Corumbá

Corumbá is a border municipality in Mato Grosso do Sul in southwestern Brazil, stretching along the Paraguay River. Low buildings dominate the townscape, while the Urucum mountains to the south break the flat terrain and roads lead to the river port and the Bolivian border.

Spanish military forces founded the settlement in 1778 as an outpost to control the region. After 1870 the river opened for international trade and the municipality grew as an important transfer point for goods between Brazil and neighboring countries.

The name comes from a Tupi word for green stones, reflecting the mining heritage of the area. In streets near the border you hear both Portuguese and Spanish, while markets and restaurants offer ingredients and dishes from both countries.

A railway line and an airport connect the municipality with larger Brazilian cities and Bolivia. Visitors can walk through streets near the port to get a sense of the border trade and the river setting.

The area serves as a starting point for trips into the Pantanal wetlands, which spread east of town. To the south, manganese mines operate in the Urucum mountains, visible from some viewpoints within the urban area.

Location: Mato Grosso do Sul

Inception: 1778

Elevation above the sea: 118 m

Shares border with: Coxim, Aquidauana, Barão de Melgaço, Bodoquena, Cáceres, Itiquira, Ladário, Miranda, Poconé, Porto Murtinho, Rio Verde de Mato Grosso, Santo Antônio de Leverger, Sonora

Website: https://corumba.ms.gov.br

GPS coordinates: -19.00889,-57.65278

Latest update: December 13, 2025 16:55