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Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: PAI-PAS |
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PARA , or Gino PARA, a northern state of-Brazil, bounded N. by the three Guianas and the Atlantic, E. by the Atlantic and the states of Maranhao and Goyaz,' S. by Goyaz and Matto Grosso and W. by Amazonas. It is the third largest state of the republic, having an area of 443,922 sq. m.; pop. (189o), 328,455, (1900), 445,356. The Amazon valley has its outlet to the ocean through the central part of the state, the outlet, or neck, being comparatively narrow and the territory on both sides rising to the level of the ancient plateau that covered this part of the continent. In the north is the Guiana plateau, sometimes called Brazilian Guiana, which is " blanketed " and made semi-arid by the mountain ranges on the Brazil-Guiana frontier. In the south the country rises in forested terraces and is broken by escarpments caused by the erosion of the northern slope of the great central plateau of Brazil. With the exception of the Guiana highlands, and some grassy plains on the island of Maraj6 and in some other places, the state is densely forested, and its lowest levels are covered with a network of rivers, lakes and connecting channels. The rivers of the state may be grouped under three general systems: the Amazon and its tributaries, the Tocantins and its tributaries and the rivers flowing direct to the Atlantic. The Amazon crosses the state in a general E.N.E. direction for about 500 M. Its channels, tributaries, furos (arms), igarapes (creeks, or literally, " canoe paths "), by-channels and reservoir lakes form an extremely complicated hydrographic system. From the north seven large tributaries are receivedthe Jamunda (which forms the boundary line with Amazonas), Trombetas, Maecuru, Jauary, Parfi, Jary and Anauera-pucfi. The first is, strictly speaking, a tributary cf the Trombetas, though several furos connect with the Amazon before its main channel opens into the Trombetas. All these rivers have their sources on the Guiana highlands within the limits of the state, and flow southward to the Amazon over numerous rapids and falls, with comparatively short navigable channels before entering the great river. From the south two great tributaries are receivedthe Tapajos and Xinguboth having their sources outside the state (see AMAZON). The Path estuary, usually called the Path river, belongs to the Tocantins, although popularly described as a mouth of the Amazon. Very little Amazon water passes through it except in times of flood. It is connected with the Amazon by navigable tidal furos, in which the current is hardly perceptible. The estuary is about 200 M. long and 5 to 30 M. wide, and receives the waters of a large number of streams, the largest of which is the Guama and its chief
Lying across the mouth of the Amazon and dividing it into three channels are the islands of Caviana and Mexiana, the first 47 M. and the second 27 M. in length, north-west to south-east, both traversed by the equator , and both devoted to cattle-raising. Somewhat different in character is the island of Maraj6, or Joannes, which lies between the Amazon and Path estuary. It is 162 m. long by 99 M. wide, and its area is about 15,000 sq. m. This island is only partly alluvial in character, a considerable area on its eastern and southern sides having the same geological formation as the neighbouring mainland. The larger part, the north-western, belongs to the flood-plains of the Amazon, being covered with swamps, forests and open meadows, and subject to annual inundations. There are several towns and villages on the island, and stock-raising, now in a state of decadence, has long been its principal industry. Of interest
Path is crossed by the equator , and its climate is wholly tropical, but there is a wide variation in temperature and rainfall. In general, it is hot and dry on the Guiana plateau, and hot and humid throughout the forested region. In the latter, there are two recognized seasons, wet and dry, which differ only in the amount of rainfall, a strictly dry season being unknown. The trade winds, which blow up the Amazon with much force, moderate the heat and make healthy most of the settlements on the great river itself; but the settlements along its tributaries, which are not swept by these winds, are afflicted with malaria. The population is concentrated at widely separated points on the coast and navigable rivers, except on Maraj6 island, where open country and pastoral
sarsaparilla
cotton
pastoral
Transportation depends wholly on river craft, the one railway of the state, the Path & Braganca, not being able to meet expenses from its traffic receipts. The capital of the state is Path, or Belem do Para, and its history is largely that of this city. Other important towns are Alemaquer (pop. about 1500; of the municipio in 1890, 7539), on a by-channel of the Amazon; Breves (mun. 12,593 in 189o), a river port in the south-west part of Maraj6, on a channel connecting the Amazon with the Para estuary; Braganca (mun. 16,046 in 1890), a small town in one of the few agricultural districts of the state, 147 M. by rail north-east of Path, on the river Caete, near the coast; Obidos (about 1000; mun. 12,666 in 1890), on the north bank of the Amazon at a point called the Pauxis narrows, a little over r m. wide, attractively situated on a hillside in a healthful locality; and Santarem
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