The Brazilian State That Has Only 15 Municipalities Spread Over More Than 223,000 km², a Capital That Concentrates 65% of Its Inhabitants, and Borders Two Countries

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 21/10/2025 at 06:50

Updated on 21/10/2025 at 11:05

Estado com apenas 15 municípios, área maior que o Reino Unido e capital concentrando 65% da população revela contrastes e importância estratégica

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With Only 15 Municipalities Spread Over More Than 223 Thousand km² and Borders With Two Countries, This State Concentrates More Than 65% of the Population in a Single City and Has a Strategic Role in the Amazon

Amid the 26 Brazilian states, there is one that stands out for a rather unusual characteristic: it has very few cities, even occupying an immense territorial extension.

While other federal units can house hundreds of municipalities, this one remains with just over a dozen, revealing a history of recent formation, a slow process of occupation, and unique development challenges in one of the country’s most remote regions.

Meet The State With The Fewest Municipalities In Brazil

With Only 15 Municipalities Distributed Over More Than 223 Thousand km², Roraima Occupies A Unique Position On The Brazilian Political Map.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

A Young Territory In The Brazilian Federation

Roraima Is One Of The Newest States In Brazil, Officially Created In 1988, With The Promulgation Of The Federal Constitution.

Before That, The Region Was Known As The Federal Territory Of Rio Branco, Later Renamed As The Federal Territory Of Roraima In 1962.

Its Elevation To The Status Of State Marked A New Stage In The Process Of Integrating The Amazônia With The Rest Of The Country, Encouraging Migration, Urbanization, And The Formation Of A Regional Economy.

The Youth Of Roraima Explains In Part The Small Number Of Municipalities.

While Older States Had Centuries To Divide Territories And Create New Cities, Roraima Is Still In A Relatively Early Process Of Political-Administrative Consolidation.

The Geography That Makes It Difficult To Create Cities

With An Area Of 223,644 km², Roraima Has Dimensions Comparable To Those Of The United Kingdom. Despite This, Its Population Is About 650 Thousand Inhabitants, The Smallest In Brazil.

According To Data From IBGE, In 2010, The State Of Roraima Had 451,227 Inhabitants. An Update Showed That The State Had A 41.25% Increase Compared To The Previous Census.

This Low Population Density – About 2.85 Inhabitants Per km² – Is One Of The Main Reasons Why The State’s Administrative Division Remains Limited.

The Capital, Boa Vista, Concentrates More Than 65% Of The Inhabitants, Being Not Only The Political And Economic Center But Also The Dominant Urban Hub.

The Rest Of The Population Distributes Across Small Towns And Isolated Communities, Many In Hard-To-Access Areas.

The Presence Of Indigenous Lands, Environmental Conservation Units, And Vast Areas Of Amazon Forest Also Limits Urban Expansion And Makes It Difficult To Create New Municipalities.

The 15 Municipalities of Roraima And Their Most Recent Populations (Census 2022 Or Closest Estimates), Without Links:

Municipality	Approximate Population
Alto Alegre	21,096 Inhabitants
Amajari	13,927 Inhabitants
Boa Vista	413,486 Inhabitants
Bonfim	13,923 Inhabitants
Cantá	18,682 Inhabitants
Caracaraí	20,957 Inhabitants
Caroebe	10,656 Inhabitants
Iracema	10,023 Inhabitants
Mucajaí	18,095 Inhabitants
Normandia	13,986 Inhabitants
Pacaraima	19,305 Inhabitants
Rorainópolis	32,647 Inhabitants
São João da Baliza	8,858 Inhabitants
São Luiz	7,315 Inhabitants
Uiramutã	13,751 Inhabitants

Strategic And Border Importance

Despite Being Small In Number Of Cities, Roraima Has Enormous Strategic Relevance For Brazil. The State Shares A Border With Venezuela And Guyana, Which Gives It An Important Role In Foreign Policy, Trade, And National Security.

Its Location Also Makes It An Entry Route For Migratory Flows, Especially Venezuelans In Recent Years.

Additionally, The Region Has Vast Natural Potential, Highlighting Mineral Resources, Biodiversity, And Areas Suitable For Agriculture And Energy Generation.

This Potential Has Attracted Investments And May, In The Future, Boost The Creation Of New Cities As Infrastructure Develops.

Curiosities And Emblematic Cities

Among The 15 Municipalities of Roraima, Some Stand Out For Their Particularities. Pacaraima, For Example, Is Located On The Border With Venezuela And Is One Of The Main Entry Points For Immigrants.

Caracaraí, On The Banks Of The Rio Branco, Was The First City In The State And Played A Historical Role In The Occupation Process.

Uiramutã Is Known For Being The Northernmost Municipality In Brazil, Marking The Northernmost Extreme Of The National Territory.

A Small State In Number Of Cities, Large In Potential

Roraima Is, Therefore, A Peculiar Case In The Brazilian Scenario. Its Reduced Number Of Municipalities Does Not Represent Fragility, But Rather A Combination Of Historical, Geographical, And Demographic Factors That Have Shaped Its Identity.

Young And Still In The Process Of Urban Expansion, The State Faces A Great Potential For Sustainable Development, Regional Integration, And Strategic Protagonism In The Amazon And Brazil’s Borders.

With Only 15 Cities, Roraima Shows That Size Is Not Synonymous With Importance — And That Even The Smallest Administrative Division In The Country Can Play A Decisive Role In The National Future.

Information	Data
Governor	Antonio Oliverio Garcia de Almeida (2023)
Capital	Boa Vista
Demonyms	Roraimense
Land Area	223,505.385 km² (2024)
Population In Last Census	636,707 People (2022)
Population Density	2.85 inhab/km² (2022)
Estimated Population	738,772 People (2025)
Enrollments In Primary Education	112,790 Enrollments (2024)
HDI (Human Development Index)	0.699 (2021)

Mount Roraima

Mount Roraima Is One Of The Most Impressive Geological Formations In South America And One Of The Highest Points In Brazil, At 2,875 Meters Above Sea Level.

Located At The Triple Border Between Brazil, Venezuela, And Guyana, It Stands Out For Its Flat “Table” Top, The Result Of Millions Of Years Of Erosion.

Surrounded By Vertical Cliffs Up To 400 Meters High, The Mountain Houses Unique Ecosystems And Endemic Species, As Well As Indigenous Legends That Consider It A Sacred Site.

Its Beauty And Mystery Inspired Literary Works, Such As “The Lost World” By Arthur Conan Doyle, Making The Place A Coveted Destination For Adventurers And Nature Lovers.

Reaching The Top Requires At Least Three To Four Days Of Hiking, Depending On The Physical Fitness And Pace Of Each Visitor.

The Route Passes Through Trails With Rivers And Waterfalls, Making The Journey Challenging And Requiring Planning.

Therefore, It Is Recommended To Hire A Guide Or Specialized Agency Before The Trip, As Many Companies Only Conduct The Trekking With A Minimum Number Of Participants.

It Is Also Essential To Confirm That The Service Provider Is Registered With Cadastur — The Official Registration Of The Ministry Of Tourism. Since Visits Are Controlled, It Is Important To Check The Availability Of The Tour In Advance.

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Christiano Sunderhus Filho

#184785

22/10/2025 06:44

Roraima é atravessado pelo Equador, e, possui a maior parte do território situado no hemisfério norte, consequentemente, a menor fica no hemisfério sul. Basta uma visualização do mapa 🗺️.

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Luis Alberto

#184421

21/10/2025 09:46

O estado mais novo da federação é Tocantins.

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The Brazilian State That Has Only 15 Municipalities Spread Over More Than 223,000 km², a Capital That Concentrates 65% of Its Inhabitants, and Borders Two Countries

With Only 15 Municipalities Spread Over More Than 223 Thousand km² and Borders With Two Countries, This State Concentrates More Than 65% of the Population in a Single City and Has a Strategic Role in the Amazon

Meet The State With The Fewest Municipalities In Brazil

A Young Territory In The Brazilian Federation

The Geography That Makes It Difficult To Create Cities

Strategic And Border Importance

Curiosities And Emblematic Cities

A Small State In Number Of Cities, Large In Potential

Mount Roraima

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The Brazilian State That Has Only 15 Municipalities Spread Over More Than 223,000 km², a Capital That Concentrates 65% of Its Inhabitants, and Borders Two Countries

With Only 15 Municipalities Spread Over More Than 223 Thousand km² and Borders With Two Countries, This State Concentrates More Than 65% of the Population in a Single City and Has a Strategic Role in the Amazon

Meet The State With The Fewest Municipalities In Brazil

A Young Territory In The Brazilian Federation

The Geography That Makes It Difficult To Create Cities

Strategic And Border Importance

Curiosities And Emblematic Cities

A Small State In Number Of Cities, Large In Potential

Mount Roraima

A giant half-ton ring fell in Kenya from space, and more than a year later, scientists still do not know where it came from.

Seen from space, an image taken by an astronaut shows an unlikely oasis in the Saudi Arabian desert, protected by a terrain that slows the advance of sand, surrounded by green circles, remnants of an extinct lake and nearly 10,000 years of preserved history.

In Botswana, a salt flat of up to 16,000 km² that was once an African megalake spends months as an absolute white desert, but during the rainy season it transforms into a shallow sea that reappears from nowhere and can be seen from space in the middle of southern Africa.

While the U.S. still faces limitations in deep space, China is developing unprecedented technology with strategic satellites that maintain communication with the far side of the Moon and aims for dominance by 2030.

Bavarian archaeologists unearthed a medieval skeleton that had an articulated iron hand in place of its left arm, and the discovery reveals that doctors were already creating sophisticated prosthetics over 500 years ago.

For the first time, scientists have mapped the Etna magma system in almost real time and discovered where the volcano was storing large volumes of molten material before years of eruptions, revealing an underground reservoir that fills and reorganizes like a living organism beneath the mountain.

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