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MATTO GROSSO

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Originally appearing in Volume V17, Page 902 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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MATTO GROSSO , an inland See also:

state of See also:Brazil, bounded N. by See also:Amazonas and Path, E. by See also:Goyaz, See also:Minas Geraes, Sao Paulo and See also:Parana, S. by See also:Paraguay and S.W. and W. by See also:Bolivia. It ranks next to Amazonas in See also:size, its See also:area, which is largely unsettled and unexplored, being 532,370 sq. m., and its See also:population only 92,827 in 1890 and 118,025 in 1900. No satisfactory estimate of its See also:Indian population can be made. The greater See also:part of the state belongs to the western See also:extension of the Brazilian See also:plateau, across which, between the 14th and 16th See also:parallels, runs the See also:water-See also:shed which separates the drainage basins of the See also:Amazon and La See also:Plata. This elevated region is known as the plateau of Matto Grosso, and its elevations so far as known rarely exceed 3000 ft. The See also:northern slope of this See also:great plateau is drained by the See also:Araguaya-Tocantins, Xingu, Tapajos and Guapore-See also:Mamore-See also:Madeira, which flow northward, and, except the first, empty into the Amazon; the See also:southern slope drains southward through a multitude of streams flowing into the Parana and Paraguay. The See also:general See also:elevation in the See also:south part of the state is much See also:lower, and large areas bordering the Paraguay are swampy, partially submerged plains which the sluggish See also:rivers are unable to drain. The See also:lowland elevations in this part of the state range from 300 to 400 ft. above See also:sea-level, the See also:climate is hot, humid and unhealthy, and the conditions for permanent See also:settlement are apparently unfavourable. On the See also:highlands, however, which contain extensive open See also:campos, the climate, though dry and hot, is considered healthy. The basins of the Parana and Paraguay are separated by See also:low See also:mountain ranges extending See also:north from the sierras of Paraguay. In the north, however, the ranges which See also:separate the See also:river valleys are apparently the remains of the table-See also:land through which deep valleys have been eroded. The resources of Matto Grosso are practically undeveloped, owing to the isolated situation of the state, the See also:costs of transportation and the small population.

The first See also:

industry was that of See also:mining, See also:gold having been discovered in the river valleys on the southern slopes of the plateau, and diamonds on the See also:head-See also:waters of the Paraguay, about See also:Diamantino and in two or three other districts. Gold is found chiefly in placers, and in colonial times the output was large, but the deposits were See also:long ago exhausted and the industry is now comparatively unimportant. As to other minerals little is definitely known. See also:Agriculture exists only for the See also:supply of See also:local needs, though See also:tobacco of a See also:superior quality is grown. See also:Cattle-raising, however, has received some See also:attention and is the See also:principal industry of the landowners. The See also:forest products of the state include See also:fine See also:woods, See also:rubber, See also:ipecacuanha, See also:sarsaparilla, See also:jaborandi, See also:vanilla and See also:copaiba. There is little export, however, the only means of communication being down the Paraguay and Parana rivers by means of subsidized steamers. The See also:capital of the state is See also:Cuyaba, and the See also:chief commercial See also:town is See also:Corumba at the head of See also:navigation for the larger river boats, and 1986 m. from the mouth of the La Plata. Communication between these two towns is maintained by a See also:line of smaller boats, the distance being 517 M. The first permanent settlements in Matto Grosso seem to have been made in 1718 and 1719, in the first See also:year at Forquilha and in the second at or near the site of Cuyaba, where See also:rich placer mines had been found. At this See also:time all this inland region was considered a part of Sao Paulo, but in 1748 it was made a separate capitania and was named Matto Grosso (" great woods "). In 1752 its capital was situated on the right See also:bank of the Guapore river and was named See also:Villa Bella da Santissima Trindade de Matto Grosso, but in 182o the seat of See also:government was removed to Cuyaba and Villa Bella has fallen into decay.

In 1822 Matto Grosso became a See also:

province of the See also:empire and in 1889 a republican state. It was invaded by the Paraguayans in the See also:war of 186o-65.

End of Article: MATTO GROSSO

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