MATO GROSSO is one of the states of Brazil, the third largest by area, located in the Central-West region. The state has 1.66% of the Brazilian population and is responsible for 1.9% of the Brazilian GDP.
Neighboring states (from west clockwise) are: Rondônia, Amazonas, Pará, Tocantins, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul. The state is roughly 82.2% of the size of its southwest neighbor, the nation of Bolivia. A state with a flat landscape that alternates between vast chapadas and plain areas, Mato Grosso contains three main ecosystems: the Cerrado, the Pantanal and the Amazon rainforest. Open pasture vegetation covers 40% of the state.
The Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, with caves, grottoes, tracks, and waterfalls, is one of its tourist attractions. In the north is the biodiverse Amazonian forest, which originally covered half of the state. Much of this has been disrupted and cleared for logging, agricultural purposes and pastures. The Xingu Indigenous Park and the Araguaia River are in Mato Grosso. Farther south, the Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland, is the habitat for nearly one thousand species of animals and many aquatic birds.
The biologically rich Pantanal, one of the world’s largest wetland/prairie ecosystems, is also located within this state. Much environmental degradation has occurred to the Pantanal since the late 20th century because of development, and efforts to contain or slow it have had limited success. The Pantanal has a habitat similar to that of the Everglades in Florida in the United States, although the Pantanal is on a much larger scale.
History. The Bororo Indians live in the Mato Grosso area. As late as 1880, soldiers patrolled lands on the outskirts of Cuiabá, Mato Grosso’s capital and largest city, to protect settlers from Bororo raids. By the end of the 19th century, although severely reduced by disease and by warfare with explorers, slave traders, prospectors, settlers, and other indigenous groups, as many as five to 10 thousand Bororo continued to occupy central and eastern Mato Grosso, as well as western Goiás. The southwestern part of this state was ceded by Brazil to Bolivia in exchange for the then-Bolivian territory of Acre, according to the Treaty of Petrópolis in 1903.
This historically remote area attracted expeditions of exploration in the early 20th century that sought to find lost civilizations. A notable example was British Captain Percy Fawcett’s expedition to find the Lost City of Z which he believed existed in the jungles of Brazil. Certain proponents of the Hollow Earth hypothesis speculated that the region had sites of access to the interior of the earth and its settlements.
In 1977, the state was split into two halves, and the neighboring state of Mato Grosso do Sul was created from the other part of its territory.
Demographics. Mato Grosso had a high rate of population growth in the 20th century due to timber, ranching, and agricultural development. The state as a whole has one of the lowest population densities of any Brazilian state. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), 3,441,998 people resided in the state as of 2018. The population density was 3.8 inhabitants/km2.
Ethnically, the state includes a relatively high proportion of caboclos (persons of mixed European and Indian ancestry), as do other areas of interior Brazil. The last PNAD (National Research for Sample of Domiciles) census revealed the following numbers: 1,532,000 Brown (Mixed) people (50.92%); 1,179,000 White people (39.16%); 239,000 Black people (7.93%); 41,000 Amerindian people (1.37%); and 14,000 Asian people (0.45%).
Economy. Agriculture is the largest component of the state’s GDP at 40.8%, followed by the service sector at 40.2%. The industrial sector represents 19% of the GDP (2004). Mato Grosso’s major exports include soybeans (83%), wood (5.6%), meats (4.8%), and cotton (3.3%) (2002).
In 2020, Mato Grosso was the leader in the national grain production, with 28.0%.[8] It’s the largest producer of soy in Brazil, with 26.9% of the total produced in 2020 (33.0 million tons); the largest producer of maize in the country; the largest producer of cotton in Brazil, with around 65% of national production (1.8 out of the 2.8 million tons harvested in the country).;[10][11] the sixth largest producer of sugarcane in the country, 16 million tons harvested in the 2019/20 harvest.; and the third-largest producer of beans, with 10.5% of Brazilian production.
In 2019, the cattle herd from Mato Grosso reached the mark of 30 million cattle, the largest cattle herd in the country, representing almost 14% of national production alone. In 2018, Mato Grosso was the fifth largest pork producer in the country, with a herd of around 2.5 million animals.
In 2017, Mato Grosso had 1.15% of the national mineral participation – gold, tin, gemstones (diamond, having extracted 49,000 carats in the year 2017
Culture. The local culture is very rich due to the influences of and encounters with various cultures, such as indigenous peoples, colonial Spanish and other European settlers, Africans enslaved and transported there in the Atlantic slave trade, originally by the Portuguese, and other Europeans; and immigrants and settlers since the late 19th century.
The four-day period before Lent leading up to Ash Wednesday, known as Carnival, is well celebrated. As with every state in Brazil, Mato Grosso celebrates this holiday in a typical fashion—including parades, music, and dance—with wide participation.
Tourism.
Alta Floresta. Fishing in the Teles Pires, São Benedito and Azul rivers is productive practically all year long. With more than 570 species of catalogued birds and new species being discovered every year, the region of Alta Floresta, Cristalino and the Azul River Basin receives constant visits from ornithologists and bird watchers.
Chapada dos Guimarães. The largest sandstone cavern in Brazil, Aroe Jari, extends nearly 1,550 metres (5,090 ft), and several prehistoric inscriptions can be found inside.
North Pantanal. The Pantanal’s backbone is the Paraguay River, which cuts through the region from north to south. The Miranda, Aquidauna, Taquari, and Cuiabá rivers flow into the Paraguay River. From October to April, the high waters reveal outsized lakes, bays, river branches, and outlets.
The Transpantaneira Highway connects the town of Poconé to Jofre Port, along the Cuiabá Riverbank. It is a dirt road with 126 wooden bridges and extends for 149 kilometres (93 mi). On the way, it is possible to observe wild animals, especially alligators, capybaras, and birds, among other wild animals.
Lagoa Azul State Park. The Gruta da Lagoa Azul State Park (Portuguese: Parque Estadual Gruta da Lagoa Azul) is a state park in the municipality of Nobres, Mato Grosso, with an area of 12,513 hectares (30,920 acres). Its primary attraction is a limestone cave with a pool of blue water and unusual cave formations.
Railways. The 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Northern Brazil Railway connects Mato Grosso with the state of São Paulo and sea ports. Rumo Logística only operates freight trains on the line, which runs as far inland as Rondonópolis.
==============================================================Brazil – Mato Grosso Northern (Sinop)
SINOP (pop 146,005)
In the early 1970s, a company, Sinop Terras, started the construction of a city in northern Mato Grosso that resembles the construction of Brasilia. The opening of the first streets of Sinop began in May 1972 and the first families of pioneers soon arrived in the city. Back then, expeditions from Paraná to Sinop used to take about 7 days. Development was rapid and the largest number of migrants arrived in 1975. Brazilians from all regions of the country.
Economy. The principal economic activity is the provision of services, with great emphasis also to the livestock industry (cattle and pigs), cotton and grains (soybeans, corn, and rice) cultivation, and timber industry.
Airports: Sinop (OPS)
Sagrado Coração de Jesus Cathedral. Sitting in the centre of huge roundabout, it has a giant dome.
NM Sites Mato Grosso Northern
Religious Monuments: Barra do Garças: Christ Statue
World of Nature: Juruena NP
Rivers
Araguaia River
Roosevelt River
Teles Pires River
Festivals
Yamurikuma
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Brazil – Mato Grosso Southern (Cuiaba, Pantanal)
CUIABA/VARZEA GRANDE is the capital city of Mato Grosso. It is located near the geographical centre of Brazil and forms the metropolitan area of the state, along with the neighbouring town of Várzea Grande. The city’s name is an indigenous Bororo word meaning ‘arrow-fishing’, The city was founded in 1719, during the gold rush. The city is a trading centre for an extensive cattle-raising and agricultural area. The capital is among the fastest-growing cities in Brazil, followed by the growth of agribusiness in Mato Grosso, despite the recession that is affecting Brazilian industries.
Cuiaba is the heart of an urban area that also includes the state’s second largest city, Várzea Grande. Thermal electric and hydroelectric plants located in the area have been expanded since the completion of a natural gas pipeline from Bolivia in 2000.
The city is a rich mix of European, African and Native American influences and numerous museums reflect this. Cuiabá is also notable for its cuisine, dance, music and craftwork. Known as the “Southern gate to the Amazon”, Cuiabá experiences a hot humid tropical climate.
The town sits in a transition zone between three of the most characteristic Brazilian ecosystems: Amazon, Cerrado and Pantanal. It is also close to the mountain range known as Chapada dos Guimarães (which blocks polar masses and causes the extremely hot weather). Airports: Cuiabá (CGB)
Mato Grosso History Museum. Closed because of Covid
Geographical Center of South America Monument. In central Cuiabá, an obelisk marks the exact center of the South American continent, as calculated in 1909. It is a very tall, slender tapering triangle with a small monument in the center. However, more accurate measurements in the 1990s located the exact center about 45 kilometres (28 mi) northeast of Cuiabá, near the town of Chapada dos Guimarães.
I arrived in Cuiaba (Mato Grosso Southern) from Sinop (Mato Grosso Northern) on the bus at about 11:30 pm and checked ongoing buses to Goianas in Goias State. There was one at 01:40 (Satelite 167 BR). I called an Uber who drove me to the Geographic Centre monument, took me to the main church and returned me to the bus station.
On boarding, my seat at the bus was occupied and she didn’t want to move so I sat up front behind the stairs. Luckily sitting next to me was a lovely young woman, Priscilla, an architect in Goianas who unusually, spoke good English.
This is now my fifth major bus ride in as many days without getting accommodation, but I am very much enjoying it. Brazilian buses are quite unlike Canadian Greyhound buses as they have almost completely reclining and comfortable seats. It is necessary to have a blanket or sleeping bag as the air conditioning makes them uncomfortably cold. I also have a pillowcase I stuff with my down jacket. Most have USB plugs to keep electronics charged. Except at night with no view, it is lovely to sit, read, nap, read, nap……….. The view on almost every bus has been virtually identical – flat and either in the Amazon rainforest or on its fringes. In the south, deforestation is marked with agriculture the main economy. The fields are either pasture with cattle or especially around Sinop fields of soybeans or peas.
PANTANAL World Heritage Site
The Pantanal is the biggest bird and wildlife reserve in Brazil.
Cuiaba, the capital of Mato Grosso State, is the most popular gateway to North Pantanal. Cuiaba is 1200 miles/2000Kms from Rio de Janeiro and 1000 miles/1600 Kms from Sao Paulo (land distances).
Campo Grande is the other main air hub to Pantanal. Barao do Melgaco and Porto Jofre, in the North, and Corumba, Porto Manga, Passo da Lontra, in the South, are also key regional references.
The Best Time To Visit The Pantanal. The rainy season goes from November to March. During it, the rain is intense, the temperatures are high and the Pantanal gets flooded. This is the nesting time for many species of birds, and the period when many mammals retreat and seek refuge in the high terraces of the plains. Obviously, that’s not the ideal time to visit the Pantanal. Avoid it.
The best time to visit the area is the dry season: April to September, or a little later in the Cuiabá region (one or two months later in the northern parts of the Pantanal). Since we can’t be sure of the exact weather patterns in a specific year, and since the dry season can begin later in the year or end earlier, it may be a better option to avoid transitional months (April…).
In most years the water levels start to recede in April, and fish become trapped in puddles and small lakes, which attracts birds. And that’s when the great opportunities for bird watching begins (and the best time to visit the area also begins).
Temperatures and humidity also matter: The climate is very hot and humid in the summer (rain season) but average low temperatures drop to much lower levels (around 70ºF/21°C) during the dry season. Expect some cold spells, especially during the night.
World Heritage Sites: Pantanal Conservation Area
Borders: Bolivia-Brazil
World of Nature
Chapada dos Guimarães
Encontro das Águas State Park
Pantanal Matogrossense NP
Serra da Santa Barbara State Park
Serra Ricardo Franco State Park
Waterfalls: Véu da Noiva Waterfall
Lakes: Dolina Agua Milagrosa
Rivers: Paraguay River
Indigenous Peoples
Bororos
Nambikwaras
Cities of the Americas
RONDONOPOLIS
TANGARA da SERRA
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Brazil – Mato Grosso do Sul (Campo Grande)
I visited Mato Grosso do Sul in April 2012 and visited the Pantanal on a several-day tour. It was the dry season and we saw an amazing variety of wildlife. Here is the excerpt of the post I wrote then.
After a 14-hour overnight bus ride to Campo Grande (pop 724,000), it was nice to be met at the bus depot and transported to the hotel to start a 3-day tour to the southern Pantanal. This is the major ecological attraction in Brazil. It is a lowland in western central Brazil that varies in elevation by only 1-2 meters. During the rainy season, it is inundated with water-producing patches of dry land where animals cluster producing an enormously rich feeding ground (650 bird species and 80 different mammals). The rainy season is from October to March and the water rises in the Pantanal as much as 3m above dry season levels – in March in northern Pantanal and as late as June in the south which is accessed from Campo Grande. The hot tourist spot is Bonito, a 5-hour bus ride from here but I had already arranged a 3-day tour with Gils Pantanal Discovery.
I was met at the bus depot and driven to the hotel for a nice breakfast and then a hot 4 hour drive into the Pantanal to a lodge on the side of the Miranda River. We went on a truck safari where we saw howler monkeys, capybara (the largest rodent in the world), coatis, caiman alligators, brock deer, fox, raccoon, and many kinds of birds. Normally there would be a metre of water everywhere but now it was completely dry (the guide thought that it has been drier for the last 5 years and he thought it was because of deforestation and subsequent soybean planting). Cattle are the major economy here. That night an incredible lightning storm lit up the eastern sky with flashes at least every second for over an hour. The next day was a horse ride which was very lame as no galloping was allowed. We saw white-lipped peccaries, rheas, storks, hyacinths macaws, toucans, and many more birds. That afternoon was a long-boat ride along the river to see many capybaras, caiman, swamp deer, giant river otters, kingfishers, and more birds. The next day was piranha fishing where we caught 7 and had them for dinner (very bony). Jaguar are fairly common but not often seen as they are nocturnal. The Pantanal has been very hot and humid and there are lots of mosquitos.
Tentative WHS: Brazilian Fortresses Ensemble (30/01/2015)
Borders
Bolivia-Brazil
Brazil-Paraguay
XL
Ponta Porã/Pedro Juan Caballero
Rosana – river estuary (SP, Parana, MG do Sul)
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars: Train of Pantanal
Roads, Road Bridges and Tunnels: Bridge – Paraná – Guaíra: Ayrton Senna Bridge
World of Nature
Araras Hole
Nascentes do Rio Taquari State Park
Pantanal of Rio Negro State Park
Serra da Bodoquena NP
Waterfalls
Boca da Onça
Guairá Falls
Caves and Sinkholes
Abismo Anhumas
Blue Lake Cave
Lagoa Misteriosa
Rivers
Paraná River
Apa River
Paraguay River
Festivals: Yamurikuma
Beaches: Bonito: Figueira Beach
Cities of the Americas
CORUMBA
DOURADOS
CAMPO GRANDE World Cities and Popular Towns
Airports:Campo Grande (CGR)
Museums
Campo Grande: Memorial da Cultura Indígena
Campo Grande: Museum of Culture Don Bosco
Art Museums: Campo Grande: Contemporary Art Museum