Santa Catharina, a southern coast state of Brazil, with an area of 27,436 sq. m. and a pop. (1890) of 283,769. The coast is very irregular, the interior mostly a plateau sinking gently to the west. The climate is not unhealthy, but moist, and thick primeval forests remain. Agriculture and the rearing of cattle are the principal industries, largely carried on by colonies of Europeans. The capital is Desterro (30,000), on the hilly, fertile island of Santa Catharina (210 sq. m.).
Santa Catharina
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 9: Bound to Swansea, p. 155
Source scan(s): p. 0166