MATTO GROSSO, mlit't6 gr6,:/s,;. A western State of Brazil, bounded by the States of Ama zonas and Para on the north, Goyaz on the east, S5o Paulo. Parana, and the Republic of Para guay on the south, and Bolivia on the west. Its area is estimated at 532,550 square miles. Alatto Grosso is the second in size among the States of Brazil and one of the least populated. A con siderable portion of it is still unexplored. and little is known about its natural resources. The southern half of the State forms part of the great Brazilian plateau. which falls in several escarpments toward the low forest regions in the north, and is cut by deep valleys along the rivers. The Matto Grosso rise in the centre of the State and flow in every direction. The chief of these are the Ningn, which flows northward and falls into the estuary of the Amazon; the Tapajos. the Ara guava. the Pa raguay. and nu merous affluents of the Madeira. and the Parana. Owing to the vast area of the State, the climate shows considerable variation. The low, swampy
depri-ssions along the rivers have extremely hot and unhealthful climate, while in the elevated plateaus it is more moderate. and the cool winds from the pampas sometimes reduce the tempera ture even to the freezing point. Agricultural land is found mainly in the valleys. while the plateaus afford good grazing. TI• agrieultural production of the State is insignificant. Slab\ rubber. vanilla, and sarsaparilla an• mostly gath ered by the alyu-igines. The gold and diamond mines of the State. onoe extensively exploited. are now abandoned. It is generally believed, how ever. that the mineral deposits of :Matto Grosso are still very valuable. The civilized population of the State was in !SOO 1114 92.827, many of whom were of mixed race, and it is estimated that there are still about 25.nno uncivilized In dian, belonging to various tribes. The corn mereial centre of the State is Cormnba, on the Paraguay, and the capital is Cuyabri (q.v.).