Palmas, Tocantins

Palmas (Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpawmɐs], Palm trees; Akwẽ-Xerénte: Akwẽ krikahâzawre wam hã [akwẽ kɾikahəʐawɾɛ wam hə̃]) is the capital and largest city of the state of Tocantins, Brazil. According to IBGE estimates from 2020, the city had 306,296 inhabitants. Palmas has a metropolitan area with 471,639 inhabitants. Palmas was founded in 1990 and developed from the ground up in a former agricultural area as the capital of the new state of Tocantins, formed under the 1988 constitution. It was intended to develop a relatively undeveloped area of the nation to provide better jobs for people. The city has a well-designed road system, and its urban zoning is modeled on that of Brasília, the national capital. A symmetrical park lies at the city centre, and a large central avenue similar to Brasília's Monumental Axis extends north to south. The city is home to the Federal University of Tocantins. In 2002, the Lajeado Hydroelectric Power Plant was completed on the Tocantins River, creating a large reservoir and giving the city new beaches. The project also included construction of a huge bridge: the Fernando Henrique Cardoso Bridge, 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) long, connects Palmas with the major highway BR-153 and the district of Luzimangues in Porto Nacional. The Palmas Airport connects Palmas with many Brazilian cities.