.gif)
Tocantins (state)
Encyclopedia
Tocantins is one of the states of Brazil
. (From: Tukã´, Toucan + tï, beak. lit. "Toucan's beak" in Tupi). The state was formed in 1988 out of the northern part of Goiás
, and construction began on the capital, Palmas
, in 1989, in contrast to most of the other cities in the state which date back to the Portuguese colonial
period. It is the newest Brazilian state and, because it is still very young, it is developing slowly, building on its most important resources: the river
s Araguaia
and Tocantins
, the largest hydro basin entirely inside Brazilian territory. Because it is in the central zone of the country, it has characteristics of the Amazon
, but also has open pastures. The Ilha do Bananal, in the southwest of the State, is the largest fluvial
island in the world. Tocantins is also home to the Araguaia National Park
and the Carajás Indian reservations. Another highlight is the Jalapão
, about 250 kilometers from the capital, Palmas
. There, the rivers create true oases in the dry landscape, attracting many ecotourists to the region.
Tocantins forms the boundary between the Amazon Rainforest
and the coastal savanna
. As a result, the state's geography is varied. Many rivers cross through the state (including one of the same name
), and there are over 20 archaeologically
significant sites found in Tocantins.
Most of Tocantins(except the extreme west and northern regions) is situated within a vast Brazilian area known as the cerrado
. The cerrado region's typical climate is hot, semi-humid, with pronounced seasonality marked by a dry winter season from May through October. The annual rainfall is around 800 to 1600 mm. The soils are generally very old, deep, and naturally nutrient-poor.
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 which 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 as natural fires caused by lightning or volcanic activity, and later caused by man.
Along the western boundary of the state is the floodplain of the Araguaia 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, and consists mostly of marshlands and seasonally flooded savannas with gallery forest. Where the two branches meet again they form an inland delta called Cantão
, a typical Amazonian igapó flooded forest. The Araguaia is also one of the main links between the Amazonian lowlands and the Pantanal
wetlands to the south.
missionaries
explored what is today Tocantins state about 1625, seeking to convert the Amerindian peoples of the area to Christianity
. The area is named after the Tocantins River, which in turn is an indigenous name.
Before 1988 the area was part of the Goiás state, in the north of the state. However, ever since the 17th century, the north has been isolated and difficult to access. As a result, the southern area of the state became more developed, and there had been a strong separatist
movement in the north for many years.
The first large scale stirrings of separatism were in 1809, when heavy taxes were levied on mining. This led to a minor revolt which was quickly crushed by the army. A string of failed uprisings occurred in the 19th century.
In the 1970s, pressure was put on the federal government by the population of northern Goiás for a separate state, and in the 1988 Constitution, Tocantins state was officially created.
Since its establishment, Tocantins has been the fastest-growing Brazilian state, with a thriving economy based on agriculture and agro-industry which attracts immigrants from all over the country. The construction of the long-planned North-South Railway (Brazil) will probably boost the economic growth even more. Tocantins is also considered one of the best-managed Brazilian states.
of 2007, there were 1,377,000 people residing in the state. The population density was 4.8 inh./km².
Urbanization
: 71.5% (2004); Population growth
: 2.6% (1991–2000); House
s: 355,502 (2005).
The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 948,000 Brown (Multiracial) people (68.9%), 330,000 White
people (24.0%), 95,000 Black
people (6.9%), 2,000 Asian
or Amerindian
people (0.2%).
represents 12.9% of GDP (2004). Tocantins exports: soybean
89.2%, beef
10.5% (2002).
Share of the Brazilian economy: 0.4% (2005).
As with much of Brazil, Tocantins' economy
is dependent on cattle
raising, though the state's pineapple
plantation
s not only supply much of Brazil with the fruit
, but also many other Mercosul nations with it too. In the state's north, charcoal
and oils are extracted from the babaçu palm tree.
The federal government, seeking to broaden Tocantins' economic base by funding the construction of a hydroelectric dam in the state, allowed a private company to construct a sizable five-turbine hydroelectric dam, blocking the Tocantins river and displacing some indigenous inhabitants. However, its contribution to the state is indisputable - one turbine alone powers the entire state of Tocantins while the remaining four provide electricity which is sold to other parts of Brazil
.
is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. But English
and Spanish
are part of the official high school
curriculum.
’s largest airport sites and has privileged location near the Lageado Hydroelectric Station.
Designed with a modern concept of visual communication, the new Palmas Airport Complex contains an Aeroshopping area, a program developed by Infraero aiming to turn Brazil’s main airports into true commercial centers with their own brand and identity.
The passenger terminal has 12.300 square meters of constructed area and capacity to serve up to 370 thousand people a year. It has a food court, cultural space, shops, panoramic deck, elevators and air conditioning. The runway can receive aircraft the size of a Boeing 767. There are three taxiways and aprons for general aviation, making operations more flexible. The airport has full infrastructure that includes a control tower and installations for the Air Navigation Group, fire brigade, a covered equipment parking area, canteen and training rooms, two aircraft fueling stations, a gate with electronic entry control, guard booths. parking and flight protection buildings, besides a 4 km (2.48 mi) access road linking the airport to the Tocantins capital city’s main thoroughfare.
is located on Bananal Island. It borders Cantão
State Park, and together, these strictly protected areas form the core of the Araguaia Mosaic of Protected Areas, which consists of over four million hectares of state and federal protected areas and Indian lands along the Araguaia wetlands. The mosaic also extends into the neighboring states of Pará and Mato Grosso.
Nascentes do Rio Parnaiba National Park
is located on the opposite corner of the state, in the transition zone between the Cerrado
and the semi-arid Caatinga
. It also extends into the neighboring states of Maranhão and Piauí.
In addition, the State of Tocantins has established state parks at Jalapão
and Serra do Lajeado, protecting two unique samples of the Cerrado. The state parks and protected areas of Tocantins are managed by Naturatins, the state environmental agency.
The flag was adopted with the state flag law (law no 094/89) of November 17, 1989.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. (From: Tukã´, Toucan + tï, beak. lit. "Toucan's beak" in Tupi). The state was formed in 1988 out of the northern part of Goiás
Goiás
Goiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The name Goiás comes from the name of an indigenous community...
, and construction began on the capital, Palmas
Palmas, Tocantins
Palmas is the capital of the Brazilian state of Tocantins. According to IBGE estimates from 2011, the city had 235,315 inhabitants. It has an area of 2474.95 km²....
, in 1989, in contrast to most of the other cities in the state which date back to the Portuguese colonial
Portuguese colonization of the Americas
Portugal was the leading country in the European exploration of the world in the 15th century. The Treaty of Tordesillas divided the Earth, outside Europe, in 1494 into Spanish and Portuguese global territorial hemispheres for exclusive conquest and colonization...
period. It is the newest Brazilian state and, because it is still very young, it is developing slowly, building on its most important resources: the river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s Araguaia
Araguaia River
The Araguaia River or, in Portuguese, Rio Araguaia is one of the major rivers of Brazil, and the principal tributary of the Tocantins. It has a total length of approximately 2,627 km. Araguaia means "river of macaws" in the Tupi language....
and Tocantins
Tocantins River
The Tocantins is a river in Brazil, the central fluvial artery of the country. In the Tupi language, its name means "toucan's beak" . It runs from south to north for about 2,640 km. It is not really a branch of the Amazon River, although usually so considered, since its waters flow into the...
, the largest hydro basin entirely inside Brazilian territory. Because it is in the central zone of the country, it has characteristics of the Amazon
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
, but also has open pastures. The Ilha do Bananal, in the southwest of the State, is the largest fluvial
Fluvial
Fluvial is used in geography and Earth science to refer to the processes associated with rivers and streams and the deposits and landforms created by them...
island in the world. Tocantins is also home to the Araguaia National Park
Araguaia National Park
The Araguaia National Park is located in Tocantins state in the north of Brazil, between 09º51’—11º11’S and 49º57’—50º27’W.-External links:*...
and the Carajás Indian reservations. Another highlight is the Jalapão
Jalapão
Jalapão is a state park in eastern Tocantins, Brazil, about 250 kilometers from the Tocantins capital, Palmas. It occupies 34,000 km2, making it the largest state park in Tocantins...
, about 250 kilometers from the capital, Palmas
Palmas, Tocantins
Palmas is the capital of the Brazilian state of Tocantins. According to IBGE estimates from 2011, the city had 235,315 inhabitants. It has an area of 2474.95 km²....
. There, the rivers create true oases in the dry landscape, attracting many ecotourists to the region.
Geography
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
and the coastal savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
. As a result, the state's geography is varied. Many rivers cross through the state (including one of the same name
Tocantins River
The Tocantins is a river in Brazil, the central fluvial artery of the country. In the Tupi language, its name means "toucan's beak" . It runs from south to north for about 2,640 km. It is not really a branch of the Amazon River, although usually so considered, since its waters flow into the...
), and there are over 20 archaeologically
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
significant sites found in Tocantins.
Climate
Cerrado
The Cerrado, is a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil, particularly in the states of Gioas and Minas Gerais...
. The cerrado region's typical climate is hot, semi-humid, with pronounced seasonality marked by a dry winter season from May through October. The annual rainfall is around 800 to 1600 mm. The soils are generally very old, deep, and naturally nutrient-poor.
Vegetation
The "cerrado" landscape is characterized by extensive savanna formations crossed by gallery forests and stream valleys. 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.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 which 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 as natural fires caused by lightning or volcanic activity, and later caused by man.
Along the western boundary of the state is the floodplain of the Araguaia 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, and consists mostly of marshlands and seasonally flooded savannas with gallery forest. Where the two branches meet again they form an inland delta called Cantão
Cantão
Cantão is a tropical forest ecosystem located in the central Araguaia river basin, the southeastern edge of the Amazon biome, in the Brazilian state of Tocantins...
, a typical Amazonian igapó flooded forest. The Araguaia is also one of the main links between the Amazonian lowlands and the Pantanal
Pantanal
The Pantanal is a tropical wetland and one of the world's largest wetland of any kind. Most of it lies within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and portions of Bolivia and Paraguay, sprawling over an area estimated at between and...
wetlands to the south.
History
JesuitSociety of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
explored what is today Tocantins state about 1625, seeking to convert the Amerindian peoples of the area to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. The area is named after the Tocantins River, which in turn is an indigenous name.
Before 1988 the area was part of the Goiás state, in the north of the state. However, ever since the 17th century, the north has been isolated and difficult to access. As a result, the southern area of the state became more developed, and there had been a strong separatist
Separatism
Separatism is the advocacy of a state of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group. While it often refers to full political secession, separatist groups may seek nothing more than greater autonomy...
movement in the north for many years.
The first large scale stirrings of separatism were in 1809, when heavy taxes were levied on mining. This led to a minor revolt which was quickly crushed by the army. A string of failed uprisings occurred in the 19th century.
In the 1970s, pressure was put on the federal government by the population of northern Goiás for a separate state, and in the 1988 Constitution, Tocantins state was officially created.
Since its establishment, Tocantins has been the fastest-growing Brazilian state, with a thriving economy based on agriculture and agro-industry which attracts immigrants from all over the country. The construction of the long-planned North-South Railway (Brazil) will probably boost the economic growth even more. Tocantins is also considered one of the best-managed Brazilian states.
| Municípios mais populosos do Tocantins |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Posição | Município | Pop. | Posição | Município | Pop. |
| 1 | Palmas Palmas Palmas may refer to:* Palmas, one of the two sectors of Cataño, Puerto Rico* Palmas, Tocantins, the capital of the state of Tocantins in Brazil* Palmas, Paraná, a centenary small city in the south of the state of Paraná in Brazil... |
228 297 | 11 | Dianópolis Dianópolis Dianópolis is a town and municipality in the state of Tocantins in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:... |
19 110 |
| 2 | Araguaína Araguaína Araguaína is a city and a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. Its population was 153 350 and its area is 4,000.40 km².The city is home to ITPAC, an educational institute offering medical, dentistry, and lawyer careers... |
153 350 | 12 | Formoso do Araguaia Formoso do Araguaia Formoso do Araguaia is a town and municipality in the state of Tocantins in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:... |
18 428 |
| 3 | Gurupi Gurupi Gurupi is a city and a municipality in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. The estimated population was 75,287 inhabitants in 2005, the third-largest in the state, and the total area of the municipality was 1,836 kmª. The elevation is 400 meters in the city.... |
76 765 | 13 | Augustinópolis Augustinópolis Augustinópolis is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. Its population was 14,625 and its area is 414 km².... |
15 965 |
| 4 | Porto Nacional Porto Nacional Porto Nacional is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Tocantins. The population was 45,289 in an area of 4,450 km2, including both rural and urban areas.-Location:It is located approximately in the center of the state at a distance of 60 km... |
49 143 | 14 | Taguatinga | 15 053 |
| 5 | Paraíso do Tocantins Paraíso do Tocantins Paraíso do Tocantins is a town and municipality in the state of Tocantins in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:... |
44 432 | 15 | Miranorte Miranorte Miranorte is a town and municipality in the state of Tocantins in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:... |
12 626 |
| 6 | Araguatins Araguatins Araguatins is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. Its population was 29,338 and its area is 2,627 km².... |
31 324 | 16 | Goiatins Goiatins Goiatins is a town and municipality in the state of Tocantins in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:... |
12 064 |
| 7 | Colinas do Tocantins Colinas do Tocantins Colinas do Tocantins is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. Its population was 27,984 and its area is 844 km².... |
30 879 | 17 | Pedro Afonso | 11 542 |
| 8 | Guaraí Guaraí Guaraí is a town and municipality in the state of Tocantins in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:... |
23 212 | 18 | Xambioá Xambioá The Xambioá, also called the Karajá do Norte, Ixybiowa, or Iraru Mahãndu, are an indigenous people who live in Tocantins, Brazil. The size of the present-day population does not reflect what it had been up to the end of the 19th Century, when the Karajá do Norte numbered some 1,350 individuals... |
11 484 |
| 9 | Tocantinópolis Tocantinópolis Tocantinópolis is a town and municipality in the state of Tocantins in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:... |
22 608 | 19 | Wanderlândia Wanderlândia Wanderlândia is a town and municipality in the state of Tocantins in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:... |
10 978 |
| 10 | Miracema do Tocantins Miracema do Tocantins Miracema do Tocantins is a municipality of the Brazilian state of Tocantins. It is located at a latitude 09 º 34'02 "south and a longitude 48 ° 23'30" W, with an altitude of 197 meters. Its estimated population in 2004 was 26 729 inhabitants. It has an area of 2667475 square km. It was the state... |
20 692 | 20 | Nova Olinda | 10 686 |
Demographics
According to the IBGEIBGE
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics or IBGE , is the agency responsible for statistical, geographic, cartographic, geodetic and environmental information in Brazil...
of 2007, there were 1,377,000 people residing in the state. The population density was 4.8 inh./km².
Urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
: 71.5% (2004); Population growth
Population growth
Population growth is the change in a population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals of any species in a population using "per unit time" for measurement....
: 2.6% (1991–2000); House
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
s: 355,502 (2005).
The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 948,000 Brown (Multiracial) people (68.9%), 330,000 White
White Brazilian
White Brazilians make up 48.4% of Brazil's population, or around 92 million people, according to the IBGE's 2008 PNAD . Whites are present in the entire territory of Brazil, although the main concentrations are found in the South and Southeastern parts of the country...
people (24.0%), 95,000 Black
Afro-Brazilian
In Brazil, the term "preto" is one of the five categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with "branco" , "pardo" , "amarelo" and "indígena"...
people (6.9%), 2,000 Asian
Asian Brazilian
An Asian Brazilian is is a Brazilian citizen of full or partial Asian ancestry, who remains culturally connected to Asia, or an Asian-born person permanently residing in Brazil. Brazil received many immigrants from Asia, both from Middle East and East Asia...
or Amerindian
Indigenous peoples in Brazil
The Indigenous peoples in Brazil comprise a large number of distinct ethnic groups who inhabited the country prior to the European invasion around 1500...
people (0.2%).
Economy
The service sector is the largest component of GDP at 59.9%, followed by the industrial sector at 27.2%. AgricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
represents 12.9% of GDP (2004). Tocantins exports: soybean
Soybean
The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
89.2%, beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
10.5% (2002).
Share of the Brazilian economy: 0.4% (2005).
As with much of Brazil, Tocantins' economy
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
is dependent on cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
raising, though the state's pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s not only supply much of Brazil with the fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
, but also many other Mercosul nations with it too. In the state's north, charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
and oils are extracted from the babaçu palm tree.
The federal government, seeking to broaden Tocantins' economic base by funding the construction of a hydroelectric dam in the state, allowed a private company to construct a sizable five-turbine hydroelectric dam, blocking the Tocantins river and displacing some indigenous inhabitants. However, its contribution to the state is indisputable - one turbine alone powers the entire state of Tocantins while the remaining four provide electricity which is sold to other parts of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Education
PortuguesePortuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. But English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
are part of the official high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
curriculum.
Educational institutions
- Universidade Federal do Tocantins (UFT) (Federal University of Tocantins);
- Fundação Universidade do Tocantins (Unitins) (Foundation University of Tocantins);
- Escola Técnica Federal de Palmas (ETF-TO);
- Faculdade de Tecnologia de Palmas (FTP);
- Fundação Unirg (Unirg) (Foundation Unirg);
- and many others.
National Airport
The facility occupies one of BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
’s largest airport sites and has privileged location near the Lageado Hydroelectric Station.
Designed with a modern concept of visual communication, the new Palmas Airport Complex contains an Aeroshopping area, a program developed by Infraero aiming to turn Brazil’s main airports into true commercial centers with their own brand and identity.
The passenger terminal has 12.300 square meters of constructed area and capacity to serve up to 370 thousand people a year. It has a food court, cultural space, shops, panoramic deck, elevators and air conditioning. The runway can receive aircraft the size of a Boeing 767. There are three taxiways and aprons for general aviation, making operations more flexible. The airport has full infrastructure that includes a control tower and installations for the Air Navigation Group, fire brigade, a covered equipment parking area, canteen and training rooms, two aircraft fueling stations, a gate with electronic entry control, guard booths. parking and flight protection buildings, besides a 4 km (2.48 mi) access road linking the airport to the Tocantins capital city’s main thoroughfare.
Protected Areas
Araguaia National ParkAraguaia National Park
The Araguaia National Park is located in Tocantins state in the north of Brazil, between 09º51’—11º11’S and 49º57’—50º27’W.-External links:*...
is located on Bananal Island. It borders Cantão
Cantão
Cantão is a tropical forest ecosystem located in the central Araguaia river basin, the southeastern edge of the Amazon biome, in the Brazilian state of Tocantins...
State Park, and together, these strictly protected areas form the core of the Araguaia Mosaic of Protected Areas, which consists of over four million hectares of state and federal protected areas and Indian lands along the Araguaia wetlands. The mosaic also extends into the neighboring states of Pará and Mato Grosso.
Nascentes do Rio Parnaiba National Park
Nascentes do Rio Parnaíba National Park
Nascentes do Rio Parnaíba National Park is a national park of Brazil....
is located on the opposite corner of the state, in the transition zone between the Cerrado
Cerrado
The Cerrado, is a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil, particularly in the states of Gioas and Minas Gerais...
and the semi-arid Caatinga
Caatinga
Caatinga is a type of vegetation, and an ecoregion characterized by this vegetation in the northeastern part of Brazil. The name "Caatinga" is a Tupi word meaning "white forest" or "white vegetation"...
. It also extends into the neighboring states of Maranhão and Piauí.
In addition, the State of Tocantins has established state parks at Jalapão
Jalapão
Jalapão is a state park in eastern Tocantins, Brazil, about 250 kilometers from the Tocantins capital, Palmas. It occupies 34,000 km2, making it the largest state park in Tocantins...
and Serra do Lajeado, protecting two unique samples of the Cerrado. The state parks and protected areas of Tocantins are managed by Naturatins, the state environmental agency.
Flag
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.The flag was adopted with the state flag law (law no 094/89) of November 17, 1989.
Cities
Other cities include:- TocantinópolisTocantinópolisTocantinópolis is a town and municipality in the state of Tocantins in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:...
- Colinas do TocantinsColinas do TocantinsColinas do Tocantins is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. Its population was 27,984 and its area is 844 km²....
- AraguaínaAraguaínaAraguaína is a city and a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. Its population was 153 350 and its area is 4,000.40 km².The city is home to ITPAC, an educational institute offering medical, dentistry, and lawyer careers...
- GurupiGurupiGurupi is a city and a municipality in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. The estimated population was 75,287 inhabitants in 2005, the third-largest in the state, and the total area of the municipality was 1,836 kmª. The elevation is 400 meters in the city....
- PalmasPalmas, TocantinsPalmas is the capital of the Brazilian state of Tocantins. According to IBGE estimates from 2011, the city had 235,315 inhabitants. It has an area of 2474.95 km²....
- DianópolisDianópolisDianópolis is a town and municipality in the state of Tocantins in the Northern region of Brazil.-References:...
- Porto NacionalPorto NacionalPorto Nacional is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Tocantins. The population was 45,289 in an area of 4,450 km2, including both rural and urban areas.-Location:It is located approximately in the center of the state at a distance of 60 km...