Provinces of Brazil
The provinces of Brazil were the primary subdivisions of the country during the period of the Empire of Brazil (1822 - 1889).
On February 28, 1821, provinces were established in the Kingdom of Brazil (then still part of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves) superseding the captaincies that were in place at the time.
Provinces of 1821
| Name | Entity since | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Alagoas Province | 1817 | Capitania de Alagoas split from the Capitania de Pernambuco |
| Bahia Province | 1501 | |
| Ceará Province | 1822 | |
| Cisplatina Province | 1821 | Oriental Province (present-day Uruguay) annexed by the Crown of Portugal and incorporated in Brazil under the name of Província Cisplatina.) |
| Espírito Santo Province | 1534 | |
| Goiás Province | 1744 | Capitania Geral de Goiás split from Capitania Geral de São Paulo |
| Grão-Pará Province | 1775 | |
| Maranhão Province | 1535 | |
| Mato Grosso Province | 1748 | |
| Minas Gerais Province | 1720 | |
| Paraíba Province | 1574 | |
| Piaui Province | 1718 | Split from the Estado do Maranhão as the Capitania do Piauí |
| Pernambuco Province | 1534 | |
| Rio de Janeiro Province | 1565 | |
| Rio Grande do Norte Province | 1530 | created as the Capitania do Rio Grande |
| Santa Catarina Province | 1738 | Capitania de Santa Catarina split from the Capitania de São Paulo |
| São Paulo Province | 1720 | Capitania de São Paulo split from the Capitania de São Paulo e Minas de Ouro |
| São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul Province | 1760 | |
| Sergipe Province | 1590 |
Changes from 1821-1889
1821
The captaincies of Brazil are renamed provinces.
The present-day Uruguay is occupied by the Portuguese Army and incorporated in Brazil as its Cisplatine Province.
1822
Independence of Brazil, with the provinces becoming provinces of the Empire of Brazil.
1823
The last Brazilian provinces that remained loyal to the Portuguese Government in Lisbon adhere to the Empire of Brazil.
1828
Cisplatina Province became the independent state of Uruguay.
1834
Rio de Janeiro City, the imperial capital, was removed from the Province of Rio de Janeiro, becoming not part of any province and being designated Neutral Municipality. At the same time, the capital of the Province of Rio de Janeiro was transferred to Niterói.
1850
Grão-Pará Province split into Amazonas Province and Pará Province.
1889
In 1889 the Empire of Brazil became the Republic of the United States of Brazil and the provinces became states. The Neutral Municipality that included Rio de Janeiro City became the Federal District.