Brazil has the most densely populated semi-arid region of the world. (best, 2013)
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Have you ever heard about the large semi-arid region in the Northeast of Brazil, known as "sertão nordestino"?
According to Wikipedia, this is the definition of a semi-arid climate:
"A semi-arid climate or steppe climate is the climate of a region that receives precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely. A more precise definition is given by the Köppen climate classification that treats steppe climates (BSk and BSh) as intermediates between desert climates (BW) and humid climates in ecological characteristics and agricultural potential. Semi-arid climates tend to support short or scrubby vegetation, with semi-arid areas usually dominated by either grasses or shrubs."
Semi-arid regions are prone to very long periods of drought, sometimes with bellow-than-average rainfall for many consecutive years. And even years with average or above average rainfall are still not very humid.
Semi-arid regions typically have many intermittent (or temporary) rivers. Definition of a intermittent river according to Wikipedia:
"Intermittent (or temporary) rivers cease to flow every year or at least twice every five years(Tzoraki and Nikolaidis 2007). Such rivers drain large arid and semi-arid areas covering approximately a third of the world’s surface (Thornes, 1977)."
Well, among all the semi-arid regions of the world, the semi-arid region in the Northeast of Brazil (sertão nordestino) is the most densely populated.
The Northeast of Brazil has a population of around 56 million people, but not all of the Northeast is semi-arid. Only around 22 million people live in the properly semi-arid portion, but the semi-arid occupies the majority of the land area of the Northeast region.
Those 22 million people constitute a large population for a semi-arid region with very limited supply of water and frequent droughts that can decimate agricultural crops. And they are distributted over a very large area, with large distances to overcome to supply them with water.
It's not a surprise that this was historically Brazil's poorest region. And it often didn't receive the necessary attention from the federal government.
Many people from the semi-arid migratted over the decades to large cities not only in the Southeast of Brazil, like Rio and São paulo, but also to the cities in the coast of the Northeast itself, like Fortaleza, Recife, Salvador, Natal, Maceió. Those people were mostly poor people with very low educational level, and they often settled in "favelas" (unauthorized irregular settlements) in the big cities.
The suffering of the people from the semi-arid has inspired many artists in Brazil, from writers, painters and poets to musicians and singers.
In the most recent years, the Northeastern semi-arid is experiencing fast social and economic development, but it's still far away from reaching the same socio-economic levels of the richer regions of Brazil.
Oh, and by the way, right now this semi-arid region of Brazil is experiencing one of the worst and longer-lasting droughts in the past 100 years.
The last year of normal rainfall in this region was 2011. The following 3 years (2012, 2013 and 2014) had bellow average rainfall, and 2015 is now confirmed to be the fourth year in a row of drought conditions, since the rainy station is over already, and the rainfall was way lower than the average.
Back in my university days a professor mentioned northeast Brazil, but what he said contradicts some of the things the OP says. Yes, northeast Brazil is semi-arid, but that's not the natural climate of that region. It became semi-arid after the sugar plantations that were created there in colonial times were abandoned. Northeast Brazil was actually the richest and most populated part of colonial Brazil, and the strong African presence there (greater than in anywhere else in Brazil) is directly related to the slave trade
that helped make colonial northeast Brazil a very rich place.
It has been in more recent times that the economic center of Brazil shifted from the northeast to the southeast.
Back in my university days a professor mentioned northeast Brazil, but what he said contradicts some of the things the OP says. Yes, northeast Brazil is semi-arid, but that's not the natural climate of that region. It became semi-arid after the sugar plantations that were created there in colonial times were abandoned. Northeast Brazil was actually the richest and most populated part of colonial Brazil, and the strong African presence there (greater than in anywhere else in Brazil) is directly related to the slave trade
that helped make colonial northeast Brazil a very rich place.
It has been in more recent times that the economic center of Brazil shifted from the northeast to the southeast.
Unfortunately your professor knows nothing, and is mixing up the things. I can't even tell how many incredible errors he comitted in those affirmations.
As I mentioned in my first post, not all of the Northeast is semi-arid. As I said, the Northeast has a population of 56 million people, but only around 22 million live in the semi-arid portion.
However, the semi-arid portion occupies the majority of land area of the Northeast region.
The Northeast region of Brazil is divided in four natural areas, that ALWAYS had the climate they have today:
- the "Zona da Mata", in the eastern coast, that is very humid and rainy;
- the "Agreste", that is a transition zone between Zona da Mata and the "Sertão Nordestino";
- the "Sertão Nordestino", that is the semi-arid portion mentioned in this thread, and that is the biggest of the four, representing the majority of the territory of the Northeast;
- and the "Meio Norte", that is a transition zone between the semi-arid Sertão and the Amazon rainforest, being located mostly in the state of Maranhão, and in a small part of state of PiauÃ.
The sugar cane plantations from the colonial times were all located in the "Zona da Mata" in the east coast, and sometimes in the Agreste, but not in the semi-arid Sertão (except for some very small areas inside the Sertão that are abnormally less dry than the rest).
The economy of the semi-arid Sertão was always based in the raising of cattle. Cows, oxens and also goats were the base of the economy of the semi-arid Sertão in the colonial times. And the cattle was often decimated by the droughts.
By the way the sugar cane plantations of the "Zona da Mata" were NEVER abandoned (one more error of your professor). Sugar cane is still a very important activity in the Zona da Mata, and today they make not only sugar there, but also ethanol for motor vehicles.
I have always been a good student in the History classes, and I know very well the economic history of the Northeast region, where I was raised and where I live.
The semi-arid Sertão of Northeastern Brazil has always been very dry, and its population density could be considered something out of the normal compared to other semi-arid regions of the world. It can be explained by the fact that there was a huge market for the beef and for the leather products in the Zona da Mara, where land was used exclusively for sugar cane plantations, and couldn't be "wasted" with cattle raising. So, many Portuguese settlers and their descedants (many of them mixed with the indigenous people) entered the Sertão more and more with their cattle, and established cattle farms and towns.
One of the most internationally known Brazilian songs, "Asa Branca", composed by Humberto Teixeira and interpreted by Luiz Gonzaga, talks about the suffering of the people of the semi-arid "sertão nordestino" during the frequent droughts. Both Teixeira and Gonzaga are natives of the region.
The "asa branca" (literally "white wing") is a bird typical of this region.
The main reason why I started this thread was because a quick Google search demonstrated to me that there are almost no good sources in English about this region of Brazil.
The lack of good texts in English language about the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil in the internet is simply unbelievable.
It's like the region didn't exist for the "anglosphere".
Oi Mala, I guess Piaui is in this Arid region along with 5-6 other states ?
I have never been further north than Brasilia. What would be your first stop if you were to visit this region ?
Oi Vacanegro.
Most of Piauà is indeed in the semi-arid "sertão", but there is a part of Piauà that is in the "Meio Norte" natural region, that is a transition zone to the Amazon rainforest, and also another part of Piauà (in the extreme south of the state) is part of the "cerrado", the same natural region of Brasilia.
The semi-arid sertão extends for many states. There are parts of Piaui, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe and Bahia that are located in the semi-arid sertão. And even the state of Minas Gerais, that is not part of the Northeast Region, also has a portion (in the extreme north) that is considered to be part of the semi-arid sertão.
All those states have parts that are in the semi-arid sertão and parts that are not.
The state of Ceará is the one that is most inserted into the semi-arid sertão, almost all of the territory of Ceará is in the semi-arid sertão, with the exception of some very small portions. In fact, no parts of the territory of Ceará are technically considered to be part of any of the other 3 natural zone of the Northeast (Zona da Mata, Agreste or Meio Norte). But there are some small portions of the state that get enough rain to not be considered semi-arid.
If you were to visit the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil, a good first stop would be the city of Petrolina, in the state of Pernambuco. Petrolina is the largest city of the semi-arid, and has an airpot with regular flights. It's located in the banks of the São Francisco river, the only naturally permanent (not temporary) river of the region (all the other rivers are temporary, and some became artificially permanent thanks to the dams). Petrolina is a rich city, they have lots of irrigated agriculture in the area around Petrolina, there are even wines that are produced in region, from grapes irrigated with the waters of the São Francisco river. By the way, Petrolina is located in one side of the river, that is in the state of Pernambuco, and there is a bridge, and in the other side of the river is the city of Juazeiro, in the state of Bahia, that is also a relatively big city. There is a famous song in Brazil about the two cities.
From Petrolina you can head north and reach the Cariri region, in the south of the state of Ceará, where are located the cities of Juazeiro do Norte (not to be confused with the Juazeiro in Bahia) and Crato. There are many interesting things to see in the Cariri region.
From Cariri you can go further north and reach the city of Quixadá, also in Ceará, that is considered one of the best spots in the world for paragliding and hang gliding. Many flight distance world records were set in flights starting from Quixadá. They also have a lovely dam from the 19th century in Quixadá (the Cedro dam).
And from Quixadá you can head north and reach the city of Fortaleza, in the coast of Ceará, the 5th largest city of Brazil, and where I live
Muito brigado. Your suggestions are now on my travel list.
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