O State of Rio Grande do Sul is located in the southern region of Brazil. The capital is Porto Alegre and the acronym RS.
- Area: 281,737.947
- Limits: Rio Grande do Sul borders Uruguay to the south, Argentina to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Santa Catarina to the north.
- Number of municipalities: 497
- Population: 11.2 million inhabitants, according to the IBGE estimate for 2015
- Gentile: Gaucho
- Main city: Porto Alegre
Flag of the State of Rio Grande do Sul
History
The territory currently occupied by Rio Grande do Sul is among the areas of the country that took the longest to receive the occupation of the Portuguese colonizer.
The state border was only defined in 1801, with the signature of the Treaty of Badajoz. The agreement ended a series of conflicts over ownership of the region.
Until a century after the Discovery of Brazil (1500), the region was still mainly occupied by indigenous people. Geography is among the justifications that delayed colonization.
In the region lived Gé, Pampean and Guaraní Indians. The ge group, also called tapuia, was in the region called "Cima da Serra". In this place still live remnants of Caingangues Indians.
The site is currently occupied by the cities of Bom Jesus, Lagoa Vermelha, Passo Fundo and São Francisco de Paula.
The Pampa people, also called charrua and minuano, lived in the pampa region. The Guarani were on the shore of Lagoa dos Patos.
The Guarani Indians were the first to feel the impact of the European with the arrival of the Spanish Jesuit priests in 1626.
Religious founded the Guarani Missions, covering part of the territories now belonging to Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.
During the 18th century, there was an intense dispute over the territory by the Spanish and the Portuguese. The Spanish founded in 1726, the city of Montevideo, east of the colony of Sacramento, founded in 1680.
The purpose of founding Montevideo was to reduce Portuguese influence. In response, the Portuguese founded Fort Jesus Maria José in 1737, today the city of Rio Grande.
The dispute ended in 1777, when Portugal and Spain signed the Treaty of Santo Ildefonso. Under the agreement, the colony of Sacramento would remain in the possession of Spain and the Rio Grande would remain with Portugal.
Twenty-three years after defining the borders of Rio Grande do Sul, the state began to receive a wave of German immigrants.
The presence of immigrants allowed the diversification of the economy with the installation of the model of agricultural resorts.
Several new battles raged across the territory. The longest and bloodiest was the War of the Rags took place between 1835 and 1854.
The state was only pacified in 1928, during the administration of Governor Getúlio Vargas (1882 - 1954).
Better understand this subject by reading the articles:
- Discovery of Brazil
- Seven Peoples of the Missions
- Guarani Indians
- Brazilian Indians
Cities
Porto Alegre
The city was founded in 1752 by Azorean Portuguese. The first name was Porto dos Casais. Porto Alegre's economic growth was boosted by the presence of the Germans in São Leopoldo and Novo Hamburgo.
Italian colonies also played an important role in the city's development. The economy is diversified, including the production of fruits, vegetables and leaves.
The industrial sector is among the most important in the country. The footwear sector industry occupies a privileged position in the national economy.
Lawn and Cinnamon
The famous cities of the mountainous region of Rio Grande do Sul attract thousands of tourists every year. The climate in the region is mild, with severe winters. This characteristic is exploited by the tourist industry, specializing in events, colonial coffees and handcrafted chocolates.
Gramado hosts important events, such as the Gramado Film Festival and the International Advertising Festival. The city is surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape, with lakes and waterfalls.
Cinnamon
The landscapes are also the strong point of tourism in Canela. The city displays a peculiar architecture, with European standards.
Wine
Rio Grande do Sul concentrates 91% of the national wine production, an activity initiated by Italian immigrants. Colonies of Italians settled in the region from 1875 onwards, attracted by the favorable climate for the production of grapes in the Serra Gaúcha.
The grape plantations are located in Caxias do Sul, Farroupilha, Antônio Prado, Flores da Cunha and Bento Gonçalves. There are also crops in Garibaldi, Carlos Barbosa, Nova Milano, Nova Roma, São José do Ouro, São Marcos and Veranópolis.
Geographical Aspects
Relief
The Gaucho relief is formed by the Planalto Serrano, the Pampa and the Serra Lagunar. Most of the territory is on the Serrano Plateau.
Climate
The climate of Rio Grande do Sul is of tropical influence. On the Serrano Plateau it is subtropical in altitude. The four seasons are well defined and winters can register negative temperatures in some regions.
Hydrography
The rivers that cross the state are in the Prata basin. The main one is the Uruguay River, which is formed by Canoas and Pelotas.
The Taquari, Ijuí, Jacuí, Ibicuí and Camacuã rivers are also of importance to the region.
Read more:
- southern states
- South region
- Brazil states
- South Region Climate
- Southern Economy
Culture
Gaucho culture is one of the most peculiar in Brazil. It has a specific language, linked to the campaigner, who lives in the pampa.
The gaucho's cultural aspects repeat what happened in the rest of the country. They result from the mixture of the indigenous, the black and the Portuguese colonizer.
In the pampa, the gaucho was a knight with a noose and a bola. Nomad, he worked on cattle farms. He wore baggy pants called pumps, which were attached to leather boots. Around the neck a scarf to withstand the cold and around the body a poncho, also with the same purpose.
Also to withstand the cold, the gaucho took a gourd of chimarrão early in the morning. The drink was inherited from the Guarani people and today refers directly to the region. Mate is a hot drink, made from refined yerba mate, which gives it a bitter taste.
The mate and the costumes used by this figure are the perfect translation of the people of Rio Grande do Sul. Brave and fearless, he was associated with thieves and adventurers. The situation changed with the Farrapos War, when he came to be seen as a patriot.
Barbecue
The meat roasted on improvised skewers and placed in holes in the earth results in the most traditional dish of the state's cuisine. Barbecuing also dates back to the time of farm-to-farm work.
It results from the improvisation to prepare the food. The meat is only seasoned with coarse salt and roasted.
The other dishes of the gaucho cuisine also date back to the improvisation of the gaucho worker. In the region, scrambled beans are served, prepared with cassava, kibeb; pumpkin-based; and dried meat with cassava.
Pine nuts are also widely consumed, especially in winter. The dried fruit is cooked and can be consumed pure or in the form of paçoca.
The influence of Guarani is perceived in the preparation of puchero, a full-bodied soup, cooked with meat and vegetables.
Keep Studying!
- Indigenous Culture
- Tupi-Guarani Culture
- pampa
- Pampa animals
- Brazilian Biomes
- South Region Culture
- Acronyms of Brazilian States
