Piauí

State in northeast Brazil, bordered to the west by Maranhão, to the east by Ceará, to the south by Bahía, and to the north by a short stretch of Atlantic coastline; area 250,934 sq km/96,886 sq mi; population (1996) 2,673,176. The capital of the state is Teresina, and Parnaíba, at the mouth of the River Parnaíba, is its only port. Cattle ranching is the principal economic activity. The main crops are cotton, sugar cane, tobacco, and coffee.

Other products of significance are sisal and other fibres, carnauba and ouricouri wax from palm trees, and various vegetable oils. The remoteness and the underdeveloped infrastructure of Piauí have left this state one of the poorest in Brazil; parasitic diseases are still endemic here.

Features Apart from its narrow strip of coastal lowland, most of the state of Piauí consists of a plain-like plateau covered with brush and drought-resistant scrub and bushy trees. While generally enjoying sufficient rainfall, the area is periodically subject to devastating droughts. The River Parnaíba flows southwest-northeast along much of the state's western boundary; both here and in other river valleys, a variety of crops are grown. In the north is the 62 sq km/24 sq mi Sete Cidades National Park, established in 1961.