State of Parana

Paraná State represents agricultural modernization at scale—Brazil's second-largest grain producer after Mato Grosso, with mechanized soybean, maize, and wheat cultivation across the interior. Curitiba, the capital (1.9 million, 3.7 million metro), gained international recognition for innovative urban planning: the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system pioneered here became a global model adopted from Bogotá to Istanbul.

European immigration shaped the state's demographics and agriculture. Italian, German, Polish, and Ukrainian settlers established farming communities that evolved into agribusiness powerhouses. The cooperative movement is particularly strong: COAMO, C.Vale, and other cooperatives aggregate small-farmer production for export. Coffee cultivation historically dominated before frost damage prompted diversification to soybeans.

Itaipu Dam on the Paraguay border produces approximately 10% of Brazil's electricity—until 2013, the world's largest hydroelectric facility by generation. The tourism potential of Iguazu Falls (shared with Argentina) adds to economic diversity. Paraná demonstrates how immigrant settlement patterns, cooperative organization, and infrastructure investment can create agricultural export economies that rival traditional mining and plantation regions.