Description
The Regional Division of Brazil consists of States and Municipalities grouped into regions with the objective of updating regional knowledge about the country and of making it possible to create a territory basis for the survey and dissemination of statistical data. It is also aimed at adding a perspective to the understanding of national territory organization and helping the federal government, as well as States and Municipalities, in the implementation and management of public policies and investments.
The division of Brazil into regions has been a concern since the creation of the IBGE. The need of a deep knowledge of the National Territory aiming at its integration in the 1940s and, later, at planning as a basis for its development, demanded the creation of more detailed regional divisions of Brazil, i.e., based on groups of municipalities rather than on groups of states as they had been ever since.
In the 20th century, the IBGE produced regional divisions based on the concepts of Physiographic Zones (1940s and 1960s), Homogeneous Microregions and Mesoregions (1968 and 1976, respectively) and Geographic Mesoregions and Microregions (1990). In addition, several articles were published in the Journal of Brazilian Geography dealing with the regionalization of Brazil. At the IBGE, regional divisions were established at different levels of coverage and led, in 1942, to the aggregation of Federation Units into Major Regions defined by the physical characteristics of the Brazilian territory and institutionalized as: North Region, Middle-North Region, Western Northeast Region, Eastern Northeast Region, Northern East Region, Southern East Region, South Region and Central West Region. As a consequence of the changes occurred in the Brazilian geographic space, in the 1950s and 1960s, a new subdivision into Macroregions was elaborated in 1970, and introduced revealing concepts and methods that revealed the growing importance of economic articulation and of urban structure in the understanding of the organization of the Brazilian space, from which the following names derive: North Region, Northeast Region, Southeast Region, South Region and Central West Region, which are the current names.
The regional division is a task of scientific nature, being subject to changes occurred in the theoretical-methodological field of Geography, which might affect the concept of region itself. So, the the periodical revisions of the several models of regional division adopted by the IBGe were established according to different conceptual approaches, aiming at displaying and summarizing the natural, cultural, economic, social and political diversity that characterizes the National Territory.
About the publication - 2017 Geographic Areas
The Regional Division of Brazil into Immediate and Intermediate Geographic Regions 2017 presents a new regional scenario linked to social, political and economic processes observed in the national territory since the edition of the Regional Division of Brazil released in the 1990’s. The revision of mesoregional and microregional units, which are called, in this study, Intermediate Geographic Regions and Immediate Geographic Regions, followed a common methodology for all the national territory and became part of analyses and expectations of state planning bodies by means of a partnership intermediated by the National Association of Planning, Research and Statistics Institutions – ANIPES. The Regional Division of Brazil into Geographic Regions 2017 aims at providing material for the planning and management of public policies at federal and state levels and to make available different segments for the dissemination of statistical and geoscientific data from the IBGE for the coming ten years.
The subdivision by Immediate and Intermediate Geographic Regions 2017 encompasses the changes occurred in Brazil over the last three decades. The recent sociospatial process of fragmentation /articulation of the Brazilian territory, in its several formats, can be seen in many of the studies developed by the IBGE. The methodological resource used in the elaboration of the current Regional Division of Brazil made use of the several territory models originated from previous studies, connecting them and interpreting the resulting diversity. The region becomes, by means of that option, a construction of geographic knowledge, defined by the dynamics of transformation processes occurred recently and put into operation according to concrete elements (urban networks, hierarchical classification of urban centers, detection of management flows, among others) which are capable of telling regional spaces apart at adequate scales.
The Immediate Geographic Regions have the urban network as their main element of reference. These regions are structures departing from surrounding urban centers for the supply of immediate needs of the population, such as: purchase of durable and non-durable consumer goods; job search; search for health and educational services; and rendering of public services, such as customer service for the National Social Security Institute – INSS – the Ministry of Labor and of legal services, among others.
The Intermediate Geographic Regions correspond to an intermediate scale among the Federation Units ad The Immediate Geographic Regions. Preferably, there was an attempt at delimitating the Intermediate Geographic Regions with the inclusion of Metropolises or Regional Capitals of the study of networks and urban hierarchy Areas of Influence of Cities (REGIC 2007). In some cases, mainly where there are no Metropolises or Regional Capitals, smaller urban centers were used as representative of the Group of Immediate Regions which form the respective Intermediate Geographic Regions.
The Intermediate Geographic Regions correspond to an intermediate scale among the Federation Units ad The Immediate Geographic Regions. Preferably, there was an attempt at delimitating the Intermediate Geographic Regions with the inclusion of Metropolises or Regional Capitals of the study of networks and urban hierarchy Areas of Influence of Cities (REGIC 2007). In some cases, mainly where there are no Metropolises or Regional Capitals, smaller urban centers were representative of the Group of Immediate Regions which form the respective Intermediate Geographic Regions.
The Intermediate Geographic Regions organize the territory, promoting the articulation of Immediate Geographic Regions by means of a higher hierarchic pole based on private and public management flows and on the existence of highly-complex urban functions.
The work developed by the IBGE geographers was conducted with the help of its Network of Local and State Branches in the task of separating Brazil into territory units, following clear criteria that can be applicable to the whole country. According to previously established definitions, a preliminary proposal of regional division was sent to the Network of IBGE’s Local and State Branches, as well as to Secretariats and/or Planning Institutes of the Federation Units. That step was intended to bring new agents into the process of Geographic Region delimitation, including the local knowledge of different forms of organization of the Brazilian space.
More on the product - 2017 Geographic Areas
Data base
ODS files (updated on Sep 11, 2018)
XLS files (updated on Sep 11, 2018)
XLSX files (updated on Sep 11, 2018)
Shapefiles (updated on Sep 11, 2018)
Evolution of the Political-Administrative Units
Access here
Publication
Aplications
Database
Updated on 11/09/2018
- by municipality of the Immediate and Intermediate Geographic Areas of Brazil - XLS | XLSX | ODS
- Geographic Areas - Compositio by Municipality - 2017 - Shapefile
- Boundaries of Immediate Geographic Areas - 2017 - Shapefile
- Boundaries of Intermediate Geographic Areas - 2017 - Shapefile
Maps
Publications - 2017 Geographic Areas
Material type: Book
Year: 1990-
Material type: Journal
Year: 1971-1981
Material type: Book
Year: 1970.
Material type: Journal
Year: 1939-
Material type: Book
Year: 2017
Learn more - 2017 Geographic Areas
Errata
Replacement of map 29 - Geographic Regions - State of Bahia = Map of the Geographic Regions - State of Bahia
Published date: 23/05/2019
Description:
A small typing error was detected on map 29 - Geographic Regions State of Bahia = Map of the Geographic Regions State of Bahia. That was the repetition of the word 'Immediate' on the subscription instead of the word 'Intermediate'.
Actions: The errors were corrected and the file was replaced.
Replacement of the database of the Regional Division of Brazil into Immediate and Intermediate Geographic Areas - 2017
Published date: 11/09/2018
Description:
Due to the necessary revision of the composition into Geographic Areas of the Regional Division of Brazil for the states of Maranhão and Pernambuco, we have altered the results presented in Map 1, Map 2 and in the Systematic Chart of the Regional Division of Brazil into Immediate and Intermediate Geographic Areas - 2017. In Maranhão, the Immediate Geographic Area of São Luís is now formed by tbe municipalities of São Luís, Alcântara, Raposa, Paço do Lumiar, São José de Ribamar, Rosário, Bacabeira, Santa Rita, Axixá, Cachoeira Grande, Icatu, Morros and Presidente Juscelino. In Pernambuco, the Immediate Geographic Area of Surubim is now formed by the municipalities of Surubim, Casinhas, Santa Maria do Cambucá, Vertentes do Lério, Frei Miguelinho, Vertentes and Taguaritinga do Norte; the municipality of São Bento do Una is included in the RGI of Belo Jardim – Pesqueira, and the municipalities of Escada, Ribeirão, Quipapá, Cortês and Primavera leave the RGI of Recife, with the creation of the RGI of Escada-Ribeirão, which encompasses those same municipalities.
Actions: The data base was corrected and replaced on the IBGE website.
Calendar change - Regional Division of Brazil
Published date: 29/06/2017
Description: Change in the name of the "Regional division of Brazil and geographic regions" product to "Regional Division of Brazil into Immediate Geographic Regions and Intermediate Geographic Regions".
Actions: Name already changed and available on the Internet.
FAQ
What is the Regional Division of Brazil?
The Regional Division of Brazil consists of the grouping of states and municipalities into Major Regions in order to update regional knowledge about the country and enable the establishment of a territorial mapping for the sake of surveying and dissemination of statistical data. Furthermore, it is intended to add to a perspective for the national territory organization and to assist the federal government, as well as States and Municipalities, in the implementation of public policies and investments. The Regional Division of Brazil has been part of the IBGE’s institutional mission since the creation of the Institute.
How often is the Regional Division of Brazil released?
The study is updated every ten years. It is the IBGE1s duty to effect adjustments in the updating cycle of products, due to necessity or convenience.
What Regional Division is now in effect?
The Regional Division of Brazil into Geographic Regions 2017 is the regional scenario now in effect with regard to statistical dissemination by the IBGE. The current subdivision replaces the Geographic Micro and Mesoregions of 1990 in the IBGE’s tabulation.
Still in doubt?
Please contact us by e-mail at ibge@ibge.gov.br or by phone at 0800 721 8181.
Related laws
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Brazil
Constitutional text promulgated on October 5th, 1988, with changes adopted by means of constituional ammedments no. 1/1992 to 68/2011, by legislative decree no. 186/2008 and revision constitutional ammendments no.1 to 6/1994. 35. ed. Brasília, DF: Edições Câmara, 2012. 454 p. (Basic texts, n. 67).
Decreee no. 61,126, of August 2, 1967
It approves the statute of the Foundation Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE Foundation) and makes other provisions. Official Gazette of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Brasília, DF, year 105, no. 148, Aug. 7. 1967. Section 1, p. 8247-8250.
Decree no. 74,084, of May 20, 1974
It approves the general plan of statistical and geographic information, and makes other provisions. Official Gazette of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Brasília, DF, year 112, no. 95, May 21, 1974. Section 1, p. 5773-5777.
Decree no. 76,664, of November 24, 1975
It approves the statute of the Foundation Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics - IBGE, and makes other provisions. Official Gazette of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Brasília, DF, year 113, no. 226, Nov 25, 1975. Section 1, p. 15728-15731.
Decree-law no. 67.647, of November 23, 1970
It establishes a new regional division of the country, for statistical purposes. Official Gazette of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Brasília, DF, year 108, n. 221, Nov 24, 1970. Section 1, p. 9987.
Law no. 5,878, of May 11, 1973
It deals with the Foundation Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics - IBGE, and makes other provisions. Official Gazette of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Brasília, DF, year 111, May 15, 1973. Section 1, p. 4697.
Presidency of the Republic
General Secretariat. Newsletter no. 1, January 31, 1942. Official Gazette of the Unite States of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, year 81, n. 29, Feb 4. 1942. Section 1, p. 1767
Resolution no. 72, of July 14, 1941
It establishes the regional division of Brazil, for practical purposes, promotes its adoption by Brazilian statistics and makes other provisions. Brazilian Magazine of Geography, Rio de Janeiro: IBGE, v.4, no. 1, p. 217-218, Jan./Mar. 1942a. Available from
Resolution no. 77, of July 17, 1941
It establishes the norms that rule the regional division of the Brazilian Federation Units. or practical purposes, it sets a basic overview of the division and makes other provisions. Brazilian Magazine of Geography, Rio de Janeiro: IBGE, v. 4, no. 1, p. 221-239, Jan./Mar. 1942b.