Teresina

Teresina (formerly written Theresina) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Piauí and the only inland capital in the northeastern region of the country. The central part of the city is situated between the Parnaíba and Poti rivers, as a result, the city is sometimes referred to as the "Mesopotamia of the Northeast."

In the northern section of the city, the two rivers flow together and continue on toward the Atlantic. There is an environmental park at the confluence, with a viewing platform, which allows viewing from close range. Across the Parnaíba river from the capital lies the smaller city of Timon, and further still, the border of the state of Maranhão.

The city of Teresina is home to over 752,000 inhabitants, over an area of 1,680 km² (1, 043 miles). Its metropolitan area has about 996,000 inhabitants. The surrounding region is referred to as the Chapada do Corisco ("Flash Lightning Flatlands"): the capital city is has the third-highest rate of occurrence of lightning in the world.

The city was originally named Vila Nova do Poti, after the Poti river, and was later renamed Teresina in honor of the Empress Teresa Cristina, the wife of Dom Pedro II. The city has been the capital of the state since 1852, when it was founded by governor of the province, José Saraiva, transferring the administrative headquarters of the province of Piaui from the city of Oeiras. Teresina was the first planned city in Brazil (earlier than the well-known planned capital city of Brasília): its design is said to be reminiscent of a chessboard. It is known as the "Green City" because of the countless mango trees that line its streets. Local crafts include ceramics. A monument depicts the legendary Cabeça de Cuia, a personality from local folklore.

As it is located near the Equator, temperatures in Teresina vary between 26° to 38° Celsius (79-100° Fahrenheit) throughout the year, with the lowest temperatures occurring in the first 5 months of the year.

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