Mato Grosso do Sul

State in the central-west region of western Brazil, bounded to the west by Bolivia and Paraguay (along the River Paraguay), to the south by Paraguay, and to the east by the River Paraná; area 350,548 sq km/135,350 sq mi; population (1996) 1,927,834; capital Campo Grande. The region represented the Mato Grosso state until 1979. It includes the swampy pantanal to the west and northwest. This is a predominantly agricultural area. There is also some cattle-raising, and minerals are exploited in the region.