MATO GROSSO DO SUL

'Mato Grosso do Sul'

Flag of Mato Grosso do Sul
Map of Brazil highlighting the state
See other Brazilian States
'Capital'	Campo Grande
'Largest City'	Campo Grande
'Area'	358,158.7 km²
'Population'   - Total   - Density	2,297,981 6.42 inh./km²
'Governor'	André Puccineli (PMDB)
'Demonym'	''Sulmatogrossense''
'HDI' (2000)	0.778 – medium
'Timezone'	GMT-4
'ISO 3166-2'

'Mato Grosso do Sul' (pron. ^[1]) is one of the states of Brazil.
Neighbouring states are (from north clockwise) Mato Grosso, Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Paraná. It also borders the countries of Paraguay and Bolivia to the west.
Mato Grosso do Sul literally means "Southern Thick Forest", a name inherited from its northern neighbour state of Mato Grosso, of which it was part until split in the 70s.
It is not uncommon for people to mistakenly refer to Mato Grosso do Sul as simply "Mato Grosso", which has prompted the government to consider changing its name to "Pantanal", a reference to its best known geographical feature (see below).

Contents

Geography

Climate

Vegetation

History

Demographics

Mato Grosso do Sul Ethnic Groups

Mato Grosso do Sul Demographics History

Education

Colleges and universities

Economy

Culture

Carnival

Infrastructure

International airport

Events

Campo Grande Film Festival

Flag

Notes

External links

Geography

Climate

Mato Grosso do Sul has humid Subtropical and tropical climate. The annual rainfall is 1.500 mm. January is the warmest month, with mean maxima of 34°C and minima of 24°C and more rain; July experiences the coldest temperatures, with mean maxima of 25°C and minima of 15°C and sun.

Vegetation

★ The "cerrado" landscape is characterized by extensive savanna formations crossed by gallery forests and stream valleys. Cerrado includes various types of vegetation. Humid fields and "buriti" palm paths are found where the water table is near the surface. Alpine pastures occur at higher altitudes and mesophytic forests on more fertile soils. The "cerrado" trees have characteristic twisted trunks covered by a thick bark, and leaves which are usually broad and rigid. Many herbaceous plants have extensive roots to store water and nutrients. The plant's thick bark and roots serve as adaptations for the periodic fires which sweep the cerrado landscape. The adaptations protect the plants from destruction and make them capable of sprouting again after the fire.

★ The state is located in western Brazil, in a region mostly occupied by the inland marshes of the Pantanal.

Mato Grosso do Sul is subdivided into 11 regions with 78 municipalities. Larger cities include:

★ Campo Grande, the capital of the state.

★ Corumbá

★ Dourados

★ Ponta Porã

★ Três Lagoas

★ Aquidauana

★ Naviraí

★ Bonito, a bustling tourist destination best known for crystal clear rivers and beautiful cave formations. The name "Bonito" means, unsurprisingly, "Pretty". Bonito isn't the larger city of the Mato Grosso do Sul
See also:

★ List of cities in Brazil (all cities and municipalities)
The highest elevation is the 1,065m high Morro Grande.

History

In 1977 the state was created by dividing the state of Mato Grosso. Its status as a state went into full effect two years later on January 1, 1979

Demographics

As of the census of 2006, the population was 2,297,981 hab. The population density was 6,42 hab./km².

Mato Grosso do Sul Ethnic Groups

According to the 2007 census, the racial makeup of the state was:

★ 94% White and Mixed.

★
★ Majority Portuguese, Italian and German descent.

★
★ Minority Spanish, Lebanese descent.

★ 4% Black.

★ 2% Amerindian our Asian.

Mato Grosso do Sul Demographics History

1. Amerindians, Brazil's indigenous population, came from human groups that migrated from Siberia across the Bering Strait around 9000 BC.
2. Portuguese colonists and settlers, arriving from 1500 onward.
3. Diverse groups of immigrants from Europe arriving in Mato Grosso do Sul during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
4. African slaves brought to the country from 1530 until the end of the slave trade in 1850.

Education

Portuguese language is the official language of schools. But English language and Spanish language are part of the official high school curriculum.

Colleges and universities

Mato Grosso do Sul has a:

★ Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS);

★ Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul (UEMS);

★ Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, and more others.

Economy

Mato Grosso do Sul's economy is based primarily on farm products, of which cattle-raising is probably the most important. Other agrarian products include sugarcane, wheat, soybeans, manioc, rice and cotton.

Culture

===Festa Junina (Saint John Festival)===

Festa Junina was introduced to Northeastern Brazil by the Portuguese for whom St John's day (also celebrated as Midsummer Day in several European countries), on the 24th of June, is one of the oldest and most popular celebrations of the year. Differently, of course, from what happens on the European Midsummer Day, the festivities in Brazil do not take place during the summer solstice but during the tropical winter solstice. The festivities traditionally begin after the 12th of June, on the eve of St Anthony's day, and last until the 29th, which is Saint Peter's day. During these fifteen days, there are bonfires, fireworks, and folk dancing in selected places. Once exclusively a rural festivity, today, in Brazil, it is largely a city festival during which people joyfully and theatrically mimic peasant stereotypes and cliches in a spirit of joke and good time. Typical refreshments and dishes are served. It should be noted that, like during Carnival, these festivities involve costumes-wearing (in this case, peasant costumes), dancing, and visual spectacles (fireworks display and folk dancing). Like what happens on Midsummer and St John's Day in Europe, bonfires are a central part of these festivities in Brazil.

Carnival

The four-day period before Lent leading up to Ash Wednesday is carnival time in Brazil. Rich and poor alike forget their cares as they party in the streets.

Infrastructure

International airport

The operation of 'Campo Grande International Airport' is shared with the Campo Grande Air Base. The airport has two runways.
Construction of the main runway, made of concrete, began in 1950 and was finished in 1953. The passenger terminal was concluded in 1964, and in 1967 concrete aprons were built for both military and civilian aircraft.
As commercial aviation demand grew, it became necessary to widen the civil aircraft apron, which was completed 12 years after its construction. The airport has been administered by Inferaero since 1975.

Events

Campo Grande Film Festival

It's a film festival held annually in the months of January and February and has been arranged since 2004. It focuses on the independent cinema presenting Brazilian films and foreign films as well. It also presents regional films and short films.

Flag

Mato Grosso do Sul's flag was designed by Mauro Michael Munhoz. A white stripe divides an upper left green corner from a bottom right blue space with a yellow star. White symbolizes hope, green is an allusion to the state's rich flora, blue represents its vast sky, while the yellow star adds balance, force and serenity.

Notes

1. The presented pronunciation is in Brazilian Portuguese. The European Portuguese pronunciation is: //.

External links

★ Brazilian Embassy in London

★ Official website (Portuguese)