The BR-116 is part of the Brazilian Highway System. With at total length of 4,542 km (2,822 mi) it is the longest highway in the country. It is also the longest highway in the country to be completely paved.
The highway connects Fortaleza, Ceará, one of the largest Northeast Brazil metropolises, to the southern city of Jaguarão, Rio Grande do Sul, on the border with Uruguay.
Fortaleza (/ˌfɔːrtəˈleɪzə/ FOR-tə-LAY-zə ; Brazilian Portuguese: [foʁtaˈlezɐ] ; Portuguese for 'Fortress') 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—and 12th among cities with the highest gross domestic product. It forms the core of the Fortaleza metropolitan area, which is home to almost 4 million people.
Fortaleza is an important industrial and commercial center of Northeast Brazil. According to the Ministry of Tourism, it is the fourth most visited city and tourist destination in the country. The BR-116, the most important highway in the country, starts in Fortaleza. The municipality is part of the Mercosur common market, and vital trade port which is closest to mainland Europe, being 5,608 kilometres (3,485 mi) from Lisbon, Portugal.