Pernambuco

Pernambuco(Brazilian Portuguese:[pɛʁnɐ̃ˈbuku]) is astateofBrazillocated in theNortheast regionof the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024,it is theseventh-most populous state of Braziland with around 98,067.877 km, it is the19th-largest in area among federative units of the country. It is also the sixth-most densely populated with around 92.37 people per km.Its capital and largest city,Recife, is one of the most important economic and urban hubs in the country. Based on 2019 estimates, theRecife Metropolitan Regionis seventh-most populous in the country, and the second-largest innortheastern Brazil.In 2015, the state had 4.4% of the national population and produced 2.8% of the nationalgross domestic product(GDP).
The contemporary state inherits its name from theCaptaincy of Pernambuco, established in 1534. The region was originally inhabited byTupi–Guarani-speaking peoples. European colonization began in the 16th century, under mostlyPortuguese ruleinterrupted by a brief period ofDutch rule, followed byBrazilian independencein 1822. Large numbers ofslaveswere brought from Africa during the colonial era to cultivate sugarcane, and a significant portion of the state's population has some amount of African ancestry.
The state has rich cultural traditions thanks to its varied history and peoples.Brazilian Carnivalsin Recife and the historic colonial capital ofOlindaare renowned: theGalo da Madrugadaparade in Recife has held world records for its size.
Historically a center ofsugarcanecultivation due to the favorable climate, the state has a modern economy dominated by theservices sectortoday, though large amounts of sugarcane are still grown. The coming of democracy in1985has brought the state progress and challenges in turn: while economic and health indicators have improved,inequalityremains high.
The origins of the namePernambucoare debated, though most hypotheses derive the name from the now-extinctTupi language.
Some scholars claim that the name comes from the combining of theTupiwordspara'nã, meaning "great river" or "sea" andbuka, meaning "hole". Thus,pernambucowould mean "hole in the sea", possibly referring to theCanal de Santa Cruzon theIsland of Itamaracá, north ofOlinda, or to an opening in thereefsbetween Olinda and Recife.According to others,pernambucowas the name ofbrazilwoodin local indigenous languages at the time of first contact, as the tree is found widely in theforestsof the future state. A third hypothesis also derives from a Tupi word,paranãbuku, meaning "long river", a possible reference to theCapibaribe River, since primitive maps mark such a "Pernambuco river" north ofCabo de Santo Agostinho, south of Recife.
Another hypothesis, suggested by the academic Jacques Ribemboim, asserts the origins of the name from the Portuguese language. The Canal de Santa Cruz in Recife, at the beginning of the 16th century, was known asBoca de Fernão(named after the explorerFernão de Noronha). The Indians may have pronouncedFernãoasPernaoand reversed theorder of the words, givingPernão BocaorPernambuka, leading to the contemporary name of Pernambuco.
The state also has some nicknames, such asLion of the North,Land ofFrevoandMaracatuandBlessed Land.
Pernambuco comprises a comparatively narrow coastal zone, a high inland plateau, and an intermediate zone formed by the terraces and slopes between the two.
Its surface is much broken by the remains of the ancient plateau which has been worn down by erosion, leaving escarpments and ranges of flat-topped mountains, calledchapadas, capped in places by horizontal layers of sandstone. Ranges of these chapadas form the boundary lines with three states–the Serra dos Irmãos and Serra Vermelha withPiauí, theSerra do AraripewithCeará, and theSerra dos Cariris VelhoswithParaíba.
The coastal area is fertile, and was formerly covered by the humidPernambuco coastal forests, the northern extension of theAtlantic Forests(Mata Atlântica) of eastern Brazil. It is now occupied by extensivesugar caneplantations. It has a hot, humid climate, relieved to some extent by the south-east trade winds.
The middle zone, called theagresteregion, has a drier climate and lighter vegetation,including the semi-deciduousPernambuco interior forests, where many trees lose their leaves in the dry season.
The inland region, called thesertãois high, stony, and dry, and frequently devastated by prolonged droughts (secas). The climate is characterized by hot days and cool nights. There are two clearly defined seasons, a rainy season from March to June, and a dry season for the remaining months.The interior of the state is covered mostly by the dry thorny scrub vegetation calledcaatinga. TheRio São Franciscois the main water source for this area.
The climate is more mild in theBorborema Plateau("Planalto da Borborema"). Some towns are located more than 1000 meters above sea level, and temperatures there can descend to 10 °C (50 °F) and even 5 °C (41 °F) in some cities (i.e.,Triunfo) during the winter.
The volcanic archipelago ofFernando de Noronhain the Atlantic Ocean, 535 km northeast ofRecife, has been part of Pernambuco since 1988.
The rivers of the state include a number of small plateau streams flowing southward to theSão Francisco River, and several large streams in the eastern part flowing eastward to the Atlantic. The former are theMoxotó,Ema,Pajeú,Terra Nova, Brigida, Boa Vista and Pontai, and are dry channels the greater part of the year.
The largest of the coastal rivers are theGoiana River, which is formed by the confluence of the Tracunhaem and Capibaribe-mirim, and drains a rich agricultural region in the north-east part of the state; theCapibaribe, which has its source in theSerra de Jacararaand flows eastward to the Atlantic atRecifewith a course of nearly 300 miles (480 km); theIpojuca, which rises in theSerra de Aldeia Velhaand reaches the coast south of Recife; the Serinhaen; and theUná. A large tributary of the Uná, the Rio Jacuhipe, forms part of the boundary line withAlagoas.
Prior to discovery and colonization by Portugal, Pernambuco was inhabited by numerous tribes ofTupi-Guaranispeaking indigenous peoples. TheTupi peopleswere a largely hunter-gatherer culture living in long houses who cultivated some indigenous crops, most notablymanioc(Manihot esculenta), but lacked any metallic tools. Many elements of the Tupi culture were a shock to Europeans: among these, they bathed frequently, they eschewed wealth accumulation, practiced nudity, and warred frequently, primarily to capture enemies for communal, ritual cannibalism.
Modern day Pernambuco includes the islands ofFernando de Noronha, which precedes mainland Pernambuco's history since the islands were granted to Fernão de Laronha by King Manoel in 1502.
Pernambuco was initially valued as a source ofBrazilwood(Caesalpinia echinata) used in Europe for dyes. These Amerindians were eager to harvest and exchange brazilwood for axes, fishhooks and other goods offered by Europeans.The Portuguese crown granted a license to Fernão de Laronha in 1502.After the expiration of the license the trade in brazilwood was a driver of the exploration of Brazil. Brazilwood was highly valued and other European nations, particularly the French, soon sent ships to exploit this new dye wood. The French underBertrand d'Ornesantried to establish a French trading post at Pernambuco in 1531.This fort was located at the border of Pernambuco and Itamaricá to the North. The Portuguese King responded by dispatching an armada under the command of Pero Lopes de Sousa. Pero Lopes defeated the French, destroyed their fort and built a new fort.
Shortly after the success in dislodging the French from Pernambuco's northern border with Itamaricá the Portuguese began to settle Brazil. KingJohn III of Portugalcreated theHereditary Captainciesin 1534, Pernambuco was granted toDuarte Coelho, who arrived inNova Lusitânia(or "NewLusitania") in 1535. Duarte directed military actions against the French-alliedCaetésIndians and upon their defeat in 1537 established a settlement at the site of a former Marin Indian village, henceforth known as Olinda, as well as another village atIgarassu. Under his leadership sugar soon replaced Brazilwood as Pernambuco's most profitable export.Due to the cultivation ofsugarand cotton, Pernambuco was one of the few prosperous captaincies (the other notable one beingSão Vicente).
In addition to requiring a lot of capital investment, refining sugar in the 16th century also required a vast amount of labor. Brazilian Indians were very useful to the Portuguese; both free Indians and enslaved Indians performed many useful services for the Portuguese settlers. This included helping with building Engenhos. However, Brazilian Indian culture was not well suited to the operation of sugar engenhos. Indian culture was not oriented to wealth accumulation. Stuart Schwartz expressed it, "Once a man had enough to eat and a few new tools and weapons, why should he want or work for more."
While thesugar industryrelied at first on the labor of indigenous peoples, especially theTupisandTapuyas, high mortality and economic growth led to the importation of enslaved Africans from the late 17th century onward. Some of these slaves escaped the sugar-producing coastal regions and formed independent inland communities calledmocambos, includingPalmares.
In 1630, Pernambuco, as well as many Portuguese possessions in Brazil, was occupied by the Dutch until 1654.The occupation was strongly resisted and the Dutch conquest was only partially successful for these few decades. In the interim, thousands of theenslaved Africanshad fled to Palmares, and soon the mocambos there had grown into two significant states. TheDutch Republic, which allowed sugar production to remain in Portuguese hands, regarded suppression of Palmares as important, but was unsuccessful in this.Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen, count of Nassau, was appointed as ruler of theNieuw Holland(Dutch colonization enterprise in Brazil).
In the 17th century, theNetherlandswas experiencing a surge of freedom and progress, and wanted to expand their colonies in the American continent. An expression of this new economy was theDutch West India Company, (modeled after theDutch East India companywhich had influence throughout the world and controlled much of the trade between East and West). A Board of nineteen members appointed PrinceJohan Maurits, Count of Nassau, Governor of Pernambuco. It was an auspicious choice for Northeast, because he was a lover of the arts with a deep interest in the New World. In 1637 he opened his government guidelines quite different from those of the Portuguese colonists, declaring "Freedom of Religion and Trade". His entourage contained traders, artists, planners, German and Dutch citizens. He was accompanied by six painters, includingFrans PostandAlbert Eckhout. Nassau also created an environment of Dutch religious tolerance, new to Portuguese America and irritating to his Calvinist associates. Nassau made efforts to reduce the sugar production monoculture by encouraging the cultivation of other crops, particularly foodstuffs.
Under Dutch rule, Jewish culture developed inRecife. Many Jews, having fled theInquisitionin Iberia, sought refuge in the Netherlands. The Jewish community established themselves in Dutch Brazil and would later migrate elsewhere in the Americas. There are records that in 1636 a synagogue was being built in the city. A Jewish scholar fromAmsterdam,Isaac Aboab da Fonseca, arrived inRecifein 1642, becoming the first rabbi on Brazilian soil and on the continent. In 1643, three years after the Portuguese regained the crown in the metropolis, FatherAntónio Vieira– frowned upon, persecuted by the Inquisition and admirer of Aboab – recommended the King of Portugal occupy the capital of the New Christian and Jewish immigrants to help the depressed Portuguese finances
The Portuguese reconquered Recife in 1654 andOlindaregained its status of political center. However,Reciferemained the commercial /port city. Nowadays, it is credited that many inhabitants of Pernambuco'sagresteregion have some Dutch ancestry.If the Dutch were gone, however, the threat of the now unified quilombo of Palmares remained. In spite of a treaty negotiated in 1678 with its rulerGanga Zumba, a war between the two remained.Zumbiwho became ruler following the peace treaty and later repudiated it, fought the Portuguese government until 1694 when soldiers brought from the south eventually defeated him.
Throughout the remainder of the 17th century on to the 20th century much of life in Pernambuco was dominated by the patterns established by monoculture, latifundia, and slavery (until 1888). Sugar and cotton were grown on large plantations and rural society was largely divided into landowning elites and the impoverished poor. In addition, Pernambuco, except for a narrow coastland, is subject to periodic droughts. The boom and bust economy throughout this period is often exemplified as the "sugar cycle" when the international market for sugar is good, the economy booms, when the market is bad, it is hard times for all and particularly for the impoverished. Sugar has always been the principal example of the boom or bust cycle, but there has, from time to time been a similar cycle in cotton. Cotton was profitable during the U.S. War of Independence, the War of 1812, and the U.S. Civil War. Each time the bust in Pernambuco came when U.S. growers resumed their exports.
A sugar millengenhorequires a large investment both to build and to operate. Much of the time the money is borrowed. Although there were other sources, one source that was a particular irritant to mill owners were the merchants of Recife. In 1710 this irritant resulted in theMascate War. This conflict set themascatesfrom Recife against the establishment planters of Olinda It was led by theSenhores de Engenho(owners of the sugar mills). It is an example of the continuing tensions between the senhores de engenho (the landed elites) in colonial Brazil and the merchants of Recife. The "War" (there was considerable shooting but little loss of life) has elements of class struggle. Olinda had, before the Dutch, always been the municipal seat. Recife, once merely a port facility for Olinda, had formerly consisted of a few modest dwellings, warehouses, and businesses catering to ships and seamen, but under the Dutch had been developed into a thriving center of commerce populated by wealthy, more recently arrived merchants to whom most of the landed aristocracy of Pernambuco were heavily indebted. After several excesses the king issued a new set of instructions to the governor. In 1715 the crown dispatched a new governor and the residents of Pernambuco finally felt the troubles were ended, though many families of the colony's elites were ruined.
The discovery of gold in Minas Gerais late in the Seventeenth Century and the discovery of diamond displaced agriculture. In fact, for all the disruption caused by "gold fever" throughout the mining boom the value of sugar exports always exceeded the value of any other export.Nevertheless, among many other disruptions, gold shifted the focus South. Pernambuco, Bahia, and the entire Northeast were eclipsed by the South of Brazil and that shift in focus has never been reversed.
Pernambuco's response to the nationhood of Brazil seems to have been rebellion. Pernambuco was the site of some of the most important rebellions and insurrections inBrazilian history, especially in the 19th century. See AlsoRebellions and revolutions in Brazil,Pernambucan Revolt,Cabanada,April Revolt (Pernambuco)At one point Pernambuco led much of the Northeast region in a very short-lived independentConfederation of the Equator.
In 1888, under the influence of increasingly urban society, and with the advocacy of intellectuals such as Pernambucan politicianJoaquim Nabuco, slavery was abolished.However, freedom for the slaves did little or nothing to improve life for the underclass. Economic downturns were used to cut wages, children were paid almost nothing, and violence ruled.In those days before antibiotics there were major epidemics, fourteen between 1849 and 1920.
The twentieth century did bring better communication and transportation which would slowly allow development. But for the poor employed in the sugar industry, as late as the 1960s infant mortality in this labor segment was nearly half of live births.Politically, the century was dominated by two periods of dictatorship, ruled byGetúlio Vargasfor most of the period from 1930 to 1954.and the military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985
Since the end of military rule, there is still an underemployed and under-fed underclass. However, quality of life has improved along with industrial development. Pernambuco has also become a major tourist destination. Statistics from the turn of the millennium show a sharp and continuing improvement. According to estimates from theGlobal Burden of Disease Study, theinfant mortality ratedeclined 6.2 percent annually between 1990 and 2015: from 90.4 infant deaths per 1000 live births in 1990, to 13.4 deaths/1000 live births in 2015.The homicide rate in Recife, still higher than the average for Brazil, declined by about 6% per annum during the period from 2000 to 2012.
Income inequality remains a problem; in 2000, the state had a Gini coefficient of 0.59,with wealth and resources being concentrated at the top.
The state government is divided intothree branches, like all Brazilian states. All the branches are located in capital of Recife.
The governor and deputies are elected to four year terms in Brazilian general elections, with the most recent being held in2022.
The185 municipalitiesthat make up the state have similar structures, though they lack the judicial branch. Each municipality has a chief executive, analogous to mayor, called aPrefeito/Prefeita, while the legislative branch is called theCâmara Municipal.
Municipal officials also serve four year terms, with the most recent being held in2020.
Fernando de Noronhais asui generis"State District" (distrito estadual), governed directly by a Pernambuco state administrator.
At the federal level, Pernambuco is represented by 25 deputies in theChamber of Deputies, and three senators in theFederal Senate.
According to theBrazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), at the last census in 2022 there were 9,058,621 people residing in the state. The population is concentrated along the coast in theRecife Metropolitan Region.
Urbanization: 77% (2006);Population growth: 1.2% (1991–2000); Houses: 2,348,000 (2006).
The majority of the state's inhabitants are Catholic; while more than 86% of the state is Christian.
In 2010, 5,834,601 inhabitants identified asRoman Catholic(65.95%), 1,788,973 asEvangelical(20.34%): of these, 1,102,485 werePentecostal(12.53%), and 376,880 were Evangelical Protestant (4.28%) and 309,608 other Evangelical (3.52%). 123,798 inhabitants identified asspiritists(1.41%), 43,726 asJehovah's Witnesses(0.50%), 26,526 asBrazilian Apostolic Catholics(0.30%) and 6,678 asEastern Orthodox(0.08%).
914,954 hadno religion(10.40%): of these, 10,284 identified asatheists(0.12%) and 5,638 asagnostics(0.06%). 80,591 followed all other religions not listed above (0.90%), and 9,805 did not know or did not declare (0.12%).
The former Latin CatholicTerritorial Prelatureof Pernambuco became the MetropolitanArchdiocese of Olinda & Recife, with thesesuffragandioceses in itsecclesiastical province(all in Pernambuco) :Diocese of Afogados da Ingazeira,Diocese of Caruaru,Diocese of Floresta,Diocese of Garanhuns,Diocese of Nazaré,Diocese of Palmares,Diocese of Pesqueira,Diocese of PetrolinaandDiocese of Salgueiro.
The results of the National Household Sample Survey (PNAD) conducted in 2022 led to the following estimates ofrace or skin color: 5,006,802Brown(Multiracial) people (55.3%), 3,043,916Whitepeople (33.6%), 909,557Blackpeople (10.0%), 83,667Indigenouspeople (0.9%) and 13,225Asianpeople (0.1%).
Due to the legacy of slavery and the sugarcane plantations, it has been observed that those of mixedAfricanandPortugueseancestry are more common on the coast, whileMamelucos(those of mixedAmerindianand Portuguese ancestry) are more common in the interiorSertãoregion.
According to a genetic study from 2013, Pernambucans have 56.8% European, 27.9% African and 15.3% Amerindian ancestries.
Portugueseis the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. But English and Spanish are part of the official high school curriculum.
Pernambuco is served by many higher education institutions, concentrated in Recife. Most universities and colleges were founded in the 19th and 20th century, and some are known nationally.
The oldest is theFaculdade de Direito do Recife(lit.'College of Law of Recife'), founded on 11 August 1827 in the then-state capital ofOlinda, one of the first higher education institutes in Brazil.Castro AlvesandJoaquim Nabuco, two important Brazilian historical figures are among its alumni.
Many institutions are composed of several autonomous campuses serving the entire state, however Recife remains undeniably the center of education.
Important institutions include:
Headquartered in Recife:
Located elsewhere in the state:
Theservice sectoris the largest component of GDP at 73.2%, followed by theindustrial sectorat 21.6%.Agribusinessrepresents 5.2% of GDP (2006). Pernambuco exports: sugar 35.6%, fruit and juice 12.6%, fish andcrustacean12.3%, electric products 11.1%,chemicals7.1%,woven5.6% (2002).
According withIBGE, in 2007Pernambucohas 2.34% share of the Brazilian economy and 17.9% share of theNortheastregion economy. It's the 10th largest economy of the wholecountry. The GDP for the state was R$104,394,000,000 (2011), and the per capita income was R$11,776.
The economy is based on agriculture (sugarcane, manioc), livestock farming and creations, as well as industry (shipbuilding, automotive, chemical, metallurgical, electronic, textile, alimentary). In the period of October 2005 to October 2006, the industrial growth of the state was the second biggest inBrazil– 6.3%, more than double the national average in the same period (2.3%). Another segment that deserves to be highlighted is mineral extraction. The pole gesseiro of Araripina is the supplier from 95% of the plaster consumed in Brazil. The pole of data processing of the Recife, Digital Port, despite having started in 2000, is one of the five biggest in Brazil. It employs around three thousand persons, and has 3.5% the GDP of the state.
According withIBGE2007, Pernambuco has the 2nd largest livestock portfolio in theNortheastregion and the 8th ofBrazil.
S – Seasonal; P – Permanent agriculture; + – Thousands units
Pernambuco was once the 5th largest producer ofsugarcanein Brazil, but today it ranks 8th, behindSão Paulo,Goiás,Minas Gerais,Mato Grosso do Sul,Paraná,Mato GrossoandAlagoas.Brazil is the second largest producer of alcohol fuel in the world, typically fermenting ethanol fromsugarcaneandsugar beets. The country produces a total of 18 billion liters annually, of which 3.5 billion are exported, 2 billion of them to the US. Alcohol-fueled cars started in the Brazilian market in 1978 and became quite popular because of heavy subsidy, but in the 80s prices rose and gasoline regained the leading market share.
But from 2004 on, alcohol rapidly increased its market share once again because of new technologies involvinghybrid fuel car enginescalled "Flex" by all major car manufacturers (Volkswagen,General Motors,Ford,Peugeot,Honda,Citroën,Fiat, etc.). "Flex" engines work with gasoline, alcohol or any mixture of both fuels. As of February 2007, approximately 80% of new vehicles sold in Brazil are hybrid fuel powered. Because of the Brazilian lead in production and technology, many countries became very interested in importing alcohol fuel and adopting the "Flex" vehicle concept.
In 2018, Pernambuco had an industrial GDP of R$32.4 billion, equivalent to 2.5% of the national industry and employing more than 280,000 workers in the industry. The main industrial sectors are: Construction (20%), Public Utilities Industrial Services, such as Electricity and Water (17%), Food (14.9%), Petroleum derivatives and biofuels (9.3%) and Motor vehicles (8.8%). These 5 sectors concentrate 70% of the state's industry. In only 3 places in the Brazilian Northeast Region, there is some relevant industrial production, one of them being the surroundings of Recife. However, the state continues to have little participation in the Brazilian economy, with the population largely concentrated on the coast.
Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airporthas been open since July 2004 and has 52 thousand square meters of area. The largest airport in the North and Northeast regions, Guararapes had its capacity expanded from 5 million to 11 million passengers a year. Now there are 64 check-in counters, versus the former terminal's 24. The shopping and leisure area was also totally remodeled, within the "Aeroshopping" concept, which transforms an airport into a center for business and retail. The commercial spaces will be occupied in steps and the final total will be 142 shops. Since 2000, Recife has had the longest runway in the Northeast, at 3,305 meters. Its extension permits operations with jumbo jets, such as the Boeing 747-400, able to fly nonstop to anywhere in South and Central America, Africa and parts of Europe, the United States and Canada.
Pernambuco is also served by thePetrolina International Airport, which is responsible for the delivery of fresh fruit from theSão Franciscovalley to Europe and the US. The cargo terminal operates with 6 large coolerswith 17000 boxes capacity each plus 2 coolers tunnels. This airports also has daily direct connections between this region (which includes 53 municipalities from the states such as Pernambuco, Piaui and Bahia) to major capitals asRecifeand Salvador. Like theRecife airport, it is administered by the Brazilian Federal Agency (Infraero).
Other locally administered airports within the state are theFernando de Noronha Airportand theCaruaruairports. Fernando de Noronhha has daily flights between theislandswith Recife and Natal, and the second airport connects the textile industry region of Caruaru with São Paulo and local cities.
Suapehas started in the 21st century to be Pernambuco's motive power toward development. Huge national and international investments are being attracted by its logistic qualities, of which, until 2010, more than US$10 billion are expected.
There are two access channels to thePort, both of natural characteristics. The main one,South Channel, has 260 m of width and 3.4 km (2.1 mi) of extension approximately, with a depth of 10.5 m. The other, denominatedNorth Channel, has little width, about 1.00 km (0.62 mi) of length, and a depth of 6.5 m, and it is used only by small size vessels. Handles an average of 2.2 million tonsof cargo annually, and the main loads are sugar, wheat, corn, barley, malt, fertilizers, clinker and kelp.
Freight trains are operated byTransnordestina Logística[pt], formerly theCompanhia Ferroviária do Nordeste(CFN), and mainly hauls iron ore, petroleum, and cement. The company won a 30-year concession following the privatization of theRFFSAin 1997, and also serves neighboring states ofCearáandPiauí.The network is built tometre gauge, and is 1,753 kilometres (1,089 mi) long.
TheRecife Metro, opened in 1985, has five lines and is operated by the federally-controlledCompania Brasileira de Trens Urbanos(CBTU).
The four-day period beforeLentleading up toAsh Wednesdayiscarnivaltime inBrazil. Rich and poor alike forget their cares as they party in the streets. Pernambuco has large Carnaval celebrations, including thefrevo, typical Pernambuco music. Another carnaval music style from Pernambuco ismaracatu.
The cities of Recife and Olinda hold the most authentic and democratic carnaval celebrations in Brazil. The largest carnaval parade in all of Brazil isGalo da Madrugada, which takes place in downtown Recife in the Saturday of carnaval. Another event is theNoite dos Tambores Silenciosos.
Recife's joyous Carnaval is nationally known, attracting thousands of people every year. The party starts a week before the official date, with electric trios "shaking" the Boa Viagem district.
On Friday, people take to the streets to enjoy themselves to the sound of frevo and to dance with maracatu, ciranda, caboclinhos, afoxé, reggae and manguebeat (cultural movement created in Recife during the 1990s) groups. There are still many other entertainment centres around the city, featuring local and national artists.
One of the highlights is Saturday when more than one million people follow the Galo da Madrugada group. From Sunday to Monday, there is the Night of the Silent Drums, on the Pátio do Terço, where Maracatus honor slaves that died in prisons.
Festa Juninawas introduced to NortheasternBrazilby thePortuguese, for whom Saint John's day (also celebrated asMidsummerDay in several European countries), on 24 June, is one of the oldest and most popular celebrations of the year. Differently, of course, from what happens on the EuropeanMidsummerDay, the festivities in Brazil do not take place during thesummer solstice, but during the tropicalwinter solstice. The festivities traditionally begin after 12 June, on the eve of Saint Anthony's day, and last until the 29th, which is Saint Peter's day. During these fifteen days, there arebonfires,fireworks, and folk dancing in the streets. Once exclusively a rural festival, today, in Brazil, it is largely a city festival during which people joyfully and theatrically mimic peasant stereotypes and clichés in a spirit of jokes and good times. Typical refreshments and dishes are served, includingcanjicaandpamonha. Like during Carnival, these festivities involve costume-wearing (in this case, peasant costumes), dancing, heavy drinking, and visual spectacles (fireworks display and folk dancing). Like what happens onMidsummerand Saint John's Day in Europe,bonfiresare a central part of these festivities in Brazil.
Saint John's Day is celebrated throughout Pernambuco. Nonetheless, the festivities inCaruaruare by far the largest in the state. Saint John's festivals inGravatáandCarpinaare also popular.
In the hilly areas of the interior – mainly in areas with a micro-climate of altitude – temperatures that can reach 8 °C in the winter. Every winter, when the weather is milder, tourists from neighboring states and other parts of Pernambuco visit cities such asGaranhuns,Gravatá,Triunfo,Taquaritinga do NorteandBrejo da Madre de Deus.
The city of Garanhuns holds an annual Winter Festival, in the month of July. The main attractions are concerts, dances,rural tourism, culinary and the relatively low temperatures for a tropical climate.
The Pernambuco coastline is 187 km long. There are about 187 kilometers (116 mi) ofbeaches, including atPorto de Galinhas, Carneiros and Calhetas.
Footballwas introduced to Pernambuco in 1902, when English andDutchsailors disembarked in Recife and played a game of football in the beach. The novelty awoke the interest of the people of Pernambuco, that soon adhered to the game. Recife provides visitors and residents with various sport activities; the city has the largest football teams of the state of Pernambuco. There are several football clubs based in Recife, such asSport,Santa Cruz, andNáutico.
According to theBrazilian Football Confederationin 2008, thePernambuco Football Federationwas ranked sixth nationwide, behindSão Paulo,Rio de Janeiro,Rio Grande do Sul,Minas GeraisandParaná; and first in theNortheast region.The Pernambuco Football Federation organizes theCampeonato Pernambucanostate championship and the state cup. The first edition of theCampeonato Pernambucanowas played in 1915, and was won by Sport Club Flamengo, a club since defunct. In 2011 twelve clubs competed, which was won bySanta Cruz.
In 2012 the state was represented in the highest national level of football (Brazilian Série A) byNáuticoandSport. Also, it was represented in (Série C) bySanta CruzandSalgueiroand in (Série D) byCentral.
Recifewas one of the 12 Brazilian cities that hosted the2014 FIFA World Cup.