Model Based on Regional Balance

Among the group of Brazilian states with the greatest economic development, Santa Catarina is unlike any other because there are no metropolises. In Santa Catarina, there are no cities with a population over 500 thousand inhabitants. Instead of having one large center surrounded by other municipalities – most common model in the country –, Santa Catarina has several cities of similar economic power, each of them with characteristics that sets them apart in the state.  

The population of 5.9 million is therefore well distributed. The ten largest municipalities account for 40% of Santa Catarina’s population, and unlike what happens in most states, demographic density does not present great variation from one region to another. This contributes to the fixation of people in their regions of origin and avoids population overflow, which is the cause of a large part of problems found in the larger Brazilian cities. Land ownership is based on small and medium-sized rural properties, which reduces the exodus from rural areas to urban centers. This reduces social tensions, favoring a stress-free lifestyle. Wealth is well distributed. The richest 20% have an income 20 times greater than the poorest 20%. That figure is 45 times in the Brazilian average.