Recife ranks 489th in number of biographies on Pantheon, behind Cali, Pretoria, and Toledo, Spain. Memorable people born in Recife include Paulo Freire, Vavá, and Rivaldo. Memorable people who died in Recife include Hélder Câmara, Naná Vasconcelos, and Gilberto Freyre. Recife has been the birth place of many soccer players and writers and the death place of many singers and religious figures. Recife is located in Brazil.
Recife is the state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North and the Northeast Region of Brazil. It is the largest city in Pernambuco state, and the fourth-largest urban area in all of Brazil, home to roughly 4,054,866 people including the adjacent suburbs; the metro population of the city of Recife was 1,653,461 in 2020. Recife was founded by the colonial Portuguese Empire in 1537, serving as the main harbor of the Captaincy of Pernambuco—known for its large-scale production of sugar cane. At one point, it was known as Mauritsstad, when it served as the capital city of the 17th century colony of New Holland of Dutch Brazil. Situated at the confluence of the Rivers Beberibe and Capibaribe, before they drain into the South Atlantic Ocean, Recife is a major seaport along the Brazilian Atlantic coast. Its name is an allusion to the stone reefs that are present offshore. Together with the urban presence of the Beberibe and Capibaribe Rivers and their tributaries, the many additional unique, small islands—and more than 50 bridges linking them throughout the city—create a distinct maritime or "riviera" atmosphere, leading to Recife being known as the "Venice of Brazil". Read more on Wikipedia
Between 1886 and 1994, Recife was the birth place of 25 globally memorable people, including Paulo Freire, Vavá, and Rivaldo. Additionaly, 6 globally memorable people have passed away in Recife including Hélder Câmara, Naná Vasconcelos, and Gilberto Freyre.
1921 - 1997
HPI: 68.16
Rank: 1
1934 - 2002
HPI: 67.98
Rank: 2
1972 - Present
HPI: 63.86
Rank: 3
1922 - 1996
HPI: 61.49
Rank: 4
1975 - Present
HPI: 56.95
Rank: 5
1944 - 2016
HPI: 50.91
Rank: 6
1900 - 1987
HPI: 50.63
Rank: 7
1934 - 2009
HPI: 49.89
Rank: 8
1886 - 1968
HPI: 47.57
Rank: 9
1908 - 1973
HPI: 47.41
Rank: 10
1962 - Present
HPI: 47.10
Rank: 11
1942 - 2021
HPI: 46.63
Rank: 12
1909 - 1999
HPI: 60.95
Rank: 1
1944 - 2016
HPI: 50.91
Rank: 2
1900 - 1987
HPI: 50.63
Rank: 3
1912 - 1989
HPI: 50.57
Rank: 4
1934 - 2009
HPI: 49.89
Rank: 5
1636 - 1696
HPI: 47.43
Rank: 6
Most individuals born in present day Recife were soccer players (14), writers (2), politicians (2), volleyball players (2), and philosophers (1), while most who died were singers (2), religious figures (1), anthropologists (1), soccer players (1), and writers (1).
Over the past 100 years, soccer players have been the top profession of globally memorable people born in Recife, including Vavá, Rivaldo, and Juninho Pernambucano. Whereas, throughout history, soccer players have been the profession with the most memorable people born in present day Recife, including Vavá, Rivaldo, and Ademir de Menezes.
Below is a visual represetation of the lifespans of the top 12 globally memorable people born in Recife since 1700.