Santa Catarina (state)

Lore & Background

Santa Catarina was originally populated by the Carijós people of the Tupi-Guarani group. The state later received German, Italian, and other European immigrants, as well as African slaves and their descendants.

Reader's Guide

Santa Catarina holds significance as one of the oldest states in Brazil and the oldest in the Southern region, predating Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná. The state is notable for leading Brazil in life expectancy and public safety, with the lowest rates of homicide, illiteracy, poverty, and extreme poverty. It also has the third-highest Human Development Index, third-highest GDP per capita, and the least economic inequality among Brazilian federative units. Its capital, Florianópolis, is not the largest city—Joinville holds that distinction—a trait shared only with Espírito Santo. The state's name derives from the island of Santa Catarina, itself named either by Francisco Dias Velho after Saint Catherine or by Sebastian Cabot after his wife or the saint.

Did You Know?

• Santa Catarina is one of only two Brazilian states whose capital is not the largest city; the other is Espírito Santo.
• The name 'Catherine' etymologically derives from the Greek term εκατερινα, meaning 'pure' or 'immaculate'.
• The state has the lowest rates of homicide, illiteracy, poverty, and extreme poverty in Brazil.