Pernambuco it's a brazilian state located at Rnortheastern region. It borders five states in the same region: Alagoas and Bahia (south), Piauí (west), Ceará (northwest) and Paraíba (north). It is also washed by the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Its acronym is PE.
Check below some selected data from Pernambuco, the state that administers the island of Fernando de Noronha, according to information from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
Read too: States of Brazil — federative units that have autonomous governments
General data for Pernambuco
- Region: Northeast of Brazil.
- capital: Recife.
- Gentile: Pernambuco.
- Government: representative democratic, with periodic elections.
- Areaterritorial: 98,067,880 km² (IBGE, 2020).
- Population: 9,616,621 inhabitants (IBGE estimate, 2020).
- Densitydemographic: 89.62 inhab./km² (IBGE, 2010).
- spindle: - 3, that is, 3 hours behind the Greenwich Meridian, except in Fernando de Noronha, which follows the GMT -2 time zone.
- Climate: tropical humid (coast) and tropical semiarid (inland).
Pernambuco geography
Pernambuco is located in the Northeast Region of Brazil and make currency with:
- alagoas and Bahia (south);
- Piauí (West);
- Ceará (northwest); and
- Paraíba (north).
To the east, the state is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, where the island of Fernando de Noronha is located, which is administered by the Pernambuco government.
Noronha's location is quite peculiar, as it houses the first Brazilian time zone, the GMT -2 (two hours behind the Greenwich Meridian). The mainland part of the state obeys the GMT -3 time zone, which is the official time zone for the country.
On the coast there is the presence of plains, which favors occupation and regional development, area called Zona da Mata. It is on the coast that the main economic zones of the state are located, in addition to the main urban agglomerations.
Already the interior is marked by moderate reliefs, such as the Borborema Plateau, with altitudes reaching 800 m, and the Sertaneja Depression, an extremely arid area located in the west of the state.
Due to the flat relief, the coast concentrates a humid tropical climate, with periodic rains that vary between 1500 mm and 2000 mm annually. The proximity to the ocean means that there is a low thermal amplitude, with thermal averages that vary between 18 ºC and 25 ºC during the year.
Inland, the hinterland is present, and the semiarid climate makes the presence of rain difficult, in addition to temperatures exceeding 25 ºC. During the year, long periods of drought are common, as rainfall rates do not exceed 600 mm per year.
THE Caatinga and the Atlantic forest are the most common biomes in Pernambuco. The first occurs more frequently in the interior, as it is a vegetation adapted to the hot and dry climate. The Atlantic Forest, on the other hand, can be found in coastal areas, in the east of the state.
rivers like the San Francisco, Capibaribe, Ipojuca and Jaboatão are the main ones in the state, with an emphasis on Velho Chico (Rio São Paulo). Francisco), which is extremely important for the interior areas of the state that practice the fruit growing.
history of Pernambuco
Pernambuco was, together with Bahia, one of the first regions of the country to be occupied and colonized by the Portuguese, in the 16th century. Before the arrival of the Europeans, the territory was occupied by indigenous people, such as the tabajaras and the caetés.
In 1501, the year following the European arrival, Pernambuco became the main area of exploration of the forau-Brasil, a tree native to the Atlantic Forest, which was removed and exported to Europe, used to manufacture furniture, dye fabrics, among other uses.
In the 1530s, with the creation of the çapitancies Hereditary, the territory of Pernambuco was in charge of Duarte Coelho, who founded Olinda and, later, Recife. At this moment in the history of Brazil, Pernambuco, little by little, became the great exponent of sugarcane cultivation, which adapted to the climate and soil of the region.
The sugar economy, based on large estates and patriarchy, leveraged Pernambuco to the position of richest captaincy of the colonial period in the 17th century, being the main sugar producer in the world at that time. In that same century, around 1630, there was the Dutch invasion in Pernambuco, which lasted 24 years (1630-1654), under the domain of Mauritius of Nassau. This governor modified the Recife landscape, founding the Botanical Garden and the Observatory Astronomical, for example, in addition to building Mauritius, considered the first large city in the Latin America.
After the expulsion of the Dutch, the Portuguese faced, in the following centuries, with popular revolts that questioned European rule in the region, in addition to slave struggles for freedom. O Quilombo dos Palmares, in fact, was located in the captaincy of Pernambuco. revolts like the Peddler War (1710-11), the Pernambuco Revolution (1817), the Confederation of Ecuador (1824) and the beach revolution (1848-1850) are some examples of popular dissatisfaction with Portuguese domain.
See too: Malês Revolt – the biggest revolt of African slaves in the history of Brazil
Pernambuco Map
Demographics of Pernambuco
According to IBGE estimates for 2020, Pernambuco had a population of approximately 9.6 million inhabitants, distributed in 185 municipalities. This amount makes the state the second most populous in the Northeast and the seventh most populous in the country.
Knowing Pernambuco is knowing Brazilian history, given the significant contribution of that state to the colonial economy and its importance in Brazilian popular struggles. Despite such importance, the state does not have good social indices. In 2010, the Human Development Index (HDI) of Pernambuco was 0.673.
Much of the population of Pernambuco is concentrated in the coastal region, especially in the so-called Zona da Mata. According to IBGE 2020 estimates, the most populous cities they are: Recife (1,653,461 people), Jaboatão dos Guararapes (706,867 people), Olinda (393,115 people) and Caruaru (365,278 people).
![Aerial view of Recife, capital of Pernambuco. [1]](/f/d457c7cd0db7c73243d8643653bc662f.jpg)
In terms of population distribution, Pernambuco follows the Brazilian pattern, with the majority of the female population (52.2%). Browns are also the majority (about 59%), followed by whites (about 34%), blacks (about 6%) and indigenous people (about 1%).
Read too: Population aging - phenomenon resulting from the low birth rate
Geographical division of Pernambuco
The state of Pernambuco is divided into 185 municipalities. According to the regional division of Brazil into intermediate regions, proposed by the IBGE, in 2017, the state has four intermediate geographic regions: Petrolina, Serra Talhada, Caruaru and Recife. Look at them on the map below.
Pernambuco Economy
The economy of Pernambuco, throughout Brazilian history, had in its primary activities its main composition. Sugarcane was the main raw material cultivated and exported in the state until the mid-eighteenth century, making the territory of Pernambuco one of the richest regions in the country until then.
However, over the last century, the economy has diversified, expanding to other sectors of the economy (secondary and tertiary). Pernambuco still remains as a great agricultural producer, especially in the fruit sector (acerola, guava, grapes, mango and coconut), in the São Francisco Valley, and in the cultivation of sugarcane, despite not being the largest national producer of this product.
Also noteworthy is the chicken production, which has a herd of approximately 47 million heads, being among the 10 largest in Brazil. Sheep, goats and cattle herds they are also created in Pernambuco, but with little expression on the national scene.
In the industrial field, ports and industrial complexes boost the regional economy, such as the Port of Suape, on the south coast, and the Atlântico Sul Shipyard, which is the largest shipyard in the South America.
Pernambuco's economy seeks modernization, as can be seen in the creation of Porto Digital, in Recife. This port is one of the main technology parks in the country, with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Creative Economy (EC) companies, as well as games, software, photography, designs, etc. According to data from Porto Digital, in 2019, the turnover of the 330 companies that are there reached more than R$ 2.3 billion, generating employment and income for 11 thousand people.
![Porto de Galinhas, in Ipojuca, Pernambuco. [1]](/f/4467c69864484d3f9b8d413dc7358670.jpg)
Also noteworthy is the tourism, a strong brand in Pernambuco, due to its beautiful coastline, with beaches and idyllic landscapes, in addition to cities rich in culture and history, such as Caruaru and Olinda. In terms of beaches, Ipojuca, Recife and Fernando de Noronha are the regions most visited by tourists from all over the world.
Government of Pernambuco
The government of Pernambuco is exercised by the state governor, head of the local Executive, elected in periodic elections, which are held every four years. THE seat of the state government is located in the Campo das Princesas Palace, in Recife.
The construction of this palace dates back to the 19th century, in the mid-1840s. Its name is an allusion to hosting D. Pedro II, together with his wife and daughters, in 1859. At the time, the palace underwent a renovation to house the Emperor of Brazil and was nicknamed with the name by which it is known today.
Flag of Pernambuco
Pernambuco's Infrastructure
Pernambuco has the second busiest airport in the Northeast, Recife/Guararapes - Gilberto Freire International Airport, located in the state capital. With a large structure, this airport has the capacity to transport passengers and cargo throughout the Brazil and some international locations, in addition to having the largest airstrip in the region Northeast.
Other airports also streamline the movement of cargo and passengers in Pernambuco, such as Petrolina Airport Senator Nilo Coelho, the largest fruit exporter in Brazil according to Infraero (Empresa Brasileira de Infraestrutura Airport); Fernando de Noronha Airport and Oscar Laranjeira Airport, in Caruaru.
At road network, the highlight is the federal highways, such as the BR-101, which crosses the coast of the state from north to south. In Pernambuco, the BR-101 is completely duplicated. Other BRs deserve attention, such as BR-232, which connects Recife to the interior, and BR-116, an extension of BR-101.
the state has two big seaports: the Port of Suape and the Port of Recife, both operated by local governments. There is an ongoing project of the federal government together with Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) for the construction of Transnordestina, a railway that will connect the Port of Suape to the Port of Pecém, in Ceará, which will facilitate the development of the Northeastern economy and bring Brazil closer to world markets.
Pernambuco Culture
Pernambuco has a rich and diverse culture, which is known both in Brazil and in other nations. The mix of populations associated with Northeastern creativity makes Pernambuco culture a true melting pot of knowledge.
![Historic center of Recife, Pernambuco. [2]](/f/7119ce6d45aa60ba15a2679eebf445ec.jpg)
In music, the state has highlights such as maracatu, baião, coconut dance, Manguebeat and frevo, the latter being considered an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This dancing musical genre mixes some elements of capoeira, which also has historical roots in Pernambuco.
In Brejo da Madre de Deus, a municipality located in the northeast of the state, 200 km from Recife, there is one of the largest open-air theaters in the world, the New Jerusalem. In buildings reminiscent of Judea, the Passion of Christ has been enacted for over four decades during Holy Week, a true expression of Catholic religiosity and devotion.
On the national scene, several artists from Pernambuco have established themselves by showing their work. See, in alphabetical order, some examples:
- Alceu Valença
- Antônio Nóbrega
- Silva's heifer
- cashew and chestnut
- chico science
- little sundays
- Fabiana Karla
- Geraldo Azevedo
- Irandhir Santos
- Lenin
- Luiz Gonzaga
- zombie nation
- Otto
- Reginaldo Rossi
The cuisine also has unique characteristics of the state. O Roll Cake, Souza Leão and Cartola Cake are typical dishes in Pernambuco houses. Other ingredients, such as dried beef and shredded beef, also enhance Pernambuco's cuisine.
The carnivals in Olinda and Recife are famous throughout Brazil. You Olinda dolls draw attention in the city for the size and resourcefulness of those who carry them. In Recife, the award-winning block morning rooster drags crowds on Carnival Saturday. This block is considered the largest Carnival block in the world. In both cities, regional music, such as frevo and axé, lulls revelers.
![Revelers at Carnival in Olinda, Pernambuco.[3]](/f/9caea42aaf0ff3162be3c780ed15283e.jpg)
In Caruaru, the Saint John's festival The city is internationally recognized as the largest regional open-air festival in the world. This festival takes place throughout the month of June and attracts tourists from all over.
Image credits
[1] Cacio Murilo / Shutterstock
[2] Marcio Jose Bastos Silva / Shutterstock
[3] chests / Shutterstock
By Attila Matthias
Geography teacher
