u: 



Chapter IX. 

 STATE OF PERNAMBUCO 



Superficie : 99,896 sq. km. 



Population : 1,200,000. 



Capital : Recife (or Pernambuco), 240,000. 



Density of Population : 12 per sq. km. 



Map of Pernambuco 



The State of Pernambuco is almost four times the size of Alagoas. 

 It is situated north of Sergipe. In the west it has a long coast-line 

 with Recife, as the city of Pernambuco is called, as an excellent port ; 

 in the north the States of Parahyba and Ceara are the boundaries 

 and in the east Piauhy and Bahia mark the frontiers. Recife is the 

 nearest Brazilian port to Europe, being about 4,000 miles from England. 

 " Recife " means " reef " and refers to the coral reef which forms 

 almost a natural harbour in front of the city. This coral reef extends 

 several thousands of miles northwards. 



The State of Pernambuco is, and has been, tlie principal cotton 

 exporting State of Brazil, due to the facilities which shipping affords 

 and to the fact that in the city of Pernambuco several houses 

 established themselves many years ago which made it their business to 

 grade the cotton and to press it into bales of high density.* Had it 

 not been for this fact, the trade would have been diverted, for it is 

 not that Pernambuco produces a large quantity of cotton. A very 

 important quantity of cotton from Parahyba and other neighbouring 

 States finds its way annually into Recife. Pernambuco is principally 

 given up to sugar, though the cotton crop is the second in importance. 



* See Chapter xiii. for full description of method of handling cotton for export. 



