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Santa Catarina ((:ˈsɐ̃tɐ kataˈɾinɐ), ''Saint Catherine'') is a state in southern Brazil. According to the Index of Economic Well-Being calculated between 2002 and 2008, Santa Catarina was the Brazilian state that revealed the highest economic well-being in relation to the others. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island while Joinville is Santa Catarina's largest city. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the west it borders the province of Misiones, Argentina. The beaches along the coast of Santa Catarina are a great attraction for tourists visiting the smallest state of the South Region. Florianópolis, the capital, is one of the Brazilian cities with the highest HDI and that receives the most foreign tourists, especially from Europe and Argentina. The mountain ridge region, especially São Joaquim and Urupema, becomes an attraction during winter due to its low temperatures and snow. People of German and Austrian descent make up the largest ethnic group among the population of Santa Catarina, at around 45% - with a considerable portion still speaking the German language.〔 Blumenau, in the interior of Santa Catarina, is the stage for one of the biggest events of the Southern Region of the country, which possess a strong direct influence of German culture: the ''Oktoberfest of Blumenau'', a traditional beer party/festival originated from Germany, that is held in October. Santa Catarina was one of the few states in Brazil that actually were mostly populated by a settlement programme with colonists coming from almost every European nation; their heritage can be seen in the architecture and the customs of the population of the state. It is the Brazilian state with the highest levels of income, education and public health, and one of the lowest rates of illiteracy. Santa Catarina boasts Brazil's highest average life expectancy and lowest homicide rate in addition to lower levels of corruption. The cities of the state are also considered some the most livable in the country, enjoying a reputation of being "clean, safe and organized".〔 == Geography == Santa Catarina is in a very strategic position in Mercosul, the South American Common Market. Its position in the map is situated between the parallel 25º57'41" and 29º23'55" of the Southern latitude and between the meridians 48º19'37" and 53º50'00" of Western longitude. Florianópolis, its capital, is from Brasilia, from São Paulo, from Rio de Janeiro and from Buenos Aires. The Serra Geral, a southern extension of the Serra do Mar, runs north and south through the state parallel to the Atlantic coast, dividing the state between a narrow coastal plain and a larger plateau region to the west. The Atlantic coast of Santa Catarina has many beaches, islands, bays, inlets, and lagoons. The humid tropical Serra do Mar coastal forests cover the narrow coastal zone, which is crossed by numerous short streams from the wooded slopes of the serras. The central part of the state is home to the Araucaria moist forests, dominated by emergent Brazilian pines ''(Araucaria angustifolia).'' The drainage of the plateau is westward to the Paraná River, the rivers being tributaries of the Iguaçu, which forms its northern boundary, and of the Uruguay River, which forms its southern boundary. The semi-deciduous Paraná-Paraíba interior forests occupy the westernmost valleys of the Iguaçu and Uruguay rivers. The highest point of the state is the Morro da Boa Vista, with an altitude of 1,827 m, and the second highest point is the Morro da Igreja, in the town of Urubici, with an altitude of 1,822 m. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Santa Catarina (state)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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