Natal, RN - Brazil
Trip Start
Feb 08, 2008
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5
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Trip End
Aug 26, 2009
Natal, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Friday, February 20, 2009
Rio Grande do Norte (lit. "Great River of the North", in reference to the mouth of the Potengi River, Portuguese pronunciation: [ʁiu ˈɡɾɐ̃di du ˈnɔʁti][1]) is one of the states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the edge of the South American continent. Because of its geographic position, Rio Grande do Norte has a strategic importance. The capital and largest city is Natal. It is the land of the folklorist Luís da Câmara Cascudo and is second in the world having the purest air, second only to Antarctica, according to NASA[2]. Its 410 km (254 mi) of sand, much sun, coconut palms and lagoons are responsible for the fame of beaches. Is also part of its territory the islands of Rocas Atoll.
The main activity of the state economy is tourism, followed by the extraction of petroleum (the second largest producer in the country), agriculture, fruit growing and extraction of minerals and is the largest producer of salt in the country and among other economic activities[3].
The state is famous for having many popular attractions such as the Maior cajueiro do mundo (world's largest cashew tree)[4], the dunes and the dromedaries of Genipabu[5], the famous beaches of Ponta Negra, Maracajaú and Pipa's paradise[6], the Carnatal the largest off-season carnival in Brazil[7], the Forte dos Reis Magos is a medieval fortress[8], the hills and mountains of Martins[9], the Dunas Park the second largest urban park in the country[10], and several other attractions. The state also is closer to the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha[11].
