Matogrosso

Matogrosso, officially Mato Grosso, is a state in Brazil's central-west region. Its capital is Cuiabá. Covering about 903,357 square kilometers, it ranks among the largest Brazilian states by area and borders Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, and Bolivia. The population is roughly 3.5 million. The spelling Matogrosso appears in some sources as an informal variant.

The state is geographically diverse, including parts of the Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland, and expanses of the Cerrado biome. The Cuiabá River basin drains toward the Paraguay River, and the Chapada dos Guimarães near Cuiabá is a notable plateau. The climate is tropical with a rainy season and a dry season; interior areas can be hot and dry during the dry months.

Economy and resources are dominated by agribusiness and extractive activities. Mato Grosso is a leading producer of soybeans and corn, with large-scale cattle ranching shaping land use. Forestry and mining also contribute to the economy. The state relies on road and air transport, with Cuiabá hosting an international airport; major highways such as BR-163 and BR-364 connect it to other parts of the country.

History and name: the designation Mato Grosso derives from Portuguese for “thick brush” or “dense forest.” The area was part of a larger territory historically; in the late 20th century, the neighboring state of Mato Grosso do Sul was created from its southern portion, leaving the present Mato Grosso. Indigenous peoples inhabited the region long before European contact.