Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is Brazil’s southernmost state, bordering Uruguay, Argentina, and the Atlantic Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Porto Alegre.
Porto Alegre: Porto Alegre is the capital and largest city of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The state capital anchors its government, economy, and metropolitan region.
Jesuit missions of the Guaraní: The Jesuit missions of the Guaraní were settlements established by Jesuits among Indigenous Guaraní communities in South America. Mission towns in the region preceded Portuguese control and left enduring archaeological remains.
Soybean production in Brazil: Soybean production in Brazil is a major agricultural industry, supplying domestic uses and global export markets. Soybeans are among the state’s leading crops and connect its farms to export markets.
Gaúcho: A gaúcho is a South American horseman and cattle worker associated with the Pampas of Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. The gaúcho became a central symbol of Rio Grande do Sul’s regional identity.
Santa Catarina: Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil, north of Rio Grande do Sul, with Florianópolis as its capital. The neighboring state shares southern Brazilian influences but has a different coastal and mountainous profile.
Brazil: Brazil is the largest country in South America and a federal republic. Rio Grande do Sul is one of Brazil’s 26 states.
Guaraní people: The Guaraní are Indigenous peoples of South America, with communities across Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia. Guaraní communities inhabited the region before colonial settlement.
Rice cultivation: Rice cultivation is the growing of rice in flooded or otherwise water-managed fields. Irrigated rice is a major crop in the state’s southern lowlands.
Chimarrão: Chimarrão is a traditional South American infusion of yerba mate, served hot in a hollowed gourd. Sharing chimarrão is a visible social custom throughout the state.
Paraná: Paraná is a state in southern Brazil, north of Santa Catarina, with Curitiba as its capital. Comparing the region’s three southern states highlights Rio Grande do Sul’s position at Brazil’s far south.