Tocantins (Brazilian Portuguese:[tokɐ̃ˈtʃĩs]ⓘ[a]) is one of the 26states of Brazil. It is the newest state, formed in 1988 and encompassing what had formerly been the northern two-fifths of the state ofGoiás.[4] Tocantins covers 277,620.91 square kilometres (107,190.03 mi2) and had an estimated population of 1,496,880 in 2014.[5] Construction of its capital,Palmas, began in 1989; most of the other cities in the state date to thePortuguese colonial period. With the exception ofAraguaína, there are few other cities with a significant population in the state. The government has invested in a new capital, a major hydropower dam, railroads and related infrastructure to develop this primarily agricultural area. The state has 0.75% of the Brazilian population and is responsible for 0.5% of the BrazilianGDP.
Tocantins has attracted hundreds of thousands of new residents, primarily to Palmas. It is building on its hydropower resources. TheAraguaia andTocantins rivers drain the largest watershed that lies entirely inside Brazilian territory. The Rio Tocantins has been dammed for hydropower, creating a large reservoir that has become a center of recreation. Because it is in the central zone of the country, Tocantins has characteristics of theAmazon Basin, and also semi-open pastures, known ascerrado. TheBananal Island (Ilha do Bananal), in the southwest of the State, is the second largestfluvial island in the world.[6] Tocantins is also home to theAraguaia National Park, the Carajás Indian reservations, andJalapão State Park, which is about 250 kilometres (160 mi) from Palmas. There, the rivers create oases in the dry landscape, attracting many ecotourists to the region.
The name "Tocantins" refers to theTocantins River, which itself derives from theTupi language wordstukã´, "toucan", andtï, "beak", literally "Toucan's beak".[7]
The geography of Tocantins is varied. It straddles both theAmazon rainforest and the coastalsavanna. Many rivers (including theTocantins River) traverse the state. Researchers have identified more than 20 archaeologically significant sites related to indigenous cultures.[8]
Tocantins is bordered to the northeast by the states ofMaranhão andPiauí,Bahia to the east,Goiás to the south,Mato Grosso to the west, andPará to the northwest. Tocantins was created from the northern two-fifths of Goiás state in 1989 and is divided into 139 municipalities.[5][9]
Most of Tocantins (except the extreme western and northern regions) is situated within a vast Brazilian area known as thecerrado. The cerrado region's typical climate is hot and semi-humid, with pronounced seasonal variation marked by a dry winter from May through October.[4] The average annual rainfall is around 1500 mm.[10]
The "cerrado" landscape cover 87% of Tocantins and is characterized by extensive savanna formations crossed by gallery forests and stream valleys.[4] 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. In the north of Tocantins the cerrado gives place to a zone of transition for theAmazon biome, nearTocantins River.
The savanna formations are not homogenous. There is great variation between the amount of woody and herbaceous vegetation, forming a gradient from completely open "cerrado" — open fields dominated by grasses — to the closed, forest-like "cerrado" and the "cerradão" ("big cerrado"), a closed canopy forest. Intermediate forms include the dirty field, the "cerrado" field, and the "cerrado" sensu stricto, according to a growing density of trees.
The "cerrado" trees have characteristic twisted trunks covered by a thick bark, and leaves that 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.
As in many savannas in the world, the "cerrado" ecosystems have been coexisting with fire since ancient times. Initially they developed adaptations to natural fires caused by lightning or volcanic activity.
Along the western boundary of the state is the floodplain of theAraguaia River, which includes extensive wetlands and Amazon tropical forest ecosystems. Bananal Island, formed by two branches of the Araguaia, is said to be the largest river island in the world.[6][9] It consists mostly of marshlands and seasonally flooded savannas, with gallery forest. Where the two branches meet again they form an inland delta calledCantão, a typical Amazonianigapó flooded forest. The Araguaia is also one of the main links between the Amazonian lowlands and thePantanal wetlands to the south, but the river is not fully navigable.
Map of the Province of Araguaia, that would be created during the Empire of Brazil, 1873. Today, Tocantins lies in this area.National Archives of Brazil.
PortugueseJesuitmissionaries explored what is today Tocantins state about 1625, seeking to convert theAmerindian peoples of the area to Christianity. The area is named after theTocantins River, whose name is derived from an indigenous language. (From:Tukô,Toucan +tï,beak. lit. "Toucan's beak" inTupi language.)[9]
Before 1988 the area made up the northern two-fifths or one-third ofGoiás state.[11] Since the 17th century, this area was relatively isolated by rivers navigable only in short portions and mountains, and difficult to access. As a result, the southern area of the state became more developed, particularly after this area was selected in 1956 as the site for the development of the new capital ofBrasília and theFederal District.[11][better source needed] A strongseparatist movement developed in the north for independence of its people.[citation needed]
After the government levied heavy taxes on mining in 1809, local residents began to organize a separatists movement. They made a minor revolt which was quickly crushed by the army. In the 19th century, a string of failed uprisings occurred in the north. Historically the area was inhabited chiefly byAmerindians in some intact indigenous tribes andpardos of Amerindian and Portuguese descent.[citation needed]
In the 1970s, the population of northern Goiás lobbied the government to establish a separate state. In the 1988 Constitution, the State of Tocantins was created and admitted as a newBrazilian state.[12]
Since its establishment and investment by the government, as in the new capital of Palmas, Tocantins has been the fastest-growing Brazilian state. Its thriving economy is based on agriculture and agro-industry, attracting thousands of migrants from all over the country. The construction of the long-plannedNorth–South Railway is expected to further boost economic growth.[citation needed]
According to the2022 census, there were 1,511,460 people residing in the state. The population density was 5.45/km2 (14.1/sq mi).[5]
Urbanization: 71.5% (2004); Population growth: 2.6% (1991–2000); Houses: 355,502 (2005).[13]
The 2022 census revealed the following numbers: 939,260Pardos (brown,multiracial) people (62.1%), 350,613White people (23.2%), 199,394Black people (13.2%), 18,735Amerindian people (1.2%), 3,405Asian people (0.2%).[14]
Theservice sector is the largest component ofGDP at 59.9%, followed by the industrial sector at 27.2%. Agriculture represents 12.9% of GDP (2004). Tocantins exports:soybean 89.2%,beef 10.5% (2002). Tocantins' economy is based on an aggressive expansionist model of agro-exports and is marked by consecutive records of primary hyper-surpluses: its exports reveal its strong agricultural inclination. Following the example of neighboring states (Mato Grosso and Goiás), it is becoming a major grain producer (soy, corn, rice).
As with much of Brazil, Tocantins' economy is also dependent oncattle ranching. The state'spineappleplantations is considerable. In the state's north,charcoal andoils are extracted from the babaçupalm tree.
Insoy, Tocantins is the largest producer in the northern region of Brazil. In the 2019 harvest, Tocantins harvested 3 million tons.[16][17][18]
Inmaize, the state harvested close to 1 million tonnes in 2019.[15]
In 2019 Tocantins was the leader inrice production in the North region, becoming the 3rd largest producer in Brazil.[15] Harvested more than 670 thousand tons in the 2016/2017 harvest.
Regardingpineapple, in 2018 Tocantins was the 6th largest producer state in Brazil, with 69 million fruits.[19]
In 2019 the state's cattle herd was 8 million animals.[15]
About industry, Tocantins had an industrial GDP of R$4.5 billion in 2017, equivalent to 0.4% of the national industry. It employs 30,234 workers in the industry. The main industrial sectors are: Construction (34.1%), Industrial Services of Public Utility, such as Electricity and Water (28.4%), Food (22.5%), Non-metallic minerals (5.2%) and Chemicals (1.5%). These 5 sectors concentrate 91.7% of the state's industry.[20]
In the tertiary sector (commerce and services), its main activities are concentrated in the capital Palmas and also in the cities that are located on the side of the Belém-Brasília Highway (BR-153 andBR-226). This highway is vital for Tocantins, as it cuts the state from north to south and allows for a better performance in the economic growth of the cities located on its banks, serving as a warehouse for road transport and services for travelers. In addition, the Belém-Brasília Highway also facilitates the flow of production from Tocantins to other states and to ports on the coast.[22][23]
The main federal highways in Tocantins areBR-153 andBR-226, which together form the road axis of theBelém-Brasília Highway. The others areBR-010,BR-235, andBR-242. These last highways still have many sections that are unpaved or even incomplete. In Tocantins, the Belém-Brasília Highway (BR-153 and BR-226) was the first highway to be built and paved in the state, having been built during the late 1950s.[24][22][23][25]
TheNorth–South Railway (or EF-151) is in the construction process, being operated regularly from Aguiarnópolis to Porto Nacional by VLI while theWest–East Integration Railway (or EF-334) is still in the planning phase on the stretch that will pass through the state. The railway already connectsAçailândia toAnápolis, but the section south ofPorto Nacional is not operated regularly as there are no yards for loading/unloading wagons. Valec is still studying the concession model for the railway.[29][30]
The state's main waterways are the Tocantins River and Araguaia River waterways.[31]
The message of the flag is the phrase "where the sun rises for all". In the middle of the flag is the golden yellow sun, with its rays symbolically targeting to the future of the state. The sun is placed on a white band, where the white color represents peace. The blue in the upper left and the yellow in the bottom right represent the waters and the soil of the state. The colors date back to a flag used by the Autonomous Government of Palmas in the 19th century.[citation needed]
The flag was adopted with the state flag law (law no 094/89) of November 17, 1989.[citation needed]
Tocantins contains 139 municipalities. For statistical purposes, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics(IBGE) divides the state into twomesoregions containing eightmicro-regions. These statistical divisions were revised in 2017.
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