The State of Rio de Janeiro is located in the southeast region, following the main natural characteristics of this important unit of the federation.
Relief
The relief of the State of Rio de Janeiro is very varied, thus it presents, among others, high cliffs, seas of hills, hills and valleys, diverse rocks, in addition to an extensive plateau area that occurs throughout the west of the territory.
The highest point in the state is the Pico das Agulhas Negras with 2,787 meters high in the Serra Mantiqueira.
In the state it is possible to find two relief units, called the Fluminense lowland and the plateau Fluminense, the first occupies almost half of the state territory and the second settles in the interior of the same.
Climate
In the flat relief area, the prevailing climate is semi-humid tropical, with high rainfall in summer and dry winter. The average temperature in this territory is 24ºC and the average annual rainfall is around 1,250 mm.
Between the Fluminense lowland and the plateau develops the tropical climate of altitude that results in harsh winters and hot summers with high rainfall, reaching approximately 2,200 mm per year and average temperature of 16°C.
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In the plateaus, the tropical climate of altitude prevails, which promotes hot and humid summers (rainy) and dry and cold winters. The average annual temperature in these places is 20ºC and rainfall ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 mm annually.
Vegetation
Given the past occupation, carried out in the State of Rio de Janeiro for the development of livestock, there is currently only about 9% of all original vegetation, the remaining areas are dispersed in places of hard access. Basically, three vegetative variations are identified, on the coast and around the mangrove and Atlantic forest, in the interior of the Tropical forest.
In the state there are forests of the Ombrophilous type, coastal vegetation (mangroves, restinga, beach), fields of altitude and plain fields, although these characteristics have lost much of their reservations.
Hydrography
The main river in the State is the Paraíba do Sul, which runs through the territory in great extension, in addition to the Macaé, Muriaé, Piraí and Grande rivers.
The Paraíba do Sul river is born in the State of São Paulo and flows into the Atlantic Ocean, this important source has as tributaries the Piabinha, Piraí and Paraibuna rivers, on the right bank, and Pomba and Muriaé on the left bank.
Eduardo de Freitas
Graduated in Geography
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FREITAS, Eduardo de. "Natural Aspects of the State of Rio de Janeiro"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/brasil/aspectos-naturais-estado-rio-janeiro.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
