States of Brazil

The Equatorial line cuts through the state of Amapá, in the North, the Tropic of Capricorn line cuts through the state of São Paulo. Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost Brazilian state, for comparison: the entire European continent is further to the north than Rio Grande do Sul is to the south.Acre is in the far west side of the country, covered by the Amazon forest; Paraíba is the most oriental state of Brazil; Cabo Branco, in the city of João Pessoa, is the easternmost point of Brazil and Americas. Along with Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina is a state in temperate climate.

São Paulo is the economic center of Brazil. Agriculture, industry, commerce and services are the most diversified of Brazil; although a large proportion is exported to other states and other countries, the consumer market of the state is also the biggest in the country. Differently from other states, where settlement started in the coast and moved inwards, in São Paulo the center of the economy was in a non-coastal city. The state of Rio de Janeiro has as capital the city of Rio de Janeiro, the most well known Brazilian city, with famous landmarks. Old books may still bring references to the state of Guanabara: after the Federal District (capital of the Republic) was moved to Brasília, in 1960, the city of Rio de Janeiro was elevated to the condition of state of Guanabara (name of the large bay which washes the city or Rio); however, in 1975, Guanabara was incorporated to the state of Rio, and returned to the condition of municipality, with the old name of city of Rio de Janeiro.
http://en.wikipedia.org