Palmas, Tocantins Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Palmas

Municipality

Município de Palmas
Municipality of Palmas

Top left:A monument of Coluna Prestes in the Sunflower Square, Top right: Sunflower Square (Graciosa Beach), Center:A view of Palmas Tocantins Bridge and Palmas, Bottom left:Ponte do Fernando Henrique Cardoso (Fernando Henrique Cardoso Bridge) and Tocantins River, Bottom right:Palacio Araguaia (Araguaia Palace)

Flag

Seal

Nickname(s):

Capital Ecológica (Ecological Capital)

Motto(s):

Essa terra é nossa (This Land is Ours)

Localization of Palmas in Tocantins

Palmas

Location in Brazil

Brazil

North

Founded

May 20, 1989

Area

• Total

2,218.93 km² (856.73 sq mi)

Elevation

230 m (755 ft)

Population

(2017)

• Total

286,787

• Density

129,24/km² (33,470/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Palmense

Time zone

UTC-3

Postal Code (CEP)

From 77000-001 to 77249-999

Area code(s)

+55 63

Website

www.palmas.to.gov.br

Palmas ( Palm trees) is the capital and largest city in the state of Tocantins, Brazil, newly organized under the 1988 constitution. According to IBGE estimates from 2017, the city had 286,787 inhabitants.

Palmas is located at the state geographic centre at an average altitude of 230 m (755 ft). The city is located between these hills and the Tocantins River. In the east, Palmas is bordered by the Serra do Lajeado. Palmas has a metropolitan area with 471,639 inhabitants on the side of Palmas Lake.

Palmas was founded in 1990 and developed from the ground up in a former agricultural area as the capital of the newest Brazilian state Tocantins. This was organized under the new 1988 Brazilian Constitution. It was intended to develop a relatively undeveloped area of the nation to provide better jobs for people. The city has a well-designed road system, and its urban zoning is modeled on that of Brasília, the capital. In Palmas a symmetrical park was developed at the city centre. The Federal University of Tocantins was established here in the late 20th century, at the time of other development.

In 2002, the Lajeado Hydroelectric Power Plant reservoir was completed, at which point the city gained many river beaches on its lake shore. The project included construction of a huge bridge, the Ponte da Amizade Presidente Fernando Henrique Cardoso, which crosses over 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) over the reservoir, connecting Palmas with the major highway BR-153.

The Palmas Airport connects Palmas with many Brazilian cities.