Statistics
Capital:	Curitiba
Area:	199,544km²
Inhabitants:	9,150,000 (?)
Pop. density:	? inh./km²
Timezone:	GMT -3
ISO 3166-2:	BR-PR
Governor:	Roberto Requião
Map

Other meanings: Paraná, Argentina, Paraná River

Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the southern part of the country, bordering Paraguay and Argentina. The territory was set apart from the province of São Paulo in 1853, as a punishment for the latter's support in the insurrection of 1842. It is in the Southern region of Brazil.

The main cities of the state are:

• Curitiba
• Londrina
• Maringá
• Ponta Grossa
• Cascavel
• Guarapuava
• Campo Mourão
• Cornélio Procópio
• Araucária
• São José dos Pinhais
• Paranaguá
• Pato Branco
• Santo Antônio da Platina
• Foz do Iguaçu

Social Care

Paraná has one of the highest standard of living in Brazil, with a relatively low criminality rates, a special attention given to education and health and a HDI of ~0.785, the 4th highest in Brazil.

In 2001, with the new governor, Roberto Requião, the state of Parana started a huge educational program, called "Paraná Digital". This program will install about 5m000 laboratories using Linux to every state student.

In October 2003 Paraná banned both the cultivation and transportation of genetically modified crops. This is stricter than the national standard, which prohibits commercial cultivation of such crops, but allows experimental cultivation and permits transport. Paraná, Brazil's largest grain producing state, is now also Brazil's largest exporter of organically-grown crops.

Nevertheless, the state has some critical social problems, mainly in the west and in the suburbs of the city of Curitiba and Foz do Iguaçu.

External links

• Paraná; info from its local government.
• Paraná; Official Hotel Guide.
• Curitiba.
• Brazil Pictures;