Ceará, State region in northeastern Brazil.
Ceará is a state in northeastern Brazil with more than 570 kilometers of Atlantic coastline and wide expanses of scrubland inland. The highest point lies in the Serra de Baturité, where cooler temperatures and dense vegetation contrast with the dry plain.
European expeditions reached this coast in the early 16th century and built forts to secure the northern frontier of the Portuguese colony. Full integration into the administrative system came in the 18th century, when cattle ranching and cotton shaped the economy.
Residents call this territory the Land of Light because it records more than 2,800 hours of sunshine each year and bathes the countryside in clear skies. You see handwoven hammocks and lace goods everywhere, crafted in small workshops following patterns passed down through generations.
The rainy season concentrates mostly in March through May, while the rest of the year remains dry and roads and coastal areas stay easily accessible. Local buses connect smaller towns to the capital, and overland journeys can take several hours.
More than half of Brazil's caatinga biome lies within these borders and shapes the vegetation with thorny shrubs and cacti. The town of Jericoacoara is often reached without paved roads, because wide dunes and sandy paths dominate the surroundings.
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