Northeast Region of Brazil facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Northeast Region
Região Nordeste
Region of Brazil
Country	Brazil
States	Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Sergipe
Largest cities	Recife (by metro pop.), Salvador (by city proper), Fortaleza (by pop. density)
Highest point	Pico do Barbado
- location	Serra do Barbado, Chapada Diamantina, Bahia
- elevation	2,033 m (6,670 ft)
- coordinates	13°17′47″S 41°54′28″W / 13.29639°S 41.90778°W / -13.29639; -41.90778
Lowest point	Sea level
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Area	1,554,291.31 km² (600,115 sq mi)
Population	56,915,936 (1 January 2016)
Density	37 /km² (96 /sq mi)

The Northeast Region of Brazil (called Região Nordeste do Brasil in Portuguese) is one of the five main areas of Brazil. The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics officially defined this region in 1969.

It is the third largest region in Brazil by land size. It covers about 18% of the country's total area. It is also the second most populated region in Brazil.

Exploring the Northeast Region

The Northeast Region covers a large area of 1,554,291.31 km² (600,115.23 sq mi). It has the longest coastline of any region in Brazil, stretching along the Atlantic Ocean.

Climate and Nature

The weather here is very hot all year round. Near the coast, it has a tropical climate, which means it's warm and humid. Further inland, the climate becomes semi-arid, meaning it's much drier. In the far west, it's semi-equatorial, which is also hot but with more rain.

The plant life is varied. You'll find desert-like plants in the dry areas. Along the coast and in the west, there are tropical forests. In the southwest, there's a type of savanna called the Cerrado, which has grasslands and scattered trees.

Where is the Northeast Region?

The Northeast Region is located between 1° 02' 30" north and 18° 20' 07" south in terms of latitude. For longitude, it's between 34° 47' 30" and 48° 45' 24" west.

It shares its borders with:

• The Atlantic Ocean to the north and east.
• The states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo to the south.
• The states of Pará, Tocantins, and Goiás to the west.

		Atlantic Ocean
	Tocantins		Atlantic Ocean
		Northeast Region
	Goiás	Minas Gerais	Espírito Santo

The two most important rivers in this region are the São Francisco and the Parnaíba rivers. Both of these rivers have many smaller streams and rivers, called tributaries, flowing into them.

High Points of the Region

The highest point in the Northeast Region is Pico do Barbado. This mountain is 2,033 m (6,670 ft) tall. It is part of the larger Serra do Barbado mountain range, which is found in the Chapada Diamantina area of Bahia state.

Here are the highest points in each state of the Northeast Region:

States of the Northeast Region

The Northeast Region is made up of nine different states. These states are: Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, and Sergipe.

Here is a table showing information about each state:

States in the Northeast Region of Brazil

Code	State	Capital City	Number of Municipalities	Population (2016)	Area (km2)	People per km2
BR-AL	Alagoas	Maceió	102	3,358,963	27,848.16	120.6
BR-BA	Bahia	Salvador	63	15,276,566	564,732.64	27.1
BR-CE	Ceará	Fortaleza	184	8,963,663	148,887.63	60.2
BR-MA	Maranhão	São Luís	217	6,954,036	331,936.96	20.9
BR-PB	Paraíba	João Pessoa	223	3,999,415	56,468.43	70.8
BR-PE	Pernambuco	Recife	185	9,410,336	98,076.00	95.9
BR-PI	Piauí	Teresina	224	3,212,180	251,611.93	12.8
BR-RN	Rio Grande do Norte	Natal	167	3,474,998	52,811.11	65.8
BR-SE	Sergipe	Aracaju	75	2,265,779	21,918.45	103.4
Total			1,440	56,915,936	1,554,291.31	36.6

Population and Cities

As of July 1, 2016, the Northeast Region had a population of 56,915,936 people. This means there were about 36.6 people living in each square kilometer.

Here are some of the most important and largest cities in the Northeast Region: