Rio Grande do Sul

Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state of Brazil, bordering Argentina and Uruguay, with a strong gaucho cowboy culture distinct from the rest of the country. Its capital is Porto Alegre. Known for its barbecue, wine and European heritage, it has a proud and independent regional identity.

The state ranges from the coastal lagoons, including the vast Lagoa dos Patos, to rolling pampas grasslands and the highlands of the Serra Gaucha wine country. It has a subtropical to temperate climate, the coolest in Brazil, with occasional frost.

Gaucho culture defines the state, with traditional dress, the chimarrao mate drink, churrasco barbecue, and folk music and dance. Strong German and Italian immigrant heritage shapes its towns, cuisine and the renowned wine region.

A frontier contested between the Portuguese and Spanish empires, the region was shaped by cattle ranching and military tradition, including the 19th-century Farroupilha revolt. Heavy European immigration built its distinctive culture and economy.