CRATO

city, southern Cear estado (state), northeastern Brazil. It lies in the Serra da Balana, at 1,384 feet (422 m) above sea level, just southwest of Juzeiro do Norte. It was elevated to city status in 1853. Crato is a commercial centre for a region producing cattle, sugarcane, rice, cotton, and other crops that are processed and shipped by railroad and highway to coastal Fortaleza, the state capital, 248 miles (399 km) north-northeast, and to other urban centres in Cear and Pernambuco states. Pop. (1980 prelim.) 49,244.