# Law No. 3173 of June 6, 1957

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105649112](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105649112)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3173-of-june-6-1957

## Summary
Law No. 3173 of June 6, 1957 is a Brazilian federal statute that creates a free trade zone in the city of Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas, and establishes other related provisions. It was approved and promulgated by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President Juscelino Kubitschek.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3173, de 6 de junho de 1957
- **Date of Enactment:** June 6, 1957
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, with President Juscelino Kubitschek as the determining head of state.
- **Legal Classification:** Instance of a "statute" (a formal written document that creates law).
- **Primary Purpose (Law Digest):** Creates a free trade zone in Manaus, Amazonas, and provides other measures.
- **Jurisdiction:** Applies to Brazil.
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **Official Citation:** Lei nº 3173/1957.
- **Stable URL:** Full text available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3173.htm.
- **LexML Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-06-06;3173.
- **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law.
- **Wikimedia Project Focus:** Listed on the focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws.
- **Main Subjects Addressed:** The law's provisions concern management, the municipality of Manaus, the port, expenses, financial operations, the industrial sector, physical location, the state of Amazonas, functioning, deposits, creation, taxes, area, payments, construction, goods/products, and tax exemptions.

## FAQs
**What is the primary purpose of Law No. 3173/1957?**
The law's core purpose, as stated in its digest, is to create a free trade zone (Zona Franca) in the city of Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state. It also includes other provisions related to this central economic development initiative for the region.

**Who enacted Law No. 3173/1957 and when?**
The law was enacted by the federal government of Brazil and promulgated on June 6, 1957. The act of approval and promulgation was carried out by the Presidency of the Republic, with Juscelino Kubitschek serving as President at that time.

**What geographic area and sectors does this law affect?**
The law specifically targets the city of Manaus in the state of Amazonas. Its provisions span multiple sectors and concepts, including municipal administration, port operations, industrial development, taxation (including tax exemptions), financial transactions, construction, and the physical area of the designated free trade zone.

**How can the complete, official text of this law be accessed?**
The full, authoritative text of Law No. 3173/1957 is publicly available online through the official Brazilian federal legislation portal at the URL: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3173.htm. It is also cataloged in the national LexML system under the identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-06-06;3173.

**What types of legal and administrative matters does the law regulate?**
The law regulates a wide array of matters essential to establishing and operating a free trade zone. These include the management and creation of the zone, financial operations and money transfers, expense payments, tax imposition and exemption, industrial activities, port functioning, construction projects, and the handling of goods and deposits within the designated physical area.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3173/1957 is a foundational piece of Brazilian economic legislation with lasting regional and national significance. It established the legal framework for the Manaus Free Trade Zone (Zona Franca de Manaus), a pivotal development project aimed at promoting industrial growth, economic integration, and demographic occupation in the remote Amazon region. By offering tax incentives and a special customs regime, the law sought to attract investment, create jobs, and stimulate the industrial sector in a strategically important but underdeveloped part of the country. Its provisions on tax exemption, financial operations, and port management created a self-contained economic model that has endured for decades, shaping the economic geography of the Amazon and contributing to Brazil's broader strategy of national integration and development. The law represents a key example of using targeted statutory instruments to drive regional policy and industrial policy in a large, diverse nation.

## Notable For
- **Foundational Legislation:** It is the original statutory act that created the Manaus Free Trade Zone, one of Brazil's most significant and long-lasting economic incentive programs.
- **Comprehensive Scope:** The law is notable for its wide-ranging provisions that simultaneously address industrial policy, tax law, municipal administration, port logistics, and financial regulations within a single statute.
- **Strategic Regional Development:** It exemplifies a mid-20th century state-led development strategy focused on integrating the Amazon region into the national economy through a specialized economic zone.
- **Enduring Model:** The legal model it established has proven remarkably durable, with the Manaus Free Trade Zone remaining a major industrial hub over 65 years after its creation.
- **Specific Geographic Focus:** The law is uniquely tied to a single municipality (Manaus) and state (Amazonas), making it a prime example of hyper-local federal legislation with national economic implications.

## Body

### Enactment and Legal Authority
Law No. 3173 was formally enacted on June 6, 1957. The act of promulgation, which brought the law into force, was executed by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The head of state and government at the time of approval was **President Juscelino Kubitschek**. The law was officially published in the city of **Rio de Janeiro**, which was the national capital at that time (the capital would later move to Brasília in 1960). The law's official citation is **Lei nº 3173/1957**. Its full, authoritative text is preserved and accessible through the official federal legislation portal (Planalto) and is cataloged in the national **LexML Brazil** system with the persistent identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-06-06;3173`.

### Core Purpose and Subject Matter
The law's primary objective, as concisely stated in its digest, is to **"CRIA UMA ZONA FRANCA NA CIDADE DE MANAUS CAPITAL DO AMAZONAS E DA OUTRAS PROVIDENCIAS"** (CREATES A FREE TRADE ZONE IN THE CITY OF MANAUS, CAPITAL OF AMAZONAS, AND PROVIDES OTHER MEASURES). This establishes a special economic zone with distinct customs and tax rules. Beyond this central theme, the law's detailed provisions, as reflected in its indexed main subjects, cover a broad operational and administrative spectrum necessary for such a zone. These subjects include **management** (administração), the **municipality** of Manaus (Município), the **port** (Porto), **expenses** (Despesa), **financial operations** (Operação Financeira), the **industrial sector** (Indústria), **physical location** (Localização), the **state of Amazonas** (Estado Do Amazonas), **functioning** (Funcionamento), **deposits** (Depósito), **creation** (Instalação/Criação), **taxes** (Impostos), **area** (Área), **payments** (Pagamento), **construction** (Construção), **goods/products** (Mercadoria), and **tax exemptions** (Isenção).

### Jurisdiction, Language, and Accessibility
The law applies to the entire **jurisdiction of Brazil** (applies_to_jurisdiction: Brazil), as it is a federal statute. It was written and enacted in **Brazilian Portuguese** (language_of_work_or_name). As a federal law of Brazil, it is a public document. The complete text is **available at a stable URL** on the official government website (https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3173.htm), ensuring public access. In knowledge organization systems, it is classified as an **instance of a "statute"**, aligning it with the global concept of a formal written legal act. It is also tracked by **WikiProject Brazilian Laws** on Wikimedia projects, indicating its relevance for collaborative legal knowledge curation.

### Contextual Classification
Within legal and knowledge frameworks, Law No. 3173/1957 is a specific, tangible **manifestation of statutory law**. It is a concrete "legal act" or "legislation" that resulted from the Brazilian federal legislative process. As a statute, it is a subclass of "written work" and "document." Its content is composed of multiple "legal norms" addressing the various subjects listed above. The law follows the standard process of being preceded by draft legislation and is caused by the formal act of legislation by the national Congress and subsequent promulgation by the President. It functions as the official, binding record of the rules governing the Manaus Free Trade Zone and its associated administrative, fiscal, and operational framework.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-06-06;3173)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3173&ano=1957&data=06/06/1957&ato=3b8ITT65UMNRVTd77)
3. LexML Brasil