With about 120 beaches spread for 570 Kilometers of coast, Ceará is a privileged place, where the sun shines almost 30* Celsius during, at least, eight months a year.

The peculiar geography of Ceará designed a coast that runs towards east-west. That means that in many beaches the sun rises at the sea and, in others, sets down in the ocean.

On east-coast, there are many coconut trees on the beach, natural sources and colored sand cliffs. On the west-coast yet, you will find fishermen villages, almost desert beaches, giant dunes of clear sand and many ponds, good for swimming. Leaving the coast, Ceará offers startling sceneries. In the mountains the tourist will find mild weather and great bed and breakfasts inns, everything surrounded by the exuberance of the local vegetation, one of the last redoubts of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The mountainous regions are ideal for the ecological tourism. Cities like Ubajara and Guaramiranga have areas of environmental protection.

Result of the most original popular manifestation, Ceara's workmanship still remains characteristics of its first craftsman, the Indians that lived in Ceara's territory during the pre-colonial period. Since then the techniques were inherited from the father to the son. The creativity and simplicity of the craftsman from Ceará can also be seen in bobbin lace, wood and mud. As usual, the works keep a beauty that goes beyond time.

Location
Ceará state is located in the northeastern of Brazil, right below the Ecuador line. Ceará makes border at south with Pernambuco, at north with the Atlantic Ocean, at west with Piauí and at east with Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte.

Territory
146.348 km2

Population
7.417.402 (2000)
Urban: 2.138.234 hab.
Rural: 5.279.168 hab.

Climate and Temperature
Seacoast: Warm moist (average between 26º and 27º C)
Mountains: Cold moist (average around 22º C)
Countryside: semi-arid (average between 32º and 33º C)

Annual precipitation average
775 mm

Altitude
Variation between 400 and 1.100 meters