Rondônia

Rondônia is a significant state located in the North Region of Brazil.

It sits in the central-western part of this region. The state is bordered by Acre to the west and Amazonas to the north. To the east, it meets Mato Grosso, while Bolivia lies to the south. Spanning 237,590.547 square kilometers, the territory is quite vast. This area is roughly equivalent to the size of Romania. It is also nearly five times larger than the country of Croatia.

The history of the region began long before European arrival. Indigenous peoples inhabited the land, including many different linguistic groups. These included the Arawan, Chapacuran, Macro-Je, Nambikwaran, Panoan, and Tupian speaking peoples. Linguists believe the modern area of Rondônia is the origin of the Tupian languages. Many groups, such as the Karipuna and Kaxarari, lived here. Some groups, like the Kanoê and Kwazá, speak language isolates. These are languages that are not related to any other known language families.

European contact began during the colonial period. The Spaniard Ñuflo de Chávez passed through the Guaporé River valley between 1541 and 1542. Later, Bandeirantes arrived around 1650 to search for gold and minerals. Jesuit priests also arrived during this time to found the first village. In 1748, the Portuguese Crown established the Captaincy of Mato Grosso due to gold discoveries. A significant structure, Forte Príncipe da Beira, was built in 1776.

This fort replaced earlier structures that had fallen into ruin.

The modern state has a relatively recent political history. In 1943, the territory was created from parts of Amazonas and Mato Grosso. In 1956, it became the Federal Territory of Rondônia. It was named after Cândido Rondon, an explorer from the 1910s. The territory eventually became a full state in 1982. This change brought the number of municipalities to 13, though there are now 52. The capital and largest city is Porto Velho, located by the Madeira River.

Economic development changed rapidly in the 20th century. Initially, the region relied on the exploitation of rubber and brazil nuts. The discovery of cassiterite, a mineral used to make tin, accelerated settlement. In the 1970s and 1980s, federal investments and highway construction projects drew many people. Migrants from the Center-South Region of Brazil moved there for cheap, fertile land. This influx helped transform the area into a major agricultural frontier. Today, the economy relies on agriculture, livestock, and mineral extraction.

Agriculture is a massive part of the state's economy. Rondônia is a major producer of several different crops. It is the largest coffee producer in the North and fifth largest in Brazil. It also ranks highly in cocoa, beans, maize, soybean, rice, and cassava production.

These industries contribute to the state's GDP, which reached R$39.451 billion in 2016. However, this growth has had environmental consequences. The state has become one of the most deforested places in the Amazon.

The population of Rondônia is highly diverse. As of 2021, there were approximately 1,815,000 inhabitants. The census shows a mix of multiracial, white, black, Amerindian, and Asian people. This diversity includes many migrants from states like Paraná and São Paulo. Indigenous groups still maintain presence through various territories.

The Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau Indigenous Territory is the largest, covering over 1.8 million hectares. Other groups, like the Kanoê and Akuntsu, live in the Rio Omerê territory. These communities represent the enduring human history of this complex landscape.