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Zona da Mata | |
|---|---|
Coastal Plain | |
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| Coordinates:21°07′12″S42°56′34″W / 21.1200°S 42.9428°W /-21.1200; -42.9428 | |
| Country | Brazil |
TheZona da Mata ([ˈzõnɐdaˈmatɐ], "Forest Belt")[1][2] is the narrow coastal plain between theAtlantic Ocean and the dryagreste andsertão regions in the northeasternBrazilianstates ofMaranhão,Piauí,Rio Grande do Norte,Paraíba,Pernambuco,Alagoas,Sergipe andBahia.
Thezona da mata consists of a narrowplain, generally about 50–100 km (31–62 mi) wide and very flat and low (below 100 m (330 ft) in elevation), below the northeastern edge of theBrazilian Highlands. The climate istropical hot and wet (humid), with most rain coming from the southeasterly winds between April and July. Annual rainfall generally totals 1,300–2,000 mm (51–79 in), with averages in June as high as 300 mm (12 in).
Because the climate andsoil of thezona da mata are excellent for the production ofsugar cane, very little of the originalAtlantic Rainforest vegetation remains. Most of the major cities of northeastern Brazil, includingRecife,Salvador,Maceió,Aracaju andJoão Pessoa, are located in the zona da mata.
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