PARA. or GRAO PARA, a northern state of Brazil, bounded on the north by the three Guianas and the Atlantic, east by the Atlantic and the states of Maranhao and Goyaz, south by Goyaz and Matto Grosso and west by Amazonas. It is the third largest state of the republic, having an area of 443,922sq.m.; pop. (189o) (1930) 1,432,401. The Amazon valley has its outlet to the ocean through the central part of the state, the out let, or neck, being comparatively narrow and the territory on both sides rising to the level of the ancient plateau that cov ered this part of the continent. In the north is the Guiana plateau, sometimes called Brazilian Guiana. 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 Marajo 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 miles. Its channels, tributaries, furos (arms), igarapes (creeks, or literally, "canoe paths"), by-channels and reservoir lakes form an extremely complicated hydrographic system. From the south two great tributaries are received—the Tapajos and Xingu—both having their sources outside the state (see AMA ZON). The Para estuary, usually called the Para 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.
Lying across the mouth of the Amazon and dividing it into three channels are the islands of Caviana and Mexiana, the first 47m. and the second 27m. 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 Marajo, or Joannes, which lies between the Amazon and Para estuary. It is 162m. long by 99m. wide, and its area is about i5,000sq.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 has long been its principal industry. Of interest to archaeologists is the largest of its several lakes. called Arary, in the centre of which is a small island celebrated for its Indian antiquities, chiefly pottery.
Para is crossed by the Equator, and its climate is wholly tropi cal, 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, mod erate 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 popu lation is concentrated at widely separated points on the coast and navigable rivers, except on Marajo island, where open country and pastoral pursuits have opened up inland districts. The princi pal occupation is the collecting and marketing of forest products such as rubber (from Hevea brasiliensis), gutta-percha or balata (Mimusops elata), Brazil nuts (Bertholetia excelsis), sarsaparilla (Smilax), cumaru of tonka beans (Dipterix odorata), copaiba (Copaifera officinarum), guarand (Paulinia sorbilis) , cravo (an aromatic bark of Dicypellium caryophillatum) and many others. In earlier days cotton, sugar-cane, rice, tobacco, cacao and even coffee were cultivated, but the demand for rubber caused their abandonment in most places. Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is still cultivated, as also mandioca (Manihot utilissima) in some locali ties. Path produces many kinds of fruits—the orange, banana, abrico, caju, abacate (alligator pear), mango, sapotilha, fructa de Conde, grape, etc., besides a large number hardly known be yond the Amazon valley. The pastoral industries were once im portant in Para, especially on the islands of Marajo, Caviana and Mexiana, and included the rearing of horses, cattle and sheep. At present little is done in these industries, and the people depend upon importation for draft animals and fresh meat.