Paraná (state) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

State of Paraná

Flag	Coat of arms

Location of State of Paraná in Brazil

Country

Brazil

Capital and Largest City

Curitiba

Area

• Total

199,314.9 km² (76,955.9 sq mi)

Area rank

9th

Population

(2012)

• Total

10,577,755

• Rank

6th

• Density

53.070568/km² (137.45214/sq mi)

• Density rank

12th

Demonym(s)

Paranaense

GDP

• Year

2006 estimate

• Total

R$ 136,681,000,000 (5th)

• Per capita

R$ 13,158 (7th)

HDI

• Year

2011

• Category

0.823 – high (7th)

Time zone

UTC-3 (BRT)

• Summer (DST)

UTC-2 (BRST)

Postal Code

80000-000 to 86990-000

ISO 3166 code

BR-PR

Website

pr.gov.br

Paraná is a state in Southern Brazil. It is next to Paraguay and Argentina. Its capital is Curitiba. Paraná is a famous state because of Itaipu Dam and the Iguaçu Falls.

Paraná is bounded on the north by São Paulo, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina 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.

Paraná is one of the Brazilian states that shows the most signs of recent European colonization. Most of the population are descendants of European settlers, and is one of the most ethnically diverse. 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. Nowadays, migrants from other Brazilian states (especially from the São Paulo, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and the Northeast Region) come to Paraná in search of a better life.

People of Polish descent predominate in the central and south regions, mainly around Curitiba. Italians predominate in the capital, Curitiba, and in the coast. People of Ukrainian descent predominate in a few cities, such as Prudentópolis; many Ukrainians are found throughout the state. Germans predominate in a few cities, such as Rolândia. Almost all towns have many Portuguese people and their descendants.

People of mixed-race ancestry predominate in a few towns in the north. There is an important Muslim Lebanese and Syrian community around Foz do Iguaçu. In the north, there are many Japanese people.

The main cities of the state are: