Santa Catarina (state)

Lore & Background

Santa Catarina, one of Brazil’s 27 federative units, lies in the centre of the country’s Southern region. It borders Paraná to the north, Rio Grande do Sul to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Argentine province of Misiones to the west. Covering an area comparable to Hungary, it is the seventh smallest Brazilian state by area. Its terrain is among the most mountainous in Brazil, with over half of its territory situated above 600 metres in elevation. The coastal lowlands and lower plateau areas experience a humid subtropical climate, while the higher plateau has an oceanic climate. The state is divided into 295 municipalities; its capital is Florianópolis, which is not the largest city—Joinville holds that distinction. Santa Catarina is one of only two Brazilian states where the capital is not the most populous city. The state’s socioeconomic indicators are among the best in the country: it leads in life expectancy and public safety, has the lowest rates of homicide, illiteracy, poverty, and extreme poverty, and ranks third in Human Development Index, GDP per capita, and infant mortality. It also has the least economic inequality of any Brazilian state. Historically, the area was originally home to the Carijós people of the Tupi-Guarani group. Portuguese colonisation began in the mid-17th century, with the first permanent settlement founded in 1658. The captaincy was separated from São Paulo in 1738, making it the oldest state in Brazil’s Southern region, predating Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná. The state later became a major destination for Azorean Portuguese, Italian, German, and other European immigrants, as well as African slaves and their descendants. The name “Santa Catarina” is derived from the island of the same name, likely bestowed by the explorer Sebastian Cabot in 1526, honouring either Saint Catherine or his wife.

Reader's Guide

Santa Catarina holds significance as one of the oldest states in Brazil and the oldest in the Southern region, predating Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná. The state is notable for leading Brazil in life expectancy and public safety, with the lowest rates of homicide, illiteracy, poverty, and extreme poverty. It also has the third-highest Human Development Index, third-highest GDP per capita, and the least economic inequality among Brazilian federative units. Its capital, Florianópolis, is not the largest city—Joinville holds that distinction—a trait shared only with Espírito Santo. The state's name derives from the island of Santa Catarina, itself named either by Francisco Dias Velho after Saint Catherine or by Sebastian Cabot after his wife or the saint.

Did You Know?

• Santa Catarina is one of only two Brazilian states whose capital is not the largest city; the other is Espírito Santo.
• The name 'Catherine' etymologically derives from the Greek term εκατερινα, meaning 'pure' or 'immaculate'.
• The state has the lowest rates of homicide, illiteracy, poverty, and extreme poverty in Brazil.