This small Brazilian state, with a little more than 6 million residents, unites within its unique 95 thousand km2 a diversity of scenery and people that marvels visitors. From white sand beaches, tropical forests and snowy mountains to Azorean fishermen, Italian farmers, and German industrialists, this is a land of beautiful, sharp and fascinating contrasts. These contrasts are also found in the economy. A strong agriculture, based on small farms, shares space with an active industrial park, the fourth largest in Brazil. Large companies and thousands of small businesses are spread across the state, linked to consumer centers and ports by an efficient highway grid. These roads also boost tourism, a natural vocation of this small state, now the nation's third largest tourist center. The balance and dynamism of the Santa Catarina economy are reflected in high levels of growth, literacy, employment and per capita income that are much above the national average. These numbers surprise and complement the fascinating profile of one of the most productive and beautiful Brazilian states.

A piece of Germany carved into Santa Catarina. This is the Itajaí Valley, where the cities of Blumenau, Brusque and Pomerode preserve the culture and the traditions of the immigrants that colonized the region. The Germanic reverence is visible in the architecture and the cooking, in the crafts, the festivals, and in the blue eyes and blond hair of the population. Blumenau is the center of that German enclave. The leading textile manufacturing city in Brazil and famous for its crystal and porcelain, the city sits along the banks of the Itajaí-Açu River. Wide avenues marked by traditional buildings, bridges that hug the river, and beer halls accompany a hospitable people. Vila Itoupava, 25km from the center of the city, is an interesting group of buildings in German "enxaimel" style, with typical restaurants and stores that sell colonial products.

With more than 120 industries, Brusque is known as the "City of Fabric". It is the largest center of ready-for-shipment clothing in southern Brazil. It has a per capita income around US$ 6,500.00 - well above the national average - and attractions that range from its architecture and typical German cooking to the fascinating Botuverá Cave, one of the most beautiful in the country. Although smaller, Pomerode is considered the most German city in Brazil. It is 32 Km from Blumenau, and is known for its china, its bilingualism (95% of the population speaks fluent German), and of course for its typically German architecture and cooking. Maior corrente migratória recebida pelo estado, quase 65% da população catarinense

Maior corrente migratória recebida pelo estado, quase 65% da população catarinense

A traveler through the southern part of the state discovers within the interior, and in the unique people that live there, an Italian style that is surprising and pleasing. The largest immigrant group in the state, Italians represent nearly 65% of the state population.

There are Italian settlements in the north and in the west of the state, but the principal and oldest Italian concentration is in the south. Good wine and home made products can be enjoyed there, dialects and traditional music are some of the simple pleasures that charm the visitor.

Urussanga is the capital of "Little Italy." It is home to the Wine Festival. It is a small pleasant city, sprinkled with colonial houses and cantinas transformed into charming home-style restaurants. The replica of Michelangelo's Pietá, donated by the Vatican, is on display in the principal church, and is another attraction of the city.

The Open Air Museum in Orleans preserves houses and mills of the first immigrants, as well as the tools and machinery they used. In Nova Veneza, the attraction is the Via Sacra, a stone monument carved by sculptor Zé Diabo as well as the old house of the Bratti family, the most exceptional group of stone buildings in the region.

Complementing the circuit of municipalities is Criciúma, Pedras Grandes, Treze de Maio, Sangão, Morro da Fumaça, Cocal do Sul, Siderópolis, Forquilinha, Maracajá, Morro Grande, Meleiro, Turvo and Jacinto Machado. They have the traditions and customs of a simple world, with an Italian flavor.

Santa Catarina, Brazil

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

(Ref. from Santa Catarina (Brazil))

Statistics
Capital:	Florianópolis
Area:	95,442.9 km²
Inhabitants:	5,098,448 (2000)
Pop. density:	53.4 inh./km²
Timezone:	GMT-3
ISO 3166-2:	BR-SC
Map

Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil. Its capital is Florianópolis, which lies on the island named Santa Catarina. Neighboring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. To the west it also borders Argentina.

Contents

Geography

The Atlantic Ocean coast has many beaches, islands, bays and inlets. The centre of the state is covered with groves of Brazilian pines, the southwest has prairies, and the east and west strips of forests.

History

The state dates from the Spanish settlement of Santa Catarina island in 1542. The Portuguese took control in 1675. The captaincy of Santa Catarina was established in 1738. Large numbers of European immigrants, especially from Germany, began arriving in the early 19th century, and the state remains a center of German culture in Brazil. Immigrants from Italy, Poland, Russia, and other parts of Europe later arrived, with one result being an abundance of small, family held farms in the state's interior.

In late March 2004, the state was hit by the first ever hurricane recorded in the South Atlantic. Because there is no naming system for such an event, Brazilian meteorologists called it Catarina, after the state.

Santa Catarina is considered the coldest state in the country of Brazil because its highlands.

Economics

Santa Catarina has one of the highest standards of living in Brazil, and is a major agricultural and industrial center. Cattle breeding and mineral mining are predominant.

Other key cities apart from the captital include Chapecó, Joinville, Blumenau, the site of a major annual Oktoberfest (the 2nd biggest of the world), and the resort town of Balneário Camboriu.

Flag

The central shield in the flag shows the coat of arms of the state. It is located on a green lozenge, which itself is located on red-white-red horizontal stripes. The flag was adopted on October 29, 1953 by law no. 975.

Minority languages

The minority languages of the state of Santa Catarina can be divided into two distinct groups:

The Autoctone Languages or Indigenous Languages: Kaingang; Guaraní; others...

The Extoctone Languages or Immigration Languages: German (Hunsrückisch, Pomeranian/Plautdietsch); Italian (Italian or vêneto); others (Polish, etc.)

Cities

External links

Official homepage (http://www.sc.gov.br) (Portuguese)
Brazilian Embassy in London (http://www.brazil.org.uk/page.php?cid=252)

States of Brazil
Acre \| Alagoas \| Amapá \| Amazonas \| Bahia \| Ceará \| Federal District \| Espírito Santo \| Goiás \| Maranhão \| Mato Grosso \| Mato Grosso do Sul \| Minas Gerais \| Pará \| Paraíba \| Paraná \| Pernambuco \| Piauí \| Rio de Janeiro \| Rio Grande do Norte \| Rio Grande do Sul \| Rondônia \| Roraima \| Santa Catarina \| São Paulo \| Sergipe \| Tocantins