pop. (1980) 165,090. capital of lava province, in the autonomous Basque Country, northeastern Spain, lying north of the Montes de Vitoria on the Ro Zadorra and southwest of San Sebastin. Founded as Victoriacum by the Visigothic king Leovigild to celebrate his victory over the Basques in 581, it was granted a charter by Sancho VI the Wise of Navarre in the 12th century. In 1200 Alfonso VIII of Castile captured the city and incorporated it into his kingdom. The Vitoria Basin was the scene in 1813 of the Battle of Vitoria, a decisive engagement of the Peninsular War. The ancient part of Vitoria stands on a hill and is centred around the old cathedral of Santa Mara (founded in 1180 and reconstructed in the 14th century). A new cathedral is in the lower or modern part of the city. Vitoria's manufactures include furniture, bicycles, agricultural machinery, beet sugar, and playing cards. Pop. (1982 est.) 226,388.