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State of Paraná
—  State  —
Flag Coat of arms
Location of State of Paraná in Brazil
Coordinates: 24°0′S 51°0′W / 24°S 51°W / -24; -51Coordinates: 24°0′S 51°0′W / 24°S 51°W / -24; -51
Country	Brazil
Capital and Largest City	Curitiba
Government
• Governor	Beto Richa
• Vice Governor	Flávio Arns (PSDB)
Area
• Total	199,314.9 km2 (76,955.9 sq mi)
Area rank	9th
Population (2010 census)[1]
• Total	10,439,601
• Rank	6th
• Density	52/km2 (140/sq mi)
• Density rank	12th
Demonym	Paranaense
GDP
• Year	2006 estimate
• Total	R$ 136,681,000,000 (5th)
• Per capita	R$ 13,158 (7th)
HDI
• Year	2005
• Category	0.820 – high (6th)
Time zone	BRT (UTC-3)
• Summer (DST)	BRST (UTC-2)
Postal Code	80000-000 to 86990-000
ISO 3166 code	BR-PR
Website	pr.gov.br

Paraná (Portuguese pronunciation: [paɾaˈna]^[2]) is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay, with the Paraná River as its western boundary line. Cut by the Tropic of Capricorn, Paraná has what is left of the araucaria forest, one of the most important subtropical forests in the world. At the border with Argentina is the National Park of Iguaçu, considered by UNESCO as a World Heritage site and the spectacle of the Cataratas do Iguaçu attracts about 700 thousand tourists per year. At only 40 km (25 mi) from there, at the border with Paraguay, the largest dam in the world was built, the Hidroelétrica de Itaipu. The State Park of Vila Velha near the city of Ponta Grossa, is another attraction, with great rocky formations sculpted by the erosion of rain and wind. Curitiba, the capital, is famous for its high quality of life, compared to the Brazilian average, and the Ilha do Mel, next to the historical Paranaguá, is another destination for eco-tourists.

History[link]

Historic Center of Curitiba

The first historical information we have from the area where that today is the state of Paraná, comes from the Bandeirantes, groups of the first settles from São Paulo, the city, that already in the 16th century travel around the future Brazil, and parts of what today is Argentina and Paraguay searching gold mines. They travel around the north, in the Paraná, Paranapanema and Ivaí rivers, and found gold for the first time, in the south part, around what is now Curitiba. There they create a small village that lived around the gold. But the mines were completely explored in few years and the village almost disappeared. For two centuries would be only a place to stop in the way south, activity that would grow in the 17th century, because of the intense flow of cattle from Rio Grande do Sul to São Paulo and Rio. In 1693 Curitiba was big enough to be, finally, considered a city.

A second area developed and controlled by the Portuguese in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries was the coast, or what today we call the Paranaguá Bay. It was a safe place for ships coming from south or north, and already in 1648, the port became a official city named Paranaguá, the oldest of the state.

A third place was the missions of the Spanish Jesuits on the Paraná River, situated just above the Guaíra Falls in the north, there priests try to evangelize the Indians into their faith, and at the same time to create a social structure of labor and education based on the catholic systems, that some historians perceive as driven by social conscience, other by a agenda of the usual fight for domination of the land. The whole episode is very controversial. The fact is that those Missions were controlled by Spanish Jesuits and considered dangerous by the Portuguese, after battles between the two groups, the Missions were destroyed and the Jesuits and most of the Christianized Indians moved to what today is north of Argentina. The area around Guaira then became just a kind of fortification as a protection from the Spanish.

The state during this whole period was the southern part of the Province of São Paulo. Only in the 19th century, after the independence from Portugal, Paraná was set apart from São Paulo. The official date of the creation was 1843. This had strong opposition by most politicians from the provinces of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. The Paulista group claim that the emperor Pedro II of Brazil separated Paraná them to weaken and punish São Paulo, which had been a prominent area of support for the liberal insurrection of 1842.

Waves of European immigrants started arriving after 1850, mainly Germans, Italians, Poles and Ukrainians. The development of the state is closely linked to the arrival of the immigrants.

By the early 20th century, the state had two railway systems: the Paranaguá to Curitiba (69 miles) (111 km) with an extension to Ponta Grossa (118 miles) (190 km) and branches to Rio Negro (55 miles) (89 km), Porto Amazonas (6 miles) (10 km) and Antonina (10 miles) (16 km); and the São Paulo and Rio Grande, which crosses the state from northeast to south-west from União da Vitória, on the Iguaçu, to a junction with the Sorocabana line of São Paulo at Itararé. The junction of the two systems was at Ponta Grossa, north-west of Curitiba.

Geography[link]

Iguaçu Falls.

Paraná is bounded on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay, with the Paraná River as its western boundary line.

The state has two geographic regions, a narrow coastal zone that is home to the Serra do Mar coastal forests, and a high plateau (2500 to 3000 ft.) (750 to 1000 m) whose precipitous, deeply eroded eastern escarpments are known as the Serra do Mar or Serra de Cubatão. The southern and central portions of the state is covered by the Araucaria moist forests, and has large tracts of Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguayensis), known in Brazil as erva mate, used to make a tea called Chimarrão. The plateau slopes westward to the Paraná river, is well watered and moderately fertile, and has a remarkably uniform climate of a mild temperate character; the lower western and northern portions of the state are covered by the Paraná-Paraíba interior forests ecoregion.

The largest rivers in the state comprise the Paranapanema and its tributaries the Cinza and Tibaji, the Ivaí, Piquiri, Jejuy-guassu, and the Iguaçu with its principal tributary the Rio Negro. The Paranapanema and a small tributary, the Itarare', form the boundary line with São Paulo west of the Serra do Mar, and the Iguaçu and Negro, the boundary line with Santa Catarina and Argentina - both streams having their sources in the Serra do Mar and flowing westward to the Paraná. The other streams have shorter courses, and all are obstructed by falls and rapids. Twenty miles above the mouth of the Iguaçu are the Iguaçu Falls, 215 ft. (66 m) high, broken into twenty or more falls separated by rocks and islands, and surrounded by a wild, unsettled and wooded country. The surface of the plateau is undulating and the greater part is adapted to agricultural and pastoral purposes.

Demographics[link]

Botanical Garden of Curitiba Population of Curitiba's Metropolitan area: 3,168,980 (IBGE 2010)

Maringá is the third largest city in the state of Paraná. The city has an estimated population of 357,930, and the greater metropolitan area estimated population is 575.495 (IBGE 2009).

Polish tradicional architecture preserved in a Curitiba park

Brazilians of Ukrainian descent celebrating Easter in a church of Curitiba.

Japanese Temple and garden in Curitiba.

According to the IBGE of 2010, the state population is 10,439,601. The population density was 51.48 inhabitants per square kilometre (133.3 /sq mi).

Urbanization: 84.5% (2006); Population growth: 1.4% (1991–2000); Houses: 3,177,000 (2006).^[3]

The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census produced the following numbers: 7,641,000 White (72.68%), 2,537,000 Pardos (Multiracial) (24.30%), 174,000 Black (1.49%), 121,000 Asian (1.12%), 38,000 Amerindian (0.36%).^[4]

City of Campo Mourão.

Like the other two Southern states, Paraná experienced a massive European immigration wave that has shaped its current population. Europeans spread to all parts of the state, though some groups have remained in specific areas.

The two major European groups in the state are the Italians and Germans. Italians have a major presence throughout the state, and they are the most significant group in several cities of the north and northwest, like Londrina, Maringá, Apucarana, Umuarama, Cianorte and others. Germans have large communities in the west, south and in the Curitiba metropolitan area. They are a major group in several cities, like Toledo, Cascavel, Francisco Beltrão, Pato Branco and also in Rolândia, at the north.

The Polish are the third largest group and have big communities in the central and south regions, mainly around Curitiba (see: Morska Wola). In Colombo, a 230.000 city in Curitiba's Metropolitan area, they are the predominant group. Though most of the Polish immigrants were Catholic, part of the group was Jewish. Today Jews with Polish background are around 90% of the Jewish Paranaense community. They live mainly in Curitiba and Londrina. The former mayor of Curitiba and governor of Paraná, Jaime Lerner, is of Jewish Polish ancestry.

Ukrainians also arrived in big groups, and today are the majority in some small cities in the south, specially Prudentópolis. The Dutch are concentrated around the central state region, near cities of Ponta Grossa and Castro. Other European groups also present almost everywhere, but in smaller numbers, are the Portuguese and Spaniards, who arrived in the country as immigrants but also coming from other states. Today the European population is increasingly becoming mixed, the communities are less isolated, and are merging through marriage.

The Japanese also played a important role in Paraná history. Along with the Italians, they colonized the north of the state in the first half of 20th century. Today they have a strong presence there and in all major cities, specially in Londrina and Maringá, and are the majority in the small town of Açai. Also important was the Lebanese immigration. In the last decades of 19th century and beginning of the 20th, the Lebanese that arrived were mainly from the Christian communities of Lebanon, and came in large numbers. Today they are around 95% of the community, and live in all the cities of the state. The other 5% are Muslim Lebanese, who arrived in the last three decades, and basically live today in the city of Foz do Iguaçu, near the border of Argentina.

The Pardos, a definition created by government agencies in the forties, are still today a controversial category, as it is any perception of race and ethnicity in the extremely diverse and mixed Brazil. But pardos are generally perceived as somebody born from parents of two or more races, or ethnic groups. The general idea is a mix between Whites, Blacks and/or Indians. The blacks, although a small group, can be found everywhere in the state, specially in larger cities. The Amerindians are a very small group, and are concentrated in Reservations at the central part of the state, around the city of Guarapuava.

There is a significant population of Kyrgyz people living in Paraná most of whom settled in Curitiba.

The main cities of the state are:

• Curitiba (Capital and main city, east)
• Londrina (north)
• Maringá (northwest)
• Ponta Grossa (center-east)
• Cascavel (west)
• Foz do Iguaçu (west)
• Guarapuava (center)
• Paranaguá (east-coast)
• Apucarana (north)
• Arapongas (north)
• Cianorte (northwest)
• Umuarama (northwest)
• Campo Mourão (northwest)
• Paranavaí (northwest)
• Francisco Beltrão (south-west)
• Pato Branco (south-west)
• Toledo (west)

Largest cities[link]

v t e Largest cities or towns of Paraná (2011 census of Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística)[5]
	Rank	City name	Mesoregion	Pop.	Rank	City name	Mesoregion	Pop.
Curitiba Londrina	1	Curitiba	Metropolitana de Curitiba	1.764.540	11	Apucarana	Norte Central	121.924	Maringá Ponta Grossa
	2	Londrina	Norte Central	511.278	12	Araucária	Metropolitana de Curitiba	121.032
	3	Maringá	Norte Central	362.329	13	Toledo	Oeste	120.934
	4	Ponta Grossa	Centro Oriental	318.527	14	Pinhais	Metropolitana de Curitiba	118.084
	5	Cascavel	Oeste	289.339	15	Campo Largo	Metropolitana de Curitiba	113.881
	6	São José dos Pinhais	Metropolitana de Curitiba	268.807	16	Arapongas	Norte Central	105.587
	7	Foz do Iguaçu	Oeste	255.900	17	Almirante Tamandaré	Metropolitana de Curitiba	104.350
	8	Colombo	Metropolitana de Curitiba	215.242	18	Umuarama	Noroeste	101.442
	9	Guarapuava	Centro-Sul	168.262	19	Cambé	Norte Central	97.389
	10	Paranaguá	Metropolitana de Curitiba	141.477	20	Piraquara	Metropolitana de Curitiba	94.767

Economy[link]

Since the 1950s Paraná is one of Brazilian agriculture powerhouses. First as the biggest producer of coffee, the main product that dominated the state agriculture, specially in the higly cultivated northern part of the state. That situation remained until a big natural disaster, the big frost of 1975, that destroy most of the coffee trees. After that, the sector diversified its plantations, and soybeans, corn, sugarcane, cattle, pork and chicken became the main products, coffee lost most of the land dedicated to its production, but remain an important item of the state exports. Today the Paraná state production of all this commodities ranks among the top three, or five, biggest state producers in the country. That's a great achievement knowing that Brazil is the biggest or second world producer of all of then, except pork, in which the country ranks number five.

The state industry at first was created based in agrobusiness: meat, coffee, dairy, lumber, mate tea and chicken processing were responsible for the first industries created in the state, some already in the end of 19th century, but most after the 1940s. Still today they are responsible for a large part of the industrial production. But the 1970s inauguration of the Volvo Factory in Curitiba, stated the car manufacturing, which today is huge. Plants of several different brands and industries installed around the metropolitan Curitiba, producing around 450.000 cars, buses, and trucks a year. The whole industry today is very diversified, the Curitiba Metropolitan Area has a whole range of industries some of then the top in the country, like computers, freezer and cosmetics. There are also several industries around several main cities, specially Ponta Grossa (Soybean products), Londrina (Coffee and Cattle), Maringá (Soybeans and Cattle), Telemaco Borba (Lumber and Cellulose) and Cianorte (Textiles and Clothing).

The service sector is the largest component of GDP at 38.6%, followed by the industrial sector at 36%. Agriculture represents 25.4% of GDP (2008).

Share of the Brazilian economy: 5.9% (2005).

Its per capita GDP in 2005 was R$12,339, or US$5,400, 8th in Brazil and comparable to that of Turkey.^[6]

Statistics[link]

• Vehicles: 3,808,298 (March 2007)
• Mobile phones: 12 million (August 2011)
• Telephones: 2.7 million (April 2007)
• Cities: 399 (2007)^[7]

Education[link]

Federal University of Paraná.

Educational institutions[link]

Federal universities:

• Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR) (Federal University of Paraná);
• Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR) (Federal Technological University of Paraná);
• Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Paraná (IFPR) (Paraná Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology)

State universities:

• Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste (UNICENTRO) (State University of West Center);
• Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL) (State University of Londrina);
• Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM) (State University of Maringá);
• Universidade Estadual do Norte do Paraná (UENP) (State University of North of Paraná);
• Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (Unioeste) (Western Paraná State University)
• Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa (UEPG) (State University of Ponta Grossa);
• Universidade Estadual do Paraná (UNESPAR) (State University of Paraná);

Private universities:

• Centro Universitário Curitiba (UNICURITIBA);
• Centro Universitário Franciscano do Paraná (UNIFAE);
• Faculdade de Tecnologia (FATEC) (College of Technology);
• Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUC-PR);
• Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR)
• Universidade Positivo (Positivo University);
• Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná (UTP) (Tuiuti University of Paraná);
• Faculdades Opet (OPET) ;
• and many others.

Infrastructure[link]

Afonso Pena International Airport in Metropolitan Region of Curitiba

Foz do Iguaçu International Airport in Foz do Iguaçu.

International airports[link]

• Curitiba

Afonso Pena International Airport is Curitiba's main airport. It is located in the nearby city of São José dos Pinhais and all commercial flights operate from this airport. It is integrated into Curitiba's transportation system, with rapid buses and executive buses connecting the airport to the city. Small aircraft may also use the Bacacheri airport, which today hosts a flight school and a national airbase.

• Foz do Iguaçu

Foz do Iguaçu International Airport. Brazil's main airlines serve the city daily, connecting it with the rest of the country and foreign cities. Regional routes also serve local traffic. The airport is equipped for both visual and instrument operations, and has received charter flights from various continents. Its runway can serve jumbo jets such as the Boeing 747/100 and 747/200. At Foz do Iguaçu there are currently four daily flights by Varig, two by Vasp, two by Tam and one by Ocean Air. The combination of transport by highway, air, river and railway makes Foz do Iguaçu an excellent, perhaps unique, location in the Southern Cone of the Americas. Its geographic location makes it a natural port for Mercosur. In the future it also will be an obligatory port of entrance and exit of the bi-ocean central corridor.

Highways[link]

BR-116, BR-153, BR-158, BR-163, BR-272, BR-277, BR-280, BR-369, BR-373, BR-376, BR-467, BR-469, BR-476, BR-487.

Social care[link]

Paraná has one of the highest standards of living in Brazil with relatively low crime levels, a special attention given to education and health and a Human Development Index of ~0.820, the 5th highest in Brazil.

Sports[link]

Paraná provides visitors and residents with various sport activities. There are several soccer clubs based in Paraná, such as:

• Clube Atlético Paranaense (Curitiba);
• Coritiba Foot Ball Club (Curitiba);
• Paraná Clube (Curitiba);
• Atlético Clube Paranavaí (Paranavaí);
• Arapongas Esporte Clube (Arapongas);
• Cianorte Futebol Clube (Cianorte);
• Cascavel Clube Recreativo (Cascavel);
• Toledo Colônia Work (Toledo);
• Iraty Sport Club (Irati);
• Operário Ferroviário Esporte Clube (Ponta Grossa);
• Rio Branco Sport Club (Paranaguá);
• Roma Esporte Apucarana (Apucarana).

Stadiums

• Clube Atlético Paranaense: Arena da Baixada
• Coritiba FC: Couto Pereira
• Paraná C: Vila Capanema
• AC Paranavaí: Waldemiro Wagner
• Arapongas EC: dos Pássaros (of Birds)
• Cianorte FC: Albino Turbay
• Toledo CW: 14 de Dezembro
• Cascavel CR: Olímpico Regional (Olympic Regional)
• Iraty SC: Emílio Gomes
• Operário Ferroviário EC: Germano Krüguer
• Rio Branco SC: Estradinha (little road)
• Roma EA: Bom Jesus da Lapa

Curitiba is one of the 12 host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Arena da Baixada, currently one of the most modern stadiums in South America, is the chosen venue, and is expected to host group, round of 16 and possibly quarter-final games. Even though it is far ahead of the average Brazilian stadiums in terms of safety, technology and infrastructure, it will go through a major transformation, with seating capacity expected to be nearly doubled, the pitch rotated by 90° and the arena completely closed with similar stands on all sides (today it has a much smaller single-tier stand in one side).

Album[link]

• 

  Pico Paraná

• 

  Art Museum designed by Oscar Niemeyer

• 

  Itaipu dam

• 

  Vila Velha stone formation

• 

  Bus station in Curitiba

• 

  Brejatuba beach

See also[link]

• Flag of Paraná
• Military Police of Paraná State

References[link]

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

External links[link]

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• (Portuguese) Official Website
• Brazilian Tourism Portal
• (Portuguese) Official Hotel Guide

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