Chapter 5 the North East-Surfing in Warm Waters
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BRAZIL Chapter 5 The North East-Surfing in Warm Waters Have you ever done Surfing? Surfing is a water sports and Brazil offers one of the world's best surfing waters and beaches. The water is warm, fresh and clean and weather is perfect to be at beautiful beaches of Brazilian Northeast which are considered as best for surfing. The size of the waves during July and August can be anything between 2 to 10 ft, sometimes even bigger and 65 BRAZIL some of the spots can happily handle all sizes. The beaches are beautiful and the sands are golden with interesting lifestyle, beautiful coastlines, rich culture, carnivals, street parties and friendly people. This makes the Northeast region an amazing place for us all to visit and see around. The Region: Northeast region of Brazil was the place from where many outside expeditions including French and Dutch, came over to extract and export Pau Brasil or Brazilwood. Thus making 66 BRAZIL this region as the first part of the Brazil to be discovered by the Portuguese and the first Brazilian capital, Salvador, was also founded here. The Northeast is home to several universities, museums, theaters, churches, and historical landmarks of colonial Brazil. The region is very hot and it remains like this for the whole year. It is tropical (means hot and humid) near the coast. The coastal part of northeast Brazil receives plenty of rainfall as a result of the easterly trade winds, the inland regions and cities experience less than 800mm (31.5 inches) of rain per year. The temperature 67 BRAZIL ranges from 20 to 38°C in summers while the temperature in winters is 12 to 16°C. State and Cities: The region has nine states which are Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, and Sergipe. Let us now learn more about this beautiful region of Brazil. State of Alagoas: Situated on the northern bank of the São Francisco River, the state of Alagoas is bounded on the north and west by the state of Pernambuco, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Sergipe, and on the west by Bahia. Its coastline is about 138 miles (220 km) long. The name of the state derives from its large number of lakes (lagoas). The capital is Maceió. The state is also one of the greatest producers of sugarcane and coconuts in the country and has an economy based on cattle raising and tourism. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Pôrto Calvo in the north and Penedo, located on the 68 BRAZIL northern bank of the São Francisco River, were founded during the early years of the Portuguese occupation of Brazil, in the 16th century. In the early part of the 17th century the Dutch obtained a foothold but were soon expelled. At about the same time, quilombos—fortified settlements of fugitive slaves, with a distinct culture that had many African characteristics—were established in the forests. Alagoas was a district of Pernambuco until 1817, when it became a captaincy (fief). Following the proclamation of Brazilian independence in 1822, it became a province of the empire, and in 1889 it became a state of the republic. 69 BRAZIL The state is also called as Land of the Charru Mussel, lagoon shellfish which serves as food for the coastal population, and of coconut water, Alagoas also possesses some of the country's richest folklore. The principal rivers of the state are the São Francisco and the Mundaú, Paraíba, and Coruripe. Lagoa do Norte (Lake of the North), and Lagoa do Sul (Lake of the South), are the largest of the state's many lakes. Geologically, Alagoas consists mostly of the southern part of the Borborema Mountain Range. The Serra Lisa (Lisa Mountain) is the state's highest point. There are four zones of vegetation: the coastal plain; the Mata, or tropical rainforest; the Agreste, a shrubby savanna parkland; and the Caatinga, an arid region covered with underbrush and cacti. The animal life of the state is rich and varied. While Alagoas is still primarily an agricultural state, industrialization is making progress. The main agricultural products are sugarcane, palm, coconuts, cassava (manioc), corn (maize), cotton, and tobacco. In addition to its status as state capital, Maceió is the state's chief commercial city and 70 BRAZIL has an active industrial district. Foreign and coastwise trade is carried on through its port, Jaraguá. Maceió is also the centre of a fast growing tourist industry, sparked by a variety of scenic beaches. Alagoas is also home to a number of educational institutions. State of Maranhão: The state of Maranhão is situated south of the Equator and to the southeast of the Amazon River basin. Maranhão is described in books such as the Land of the Palm Trees, by Gonçalves Dias, and Casas de Pensão by Aluísio Azevedo. About two-thirds of its area consists of a low, heavily wooded region, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north. To the east and southeast lies Piauí state and to the west lie the states of Tocantins and Pará. The capital city of the state is São Luís. The dunes of Lençóis are an important area of environmental preservation. Also of interest is the state capital of São Luís, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Another important conservation area is the Parnaíba River delta, between the states of Maranhão 71 BRAZIL and Piauí, with its lagoons, desert dunes and deserted beaches or islands, such as the Caju island, which shelters rare birds. The higher plateaus in the southern section of the state are northeastern extensions of the Brazilian Highlands; the highest point, the Serra da Cinta, is 4,373 feet (1,333 m) in elevation. From these highlands a number of river systems run generally northeastward into the Atlantic. The rivers in the state are navigable for much of their course, cutting through arable soils that support farming and cattle raising, the economic mainstays of Maranhão. The climate is hot and moist. There is a wet and a relatively dry season but never a rainless one. 72 BRAZIL Most of Maranhão is economically developing—one of the least urbanized areas in Brazil—and is dependent largely on agriculture and cattle raising. Palm oils from the babassu nut are a major export item, as is rice. Cultural institutions include the Historical and Artistic Museum of Maranhão and the Maranhão Historical and Geographical Institute. The state's best-known figures include writer Antônio Gonçalves Dias, a poet in the Romantic tradition versed whose “Song of Exile” is renowned, and former Brazilian president José Sarney. State of Piauí: The State of Piauí is located in the northeastern part of the country. Piauí has the shortest coastline of any of the non- landlocked Brazilian states and the capital, Teresina, is the only state capital in the north east to be located inland. The reason for this is, unlike the rest of the area, Piauí was first colonized inland and slowly expanded towards the ocean, rather than the other way around. It is bordered by Maranhão, Ceará, 73 BRAZIL Pernambuco, Bahia, Tocantins and, of course, the Atlantic Ocean. In the Southeast of the State, the National Park of Serra da Capivara is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park has more than 400 archaeological sites and the largest concentration of rock paintings in the world, in a landscape dominated by canyons and caatinga. The largest city is Teresina, the capital. Other towns include Parnaíba, Floriano, Campo Maior, Picos, and Piripiri. The principal economic activities are the raising of livestock, the harvesting of cashew nuts, and the production of seeds, oil, and wax from the carnauba and babassu palm trees. The Parnaíba River runs along the western boundary of the state, linking the Atlantic port of Parnaíba with the inland cities of Teresina and Floriano. As one moves away from the river and the coastal area toward the south and east, the land rises gradually in a series of plateaus edged by cliffs. The climate is hot and humid in the lowlands and along the lower Parnaíba, but in the uplands it is dry with high day-time temperatures and 74 BRAZIL cool nights. Saint John Festival was introduced to this region of 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. State of Ceará: Another beautiful state located in the North east region is the state of Ceará. It is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by the Atlantic and the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Paraíba, on the south by the state of Pernambuco, and on the west by the state of Piauí. The capital, Fortaleza, is the principal cultural, commercial, and seaboard shipping centre. Other principal towns are Juazeiro do Norte, Sobral, Crato, Iguatu, and Crateus. The seaboard, the mountains and mesas, and the backlands are the main topographic regions of the state. Literally, the name Ceará means "sings the jandaia". According to José de Alencar, one of 75 BRAZIL the most important writers of Brazil and an authority in Tupi Guaraní, Ceará means turquoise or green waters. There are also theories that the state name would derive from Siriará, a reference to the crabs from the seashore. The state is best known for its extensive coastline, with 573 kilometers (356 mi) of sand. There are also mountains and valleys producing tropical fruits. The state lies partly upon the northeastern slope of the great Brazilian Highlands and partly upon the sandy coastal plain.