Juazeiro do Norte

Juazeiro do Norte is a city at the foot of the Chapada do Araripe in Ceará, Brazil, sitting at 350 meters elevation in the semiarid sertão. The Cariri metropolitan area includes several neighboring municipalities and forms a regional hub in the northeast.

Padre Cícero Romão Batista established the municipality in 1911 after it separated from Crato and developed into an independent town. The religious importance of the priest transformed the district into the second largest city in Ceará.

The city takes its name from John the Baptist and connects deeply with devotion to Padre Cícero, whose tomb draws believers from all regions of Brazil. Pilgrims fill the streets especially in November, when religious ceremonies and processions shape urban life.

Orlando Bezerra de Menezes Airport and the Cariri Metro system connect the city with neighboring towns and the capital Fortaleza. Visitors find accommodation and traveler services throughout different neighborhoods.

The economy relies on sugar milling, cotton processing, leather manufacturing and lumber production alongside trade in agricultural goods. This combination makes the city an economic center in the Cariri region.

Location: Ceará

Inception: July 22, 1911

Elevation above the sea: 350 m

Shares border with: Barbalha, Caririaçú, Crato, Missão Velha

Website: https://juazeiro.ce.gov.br

GPS coordinates: -7.21278,-39.31500

Latest update: December 20, 2025 06:14