Northeast Region, Brazil
Region European African Native American
Northern Brazil 60.6% 21.3% 18.1%
Northeast of Brazil 66.7% 23.3% 10.0%
West-Central Brazil 66.3% 21.7% 12.0%
Southeast Region , Brazil 60.7% 32.0% 7.3%
Southern Brazil 81.5% 9.3% 9.2%
Demographics -- Ethnic composition of Northeast Brazil compared to other regions
The composition of the Northeast of Brazil compared to other regions of Brazil according to autosomal genetic studies focused on the Brazilian population ( which has been found to be a complex melting pot of European , African and Native Americans components ) : A 2015 autosomal genetic study , which also analysed data of 25 studies of 38 different Brazilian populations concluded that : European ancestry accounts for 62% of the heritage of the population , followed by the African ( 21% ) and the Native American ( 17% ) . The European contribution is highest in Southern Brazil ( 77% ) , the African highest in Northeast Brazil ( 27% ) and the Native American is the highest in Northern Brazil ( 32% ) . [ 26 ] Region European African Native American North Region 51% 16% 32% Northeast Region 58% 27% 15% Central-West Region 64% 24% 12% Southeast Region 67% 23% 10% South Region 77% 12% 11% An autosomal study from 2013 , with nearly 1300 samples from all of the Brazilian regions , found a pred . degree of European ancestry combined with African and Native American contributions , in varying degrees . 'Following an increasing North to South gradient , European ancestry was the most prevalent in all urban populations ( with values up to 74% ) . The populations in the North consisted of a significant proportion of Native American ancestry that was about two times higher than the African contribution . Conversely , in Nordeste , Center-West and Southeast , African ancestry was the second most prevalent . At an intrapopulation level , all urban populations were highly admixed , and most of the variation in ancestry proportions was observed between individuals within each population rather than among population ' . [ 27 ] Region European African Native American North Region 51% 17% 32% Northeast Region 56% 28% 16% Central-West Region 58% 26% 16% Southeast Region 61% 27% 12% South Region 74% 15% 11% A 2011 autosomal DNA study , with nearly 1000 samples from all over the country ( `` whites '' , `` pardos '' and `` blacks '' ) , found a major European contribution , followed by a high African contribution and an important Native American component . [ 29 ] The study showed that Brazilians from different regions are more homogeneous than previously thought by some based on the census alone . `` Brazilian homogeneity is , therefore , a lot greater between Brazilian regions than within Brazilian regions . `` [ 30 ] This table provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject . Please help improve the article by providing more context for the reader . ( April 2014 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) Region European African Native American Northern Brazil 68.80% 10.50% 18.50% Northeast of Brazil 60.10% 29.30% 8.90% Southeast Brazil 74.20% 17.30% 7.30% Southern Brazil 79.50% 10.30% 9.40% This table provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject . Please help improve the article by providing more context for the reader . ( April 2014 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) Region European African Native American Northern Brazil 71.10% 18.20% 10.70% Northeast of Brazil 77.40% 13.60% 8.90% West-Central Brazil 65.90% 18.70% 11.80% Southeast Region , Brazil 79.90% 14.10% 6.10% Southern Brazil 87.70% 7.70% 5.20% An autosomal DNA study from 2009 found a similar profile `` all the Brazilian samples ( regions ) lie more closely to the European group than to the African populations or to the Mestizos from Mexico . `` [ 32 ] This table provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject . Please help improve the article by providing more context for the reader . ( April 2014 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message )
The Northeast Region of Brazil () is one of the five official and political regions of the country according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. For the socio-geographic area see Nordeste (socio-geographic division). Of Brazil's twenty-six states, it comprises nine: Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe and Bahia, along with the Fernando de Noronha archipelago (formerly a separate territory, now part of Pernambuco). Chiefly known as Nordeste (Northeast) in Brazil, this region was the first to be discovered and colonized by the Portuguese and other European peoples, playing a crucial role in the country's history. Nordeste's dialects and rich culture, including its folklore, cuisines, music and literature, became the most easily distinguishable across the country. To this day, Nordeste is widely recognized for its history and culture, as well as for its beautiful natural sights and its hot weather. Nordeste stretches from the Atlantic seaboard in the northeast and southeast, northwest and west to the Amazon Basin and south through the Espinhaço highlands in southern Bahia. It encloses the São Francisco River and drainage basin, which were instrumental in the exploration, settlement and economic development of the region. The region lies entirely within the earth's tropical zone and encompasses Caatinga, Atlantic Forest and part of the Cerrado ecoregions. The climate is hot and semi-arid, varying from xeric in Caatinga, to mesic in Cerrado and hydric in the Atlantic Forest. The Northeast Region represents 18% of Brazilian territory, has a population of 53.6 million people, 28% of the total population of the country, and contributes 13.4% (2011) of Brazil's GDP. Nearly three quarters of the population live in urban areas clustered along the Atlantic coast and about 15 million people live in the hinterland.