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Pernambuco ( , , ) is a
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
of
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
located in the Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the seventh-most populous state of Brazil and with around 98,067.877 km2, it is the 19th-largest in area among federative units of the country. It is also the sixth-most densely populated with around 92.37 people per km2. Its capital and largest city,
Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...
, is one of the most important economic and urban hubs in the country. Based on 2019 estimates, the Recife Metropolitan Region is seventh-most populous in the country, and the second-largest in
northeastern Brazil The Northeast Region of Brazil ( ) is one of the five official and political regions of the country according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Of Brazil's twenty-six states, it comprises nine: Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, R ...
. In 2015, the state had 4.4% of the national population and produced 2.8% of the national
gross domestic product Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the total market value of all the final goods and services produced and rendered in a specific time period by a country or countries. GDP is often used to measure the economic performanc ...
(GDP). The contemporary state inherits its name from the
Captaincy of Pernambuco The Captaincy of Pernambuco or New Lusitania () was a hereditary land grant and administrative subdivision of northern Portuguese Brazil during the colonial period from 1534 to 1821, with a brief interruption from 1630 to 1654 when it was part of D ...
, established in 1534. The region was originally inhabited by Tupi–Guarani-speaking peoples. European colonization began in the 16th century, under mostly Portuguese rule interrupted by a brief period of Dutch rule, followed by
Brazilian independence The independence of Brazil comprised a series of political and military events that led to the independence of the Kingdom of Brazil from the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves as the Brazilian Empire. It is celebrated on 7 ...
in 1822. Large numbers of
slaves Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
were brought from Africa during the colonial era to cultivate sugarcane, and a significant portion of the state's population has some amount of African ancestry. The state has rich cultural traditions thanks to its varied history and peoples.
Brazilian Carnival The Carnival of Brazil (, ) is an annual festival held the Friday afternoon before Ash Wednesday at noon, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. During Lent, Roman Catholics and some other Christians traditionally ...
s in Recife and the historic colonial capital of
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
are renowned: the
Galo da Madrugada Galo da Madrugada (in Portuguese: Dawn's Rooster) is a carnival block from Recife, Brazil. The block was created in 1978 by Enéias Freire. Galos parades every Saturday of carnival at neighborhood. The main rhythm is the ''frevo'', but other r ...
parade in Recife has held world records for its size. Historically a center of
sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
cultivation due to the favorable climate, the state has a modern economy dominated by the
services sector The tertiary sector of the economy, generally known as the service sector, is the third of the three economic sectors in the three-sector model (also known as the economic cycle). The others are the primary sector (raw materials) and the ...
today, though large amounts of sugarcane are still grown. The coming of democracy in
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...
has brought the state progress and challenges in turn: while economic and health indicators have improved,
inequality Inequality may refer to: * Inequality (mathematics), a relation between two quantities when they are different. * Economic inequality, difference in economic well-being between population groups ** Income inequality, an unequal distribution of i ...
remains high.


Etymology

The origins of the name ''Pernambuco'' are debated, though most hypotheses derive the name from the now-extinct
Tupi language Old Tupi, Ancient Tupi or Classical Tupi () is a classical Tupian language which was spoken by the indigenous Tupi people of Brazil, mostly those who inhabited coastal regions in South and Southeast Brazil. In the words of Brazilian tupinol ...
. Some scholars claim that the name comes from the combining of the Tupi words ''para'nã'', meaning "great river" or "sea" and ''buka'', meaning "hole". Thus, ''pernambuco'' would mean "hole in the sea", possibly referring to the Canal de Santa Cruz on the Island of Itamaracá, north of
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
, or to an opening in the
reef A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral, or similar relatively stable material lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic component, abiotic (non-living) processes such as deposition (geol ...
s between Olinda and Recife. According to others, ''pernambuco'' was the name of
brazilwood ''Paubrasilia echinata'' is a species of flowering plant in the legume family, Fabaceae, that is endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. It is a Brazilian timber tree commonly known as Pernambuco wood or brazilwood (, ; Tupi: ) and is the na ...
in local indigenous languages at the time of first contact, as the tree is found widely in the
forests A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological functio ...
of the future state. A third hypothesis also derives from a Tupi word, ''paranãbuku'', meaning "long river", a possible reference to the
Capibaribe River The Capibaribe River () is a river located in Pernambuco state, Brazil, with a length of 240 kilometers. The Capibaribe originates in the Serra do Jacarará, in the municipality of Poção, and flows to the Atlantic Ocean at Recife. Etymology ...
, since primitive maps mark such a "Pernambuco river" north of
Cabo de Santo Agostinho Cabo de Santo Agostinho (English: Cape of St. Augustine) is a 448 square kilometer sized municipality located 35 kilometers south of the city of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. It is believed by some historians that Vicente Yáñez Pinzón had set a ...
, south of Recife. Another hypothesis, suggested by the academic Jacques Ribemboim, asserts the origins of the name from the Portuguese language. The Canal de Santa Cruz in Recife, at the beginning of the 16th century, was known as ''Boca de Fernão'' (named after the explorer Fernão de Noronha). The Indians may have pronounced ''Fernão'' as ''Pernao'' and reversed the order of the words, giving ''Pernão Boca'' or ''Pernambuka'', leading to the contemporary name of Pernambuco. The state also has some nicknames, such as ''Lion of the North'', ''Land of
Frevo Frevo is a dance and musical style originating from Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, traditionally associated with Brazilian Carnival. The word ''frevo'' is said to come from ''frever'', a variant of the Portuguese word ''ferver'' (to boil). It is ...
and
Maracatu The term maracatu denotes any of several performance genres found in Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil. Main types of maracatu include '' maracatu nação'' (nation-style maracatu) and ''maracatu rural'' (rural-style maracatu). Maracatu Nação Ma ...
'' and ''Blessed Land''.


Geography

Pernambuco comprises a comparatively narrow coastal zone, a high inland plateau, and an intermediate zone formed by the terraces and slopes between the two. Its surface is much broken by the remains of the ancient plateau which has been worn down by erosion, leaving escarpments and ranges of flat-topped mountains, called
chapada A chapada () is a plateau found in the Brazilian Highlands. The chapadas, which are usually described as mountain ranges, are capped by horizontal strata of sandstone. They show the original surface, which has been worn away by the rivers, leavin ...
s, capped in places by horizontal layers of sandstone. Ranges of these chapadas form the boundary lines with three states–the Serra dos Irmãos and Serra Vermelha with
Piauí Piauí ( ) is one of the states of Brazil, located in the country's Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. The state has 1.6% of the Brazilian population and produces 0.7% of the Brazilian GDP. Piauí has the shortest coastline of any coas ...
, the Serra do Araripe with
Ceará Ceará (, ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. It is the List of Brazilian states by population, eighth-largest Brazilian State by ...
, and the Serra dos Cariris Velhos with
Paraíba Paraíba ( , ; ) is a states of Brazil, state of Brazil. It is located in the Brazilian Northeast, and it is bordered by Rio Grande do Norte to the north, Ceará to the west, Pernambuco to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Paraíba i ...
.


Regions

The coastal area is fertile, and was formerly covered by the humid
Pernambuco coastal forests The Pernambuco coastal forests is an ecoregion of the Tropical moist broadleaf forests Biome, and the South American Atlantic Forest biome. It is located in northeastern Brazil. Geography The Pernambuco coastal forests occupy an 80 km-wide ...
, the northern extension of the Atlantic Forests (Mata Atlântica) of eastern Brazil. It is now occupied by extensive
sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
plantations. It has a hot, humid climate, relieved to some extent by the south-east trade winds. The middle zone, called the ''
agreste The agreste (, "countryside") is a narrow zone of Brazil in the states of Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe and Bahia between the coastal forest '' zona da mata'' and the semiarid ''sertão''. The agreste fades out afte ...
'' region, has a drier climate and lighter vegetation, including the semi-deciduous
Pernambuco interior forests The "Pernambuco" interior forests (in reality Paraiba and Pernambuco forest/states and not only "Pernambuco") is an ecoregion of the Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Biome, and the South American Atlantic Forest biome. It lies in e ...
, where many trees lose their leaves in the dry season. The inland region, called the ''
sertão The ''sertão'' (, plural ''sertões'') is the " hinterland" or " backcountry" of Brazil. The word refers both to one of the four sub-regions of the Northeast Region of Brazil or the hinterlands of the country in general (similar to the specific ...
'' is high, stony, and dry, and frequently devastated by prolonged droughts (secas). The climate is characterized by hot days and cool nights. There are two clearly defined seasons, a rainy season from March to June, and a dry season for the remaining months. The interior of the state is covered mostly by the dry thorny scrub vegetation called ''
caatinga Caatinga () is a type of semi-arid tropical vegetation, and an ecoregion characterized by this vegetation in interior northeastern Brazil. The name "Caatinga" comes from the Tupi word '' ka'atinga'', meaning "white forest" or "white vegetat ...
''. The
Rio São Francisco Rio or Río is the Portuguese and Spanish word for "river". The word also exists in Italian, but is largely obsolete and used in a poetical or literary context to mean "stream". Rio, RIO or Río may also refer to: Places United States * Rio, Fl ...
is the main water source for this area. The climate is more mild in the
Borborema Plateau The Borborema Plateau ( Portuguese ''Planalto da Borborema'', also known as the ''Serra da Borborema'') is a plateau in northeastern Brazil which extends across the states of Pernambuco, Paraíba, and Rio Grande do Norte. The plateau is the northea ...
("Planalto da Borborema"). Some towns are located more than 1000 meters above sea level, and temperatures there can descend to 10 Â°C (50 Â°F) and even 5 Â°C (41 Â°F) in some cities (i.e., Triunfo) during the winter. The volcanic archipelago of
Fernando de Noronha Fernando de Noronha (), officially the State District of Fernando de Noronha () and formerly known as the Federal Territory of Fernando de Noronha () until 1988, is an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, part of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, and ...
in the Atlantic Ocean, 535 km northeast of
Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...
, has been part of Pernambuco since 1988.


Hydrology

The rivers of the state include a number of small plateau streams flowing southward to the
São Francisco River The São Francisco River (, ) is a large Rivers of Brazil, river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil (after the Amazon R ...
, and several large streams in the eastern part flowing eastward to the Atlantic. The former are the Moxotó,
Ema Ema or EMA may refer to: Biology and medicine * Anti-Endomysial Antibodies test * Epithelial membrane antigen * European Medicines Agency, a European Union agency for the evaluation of medicinal products * European Medical Association, associa ...
, Pajeú, Terra Nova, Brigida, Boa Vista and Pontai, and are dry channels the greater part of the year. The largest of the coastal rivers are the
Goiana River The Goiana River is a river in Pernambuco state of northeastern Brazil. It is formed by the confluence of the Tracunhaém and Capibaribe Mirim rivers, and drains eastward into the Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ...
, which is formed by the confluence of the Tracunhaem and Capibaribe-mirim, and drains a rich agricultural region in the north-east part of the state; the Capibaribe, which has its source in the Serra de Jacarara and flows eastward to the Atlantic at
Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...
with a course of nearly ; the
Ipojuca Ipojuca is a municipality in Pernambuco in eastern Brazil. As of 2024 the population according to IBGE was 105.638 and the per capita income (2007) was R$76.418 (more than $23,000 US dollars) making it one of the country's highest. The settlemen ...
, which rises in the Serra de Aldeia Velha and reaches the coast south of Recife; the Serinhaen; and the Uná. A large tributary of the Uná, the Rio Jacuhipe, forms part of the boundary line with
Alagoas Alagoas () is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco (N and NW); Sergipe (S); Bahia (SW); and the Atlantic Ocean (E). Its capital is ...
.


History


Prehistory

Prior to discovery and colonization by Portugal, Pernambuco was inhabited by numerous tribes of Tupi-Guarani speaking indigenous peoples. The
Tupi people The Tupi people, a subdivision of the Tupi-Guarani linguistic families, were one of the largest groups of indigenous peoples in Brazil before its colonization. Scholars believe that while they first settled in the Amazon rainforest, from abo ...
s were a largely hunter-gatherer culture living in long houses who cultivated some indigenous crops, most notably
manioc ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...
(''Manihot esculenta''), but lacked any metallic tools. Many elements of the Tupi culture were a shock to Europeans: among these, they bathed frequently, they eschewed wealth accumulation, practiced nudity, and warred frequently, primarily to capture enemies for communal, ritual cannibalism.


European contact

Modern day Pernambuco includes the islands of
Fernando de Noronha Fernando de Noronha (), officially the State District of Fernando de Noronha () and formerly known as the Federal Territory of Fernando de Noronha () until 1988, is an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, part of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, and ...
, which precedes mainland Pernambuco's history since the islands were granted to Fernão de Laronha by King Manoel in 1502. Pernambuco was initially valued as a source of
Brazilwood ''Paubrasilia echinata'' is a species of flowering plant in the legume family, Fabaceae, that is endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. It is a Brazilian timber tree commonly known as Pernambuco wood or brazilwood (, ; Tupi: ) and is the na ...
(''Caesalpinia echinata'') used in Europe for dyes. These Amerindians were eager to harvest and exchange brazilwood for axes, fishhooks and other goods offered by Europeans. The Portuguese crown granted a license to Fernão de Laronha in 1502. After the expiration of the license the trade in brazilwood was a driver of the exploration of Brazil. Brazilwood was highly valued and other European nations, particularly the French, soon sent ships to exploit this new dye wood. The French under
Bertrand d'Ornesan Bertrand d'Ornesan, also Bertrand d'Ornezan, Baron de Saint-Blancard (; d. 1540), was a French admiral in the service of King Francis I of France. He was general of the galleys of the Mediterranean (''Amiral de la Flotte du Levant''). Bertrand ...
tried to establish a French trading post at Pernambuco in 1531. This fort was located at the border of Pernambuco and Itamaricá to the North. The Portuguese King responded by dispatching an armada under the command of Pero Lopes de Sousa. Pero Lopes defeated the French, destroyed their fort and built a new fort.


Portuguese settlement

Shortly after the success in dislodging the French from Pernambuco's northern border with Itamaricá the Portuguese began to settle Brazil. King
John III of Portugal John III ( ; 6 June 1502 – 11 June 1557), nicknamed The Pious ( Portuguese: ''o Piedoso''), was the King of Portugal and the Algarve from 1521 until he died in 1557. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the third daughter of ...
created the Hereditary Captaincies in 1534, Pernambuco was granted to
Duarte Coelho Duarte Coelho Pereira ( – ) was a nobleman, military leader, and colonial administrator in the Portuguese colony of Brazil. He was the first Donatario (Lord Proprietor) of the captaincy of Pernambuco and founder of Olinda. Early life The bir ...
, who arrived in ''Nova Lusitânia'' (or "New
Lusitania Lusitania (; ) was an ancient Iberian Roman province encompassing most of modern-day Portugal (south of the Douro River) and a large portion of western Spain (the present Extremadura and Province of Salamanca). Romans named the region after th ...
") in 1535. Duarte directed military actions against the French-allied Caetés Indians and upon their defeat in 1537 established a settlement at the site of a former Marin Indian village, henceforth known as Olinda, as well as another village at Igarassu. Under his leadership sugar soon replaced Brazilwood as Pernambuco's most profitable export. Due to the cultivation of
sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...
and cotton, Pernambuco was one of the few prosperous captaincies (the other notable one being São Vicente).


Slavery

In addition to requiring a lot of capital investment, refining sugar in the 16th century also required a vast amount of labor. Brazilian Indians were very useful to the Portuguese; both free Indians and enslaved Indians performed many useful services for the Portuguese settlers. This included helping with building Engenhos. However, Brazilian Indian culture was not well suited to the operation of sugar engenhos. Indian culture was not oriented to wealth accumulation. Stuart Schwartz expressed it, "Once a man had enough to eat and a few new tools and weapons, why should he want or work for more." While the
sugar industry The sugar industry subsumes the production, Sugar refinery, processing and marketing of sugars (mostly sucrose and fructose). Globally, about 80% of sugar is extracted from sugar cane, grown predominantly in the tropics, and 20% from sugar beet, ...
relied at first on the labor of indigenous peoples, especially the Tupis and
Tapuyas The Pira-tapuya, or variations like Pira-Tapuia, Piratapuyo, etc., or Tapuya () for short, are an indigenous people of the Amazon regions. They live along the Vaupés River in Colombia and in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. Languages The Pira-ta ...
, high mortality and economic growth led to the importation of enslaved Africans from the late 17th century onward. Some of these slaves escaped the sugar-producing coastal regions and formed independent inland communities called mocambos, including Palmares.


Dutch conquest

In 1630, Pernambuco, as well as many Portuguese possessions in Brazil, was occupied by the Dutch until 1654. The occupation was strongly resisted and the Dutch conquest was only partially successful for these few decades. In the interim, thousands of the
enslaved Africans Slavery has historically been widespread in Africa. Systems of servitude and slavery were once commonplace in parts of Africa, as they were in much of the rest of the Ancient history, ancient and Post-classical history, medieval world. When t ...
had fled to Palmares, and soon the mocambos there had grown into two significant states. The
Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, commonly referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation that existed from 1579 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands ...
, which allowed sugar production to remain in Portuguese hands, regarded suppression of Palmares as important, but was unsuccessful in this.
Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen John Maurice of Nassau ( ; ; ; ; 17 June 1604 – 20 December 1679), called "the Brazilian" for his fruitful period as governor of Dutch Brazil, was Count and (from 1664) Prince of Nassau-Siegen. He served as ''Herrenmeister'' (equivalent to Gra ...
, count of Nassau, was appointed as ruler of the '' Nieuw Holland'' (Dutch colonization enterprise in Brazil). In the 17th century, the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
was experiencing a surge of freedom and progress, and wanted to expand their colonies in the American continent. An expression of this new economy was the Dutch West India Company, (modeled after the Dutch East India Company which had influence throughout the world and controlled much of the trade between East and West). A Board of nineteen members appointed Prince Johan Maurits, Count of Nassau, Governor of Pernambuco. It was an auspicious choice for Northeast, because he was a lover of the arts with a deep interest in the New World. In 1637 he opened his government guidelines quite different from those of the Portuguese colonists, declaring "Freedom of Religion and Trade". His entourage contained traders, artists, planners, German and Dutch citizens. He was accompanied by six painters, including Frans Post and Albert Eckhout. Nassau also created an environment of Dutch religious tolerance, new to Portuguese America and irritating to his Calvinist associates. Nassau made efforts to reduce the sugar production monoculture by encouraging the cultivation of other crops, particularly foodstuffs.


Jewish immigration

Under Dutch rule, Jewish culture developed in
Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...
. Many Jews, having fled the Portuguese Inquisition, Inquisition in Iberia, sought refuge in the Netherlands. The Jewish community established themselves in Dutch Brazil and would later migrate elsewhere in the Americas. There are records that in 1636 a synagogue was being built in the city. A Jewish scholar from Amsterdam, Isaac Aboab da Fonseca, arrived in
Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...
in 1642, becoming the first rabbi on Brazilian soil and on the continent. In 1643, three years after the Portuguese regained the crown in the metropolis, Father António Vieira – frowned upon, persecuted by the Inquisition and admirer of Aboab – recommended the King of Portugal occupy the capital of the New Christian and Jewish immigrants to help the depressed Portuguese finances


Portuguese reconquest

The Portuguese reconquered Recife in 1654 and
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
regained its status of political center. However,
Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...
remained the commercial /port city. Nowadays, it is credited that many inhabitants of Pernambuco's ''agreste'' region have some Dutch ancestry. If the Dutch were gone, however, the threat of the now unified quilombo of Palmares remained. In spite of a treaty negotiated in 1678 with its ruler Ganga Zumba, a war between the two remained. Zumbi who became ruler following the peace treaty and later repudiated it, fought the Portuguese government until 1694 when soldiers brought from the south eventually defeated him.


Three centuries of the sugar cycle

Throughout the remainder of the 17th century on to the 20th century much of life in Pernambuco was dominated by the patterns established by monoculture, latifundia, and slavery (until 1888). Sugar and cotton were grown on large plantations and rural society was largely divided into landowning elites and the impoverished poor. In addition, Pernambuco, except for a narrow coastland, is subject to periodic droughts. The boom and bust economy throughout this period is often exemplified as the "sugar cycle" when the international market for sugar is good, the economy booms, when the market is bad, it is hard times for all and particularly for the impoverished. Sugar has always been the principal example of the boom or bust cycle, but there has, from time to time been a similar cycle in cotton. Cotton was profitable during the U.S. War of Independence, the War of 1812, and the U.S. Civil War. Each time the bust in Pernambuco came when U.S. growers resumed their exports.


17th-century class conflict

A sugar mill ''engenho'' requires a large investment both to build and to operate. Much of the time the money is borrowed. Although there were other sources, one source that was a particular irritant to mill owners were the merchants of Recife. In 1710 this irritant resulted in the Mascate War. This conflict set the ''mascates'' from Recife against the establishment planters of Olinda It was led by the ''Senhores de Engenho'' (owners of the sugar mills). It is an example of the continuing tensions between the senhores de engenho (the landed elites) in colonial Brazil and the merchants of Recife. The "War" (there was considerable shooting but little loss of life) has elements of class struggle. Olinda had, before the Dutch, always been the municipal seat. Recife, once merely a port facility for Olinda, had formerly consisted of a few modest dwellings, warehouses, and businesses catering to ships and seamen, but under the Dutch had been developed into a thriving center of commerce populated by wealthy, more recently arrived merchants to whom most of the landed aristocracy of Pernambuco were heavily indebted. After several excesses the king issued a new set of instructions to the governor. In 1715 the crown dispatched a new governor and the residents of Pernambuco finally felt the troubles were ended, though many families of the colony's elites were ruined.


18th century: mining eclipses sugar

The discovery of gold in Minas Gerais late in the Seventeenth Century and the discovery of diamond displaced agriculture. In fact, for all the disruption caused by "gold fever" throughout the mining boom the value of sugar exports always exceeded the value of any other export. Nevertheless, among many other disruptions, gold shifted the focus South. Pernambuco, Bahia, and the entire Northeast were eclipsed by the South of Brazil and that shift in focus has never been reversed.


19th century: a province, then a state

Pernambuco's response to the nationhood of Brazil seems to have been rebellion. Pernambuco was the site of some of the most important rebellions and insurrections in Brazilian history, especially in the 19th century. See Also Rebellions and revolutions in Brazil, Pernambucan Revolt, Cabanada, April Revolt (Pernambuco) At one point Pernambuco led much of the Northeast region in a very short-lived independent Confederation of the Equator.


The end of slavery and the beginning of the republic

In 1888, under the influence of increasingly urban society, and with the advocacy of intellectuals such as Pernambucan politician Joaquim Nabuco, slavery was abolished. However, freedom for the slaves did little or nothing to improve life for the underclass. Economic downturns were used to cut wages, children were paid almost nothing, and violence ruled. In those days before antibiotics there were major epidemics, fourteen between 1849 and 1920.


20th century

The twentieth century did bring better communication and transportation which would slowly allow development. But for the poor employed in the sugar industry, as late as the 1960s infant mortality in this labor segment was nearly half of live births. Politically, the century was dominated by two periods of dictatorship, ruled by Getúlio Vargas for most of the period from 1930 to 1954. and the military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985


Post-dictatorship progress

Since the end of military rule, there is still an underemployed and under-fed underclass. However, quality of life has improved along with industrial development. Pernambuco has also become a major tourist destination. Statistics from the turn of the millennium show a sharp and continuing improvement. According to estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study, the Infant mortality, infant mortality rate declined 6.2 percent annually between 1990 and 2015: from 90.4 infant deaths per 1000 live births in 1990, to 13.4 deaths/1000 live births in 2015. The homicide rate in Recife, still higher than the average for Brazil, declined by about 6% per annum during the period from 2000 to 2012. Income inequality remains a problem; in 2000, the state had a Gini coefficient of 0.59, with wealth and resources being concentrated at the top.


Government and politics

The state government is divided into Separation of powers, three branches, like all Brazilian states. All the branches are located in capital of Recife. * Executive (government), Executive: the Governor of Pernambuco, Governor, currently Raquel Lyra of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party, is responsible for administration. The vice-governor, currently Priscila Krause of the Cidadania is first in line of succession to the governorship, but otherwise has few responsibilities. * Legislature, Legislative: the Legislative Assembly of Pernambuco, a unicameral body with 49 state deputies. It meets in the ''Edifício Governador Miguel Arraes de Alencar.'' * Judiciary, Judicial: the (''Tribunal de Justiça de Pernambuco''), with 52 justices. The governor and deputies are elected to four year terms in Brazilian general elections, with the most recent being held in 2022 Brazilian general election, 2022.


Local government

The List of municipalities in Pernambuco, 185 municipalities that make up the state have similar structures, though they lack the judicial branch. Each municipality has a chief executive, analogous to mayor, called a ''Prefeito/Prefeita'', while the legislative branch is called the ''Câmara Municipal''. Municipal officials also serve four year terms, with the most recent being held in 2020 Brazilian municipal elections, 2020.
Fernando de Noronha Fernando de Noronha (), officially the State District of Fernando de Noronha () and formerly known as the Federal Territory of Fernando de Noronha () until 1988, is an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, part of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, and ...
is a ''sui generis'' "State District" (''distrito estadual''), governed directly by a Pernambuco state administrator.


Federal representation

At the federal level, Pernambuco is represented by 25 deputies in the Chamber of Deputies (Brazil), Chamber of Deputies, and three senators in the Brazilian Senate, Federal Senate.


Demographics


Population

According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), at the last census in 2022 there were 9,058,621 people residing in the state. The population is concentrated along the coast in the Recife Metropolitan Region. Urbanization: 77% (2006); Population growth: 1.2% (1991–2000); Houses: 2,348,000 (2006).


Religion

The majority of the state's inhabitants are Catholic; while more than 86% of the state is Christian. In 2010, 5,834,601 inhabitants identified as Catholic Church, Roman Catholic (65.95%), 1,788,973 as Evangelicalism, Evangelical (20.34%): of these, 1,102,485 were Pentecostal (12.53%), and 376,880 were Evangelical Protestant (4.28%) and 309,608 other Evangelical (3.52%). 123,798 inhabitants identified as Kardecist spiritism, spiritists (1.41%), 43,726 as Jehovah's Witnesses (0.50%), 26,526 as Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church, Brazilian Apostolic Catholics (0.30%) and 6,678 as Eastern Orthodox(0.08%). 914,954 had Irreligion, no religion (10.40%): of these, 10,284 identified as atheists (0.12%) and 5,638 as agnostics (0.06%). 80,591 followed all other religions not listed above (0.90%), and 9,805 did not know or did not declare (0.12%).
Censo 2010
». IBGE

Análise dos Resultados/IBGE Censo Demográfico 2010: Características gerais da população, religião e pessoas com deficiência
» (PDF)
The former Latin Catholic Territorial Prelature of Pernambuco became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Olinda & Recife, with these suffragan dioceses in its ecclesiastical province (all in Pernambuco) : Diocese of Afogados da Ingazeira, Diocese of Caruaru, Diocese of Floresta, Diocese of Garanhuns, Diocese of Nazaré, Diocese of Palmares, Diocese of Pesqueira, Diocese of Petrolina and Diocese of Salgueiro.


Racial/Ethnic composition

The results of the National Household Sample Survey (PNAD) conducted in 2022 led to the following estimates of Race and ethnicity in Brazil, race or skin color: 5,006,802 Brown people#Pardos in Brazil, Brown (Multiracial#Brazil, Multiracial) people (55.3%), 3,043,916 White Brazilian, White people (33.6%), 909,557 Afro-Brazilian, Black people (10.0%), 83,667 Indigenous peoples in Brazil, Indigenous people (0.9%) and 13,225 Asian Brazilian, Asian people (0.1%). Due to the legacy of slavery and the sugarcane plantations, it has been observed that those of mixed Afro-Brazilian, African and Portuguese Brazilian, Portuguese ancestry are more common on the coast, while Mamelucos (those of mixed Indigenous peoples in Brazil, Amerindian and Portuguese ancestry) are more common in the interior ''Sertão'' region. According to a genetic study from 2013, Pernambucans have 56.8% European, 27.9% African and 15.3% Amerindian ancestries.


Largest cities


Education

Portuguese language, Portuguese is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. But English and Spanish are part of the official high school curriculum.


Higher education

Pernambuco is served by many higher education institutions, concentrated in Recife. Most universities and colleges were founded in the 19th and 20th century, and some are known nationally. The oldest is the Faculdade de Direito do Recife (), founded on 11 August 1827 in the then-state capital of
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
, one of the first higher education institutes in Brazil. Castro Alves and Joaquim Nabuco, two important Brazilian historical figures are among its alumni. Many institutions are composed of several autonomous campuses serving the entire state, however Recife remains undeniably the center of education. Important institutions include: Headquartered in Recife: * The Federal University of Pernambuco (''Universidade Federal de Pernambuco'', UFPE), which now contains the historical College of Law of Recife, public, federally-funded * The Catholic University of Pernambuco, (Universidade Católica de Pernambuco, Unicap), private, non-profit, * The University of Pernambuco (''Universidade de Pernambuco'', UPE), public, funded by Pernambuco state * The Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (''Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco'', UFRPE), public, federally-funded * The Federal Institute of Pernambuco (I''nstituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco'', IFPE), public, federally-funded Located elsewhere in the state: * The Federal University of the São Francisco Valley (''Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco'', UNIVASF), in Petrolina, public, federally-funded * The (''Universidade Federal do Agreste de Pernambuco, UFAPE''), in Garanhuns, public, federally-funded


Economy

The service sector is the largest component of GDP at 73.2%, followed by the industrial sector at 21.6%. Agribusiness represents 5.2% of GDP (2006). Pernambuco exports: sugar 35.6%, fruit and juice 12.6%, fish and crustacean 12.3%, electric products 11.1%, chemicals 7.1%, woven 5.6% (2002). According with Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, IBGE, in 2007 ''Pernambuco'' has 2.34% share of the Brazilian economy and 17.9% share of the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region economy. It's the 10th largest economy of the whole Brazil, country. The GDP for the state was R$104,394,000,000 (2011), and the per capita income was R$11,776. The economy is based on agriculture (sugarcane, manioc), livestock farming and creations, as well as industry (shipbuilding, automotive, chemical, metallurgical, electronic, textile, alimentary). In the period of October 2005 to October 2006, the industrial growth of the state was the second biggest in
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
– 6.3%, more than double the national average in the same period (2.3%). Another segment that deserves to be highlighted is mineral extraction. The pole gesseiro of Araripina is the supplier from 95% of the plaster consumed in Brazil. The pole of data processing of the Recife, Digital Port, despite having started in 2000, is one of the five biggest in Brazil. It employs around three thousand persons, and has 3.5% the GDP of the state.


Livestock

According with Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, IBGE 2007, Pernambuco has the 2nd largest livestock portfolio in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region and the 8th of
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
.


Agriculture

''S – Seasonal; P – Permanent agriculture; + – Thousands units''


Ethanol

Pernambuco was once the 5th largest producer of
sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
in Brazil, but today it ranks 8th, behind São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná (state), Paraná, Mato Grosso and
Alagoas Alagoas () is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco (N and NW); Sergipe (S); Bahia (SW); and the Atlantic Ocean (E). Its capital is ...
. Brazil is the second largest producer of alcohol fuel in the world, typically fermenting ethanol from
sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
and sugar beets. The country produces a total of 18 billion liters annually, of which 3.5 billion are exported, 2 billion of them to the US. Alcohol-fueled cars started in the Brazilian market in 1978 and became quite popular because of heavy subsidy, but in the 80s prices rose and gasoline regained the leading market share. But from 2004 on, alcohol rapidly increased its market share once again because of new technologies involving Flexible-fuel vehicle, hybrid fuel car engines called "Flex" by all major car manufacturers (Volkswagen, General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Ford, Peugeot, Honda, Citroën, Fiat, etc.). "Flex" engines work with gasoline, alcohol or any mixture of both fuels. As of February 2007, approximately 80% of new vehicles sold in Brazil are hybrid fuel powered. Because of the Brazilian lead in production and technology, many countries became very interested in importing alcohol fuel and adopting the "Flex" vehicle concept.


Industry

In 2018, Pernambuco had an industrial GDP of R$32.4 billion, equivalent to 2.5% of the national industry and employing more than 280,000 workers in the industry. The main industrial sectors are: Construction (20%), Public Utilities Industrial Services, such as Electricity and Water (17%), Food (14.9%), Petroleum derivatives and biofuels (9.3%) and Motor vehicles (8.8%). These 5 sectors concentrate 70% of the state's industry. In only 3 places in the Brazilian Northeast Region, there is some relevant industrial production, one of them being the surroundings of Recife. However, the state continues to have little participation in the Brazilian economy, with the population largely concentrated on the coast.


Infrastructure


Airports

Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport has been open since July 2004 and has 52 thousand square meters of area. The largest airport in the North and Northeast regions, Guararapes had its capacity expanded from 5 million to 11 million passengers a year. Now there are 64 check-in counters, versus the former terminal's 24. The shopping and leisure area was also totally remodeled, within the "Aeroshopping" concept, which transforms an airport into a center for business and retail. The commercial spaces will be occupied in steps and the final total will be 142 shops. Since 2000, Recife has had the longest runway in the Northeast, at 3,305 meters. Its extension permits operations with jumbo jets, such as the Boeing , able to fly nonstop to anywhere in South and Central America, Africa and parts of Europe, the United States and Canada. Pernambuco is also served by the Petrolina Airport, Petrolina International Airport, which is responsible for the delivery of fresh fruit from the São Francisco River, São Francisco valley to Europe and the US. The cargo terminal operates with 6 large coolers with 17000 boxes capacity each plus 2 coolers tunnels. This airports also has daily direct connections between this region (which includes 53 municipalities from the states such as Pernambuco, Piaui and Bahia) to major capitals as
Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...
and Salvador. Like the Recife airport, it is administered by the Brazilian Federal Agency (Infraero). Other locally administered airports within the state are the Fernando de Noronha Airport and the Caruaru airports. Fernando de Noronhha has daily flights between the Fernando de Noronha, islands with Recife and Natal, and the second airport connects the textile industry region of Caruaru with São Paulo and local cities.


Ports

*Suape port. Suape serves ships ''cargo'' 365 days a year without any restrictions in regards to tidal schedules. To assist in the docking operation of the ships, the port offers a monitoring system and laser ship docking system that enables effective, secure control and upholds the same technical standards as the most important ports across the globe. The port moves over 8.4 million tons of cargo a year (has increased 7 times since 1992). The liquid granary (petroleum by-products, chemical products, alcohols, vegetable oils, etc.) constitutes more than 80% of the movement. The port can serve ships of up to 170,000 tpb and operational draft of 14.50 m. With of backport, the internal and external ports offer the necessary conditions for serving large ships. The access canal has 5,000m of extension, 300m in width and 16.5m in length. Suape port, Suape has started in the 21st century to be Pernambuco's motive power toward development. Huge national and international investments are being attracted by its logistic qualities, of which, until 2010, more than US$10 billion are expected. *Recife port, Recife Port handles ''cruises and cargo''. National and international cruises are made in this port, mainly of those connecting
Fernando de Noronha Fernando de Noronha (), officially the State District of Fernando de Noronha () and formerly known as the Federal Territory of Fernando de Noronha () until 1988, is an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, part of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, and ...
islands with
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, Caribbean islands and South America. The Brazilian and foreign tourists who come to
Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...
on a cruise ship will use a new ''Passengers Terminal'' (2009) with stores, food court and information kiosks. Also, will have an increase in depth from 8.4 m to 11.5 meters deep, what originates will no longer be necessary to do transfer between large and small ships as before. There are two access channels to the Recife port, Port, both of natural characteristics. The main one, ''South Channel'', has 260 m of width and of extension approximately, with a depth of 10.5 m. The other, denominated ''North Channel'', has little width, about of length, and a depth of 6.5 m, and it is used only by small size vessels. Handles an average of 2.2 million tons of cargo annually, and the main loads are sugar, wheat, corn, barley, malt, fertilizers, clinker and kelp.


Railways

Freight trains are operated by , formerly the ''Companhia Ferroviária do Nordeste'' (CFN), and mainly hauls iron ore, petroleum, and cement. The company won a 30-year concession following the privatization of the RFFSA in 1997, and also serves neighboring states of
Ceará Ceará (, ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. It is the List of Brazilian states by population, eighth-largest Brazilian State by ...
and
Piauí Piauí ( ) is one of the states of Brazil, located in the country's Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. The state has 1.6% of the Brazilian population and produces 0.7% of the Brazilian GDP. Piauí has the shortest coastline of any coas ...
. The network is built to Metre-gauge railway, metre gauge, and is long. The Recife Metro, opened in 1985, has five lines and is operated by the federally-controlled ''Compania Brasileira de Trens Urbanos'' (CBTU).


Roads


Festivals


Carnival

The four-day period before Lent leading up to Ash Wednesday is carnival time in
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. Rich and poor alike forget their cares as they party in the streets. Pernambuco has large Carnaval celebrations, including the ''frevo'', typical Pernambuco music. Another carnaval music style from Pernambuco is ''maracatu''. The cities of Recife and Olinda hold the most authentic and democratic carnaval celebrations in Brazil. The largest carnaval parade in all of Brazil is ''
Galo da Madrugada Galo da Madrugada (in Portuguese: Dawn's Rooster) is a carnival block from Recife, Brazil. The block was created in 1978 by Enéias Freire. Galos parades every Saturday of carnival at neighborhood. The main rhythm is the ''frevo'', but other r ...
'', which takes place in downtown Recife in the Saturday of carnaval. Another event is the ''Noite dos Tambores Silenciosos''. Recife's joyous Carnaval is nationally known, attracting thousands of people every year. The party starts a week before the official date, with electric trios "shaking" the Boa Viagem district. On Friday, people take to the streets to enjoy themselves to the sound of frevo and to dance with maracatu, ciranda, caboclinhos, afoxé, reggae and manguebeat (cultural movement created in Recife during the 1990s) groups. There are still many other entertainment centres around the city, featuring local and national artists. One of the highlights is Saturday when more than one million people follow the Galo da Madrugada group. From Sunday to Monday, there is the Night of the Silent Drums, on the Pátio do Terço, where Maracatus honor slaves that died in prisons.


Saint John's Day

Festa Junina was introduced to Northeastern
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
by the Portugal, Portuguese, for whom Saint John's day (also celebrated as Midsummer Day in several European countries), on 24 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 12 June, on the eve of Saint 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 the streets. Once exclusively a rural festival, today, in Brazil, it is largely a city festival during which people joyfully and theatrically mimic peasant stereotypes and clichés in a spirit of jokes and good times. Typical refreshments and dishes are served, including canjica and pamonha. Like during Carnival, these festivities involve costume-wearing (in this case, peasant costumes), dancing, heavy drinking, and visual spectacles (fireworks display and folk dancing). Like what happens on Midsummer and Saint John's Day in Europe, bonfires are a central part of these festivities in Brazil. Saint John's Day is celebrated throughout Pernambuco. Nonetheless, the festivities in Caruaru are by far the largest in the state. Saint John's festivals in Gravatá and Carpina are also popular.


Winter Festival

In the hilly areas of the interior – mainly in areas with a micro-climate of altitude – temperatures that can reach 8 Â°C in the winter. Every winter, when the weather is milder, tourists from neighboring states and other parts of Pernambuco visit cities such as Garanhuns, Gravatá, Triunfo, Taquaritinga do Norte and Brejo da Madre de Deus. The city of Garanhuns holds an annual Winter Festival, in the month of July. The main attractions are concerts, dances, rural tourism, culinary and the relatively low temperatures for a tropical climate.


Tourism and recreation

The Pernambuco coastline is 187 km long. There are about of Pernambuco Beaches, beaches, including at Porto de Galinhas, Carneiros and Calhetas. *
Fernando de Noronha Fernando de Noronha (), officially the State District of Fernando de Noronha () and formerly known as the Federal Territory of Fernando de Noronha () until 1988, is an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, part of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, and ...
, an isolated group of 21 volcanic islands approximately 540 km from Recife. The main islands are the visible parts of a range of submerged mountains, islets and rocks. The Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha hosts ecological sites ideal for exuberant marine animal life, due to its geographic location far from the continent and well within the path of the Southern Equatorial Currents, as well as the nature of its climate. * Porto de Galinhas. It features warm clear water pools scattered around its coral reefs, estuaries, mangroves, coconut trees and a number of other samples of abundant nature richness make Porto de Galinhas a place not to be missed or forgotten. * Boa Viagem, Recife, Boa Viagem. Located in the privileged southern Recife metropolitan area, Boa Viagem is the most important and frequented beach in town. It is protected by a long reef wall and has an extensive coastline. * Itamaracá island. Separated from the mainland by the Canal Santa Cruz, it has several highly frequented beaches. Among them are Forte Orange, Praia do Sossego and Pontal da Ilha. The island houses the Marine Manatee Preservation Center. * Maracaípe, a beach with big waves which hosts a phase of the Brazilian Surf Tournament. Highly frequented by surfers and neighbor to Porto de Galinhas, Maracaípe. * Tamandaré. Small waves and fine sand can be found there. * Calhetas, a small bay of difficult access. Searched for by many for diving. * Coroa do Avião, a small island in the middle of the Jaguaribe River delta, which can be reached only by boat or raft, from Recife or Itamaracá.


Main cities


Sports

Association football, Football was introduced to Pernambuco in 1902, when English and Dutchmen, Dutch sailors disembarked in Recife and played a game of football in the beach. The novelty awoke the interest of the people of Pernambuco, that soon adhered to the game. Recife provides visitors and residents with various sport activities; the city has the largest football teams of the state of Pernambuco. There are several football clubs based in Recife, such as Sport Club do Recife, Sport, Santa Cruz Futebol Clube, Santa Cruz, and Clube Náutico Capibaribe, Náutico. According to the Brazilian Football Confederation in 2008, the Federação Pernambucana de Futebol, Pernambuco Football Federation was ranked sixth nationwide, behind São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais and Paraná (state), Paraná; and first in the Northeastern Brazil, Northeast region.CBF.com.br
The Pernambuco Football Federation organizes the ''Campeonato Pernambucano'' state championship and the state cup. The first edition of the ''Campeonato Pernambucano'' was played in 1915, and was won by Sport Club Flamengo, a club since defunct. In 2011 twelve clubs competed, which was won by Santa Cruz Futebol Clube, Santa Cruz. In 2012 the state was represented in the highest national level of football (Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Brazilian Série A) by Clube Náutico Capibaribe, Náutico and Sport Club do Recife, Sport. Also, it was represented in (Campeonato Brasileiro Série C, Série C) by Santa Cruz Futebol Clube, Santa Cruz and Salgueiro Atlético Clube, Salgueiro and in (Campeonato Brasileiro Série D, Série D) by Central Sport Club, Central.
Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...
was one of the 12 Brazilian cities that hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup.


Gallery

File:Recife-PalacioGoverno1.jpg, ''Campo das Princesas Palace, Palácio do Campo das Princesas'' in
Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...
'','' headquarters for the Governor of Pernambuco, state Governor File:Assembleia Legislativa de Pernambuco, Recife, Brasil.jpg, ''Palácio Joaquim Nabuco'', meeting place of the Legislative Assembly of Pernambuco, in Recife File:Tribunal de Justiça de Pernambuco.jpg, ''Tribunal de Justiça de Pernambuco'' ('Court of Justice of Pernambuco'), in Recife File:Ground Zero - Recife - Pernambuco - Brazil(2).jpg, ''Marco Zero'' in Recife
File:Quartel do Derby.jpg, ''Quartel do Derby'' in Recife, headquarters of the Military Police (Brazil), Military Police of Pernambuco File:Bairro da Boa Vista - Recife - Pernambuco - Brasil.jpg, Central Recife and the Boa Vista neighborhood File:Mosteiro de São Bento - Olinda - Pernambuco - Brasil.jpg, São Bento Monastery in
Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...
, the colonial state capital File:Convento de São Francisco - Olinda - Pernambuco - Brasil.jpg, Convent of São Francisco, Olinda
File:Bairro de Boa Viagem no Recife - PE - Brazil.jpg, Boa Viagem, Recife, Boa Viagem neighborhood, Recife File:Imagem noturna de Caruaru em 2019.jpg, Caruaru at night, in the ''Agreste'' File:João Alfredo, Pernambuco, Brazil 3.jpg, ''Agreste'' landscape near João Alfredo File:Ponte_Petrolina-Juazeiro.jpg, The São Francisco River, São Francisco river, in Petrolina, in the ''Sertão'' File:Sertão do Araripe (49033698993).jpg, ''Sertão'' landscape near Araripina File:Reserva Biológica de Saltinho (Rio Formoso e Tamandaré). Pernambuco, Brasil.jpg, Saltinho Biological Reserve'','' in the Pernambuco coastal forests, coastal forest File:Porto de Galinhas - Pernambuco - Brasil(2).jpg, Porto de Galinhas beach, Ipojuca File:Bolo de Rolo, doce brasileiro, típico de Pernambuco.jpg, ''Bolo de rolo, Bolo de Rolo'', a Pernambucan specialty


See also

* Hino de Pernambuco * Flag of Pernambuco * Pernambucan revolt * List of municipalities in Pernambuco * Greater Recife * Santo Aleixo Island


References

{{Authority control Pernambuco, Federative units of Brazil Northeast Region, Brazil, *