Pará

State of northern Brazil, bounded in the north by Guyana and Suriname, and in the northeast by the Atlantic; area 1,246,833 sq km/481,405 sq mi; population (1991) 5,181,570; capital Belém. It is the second-largest state in Brazil; the Amazon delta lies wholly within it. There are dense rain forests and the area is well watered by the Amazon, Pará, Tocatins, Xingu, and Tapajos rivers. Timber, rubber, and brazilnuts are produced, and cattle are raised. Chief towns include Obidos, Santarém, Marabá and Cameta.

In southern Pará, the vast Grande Carajás industrial scheme has brought significant economic prosperity based on the exploitation of iron and other ores. Nearby are the Serra Perlada goldmines. The hydroelectric power scheme at Tucuruí has provided the energy for the Carajá scheme at huge environmental cost. The dam's construction flooded an enormous area of forest and Indian lands, displacing the Indian populations.