Paraná (state)

**Paraná** is a state in Southern Brazil. It is next to Paraguay and Argentina. Its capital is Curitiba. Paraná is a famous state because of Itaipu Dam and the Iguaçu Falls.

Paraná is bounded on the north by São Paulo, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay, with the Paraná River as its western boundary line.

Paraná is one of the Brazilian states that shows the most signs of recent European colonization. Most of the population are descendants of European settlers, and is one of the most ethnically diverse. Waves of European immigrants started arriving after 1850, mainly Germans, Italians, Poles and Ukrainians. The development of the state is closely linked to the arrival of the immigrants. Nowadays, migrants from other Brazilian states (especially from the São Paulo, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and the Northeast Region) come to Paraná in search of a better life.

People of Polish descent predominate in the central and south regions, mainly around Curitiba. Italians predominate in the capital, Curitiba, and in the coast. People of Ukrainian descent predominate in a few cities, such as Prudentópolis; many Ukrainians are found throughout the state. Germans predominate in a few cities, such as Rolândia. Almost all towns have many Portuguese people and their descendants.

People of mixed-race ancestry predominate in a few towns in the north. There is an important Muslim Lebanese and Syrian community around Foz do Iguaçu. In the north, there are many Japanese people.

The main cities of the state are:

- Curitiba (Capital and largest, east)
- Londrina (2nd largest, north)
- Maringá (3rd largest, north)
- Foz do Iguaçu (4th largest, west)
- Ponta Grossa (5th largest, center-east)
- Cascavel (6th largest, center-west)
- São José dos Pinhais (7th largest, Greater Curitiba)
- Colombo (8th largest, Greater Curitiba)
- Guarapuava (9th largest, center)
- Paranaguá (10th largest, east-coast)

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: State of Paraná
- **native name lang**: pt
- **settlement type**: States of Brazil, State
- **image flag**: Bandeira_do_Paraná.svg
- **image shield**: Brasão do Paraná.svg
- **image map**: Brazil State Parana.svg
- **map caption**: Location of State of Paraná in Brazil
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **seat type**: Capital (political), Capital and Largest City
- **seat**: Curitiba
- **leader title**: Governor (Brazil), Governor
- **leader name**: Ratinho Junior
- **leader title1**: Vice Governor
- **leader name1**: Darci Pina (PSD)
- **unit pref**: Metric
- **area total km2**: 199314.9
- **area rank**: List of Brazilian states by area, 9th
- **population total**: 10,577,755
- **population as of**: 2012
- **population rank**: List of Brazilian states by population, 6th
- **population density km2**: auto
- **population density rank**: List of Brazilian states by population density, 12th
- **population demonym**: Paranaense
- **demographics type1**: Gross domestic product, GDP
- **demographics1 title1**: Year
- **demographics1 info1**: 2006 estimate
- **demographics1 title2**: Total
- **demographics1 info2**: R$ 136,681,000,000 (List of Brazilian states by gross domestic product, 5th)
- **demographics1 title3**: Per capita
- **demographics1 info3**: R$ 13,158 (List of Brazilian states by gross domestic product, 7th)
- **demographics type2**: Human Development Index, HDI
- **demographics2 title1**: Year
- **demographics2 info1**: 2011
- **demographics2 title2**: Category
- **demographics2 info2**: 0.823 – <span style="color:green">high</span> (List of Brazilian states by Human Development Index, 7th)
- **postal code type**: Postal Code
- **postal code**: 80000-000 to 86990-000
- **timezone1**: Time in Brazil, BRT
- **utc offset1**: -3
- **timezone1 dst**: Time in Brazil, BRST
- **iso code**: ISO 3166-2:BR, BR-PR
- **website**: [http://www.pr.gov.br/ pr.gov.br]
- **area code**: 41 to 44