PARANGABA

city, northern Cear state, northeastern Brazil, immediately southwest of Fortaleza, the state capital, and part of its metropolitan area. Until the 1940s it was a small cotton-producing centre on the site of an old Indian village, Parangaba (formerly Porangaba), but has since experienced phenomenal suburban growth. Cashew nuts and carnauba wax are produced in the region. Pop. (1980 prelim.) 226,749.