Log in Sign up
Back to Discover
🗺️

Roraima

geography Maturity 11-13

Roraima is a place in Brazil.

Brazil Roraima relief map.jpg
Brazil Roraima relief map.jpg
It is in the north. It has big mountains.
Rio Branco sul.JPG
Rio Branco sul.JPG
One mountain is very tall. It has a big river too. Do you want to see it?

39 words

Roraima is a state in Brazil.

Brazil Roraima relief map.jpg
Brazil Roraima relief map.jpg
It sits in the far north. It is near Venezuela and Guyana.
Rio Branco sul.JPG
Rio Branco sul.JPG

The land is mostly flat. Some parts have big mountains. One mountain is called Mount Roraima. It is very tall.

Savanas de Roraima.jpg
Savanas de Roraima.jpg

A big river is called the Branco River. It helps people travel. Long ago, people used it to find the land.

The name might mean "Green Peak." It might also mean "Mother of the Winds." This is because it can be windy there.

Boa Vista is the largest city. It is the capital of the state. Many people live in the lands near the river.

113 words

Roraima is a state in the north of Brazil.

Brazil Roraima relief map.jpg
Brazil Roraima relief map.jpg
It is the northernmost state in the country. It sits near Venezuela and Guyana.
Rio Branco sul.JPG
Rio Branco sul.JPG
It also borders the Brazilian states of Pará and Amazonas.

Most of the land in Roraima is flat. Some parts have high mountains. Mount Roraima is the highest point. It is 2,810 meters tall.

Savanas de Roraima.jpg
Savanas de Roraima.jpg
The state has many protected areas. Nearly half of the land is for indigenous people.

The Branco River is a very important river. Long ago, Portuguese settlers used it to reach the area. The name Roraima may come from the Pemon language. It might mean "Green Peak" or "Mother of the Winds." This might be because the area can be very windy.

Boa Vista is the capital city. It is the largest city in the state. It is the only capital in Brazil located in the Northern Hemisphere.

Centro cívico de Boa Vista.jpg
Centro cívico de Boa Vista.jpg
Roraima has a small population. About 631,181 people live there. Many people from Venezuela have moved to the state recently.

180 words

Roraima is a state in the north of Brazil.

Brazil Roraima relief map.jpg
Brazil Roraima relief map.jpg
It is the northernmost state in the country. This state sits near the countries of Venezuela and Guyana.
Rio Branco sul.JPG
Rio Branco sul.JPG
It also shares borders with the Brazilian states of Pará and Amazonas. Roraima is a very large place. It is slightly larger than the country of Belarus. It is the fourteenth largest state in Brazil. The capital city is Boa Vista.
Centro cívico de Boa Vista.jpg
Centro cívico de Boa Vista.jpg
This is the only capital in Brazil located in the Northern Hemisphere.

The land in Roraima has many different shapes. Most of the state is quite flat. About 60% of the land is below 200 metres.

Savanas de Roraima.jpg
Savanas de Roraima.jpg
However, there are also many high places. The Pacaraima Mountains are in the north. Mount Roraima is the highest point in the state. It reaches an altitude of 2,810 metres.
Parque Nacional do Viruá, Roraima (1).jpg
Parque Nacional do Viruá, Roraima (1).jpg
The state also has many protected areas. Almost half of the land is for indigenous people. About 46.37% of the territory is indigenous land.

The history of Roraima is tied to the Branco River.

Povoado de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Roraima).jpg
Povoado de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Roraima).jpg
Early Portuguese settlers used this river to reach the region. Other groups like the English and Dutch also wanted this land. They came through the Guiana Shield to find people to enslave. The Spaniards also tried to invade the Branco and Uraricoera rivers. The Portuguese fought to keep control of the area. In 1755, the Royal Captaincy of São José do Rio Negro was created.
Cavalos selvagens de Roraima.jpg
Cavalos selvagens de Roraima.jpg
Later, the area became a federal territory before becoming a state.

Roraima has a small number of people living in it. In 2020, there were about 631,181 inhabitants. It has the lowest population density in all of Brazil. This means there are only about 2.01 people for every square kilometre.

Roraima DensidadePopulacional.svg
Roraima DensidadePopulacional.svg
The economy is growing, but it is the smallest in Brazil. The state's GDP is R$ 16.024 billion. This is only 0.20% of the whole Brazilian economy. Recently, many people have moved there from Venezuela. About 100,000 Venezuelan refugees live in the state now.

The name Roraima comes from the Pemon language. It has three possible meanings. One meaning is "Green Peak." This comes from the words for green and mountain.

Pedra pintada frente.jpg
Pedra pintada frente.jpg
Another meaning is "Mother of the Winds." This might be because the area is very windy. A third meaning is "Cashew Mountain." This refers to the many hills in the region. The name helps us understand the natural world there. It connects the people to the mountains and the wind.

441 words

Roraima is a state located in the North Region of Brazil.

Brazil Roraima relief map.jpg
Brazil Roraima relief map.jpg
It serves as the northernmost state in the entire country. This state is quite isolated both geographically and logistically. It shares borders with several other places. To the north and northwest, it borders Venezuela. To the east, it sits next to Guyana. To the southeast, it meets the state of Pará. To the south and west, it is bordered by Amazonas.
Rio Branco sul.JPG
Rio Branco sul.JPG

The state covers a large area of approximately 224,000 square kilometres. This makes it slightly larger than the country of Belarus. Within Brazil, it is the fourteenth largest state by area. The capital and largest city is Boa Vista.

Centro cívico de Boa Vista.jpg
Centro cívico de Boa Vista.jpg
Boa Vista is unique because it is the only Brazilian capital located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere. The state is currently governed by Antônio Denarium, a member of the Progressistas party. He has held this position since 2019.

The physical landscape of Roraima is very diverse. Much of the state is predominantly flat. About 60% of the area sits below 200 metres.

Savanas de Roraima.jpg
Savanas de Roraima.jpg
However, the relief is divided into five distinct degrees of elevation. The first degree includes areas that can be flooded. The second degree is the Branco River pediplain. A pediplain is a large, flat area formed by the wearing down of rocks. This unit occupies a large part of the state. The third degree includes elevations reaching 400 metres, such as the Serra da Lua. The fourth degree contains mountains between 600 and 2,000 metres. These include the Pacaraima mountain range. The fifth degree consists of the highest regions, reaching almost 3,000 metres.
Parque Nacional do Viruá, Roraima (1).jpg
Parque Nacional do Viruá, Roraima (1).jpg
Mount Roraima is the highest point, reaching 2,810 metres.

The history of the region is deeply tied to the Branco River. The river allowed the first Portuguese settlers to arrive. Before them, the English and Dutch were attracted to the Branco River Valley. They entered through the Guiana Shield to find indigenous people to enslave. The Spaniards also attempted to invade the Branco and Uraricoera rivers via Venezuela. The Portuguese eventually defeated these invaders to establish sovereignty. In 1755, the Royal Captaincy of São José do Rio Negro was created. This was done partly to protect against Spanish and Dutch threats.

Povoado de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Roraima).jpg
Povoado de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Roraima).jpg
To ensure a presence, cattle and horse breeding began in the late 1700s.

The administrative status of Roraima has changed several times. In 1943, the Federal Territory of Rio Branco was created from parts of Amazonas. In 1962, the name changed to the Federal Territory of Roraima. Finally, the 1988 Brazilian Constitution elevated it to a federative unit, or a state. The population has seen many waves of movement. In the late 19th century, National Farms encouraged colonization. Later, gold and diamond mines attracted many migrants. This movement sometimes caused conflicts and illness. Today, most indigenous reserves in the state are approved.

Roraima has a very small population compared to its size. In 2020, the population was estimated at 631,181 inhabitants. It has the lowest population density in Brazil. There are only 2.01 inhabitants per square kilometre.

Roraima DensidadePopulacional.svg
Roraima DensidadePopulacional.svg
The economy relies mainly on the tertiary sector, which involves services. While the economy shows high growth, the Gross Domestic Product is the lowest in Brazil. It stands at R$ 16.024 billion. This is only 0.20% of the total Brazilian economy. Recently, the state has become a major entry point for refugees. About 100,000 Venezuelans have moved to Roraima due to the crisis in Venezuela.

The name "Roraima" comes from the Pemon language. It has three possible meanings. One meaning is "Green Peak." This comes from the words for green and mountain.

Pedra pintada frente.jpg
Pedra pintada frente.jpg
A second meaning is "Mother of the Winds." This refers to the windy climate of the region. Indigenous people believed winds from southern Venezuela came from this place. A third possible meaning is "Cashew Mountain." This likely refers to the many mountains and hills in the area. These names connect the geography of the land to the culture and climate of the region.

692 words
🖼️ Images & Media (21)
File:Boa Vista antiga 1.jpg
Boa Vista antiga 1.jpg
File:Povoado de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Roraima).jpg
Povoado de Nossa Senhora da Conceição...
File:Centro cívico de Boa Vista.jpg
Centro cívico de Boa Vista.jpg
File:Brazil Roraima relief map.jpg
Brazil Roraima relief map.jpg
File:Roraima Köppen.svg
Roraima Köppen.svg
File:Rio Branco sul.JPG
Rio Branco sul.JPG
File:Global Forest Change tree-cover loss year in Roraima, 2001-2024.png
Global Forest Change tree-cover loss year...
File:Cavalos selvagens de Roraima.jpg
Cavalos selvagens de Roraima.jpg
File:Parque Nacional do Viruá, Roraima (1).jpg
Parque Nacional do Viruá, Roraima (1).jpg
File:Savanas de Roraima.jpg
Savanas de Roraima.jpg
File:Imagem de satélite de Boa Vista, Roraima em 2017.jpg
Imagem de satélite de Boa Vista, Roraima...
File:Roraima DensidadePopulacional.svg
Roraima DensidadePopulacional.svg

+ 9 more

Up Next
🗺️
Boa Vista, Roraima
Geography
More to explore

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.