Roraima
Roraima (Brazilian Portuguese: [ʁoˈɾajmɐ] ⓘ, or [ʁoˈɾɐ̃jmɐ]) is one of the 26 states of Brazil. Located in the country's North Region, it is the northernmost and most geographically and logistically isolated state in Brazil. It is bordered by the state of Pará to the southeast, Amazonas to the south and west, Venezuela to the north and northwest, and Guyana to the east.
Roraima | |
|---|---|
| Estado de Roraima State of Roraima | |
|
Coat of arms | |
| Motto(s): Amazônia: patrimônio dos brasileiros (English: The Amazon: Brazilians' heritage) | |
| Anthem: Hino de Roraima | |
Location of State of Roraima in Brazil | |
| Coordinates: 2°3′N 61°24′W | |
| Country | Brazil |
| Founded | September 13, 1943 (as a federal territory) |
| Established | October 5, 1988 (as a state) |
| Capital and largest city | Boa Vista |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Antonio Denarium (PP) |
| • Vice Governor | Edilson Damião (REP) |
| • Senators | Chico Rodrigues (PSB) Hiran Gonçalves (PP) Mecias de Jesus (REP) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 223,644.527 km2 (86,349.635 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 14th |
| Population | |
| • Estimate (2021) | 652,713 |
| • Rank | 27th |
| • Density | 2.91/km2 (7.5/sq mi) |
| • Rank | 27th |
| Demonym(s) | Roraiman Roraimense (pt) |
| GDP | |
| • Total | R$ 18.203 billion (US$ 3.4 billion) |
| HDI | |
| • Year | 2021 |
| • Category | 0.699 – medium (20th) |
| Time zone | UTC−4 (AMT) |
| Postal Code | 69300-000 to 69399-000 |
| ISO 3166 code | BR-RR |
| Website | rr.gov.br |
The state covers an area of approximately 223,644.527 square kilometres (86,300 sq mi), slightly larger than Belarus, being the fourteenth largest Brazilian state by area. The city of Boa Vista is the capital and largest city in the state, and is the only capital in the country located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere. Antônio Denarium, a member of the conservative Progressistas party, has been the governor of the state since 2019.
Roraima is the least populous state in Brazil, with an estimated population of 631,181 inhabitants as of 2020. It is also the state with the lowest population density in Brazil, with 2.01 inhabitants per square kilometre. Its economy, based mainly on the tertiary sector, registers a high growth rate, although its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the lowest in the country, with R$ 16.024 billion, representing only 0.20% of the Brazilian economy.
The history of Roraima is strongly linked to the Branco River, which allowed the first Portuguese settlers to arrive in the region. The Branco River Valley's strategic position made it coveted by the English and the Dutch, who entered Brazil through the Guiana Shield in search of indigenous people to be enslaved. The Spaniards also came to invade the northern part of the Branco River and the Uraricoera River through Venezuela. The Portuguese settlers defeated and expelled all invaders, establishing Portugal's sovereignty over the region of Roraima and part of the Amazonas.
As a result of crisis in Venezuela since the 2010s, Roraima has become the leading entry point for Venezuelan refugees in Brazil. Displaced Venezuelans in Roraima are estimated to number around 100,000, approximately one-fifth of the state's population.