Ceará
Northeastern Brazilian state known for its extensive coastline.
Ceará is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the eighth-largest Brazilian state by population and the 17th by area, and is one of the main tourist destinations in Brazil. The state capital is Fortaleza, the country's fourth most populous city.
- capital
- Fortaleza
- population_rank
- 8th largest in Brazil
- gdp_share
- 2.1% of Brazilian GDP
- population_share
- 4.3% of Brazilian population
Lore & Background
The territory of Ceará was originally inhabited by various indigenous peoples, including the Tabajara, Potyguara, Anacés, Kariri, Inhamum, Jucá, Kanindé, Tremembé, and Paicaú, who had commercial relations with European peoples, including the French, before Portuguese colonization.
Reader's Guide
The state's economy produces 2.1% of Brazil's GDP, and its geography includes mountains, valleys, and the National Forest of Araripe. The state's climate is hot year-round, with a rainy season from January to June and a dry season from July to December. To mitigate drought, many dams (açudes) have been built, including the largest, Açude Castanhão.
Did You Know?
- The name Ceará literally means 'sings the jandaia' and, according to writer José de Alencar, also means turquoise or green waters.
- The earliest South American enantiornithine bird, Cratoavis cearensis, was described from the Aptian sediments of the Crato Formation in Ceará.
More in Brazilian States 25-33
Elsewhere in the Brazilian States universe
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