Mato GrossoMato Grosso is the fifth-largest federal state in Brazil and the only one to comprise three ecosystems: Pantanal, the mesas of Chapada dos Guimaraes and the Amazon region. Cuiabá, the capital, has about 520,000 inhabitants and is the hottst city in Brazil.South of Cuiabá lies the Pantanal. In the north the land is covered with bush and forest (cerrado), all the way to the Amazon rainforest. The number of Indio tribes (which used to be many) that settled the former Mato Grosso has been diminished to only a few. They live in reservations or in remote areas. In the north, Mato Grosso borders on Amazonia and Pará. In the east, it shares its border with Goiás and Tocantins. In the south, beyond the border river of Rio Cuiabá, lies Mato Grosso do Sul. The western border states of Bolivia and Rondônia complete the picture. Agriculture is the leading industry and produces soy, cotton, rice, corn, coffee, grapes, etc. The majority of Brazil’s cattle is gathered on the vast high plains; needless to mention that the quality of the meat is excellent. Agriculture has become the most important element in this young state, which further continues its development. In the mid-east and the north of Mato Grosso there are numerous reservations of indigenous peoples, most of which are out of bounds for foreign visitors or are subject to the strict protection of the Brazilian authorities. On the following pages you will find detailed descriptions of the Xingu and Xavantes Indios, who live in the mid-east of the state of Mato Grosso. |
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