Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, is a city on the Atlantic coast, known for its beaches. Natal was first settled in the 1500s, but unlike other Northeastern capitals, it did not quite benefit from the economic boom resulting from the region's sugar cane production. Instead it grew moderately and more organizedly, burgeoning on the state's cattle-raising activities and salt and oil extraction. During World War II the city hosted a U.S. military base established there because of its strategic position as the easternmost point on the Atlantic. Nowadays Natal is becoming a popular tourist destination with Brazilians and foreigners alike, offering gorgeous beaches and a few good hotels and restaurants. http://wikitravel.org/en/Natal