Tapajós (proposed Brazilian state)

Tapajós

Tapajós is the name for a proposed new Brazilian state, which would consist of the western part of the current state of Pará. The proposal was defeated in a referendum in 2011 and by law cannot be revived until 2015. Although electors within the territory of the proposed state voted strongly in favor, the vote was strongly negative among the larger population in what would have remained of Pará.

Municipalities

The 27 municipalities

The proposed capital would be Santarém. It would have a population of about 1.3 million and an area of 722,358 km², comprising 27 out of Para's 144 municipalities. As of 2011, its GDP of BR$ 6.4 billion constituted 11% of the total GDP of Pará. The planned Belo Monte Dam would be located within the territory of Tapajós.

The two most populous municipalities would be Santarém (population 294,774) and Altamira (population 105,030).

Name	Name
Alenquer	Novo Progresso
Almeirim	Óbidos
Altamira	Oriximiná
Aveiro	Placas
Belterra	Porto de Moz
Brasil Novo	Prainha
Curuá	Rurópolis
Faro	Santarém
Itaituba	Senador José Porfírio
Jacareacanga	Terra Santa
Juruti	Trairão
Medicilândia	Uruará
Monte Alegre	Vitória do Xingu
Mojuí dos Campos

2011 referendum

In a referendum held on December 11, 2011, the residents of the state of Pará were asked to vote on proposals to split the state into three parts: Tapajós in the west, Carajás in the southeast, and a rump Pará in the northeast. The proposal to create Tapajós was defeated by a margin of 66.1% to 33.9%.^[1] Voting was highly polarized regionally, with voters in the territory of the proposed new state voting strongly in favor while voters in the rump Pará voted strongly against. In particular, more than 90% of voters in Santarém voted in favor, while more than 90% of voters in Belém voted against.^[2] The mayor of Santarém, Maria do Carmo, vowed to continue efforts to create the new state.^[3]

References

1. "TSE conclui apuração e confirma vitória do "não" no Pará". Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). December 12, 2011. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
2. Aguirre Talento (December 11, 2011). "Mais de 90% dos eleitores de Marabá e Santarém votaram pela divisão". Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 11, 2011.
3. Rodrigo Vizeu (December 11, 2011). "Após derrota no plebiscito, Santarém decreta luto oficial". Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 11, 2011.

External links

• "Plebiscitos no Estado do Pará". Tribunal Superior Electoral (in Portuguese).