| Statistics |
| Capital: |
Natal |
| Area: |
53,015 km² |
|
| Population: |
2,770,730 2000 |
| Pop. density: |
52.61 inh./km² |
| Timezone: |
GMT -3 |
|
| ISO 3166-2: |
BR-RN |
| Governor: |
Wilma Maria de
Faria |
| Map |
| |
Rio Grande do Norte is one of the states of
Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the edge of the South American continent.
Geography
Rio Grande do Norte is dominated by its coastline. The state is famed for its beaches
and sand dunes, and the air is, according to NASA, the cleanest in South America. There are also many mangroves in
the state, and the interior is dominated by rainforest.
History
What is today Rio Grande do Norte was originally settled by the French, probably
sometime between 1535 and 1598. However, this
colonisation project was soon abandoned and during the 1600s, the area became a battleground between the expansionistic Portuguese, seeking to take more land for their Brazilian territories, and the Dutch, who were attempting to gain a foothold in South America.
For a long time starting in 1633, Rio Grande do Norte was under Dutch control, and under
this colonial master, the economy flourished, with vast sugarcane fields being
planted and many cattle being raised. It is largely thanks to this development that the
state is as prosperous as it is today.
During World War II, Rio Grande do Norte was used as an Allied airbase from which to launch air raids on
German-occupied North
Africa.
In 1964, Latin America's first
space launch site was constructed in Rio Grande do Norte;
Barreira do Inferno (Hell's Barrier), which is often referred to as the "Brazilian
NASA".
Economy
Historically, Rio Grande do Norte has relied upon sugar and cattle for economic gain. However, since the 1980s, the state government has realised that tourism is a
lucrative industry, and more money is being poured into the construction of tourist resorts, and restoring colonial buildings in
major cities.
Fruit is also grown in Rio Grande do Norte, with the state supplying 70% of Brazil's
melons, and the state is famed for its mango and
cashew fields. The world's largest cashew tree is located in the state; it has a
circumference of 500 metres and occupies an area of 7,300m², making it 70
times the size of average cashew trees.
Other cities include:
External links
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