Editing Tocantins

{{Short description|State of Brazil}}{{distinguish|Tonantins}}
{{Other uses|Tocantins River|Tocantins (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name               = Tocantins
| official_name      =
| native_name        = 
| native_name_lang   = pt<!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. -->
| settlement_type    = [[Federative units of Brazil|State]]
| image_skyline      =
| image_alt          = 
| image_caption      =
| image_flag         = Bandeira do Tocantins.svg
| flag_alt           = 
| image_shield       = Coat of arms of Tocantins.svg
| shield_alt         = 
| nickname           = 
| motto              = "Co yvy ore retama" <br/>(Translated from [[Tupi language|Tupi]]: "This land is ours")
| anthem             = [[:pt:Hino do Tocantins|Hino do Tocantins]]
| image_map          = Tocantins in Brazil.svg
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = Location in Brazil
| coordinates        = {{Coord|10|11|S|48|20|W|type:adm1st_region:BR-TO|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint      = 
| coordinates_footnotes = 
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[Brazil]]
| established_title  =
| established_date   =
| founder            = 
| seat_type          = Capital and largest city
| seat               = [[Palmas, Tocantins|Palmas]]
| government_footnotes = 
| leader_title       = [[Governor (Brazil)|Governor]]
| leader_name        = [[Wanderlei Barbosa]] ([[Republicans (Brazil)|Republicanos]])
| leader_title1      = Vice Governor
| leader_name1       = [[Laurez da Rocha Moreira]] ([[Democratic Labour Party (Brazil)|PDT]])
| leader_title2      = [[Federal Senate (Brazil)|Senators]]
| leader_name2       = [[Eduardo Gomes (politician, born 1966)|Eduardo Gomes]] ([[Liberal Party (Brazil, 2006)|PL]])<br>[[Irajá Abreu]] ([[Social Democratic Party (Brazil, 2011)|PSD]])<br>[[Dorinha Rezende]] ([[Brazil Union|UNIÃO]])
| unit_pref          = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 277620.91
| area_rank          = [[List of Brazilian states by area|10th]]
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 
| population_footnotes = <ref name="census2022">{{Cite web|url=https://censo2022.ibge.gov.br/panorama/|title=2022 Census Overview|lang=pt}}</ref>
| population_total   = 1511460
| population_as_of   = 2022
| population_rank    = [[List of Brazilian states by population|24th]]
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_rank = [[List of Brazilian states by population density|22nd]]
| population_demonym = Tocantinense
| population_note    = 
| demographics_type1 = GDP
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="bge">{{Cite web |title=PIB por Unidade da Federação, 2021|url=https://www.ibge.gov.br/en/statistics/economic/national-accounts/19567-gross-domestic-product-of-municipalities.html|website=ibge.gov.br}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1 = Total
| demographics1_info1 = [[Brazilian real|R$]] 51.781 billion<br />([[US$]] 9.605 billion)
| demographics_type2 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]]
| demographics2_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| demographics2_title1 = Year
| demographics2_info1 = 2021
| demographics2_title2 = Category
| demographics2_info2 = 0.731<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlas do Desenvolvimento Humano no Brasil. Pnud Brasil, Ipea e FJP, 2022. |url=http://www.atlasbrasil.org.br/ranking |access-date=2023-06-11 |website=www.atlasbrasil.org.br}}</ref> – <span style="color:#0c0">high</span> ([[List of Brazilian states by Human Development Index|13th]])
| postal_code_type   = [[Código de Endereçamento Postal|Postal Code]]
| postal_code        = 77000-000 to 77999-000
| timezone1          = [[Time in Brazil|BRT]]
| utc_offset1        = −3
| timezone1_DST      = 
| utc_offset1_DST    = 
| iso_code           = [[ISO 3166-2:BR|BR-TO]]
| website            = {{URL|https://www.to.gov.br/}}
| footnotes          = 
| registration_plate_type =
| registration_plate =
}}

'''Tocantins''' ({{IPA|pt-BR|tokɐ̃ˈtʃĩs|lang|Pt-br Tocantins.ogg}}{{efn|The presented pronunciation is in the [[Brazilian Portuguese]] variant spoken in Tocantins (and most of Brazil).}}) is one of the 26 [[federative units of Brazil|states of Brazil]]. It is the newest state, formed in 1988 and encompassing what had formerly been the northern two-fifths of the state of [[Goiás]].<ref name="t"/> Tocantins covers {{convert|277620.91|km2|mi2}} and had an estimated population of 1,496,880 in 2014.<ref name="i"/> Construction of its capital, [[Palmas, Tocantins|Palmas]], began in 1989; most of the other cities in the state date to the [[Portuguese colonization of the Americas|Portuguese colonial]] period. With the exception of [[Araguaína]], there are few other cities with a significant population in the state. The government has invested in a new capital, a major hydropower dam, railroads and related infrastructure to develop this primarily agricultural area. The state has 0.75% of the Brazilian population and is responsible for 0.5% of the Brazilian [[GDP]].

Tocantins has attracted hundreds of thousands of new residents, primarily to Palmas. It is building on its hydropower resources. The [[Araguaia River|Araguaia]] and [[Tocantins River|Tocantins]] rivers drain the largest watershed that lies entirely inside Brazilian territory. The Rio Tocantins has been dammed for hydropower, creating a large reservoir that has become a center of recreation. Because it is in the central zone of the country, Tocantins has characteristics of the [[Amazon rainforest|Amazon Basin]], and also semi-open pastures, known as ''[[cerrado]]''. The [[Bananal Island]] (''Ilha do Bananal''), in the southwest of the State, is the second largest [[fluvial]] island in the world.<ref name="brit-b"/> Tocantins is also home to the [[Araguaia National Park]], the Carajás Indian reservations, and [[Jalapão State Park]], which is about {{convert|250|km}} from Palmas. There, the rivers create oases in the dry landscape, attracting many ecotourists to the region.

== Etymology ==
The name "Tocantins" refers to the [[Tocantins River]], which itself derives from the [[Tupi language]] words ''tukã´'', "toucan", and ''tï'', "beak", literally "Toucan's beak".<ref>Amorim, F. W. (2020). Are the New World hummingbird‐hawkmoths functional equivalents of hummingbirds? Ecology, 101(12). doi:10.1002/ecy.3161</ref>

== Geography ==
[[File:Amazon MODIS.jpg|thumb|left|[[Amazon rainforest]]]]
The geography of Tocantins is varied. It straddles both the [[Amazon rainforest]] and the coastal [[savanna]]. Many rivers (including the [[Tocantins River]]) traverse the state. Researchers have identified more than 20 archaeologically significant sites related to indigenous cultures.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Araguaia & Tocantins Rivers |url=https://archive.internationalrivers.org/campaigns/araguaia-tocantins-rivers |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=International Rivers |language=en}}</ref>

Tocantins is bordered to the northeast by the states of [[Maranhão]] and [[Piauí]], [[Bahia]] to the east, [[Goiás]] to the south, [[Mato Grosso]] to the west, and [[Pará]] to the northwest. Tocantins was created from the northern two-fifths of Goiás state in 1989 and is divided into 139 municipalities.<ref name="i"/><ref name="brit"/>

Following its separation from Goiás, the new state was transferred from [[Central-West Region, Brazil|Brazil's Central-West Region]] to the [[North Region, Brazil|North Region]].{{Cn|date=March 2021}}

=== Climate ===
[[File:Dunas_do_Jalapão,_em_Mateiros.jpg|thumb|right|Jalapão in Tocantins.]]
Most of Tocantins (except the extreme western and northern regions) is situated within a vast Brazilian area known as the [[cerrado]]. The cerrado region's typical climate is hot and semi-humid, with pronounced seasonal variation marked by a dry winter from May through October.<ref name="t"/> The average annual rainfall is around 1500 mm.<ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica 1998 l002">{{cite web | title= Tocantins | website=Encyclopedia Britannica | date=July 20, 1998 | url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Tocantins | access-date=March 1, 2024}}</ref>

=== Vegetation ===
[[File:FlavioAndre_PedraFurada_PonteAltadoTocantins_TO.jpg|thumb|Serra Geral do Tocantins Ecological Station]]
{{More citations needed section|date=February 2021}}
The "cerrado" landscape cover 87% of Tocantins and is characterized by extensive savanna formations crossed by gallery forests and stream valleys.<ref name="t"/> Cerrado includes various types of vegetation. Humid fields and "buriti" palm paths are found where the water table is near the surface. Alpine pastures occur at higher altitudes and mesophytic forests on more fertile soils. In the north of Tocantins the cerrado gives place to a zone of transition for the [[Amazon biome]], near [[Tocantins River]].

The savanna formations are not homogenous. There is great variation between the amount of woody and herbaceous vegetation, forming a gradient from completely open "cerrado" — open fields dominated by grasses — to the closed, forest-like "cerrado" and the "[[cerradão]]" ("big cerrado"), a closed canopy forest. Intermediate forms include the dirty field, the "cerrado" field, and the "cerrado" sensu stricto, according to a growing density of trees.

The "cerrado" trees have characteristic twisted trunks covered by a thick bark, and leaves that are usually broad and rigid. Many herbaceous plants have extensive roots to store water and nutrients. The plant's thick bark and roots serve as adaptations for the periodic fires which sweep the cerrado landscape. The adaptations protect the plants from destruction and make them capable of sprouting again after the fire.

As in many savannas in the world, the "cerrado" ecosystems have been coexisting with fire since ancient times. Initially they developed adaptations to natural fires caused by lightning or volcanic activity.

Along the western boundary of the state is the floodplain of the [[Araguaia River]], which includes extensive wetlands and Amazon tropical forest ecosystems. Bananal Island, formed by two branches of the Araguaia, is said to be the largest river island in the world.<ref name="brit-b"/><ref name=brit/> It consists mostly of marshlands and seasonally flooded savannas, with gallery forest.  Where the two branches meet again they form an inland delta called [[Cantão]], a typical Amazonian [[igapó]] flooded forest.  The Araguaia is also one of the main links between the Amazonian lowlands and the [[Pantanal]] wetlands to the south, but the river is not fully navigable.

== History ==
[[File:Mapa da Província do Araguaia.tif|left|thumb|Map of the Province of Araguaia, that would be created during the Empire of Brazil, 1873. Today, Tocantins lies in this area. [[Brazilian National Archives|National Archives of Brazil]].]]
Portuguese [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] [[missionary|missionaries]] explored what is today Tocantins state about 1625, seeking to convert the [[Amerindian]] peoples of the area to Christianity. The area is named after the [[Tocantins River]], whose name is derived from an indigenous language. (From: '''Tukô''', ''Toucan'' +  '''tï''', ''beak''. lit. "Toucan's beak" in [[Tupi language]].)<ref name="brit"/>

Before 1988 the area made up the northern two-fifths or one-third of [[Goiás]] state.<ref name="britgoias"/> Since the 17th century, this area was relatively isolated by rivers navigable only in short portions and mountains, and difficult to access. As a result, the southern area of the state became more developed, particularly after this area was selected in 1956 as the site for the development of the new capital of [[Brasília]] and the [[Federal District (Brazil)|Federal District]].<ref name="britgoias">[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/237167/Goias "Goias/ State Brazil"], ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 2015</ref>{{Better source|date=March 2021}} A strong [[separatism|separatist]] movement developed in the north for independence of its people.{{Cn|date=March 2021}}

After the government levied heavy taxes on mining in 1809, local residents began to organize a separatists movement. They made a minor revolt which was quickly crushed by the army. In the 19th century, a string of failed uprisings occurred in the north. Historically the area was inhabited chiefly by [[Amerindians]] in some intact indigenous tribes and [[pardo]]s of Amerindian and Portuguese descent.{{Cn|date=March 2021}}

In the 1970s, the population of northern Goiás lobbied the government to establish a separate state. In the 1988 Constitution, the State of Tocantins was created and admitted as a new [[States of Brazil|Brazilian state]].<ref name="t-h"/>

Since its establishment and investment by the government, as in the new capital of Palmas, Tocantins has been the fastest-growing Brazilian state. Its thriving economy is based on agriculture and agro-industry, attracting thousands of migrants from all over the country. The construction of the long-planned [[North-South Railway (Brazil)|North–South Railway]] is expected to further boost economic growth.{{Cn|date=March 2021}}

== Demographics ==
According to the [[2022 Brazilian census|2022 census]], there were 1,511,460 people residing in the state. The population density was {{convert|5.45|/km²|abbr=on}}.<ref name="i"/>

[[Urbanization]]: 71.5% (2004); Population growth: 2.6% (1991–2000); Houses: 355,502 (2005).<ref name="PNAD">{{cite book |url=ftp://ftp.ibge.gov.br/Indicadores_Sociais/Sintese_de_Indicadores_Sociais_2007/Tabelas |title=Síntese de Indicadores Sociais 2007 |publisher=[[Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics|IBGE]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-85-240-3919-5 |location=Tocantins, Brazil |language=pt |format=PDF |access-date=2007-07-18}}</ref>

The 2022 census revealed the following numbers: 939,260 [[Pardo]]s (brown, [[Multiracial#Brazil|multiracial]]) people (62.1%), 350,613 [[White Brazilian|White]] people (23.2%), 199,394 [[Black Brazilian|Black]] people (13.2%), 18,735 [[Indigenous peoples in Brazil|Amerindian]] people (1.2%), 3,405 [[Asian Brazilian|Asian]] people (0.2%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://censo2022.ibge.gov.br/panorama/|title=Panorama do Censo 2022|website=Panorama do Censo 2022}}</ref>

=== Largest cities ===
{{Largest cities
| country     = Tocantins
| stat_ref    = (2011 census by the [[Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics]])<ref name="IBGE_Pop_2011">{{cite web|url=http://www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/populacao/estimativa2011/POP2011_DOU.pdf|title=Estimativas da população residente nos municípios brasileiros com data de referência em 1º de julho de 2011|trans-title=Estimates of the Resident Population of Brazilian Municipalities as of July 1, 2011|date=30 August 2011|publisher=[[Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics]]|access-date=31 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007090238/http://www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/populacao/estimativa2011/POP2011_DOU.pdf|archive-date=7 October 2011|url-status=live|language=pt}}</ref>
| list_by_pop = 
| div_name    = 
| div_link    = Mesoregions of Brazil{{!}}Mesoregion

| city_1 = Palmas, Tocantins{{!}}Palmas
| div_1  = Mesorregião Oriental do Tocantins{{!}}Oriental
| pop_1  = 235,315
| img_1  = Palmas_TO_-_27234519688.jpg

| city_2 = Araguaína
| div_2  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_2  = 153,350
| img_2  = 

| city_3 = Gurupi
| div_3  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_3  = 77,655
| img_3  = 

| city_4 = Porto Nacional
| div_4  = Mesorregião Oriental do Tocantins{{!}}Oriental
| pop_4  = 49,143
| img_4  = 

| city_5 = Paraíso do Tocantins
| div_5  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_5  = 44,432
| img_5  = 

| city_6 = Araguatins
| div_6  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_6  = 31,324
| img_6  = 

| city_7 = Colinas do Tocantins
| div_7  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_7  = 30,879
| img_7  = 

| city_8 = Guaraí
| div_8  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_8  = 23,212
| img_8  = 

| city_9 = Tocantinópolis
| div_9  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_9  = 22,608
| img_9  = 

| city_10 = Miracema do Tocantins
| div_10  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_10  = 20,692
| img_10  = 

| city_11 = Dianópolis
| div_11  = Mesorregião Oriental do Tocantins{{!}}Oriental
| pop_11  = 19,110
| img_11  = 

| city_12 = Formoso do Araguaia
| div_12  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_12  = 18,428
| img_12  = 

| city_13 = Augustinópolis
| div_13  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_13  = 15,965
| img_13  = 

| city_14 = Taguatinga, Tocantins{{!}}Taguatinga
| div_14  = Mesorregião Oriental do Tocantins{{!}}Oriental
| pop_14  = 15,053
| img_14  = 

| city_15 = Miranorte
| div_15  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_15  = 12,626
| img_15  = 

| city_16 = Goiatins
| div_16  = Mesorregião Oriental do Tocantins{{!}}Oriental
| pop_16  = 12,064
| img_16  = 

| city_17 = Pedro Afonso, Tocantins{{!}}Pedro Afonso
| div_17  = Mesorregião Oriental do Tocantins{{!}}Oriental
| pop_17  = 11,542
| img_17  = 

| city_18 = Xambioá, Tocantins{{!}}Xambioá
| div_18  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_18  = 11,484
| img_18  = 

| city_19 = Wanderlândia
| div_19  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_19  = 10,978
| img_19  = 

| city_20 = Nova Olinda, Tocantins{{!}}Nova Olinda
| div_20  = Mesorregião Ocidental do Tocantins{{!}}Ocidental
| pop_20  = 10,686
| img_20  = 

}}{{Historical populations|19=1940|20=165188|21=1950|22=204041|23=1960|24=328486|25=1970|26=537563|27=1980|28=738688|29=1991|30=920116|31=2000|32=1157690|33=2010|34=1383445|35=2022|36=1511460|footnote=Source:<ref name="census2022"/>}}

== Economy ==
[[Image:Irrigated rice plantation at Formoso do Araguaia, Brazil.jpg|thumb|right|Irrigated rice in [[Formoso do Araguaia]]]]
[[Image:Tocantins e os bois.jpg|thumb|right|Cattle in Tocantins]]
The [[service sector]] is the largest component of [[GDP]] at 59.9%, followed by the industrial sector at 27.2%. Agriculture represents 12.9% of GDP (2004). Tocantins exports: [[soybean]] 89.2%, [[beef]] 10.5% (2002). Tocantins' economy is based on an aggressive expansionist model of agro-exports and is marked by consecutive records of primary hyper-surpluses: its exports reveal its strong agricultural inclination. Following the example of neighboring states (Mato Grosso and Goiás), it is becoming a major grain producer (soy, corn, rice).

As with much of Brazil, Tocantins' economy is also dependent on [[cattle]] ranching. The state's [[pineapple]] [[plantation]]s is considerable. In the state's north, [[charcoal]] and [[Vegetable oil|oils]] are extracted from the babaçu [[palm tree]].

The gross value of the state's [[agriculture|agricultural production]] was estimated at more than R$ 7.6 billion in 2019.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web| url = https://seagro.to.gov.br/noticia/2019/12/20/producao-sustentavel-e-tecnificacao--impulsionam-o-desenvolvimento-do-setor-agropecuario-tocantinense/| title = Produção sustentável e tecnificação impulsionam o desenvolvimento do setor agropecuário tocantinense}}</ref>

In [[soy]], Tocantins is the largest producer in the northern region of Brazil. In the 2019 harvest, Tocantins harvested 3 million tons.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.rondonia.ro.gov.br/rondonia-deve-produzir-12-milhoes-de-toneladas-de-soja-na-safra-20192020/| title = Rondônia deve produzir 1,2 milhão de toneladas de soja na safra 2019/2020| date = 13 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://blogs.canalrural.com.br/embrapasoja/2019/07/10/soja-e-ouro-do-estado-do-tocantins/| title = Soja é ouro no estado do Tocantins| date = 10 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.embrapa.br/busca-de-noticias/-/noticia/46487476/especialistas-e-produtores-debatem-sobre-a-expansao-da-soja-no-para| title = Especialistas e produtores debatem sobre a expansão da soja no Pará}}</ref>

In [[maize]], the state harvested close to 1 million tonnes in 2019.<ref name="auto1"/>

In 2019 Tocantins was the leader in [[rice]] production in the North region, becoming the 3rd largest producer in Brazil.<ref name="auto1"/> Harvested more than 670 thousand tons in the 2016/2017 harvest.

Regarding [[pineapple]], in 2018 Tocantins was the 6th largest producer state in Brazil, with 69 million fruits.<ref name="ReferenceH">{{cite web| url = http://www.cnpmf.embrapa.br/Base_de_Dados/index_pdf/dados/brasil/abacaxi/b1_abacaxi.pdf| title = Produção brasileira de abacaxi em 2018, Embrapa}}</ref>

In 2019 the state's cattle herd was 8 million animals.<ref name="auto1"/>

About industry, Tocantins had an industrial GDP of R$ 4.5 billion in 2017, equivalent to 0.4% of the national industry. It employs 30,234 workers in the industry. The main industrial sectors are: Construction (34.1%), Industrial Services of Public Utility, such as Electricity and Water (28.4%), Food (22.5%), Non-metallic minerals (5.2%) and Chemicals (1.5%). These 5 sectors concentrate 91.7% of the state's industry.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://perfildaindustria.portaldaindustria.com.br/estado/to| title = Industry Profile of Tocantins}} </ref>

Its industry is mainly agroindustry, centralized in six districts located in five pole cities: [[Palmas, Tocantins|Palmas]], [[Araguaína]], [[Gurupi]], [[Porto Nacional]] and [[Paraíso do Tocantins]]. Its industry is still small and focused mainly on domestic consumption.<ref>[https://www.to.gov.br/sics/distritos-industriais/48yj3k82scp9 Distritos Industriais do Tocantins]></ref>

In the tertiary sector (commerce and services), its main activities are concentrated in the capital Palmas and also in the cities that are located on the side of the Belém-Brasília Highway ([[BR-153]] and [[BR-226]]). This highway is vital for Tocantins, as it cuts the state from north to south and allows for a better performance in the economic growth of the cities located on its banks, serving as a warehouse for road transport and services for travelers. In addition, the Belém-Brasília Highway also facilitates the flow of production from Tocantins to other states and to ports on the coast.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://biblioteca.ibge.gov.br/index.php/biblioteca-catalogo?view=detalhes&id=441654|title=IBGE &#124; Biblioteca|website=IBGE &#124; Biblioteca}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/to/tocantins/noticia/br-153-rodovia-transformou-a-vida-de-moradores-do-norte-do-tocantins.ghtml|title=BR-153: rodovia transformou a vida de moradores do norte do Tocantins|date=June 13, 2017|website=G1}}</ref>

== Infrastructure ==
[[File:Tocantins - BR-153 (geometria).jpg|thumb|right|The [[BR-153]] (also known as [[Belém–Brasília Highway]]) is the main highway of the Tocantins state.]]
[[File:Aeroporto de Palmas a noite.jpg|thumb|Palmas Airport]]

The main federal highways in Tocantins are [[BR-153]] and [[BR-226]], which together form the road axis of the [[Belém-Brasília Highway]]. The others are [[BR-010]], [[BR-235]] and [[BR-242]]. These last highways still have many sections that are unpaved or even incomplete. In Tocantins, the Belém-Brasília Highway (BR-153 and BR-226) was the first highway to be built and paved in the state, having been built during the late 1950s.<ref>[http://ftp.seinf.to.gov.br/Repositorio/Downloads/Rodovias/Rodoviario_TO_2015_ROD.pdf Mapa Rodoviário do Tocantins]</ref><ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.centronortenoticias.com.br/noticia;id=194|title=CNN &#124; Centro Norte Noticias|website=www.centronortenoticias.com.br}}</ref>

Tocantins has three airports served by regular flights: [[Palmas Airport]], [[Araguaína Airport]] and [[Gurupi Airport]]. All other airports in the state are served only by air taxi companies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aeroportos.grupoccr.com.br/palmas-to/|title=Aeroporto de Palmas - Brigadeiro Lysias Rodrigues - PMW &#124; CCR Aeroportos|website=aeroportos.grupoccr.com.br}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gurupi.to.gov.br/2023/08/infraero-inicia-reforma-no-terminal-de-passageiros-do-aeroporto-de-gurupi/|title=Infraero inicia reforma no terminal de passageiros do Aeroporto de Gurupi|date=August 11, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/to/tocantins/noticia/2023/04/07/voos-no-aeroporto-de-araguaina-serao-realizados-por-nova-empresa-aerea-a-partir-de-maio.ghtml|title=Voos no aeroporto de Araguaína serão realizados por nova empresa aérea a partir de maio|date=April 7, 2023|website=G1}}</ref>

The [[North–South Railway (Brazil)|North–South Railway]] (or EF-151) is in the construction process, being operated regularly from Aguiarnópolis to Porto Nacional by VLI while the [[West–East Integration Railway]] (or EF-334) is still in the planning phase on the stretch that will pass through the state. The railway already connects [[Açailândia]] to [[Anápolis]], but the section south of [[Porto Nacional]] is not operated regularly as there are no yards for loading/unloading wagons. Valec is still studying the concession model for the railway.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.to.gov.br/secom/ferrovia-norte-sul-em-colinas-ja-carrega-50-mil-toneladas-mes/5n89pug57p5|title=Ferrovia Norte Sul em Colinas já carrega 50 mil toneladas mês|website=www.to.gov.br}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.to.gov.br/secom/noticias/conectando-o-tocantins-ao-litoral-da-bahia-governo-do-estado-comemora-o-inicio-das-obras-da-ferrovia-oeste-leste/6irpgc33x977|title=Conectando o Tocantins ao litoral da Bahia, Governo do Estado comemora o início das obras da Ferrovia Oeste-Leste|date=July 4, 2023|website=www.to.gov.br}}</ref>

The state's main waterways are the Tocantins River and Araguaia River waterways.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.br/dnit/pt-br/assuntos/aquaviario/intervencao-em-hidrovias/hidrovias-1/hidrovia-do-tocantins-araguaia|title=Hidrovia do Tocantins - Araguaia — Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura de Transportes}}</ref>

== Flag ==
The message of the flag is the phrase "where the sun rises for all". In the middle of the flag is the golden yellow sun, with its rays symbolically targeting to the future of the state. The sun is placed on a white band, where the white color represents peace. The blue in the upper left and the yellow in the bottom right represent the waters and the soil of the state. The colors date back to a flag used by the Autonomous Government of Palmas in the 19th century.{{Cn|date=March 2021}}

The flag was adopted with the state flag law (law no 094/89) of November 17, 1989.{{Cn|date=March 2021}}

== Cities ==
{{Main|List of municipalities in Tocantins}}
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2021}}
Tocantins contains 139 municipalities. For statistical purposes, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics [[Brazilian_Institute_of_Geography_and_Statistics|(IBGE)]] divides the state into two [[Mesoregions of Brazil|mesoregions]] containing eight [[Microregions of Brazil|micro-regions]]. These statistical divisions were revised in 2017.

Important cities include:
* [[Tocantinópolis]]
* [[Colinas do Tocantins]]
* [[Araguaína]]
* [[Gurupi]]
* [[Palmas, Tocantins|Palmas]], capital of the state
* [[Dianópolis]]
* [[Porto Nacional]]

==Represented in popular culture==
''[[Survivor: Tocantins]]'' was the setting for the eighteenth season of the United States reality show ''[[Survivor (American TV series)|Survivor]],'' filmed in the [[microregion of Jalapão]] in Tocantins. The premiere aired February 12, 2009.{{Cn|date=March 2021}}

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|refs=

<ref name="brit">{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Encyclopædia Britannica | title = Tocantins | url = http://www.britannica.com/place/Tocantins | access-date = 2015-07-28 | year = 2015 | publisher = Encyclopædia Britannica Inc.}}</ref>

<ref name="brit-b">{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Encyclopædia Britannica | title = Bananal Island | url = http://www.britannica.com/place/Bananal-Island | access-date = 2015-07-28 | year = 2015 | publisher = Encyclopædia Britannica Inc.}}</ref>

<ref name="i">{{cite web | url = http://www.ibge.gov.br/estadosat/perfil.php?lang=&sigla=to | title = Tocantins | year = 2015 | publisher = Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatstica | location = Brasília, Brazil | access-date = 2015-06-14 | language = pt}}</ref>

<ref name="t">{{cite web | url = http://portal.to.gov.br/tocantins/2 | title = Tocantins | year = 2015 | publisher = Governo do Tocantins | location = Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil | access-date = 2015-07-28 | language = pt | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151101133407/http://portal.to.gov.br/tocantins/2 | archive-date = 2015-11-01 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

<ref name="t-h">{{cite web | url = http://portal.to.gov.br/tocantins/historia/10 | title = História | year = 2015 | publisher = Governo do Tocantins | location = Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil | access-date = 2015-07-28 | language = pt | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150417134624/http://portal.to.gov.br/tocantins/historia/10 | archive-date = 2015-04-17 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

}}

==External links==
*{{in lang|pt}} [http://www.to.gov.br/ Government of Tocantins website]
*{{in lang|pt}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20010205003600/http://al.to.gov.br/ Legislative Assembly of Tocantins website]

{{Municipalities of Tocantins}}
{{States of Brazil}}
{{Brazil topics}}
{{Sister bar|auto=y}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tocantins}}
[[Category:Tocantins| ]]
[[Category:Federative units of Brazil]]
[[Category:North Region, Brazil|*]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1988]]
[[Category:1988 establishments in Brazil]]