Santa Catarina
Located in the Southern region, Santa Catarina is the Brazilian state which ranks the highest on the human development index and in terms of quality of life.
It was populated principally by European immigrants: Portuguese from the Azores settled on the coast in the 1700s; later came the Germans in the Itajaí Valley and the north of the state in the middle of the 1800s; the west and south were populated by Italians and Germans coming north from Rio Grande do Sul in the first half of the 20th century.
Santa Catarina is one of the country’s wealthiest and most highly developed states, with a diverse and industrialised economy. In the metal industry, with engines and compressors, a highlight state’s most heavily populated city—Joinville—and in logistics, there is one of the country’s busiest ports: Itajaí. The Catarinense economy is also heavily based on agroindustry, and the state is the country’s largest pork and chicken meat exporter.
Santa Catarina also attracts many tourists. It is famous for its beautiful islands, beaches, and mountains, where the contrast between the blue of the sea and the green of the shrubbery creates picturesque scenery.
The capital, Florianópolis, also known as Floripa, is situated on an island full of preserved nature and over 100 beaches. Among them are the Praia Mole, popular with the young; Joaquin surfer’s paradise; and Jurerê International, famous among those with more spending power and top resorts and nightclubs, among the most sophisticated in Brazil.
Summer attracts people from everywhere in search of surf and diving championships all along the coast. Natural paradises such as Garopaba, Praia do Rosa, Guarda do Embaú, and the bustling, urban Balneário Camboriú are full from December to March.
In the Winter, the state offers scenic trips in the Serra do Rio do Rastro, where one of Brazil’s coldest cities, Urubici and São Joaquim, with their cosy B&Bs and winery tours.
Next to the city of Pomerode, considered the most German city in Brazil, is Blumenau, whose traditional architecture welcomes tourists from all over Brazil during Oktoberfest.
Peaceful, varied and full of natural beauty, Santa Catarina is one of Brazil’s most prosperous and pleasant states.
